tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24972208913869193402024-03-16T10:12:34.757+08:00A Curmudgeon Abroad Dour, 電通-controlled, family-centric Belgian Neocolonialism, enthusiastically jaded observations, support for state-owned neoliberalist media and occasional rants from the twisted mind of a privileged middle-class expatriate atheist projecting some leftist ideals with my ridicule of Tucker Carlson (from The Blogs Formerly Known As Sponge Bear and Kaminoge 物語)
*see disclaimer belowKaminogehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07925637671913689331noreply@blogger.comBlogger1479125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2497220891386919340.post-55601952445872771302024-03-01T20:32:00.006+08:002024-03-02T15:12:06.858+08:00In search of Mt. Fuji: Tokyo <p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuTbyC2ngY8ZiBhaRVRjWYfhJYjNnZtmoLOdzeSO2mZJQtKB10v3tDDnL8MbrILNp0i0v4lxJ6d01yg4r1dYuV0pK9yhrB51WDUoPTTJKnWfCuoepEiw67plRfDFZmB2J6wBNpvOJnaKAJB3BaPsG5ONml1V9SpQb248B5dPDwoNg4-OBtyRU6z2iDA8w/s4032/IMG_6208.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuTbyC2ngY8ZiBhaRVRjWYfhJYjNnZtmoLOdzeSO2mZJQtKB10v3tDDnL8MbrILNp0i0v4lxJ6d01yg4r1dYuV0pK9yhrB51WDUoPTTJKnWfCuoepEiw67plRfDFZmB2J6wBNpvOJnaKAJB3BaPsG5ONml1V9SpQb248B5dPDwoNg4-OBtyRU6z2iDA8w/s320/IMG_6208.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><i><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Join us...</i></div></i><p></p><p>With our time in Hakone 箱根 at an end, and with the girls presumably having more sightings of Mount Fuji 富士山 than human beings should be allowed to have, it was time for the last leg of the trip, a two-night stay in Tōkyō 東京, or to be more specific, in Shinjuku 新宿, home to the <a href="https://www.jrpass.com/blog/the-biggest-and-busiest-train-stations-in-japan" target="_blank">world's busiest train station</a>. I don't normally like to take photos of people other than family or friends, especially surreptitiously. But this dapper gentleman sharing a car with us for part of the trip on the Odakyū Line 小田急線 express train heading into the capital proved too photogenic to resist. Was he a Buddhist priest? Or an early 20th-century Meiji era 明治時代 novelist?:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTGbVzMPsqVEg02M0UKGjrYORwiQgBJrDEAUlRLqNeBwE0y9JPpHq6XVm8bktmeMzM_RE5g_3mzThB7CmFJNZCszDLjVCtxnsIJg_fYk4R98KoEiXVhem4K1HzETu7rjii_cR1e9ltBs4Pj3shAa82XibQJN6-WOYuP7ZBG0mFGKHXXIsJYkuos_gy7eA/s3245/IMG_6173.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3245" data-original-width="2349" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTGbVzMPsqVEg02M0UKGjrYORwiQgBJrDEAUlRLqNeBwE0y9JPpHq6XVm8bktmeMzM_RE5g_3mzThB7CmFJNZCszDLjVCtxnsIJg_fYk4R98KoEiXVhem4K1HzETu7rjii_cR1e9ltBs4Pj3shAa82XibQJN6-WOYuP7ZBG0mFGKHXXIsJYkuos_gy7eA/s320/IMG_6173.jpg" width="232" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Arriving in Shinjuku, we checked into our final accommodations, the <a href="https://sotetsu-hotels.com/en/sunroute/plazashinjuku/" target="_blank">Hotel Sunroute Plaza Shinjuku</a> ホテルサンルートプラザ新宿, and then went out in search of dinner. My wife wanted <i><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yakiniku" target="_blank">yakiniku</a> 焼肉</i>, but to my personal sense of shame, rather than seek out a place where I could deploy my (ahem) cultural knowledge and language skills, I instead suggested a place very close to the hotel that had a chalkboard sign written in English out front, and English-language menus and English-speaking staff inside. The meal was fine, but I believe we ended up paying far more than we would have than if I had actually been bothered:<div> <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrjt8v_R0Yp_8VJBois1X2nrP-midbHqY43OXIhyphenhyphen-nvD1qarGIbVdtAGCrBczjtK4OhulZHDrUE7Q1__2pdtmK3mm1Gj6nAXtyzDwk9eekyIUmkRA880D-zAAd0xnC01tgYnQ6Eza9Vk8tW_ofqnRC1w7r8FddFjsyTcz7OfBicOlpXDjttFx4wb5ad20/s4032/IMG_6174.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrjt8v_R0Yp_8VJBois1X2nrP-midbHqY43OXIhyphenhyphen-nvD1qarGIbVdtAGCrBczjtK4OhulZHDrUE7Q1__2pdtmK3mm1Gj6nAXtyzDwk9eekyIUmkRA880D-zAAd0xnC01tgYnQ6Eza9Vk8tW_ofqnRC1w7r8FddFjsyTcz7OfBicOlpXDjttFx4wb5ad20/s320/IMG_6174.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilg4Iy2iHFeRyFCB7wSN9n94U6pKX0TYYsYDP68VLHjug5YQ_i_zXnT3nTxOvnIvk9BOo2Tgp_nzUm8c-sS7osqqd5_bUm6XnpSbXA4YaIOFwtV1k0KAPtqe-uRi73PDogjEJ6XXTZ5-E8Mk8E0Yd_ecPJSWmziwfhxUbVf3RZaYEpb3oEHSIhXvHL-Ik/s4032/IMG_6175.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilg4Iy2iHFeRyFCB7wSN9n94U6pKX0TYYsYDP68VLHjug5YQ_i_zXnT3nTxOvnIvk9BOo2Tgp_nzUm8c-sS7osqqd5_bUm6XnpSbXA4YaIOFwtV1k0KAPtqe-uRi73PDogjEJ6XXTZ5-E8Mk8E0Yd_ecPJSWmziwfhxUbVf3RZaYEpb3oEHSIhXvHL-Ik/s320/IMG_6175.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Of all Tokyo's many districts and neighborhoods, Shinjuku has always been my favorite. It's a combination of the upscale (department stores and skyscrapers), and the seedier side of Japanese life in the form of <a href="https://www.theculturemap.com/kabukicho-the-strange-world-of-east-shinjuku/" target="_blank">Kabukichō</a> 歌舞伎町. Home to some of my favorite hangouts (the late, great bar Rolling Stone being one of them), as well as a plethora of restaurants and shops, I suggested we go for a stroll following dinner:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQPry2-g3XjfIhtXUvvENurFm1IIIpSobdNvCyaHuzK-NS7ECLcVH4CR7cJDNa5fw-SaQU3O-DrSBPchg80lA0WVoqwahJiPvQzR8lbhDtDiWRruMAf_xF5-v1sLKdOff8vIhfp1IJttBi8YNJkPfDOg5Oh8nLh3DujGsLsKffs74LbgkYhuJHEprGZdA/s4032/IMG_6178.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQPry2-g3XjfIhtXUvvENurFm1IIIpSobdNvCyaHuzK-NS7ECLcVH4CR7cJDNa5fw-SaQU3O-DrSBPchg80lA0WVoqwahJiPvQzR8lbhDtDiWRruMAf_xF5-v1sLKdOff8vIhfp1IJttBi8YNJkPfDOg5Oh8nLh3DujGsLsKffs74LbgkYhuJHEprGZdA/s320/IMG_6178.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb-VocC9NMrQHlVJ9Txuf4PoigHaWYTZnJ7GvipE5aPKWdPpR3p3Q7YahVzkie2uHbokhQuObrtcz_0SxzA5lmMwblthap0mDLmeOK34es16eCYu6O7kki_h6scvVodCQJ1rD6LmM-KAvH5KPWhFT0IvjaSr_gezYhaUwCx7W6gkuIM4U0U1K7cvcKySo/s4032/IMG_6180.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb-VocC9NMrQHlVJ9Txuf4PoigHaWYTZnJ7GvipE5aPKWdPpR3p3Q7YahVzkie2uHbokhQuObrtcz_0SxzA5lmMwblthap0mDLmeOK34es16eCYu6O7kki_h6scvVodCQJ1rD6LmM-KAvH5KPWhFT0IvjaSr_gezYhaUwCx7W6gkuIM4U0U1K7cvcKySo/s320/IMG_6180.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip0mcP2ZUddbx5M7P3sw3OCq8ILY6OJoPLLu9cLnnWW6GDK00K-2bdNx2q3wJ0no76_Y50k4Y5xOLgPUYCiRaylyb8Il7XOHuX0B-OlJdZ6Tup9AETqmFBCPKZ25UMkuDt0ud1CvfydEeCny-6gr9HK7ChWLEQndmH9kiNv_iXSMmJxoCbmenYkrJAgIQ/s4032/IMG_6181.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip0mcP2ZUddbx5M7P3sw3OCq8ILY6OJoPLLu9cLnnWW6GDK00K-2bdNx2q3wJ0no76_Y50k4Y5xOLgPUYCiRaylyb8Il7XOHuX0B-OlJdZ6Tup9AETqmFBCPKZ25UMkuDt0ud1CvfydEeCny-6gr9HK7ChWLEQndmH9kiNv_iXSMmJxoCbmenYkrJAgIQ/s320/IMG_6181.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>While Shu-E did some browsing in a large drugstore, I took to my daughter to <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Books_Kinokuniya" target="_blank">Kinokuniya</a> 紀伊国屋書店, a bookstore where I spent a large amount of time and money during the decade I lived in Tokyo. In addition to the many English-language tomes on Japan (I ended up purchasing the latest Lonely Planet guide to Japan, which is currently only available for pre-order on Amazon), I showed Amber several what I thought were Taiwanese language phrasebooks. Later, however, when I looked more closely at this photo, I realized they were actually guides to speaking Taiwanese Mandarin. I still should've gotten one*:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinX2ahZ7sZ0m31K2C5Z63-jsdLp-TZDZc4iajA_EXUYt04EHc8fM6LCzcC63K0I6gestohqxVeNDTJjPBEjXNvhuT4yO092u5KaJwRzFcvXonJl_ceOupsgxrSeP6l-cCYTXYVCe10H7MvevRMRn7sWx-7EaKzNtsJvwatG2wWpzj-PXujxpER9hfMiS4/s4032/IMG_6182.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinX2ahZ7sZ0m31K2C5Z63-jsdLp-TZDZc4iajA_EXUYt04EHc8fM6LCzcC63K0I6gestohqxVeNDTJjPBEjXNvhuT4yO092u5KaJwRzFcvXonJl_ceOupsgxrSeP6l-cCYTXYVCe10H7MvevRMRn7sWx-7EaKzNtsJvwatG2wWpzj-PXujxpER9hfMiS4/s320/IMG_6182.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The bright lights of <a href="https://magicoftravels.com/en/asia/japan/tokyo/yasukuni-dori/" target="_blank">Yasukuni-dōri</a> 靖国通り, which is a standard image in movies with scenes set in Tokyo. I don't recall having ever taken any photos of the nightlights despite all the time spent in the area. On the other hand, in the days before cell phones with cameras, it would have been very odd to have brought a standard camera along every time I went out to a bar, club, restaurant or concert hall (in fact, in the latter the camera would've been confiscated!):</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv6WghHHkn231SZqJt0z1qvXTi-driXYIV2udEHAJanqefGgvH5QtmvffE7YQ0UtFwUjoxaH23K3ObBTWVHI5CyxAiu92ZiqXilrNiE8-IOdO5cD1sWHaGnrW0h7bKCpY7c1wkan1hNIp_9YsKcLv_cQLs7HTSD4DdF5OXdc5mFYdc4V1sUxLTc9HxWKI/s4032/IMG_6183.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv6WghHHkn231SZqJt0z1qvXTi-driXYIV2udEHAJanqefGgvH5QtmvffE7YQ0UtFwUjoxaH23K3ObBTWVHI5CyxAiu92ZiqXilrNiE8-IOdO5cD1sWHaGnrW0h7bKCpY7c1wkan1hNIp_9YsKcLv_cQLs7HTSD4DdF5OXdc5mFYdc4V1sUxLTc9HxWKI/s320/IMG_6183.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The Godzilla figure on the roof of the <a href="https://shinjuku.gracery.com/?_gl=1*1s0w8ty*_gcl_au*NTE1NzAxNjE2LjE3MDkyMTE1MjU.&_bdsid=buWAs.oTQYGqE.1709211559592.1709211570&_bd_prev_page=https%3A%2F%2Fgracery.com%2Fshinjuku%2F&_bdrpf=0" target="_blank">Hotel Gracery</a>, a famous Instagram shot. I'm embarrassed to say I tried to book a room for us there, but fortunately it was full:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_Hzg4_RmZDODXZeDZ5Z3zgHwO5FPOQgI0dXgBrXT4ImZ3XZQsPabX7m7mGONmi3SMyMjEoBn8OPYgfXEbJP8G0S6jlmRD-Css3HkGm7zndgEUeHRuomVcvEr4fNuxrTuHwX6tD1RTwZAKzBbkJUyM2phR8jf70kN_onfTVgaXHGw3KoO7P6on68DcPao/s4032/IMG_6186.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_Hzg4_RmZDODXZeDZ5Z3zgHwO5FPOQgI0dXgBrXT4ImZ3XZQsPabX7m7mGONmi3SMyMjEoBn8OPYgfXEbJP8G0S6jlmRD-Css3HkGm7zndgEUeHRuomVcvEr4fNuxrTuHwX6tD1RTwZAKzBbkJUyM2phR8jf70kN_onfTVgaXHGw3KoO7P6on68DcPao/s320/IMG_6186.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioNYY52_A3TN2rjMKwVMteF16sqXNviv325dxHNstatIOcrVEEjmq5RTkoGVgmtFJa-3pcLZ8ZQnGptM2f2jKtRDm12gD53va7M3XiLhhYycGc48VDGiIbi8GIOpui_PpS-X0sw8EkAbBNMI8YO6BSCsGoLLEFYV3ihfnBMDJpj03VIdkh2EzXK-0mSd4/s4032/IMG_6188.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioNYY52_A3TN2rjMKwVMteF16sqXNviv325dxHNstatIOcrVEEjmq5RTkoGVgmtFJa-3pcLZ8ZQnGptM2f2jKtRDm12gD53va7M3XiLhhYycGc48VDGiIbi8GIOpui_PpS-X0sw8EkAbBNMI8YO6BSCsGoLLEFYV3ihfnBMDJpj03VIdkh2EzXK-0mSd4/s320/IMG_6188.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>I don't know if it's a product of my advanced years, but it seemed to me Kabukicho was much less threatening than it once was. I'm sure the seedy businesses and the gangsters are still around on the side streets (there were a lot of warnings to tourists to beware of touts) but the main thoroughfares appear to have been cleaned up for the tourist trade. </div><div><br /></div><div>In much the same way Edo period 江戸時代 Japan had to succumb to Victorian mores in order to be respected by the Western powers, modern Japan seemingly has also caved into pressure to be more presentable. The cigarette and alcohol vending machines that I once used so often can now only be accessed with ID cards. Gone it seems are the salacious TV programs that used to air following the late-night news (like the "<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6LcTh0M2Wu8" target="_blank">11 PM Wide Show</a>" and "Gilgamesh" ギルガメッシュ). Even the once-grim <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8TrxtRuECq8&t=916s" target="_blank">public toilets have literally cleaned up their act</a>, though that's one change I now wholeheartedly embrace, having long ago converted to believing in the power of the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U8KyBlGWI2k" target="_blank">Washlet</a>). To be a single man in his late 20's/early 30's in Japan at the tail-end of the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_asset_price_bubble" target="_blank">economic bubble</a> バブル景気 was a fortunate bit of timing on my part. Today's generation of travelers will never know of bodycon dresses ボディコン, <i>ikeike</i> girls イケイケギャル or free samples of Mild Sevens being handed out on the streets of Shibuya 渋谷. On the other hand, they will also probably never get to experience being shaken down by a gangster to pay an inflated bar bill at a Kabukicho dive bar**, so not all change is bad:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN1MbEWarxNY_U4It_YAKT1bND1pjaUXWJCEv_m8hqsR8b73MPFrne9tMd9Zvz3QttJHRh6Xt5zOVxZxwXfDtw1bPyf3DvgPqbqBRAAj2byFKsC0mU3o8pSbKxbIi77BYQZQZ2w2RQBodY3APsY_GiTAMa7nT4ciBLvHe9aOGcoYZM4fL54_jYCEXhX7s/s4032/IMG_6189.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN1MbEWarxNY_U4It_YAKT1bND1pjaUXWJCEv_m8hqsR8b73MPFrne9tMd9Zvz3QttJHRh6Xt5zOVxZxwXfDtw1bPyf3DvgPqbqBRAAj2byFKsC0mU3o8pSbKxbIi77BYQZQZ2w2RQBodY3APsY_GiTAMa7nT4ciBLvHe9aOGcoYZM4fL54_jYCEXhX7s/s320/IMG_6189.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>BIC Camera ビックカメラ, home to one of the most annoying jingles in the history of advertising. Imagine having to listen to this on an endless loop during an 8-hour shift, five days a week, 4.2 weeks a month***, and you'll come to understand why <a href="https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2023/05/31/national/crime-legal/gun-control-explainer/#:~:text=Who%20can%20own%20a%20gun,they%20have%20a%20gun%20license." target="_blank">Japanese gun ownership laws are so strict</a>:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnfvMFkEqZrn3-qyWHa58tc4TOuMjHxoeFY-ilqXJYQLwtDHLosmQSnGAxgQxvIi2yduLlD1M_vz0ir2zFG_Z2BhQvrahksJwBh0oKtGkG6R_EMtCmDL1iouwHwPRibnPQE9BcP0NOUzkHO9MZZj_MuKdIv7aQnSXTKUZp_PBPaHokL_0bY8X_5n94jP4/s4032/IMG_6191.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnfvMFkEqZrn3-qyWHa58tc4TOuMjHxoeFY-ilqXJYQLwtDHLosmQSnGAxgQxvIi2yduLlD1M_vz0ir2zFG_Z2BhQvrahksJwBh0oKtGkG6R_EMtCmDL1iouwHwPRibnPQE9BcP0NOUzkHO9MZZj_MuKdIv7aQnSXTKUZp_PBPaHokL_0bY8X_5n94jP4/s320/IMG_6191.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>One of Shinjuku's noted drinking streets, affectionately nicknamed "<a href="https://www.tofugu.com/japan/piss-alley-tokyo/" target="_blank">Piss Alley</a>". Not exactly fun for the whole family, though later we would visit an izakaya (and Omoide-yokochō's 思い出横丁 reputation is based on the past, not the present):</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn_9lHEPB8m-wYLKMUca4mbn_wC4I1Muu-9I8aEJ-vah-B0j2cg_TN9Y4e3xEXC2gyTgvjLpKMUmGDqfVfivUyiQwJJtor_bcACGinW3S1Hk1gsN8OK7B8Hn8ghv2TqRngh3YRxWYk13uSPnbkrJKffRkisYnp3MA66rzi2fBvvscpdiomywSVafmAqfg/s3901/IMG_6193.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3901" data-original-width="2926" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn_9lHEPB8m-wYLKMUca4mbn_wC4I1Muu-9I8aEJ-vah-B0j2cg_TN9Y4e3xEXC2gyTgvjLpKMUmGDqfVfivUyiQwJJtor_bcACGinW3S1Hk1gsN8OK7B8Hn8ghv2TqRngh3YRxWYk13uSPnbkrJKffRkisYnp3MA66rzi2fBvvscpdiomywSVafmAqfg/s320/IMG_6193.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Instead of relieving myself in a public space, I bought this from a convenience store and used the facilities back in our hotel room:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXW1JszOhmVgojzcpNxtHDoi4m4r9LTprd4tE4at9vUsNhJs3OA9X__wVaYZCxyUWOGTwrg5UVAt7_0PGcCLNrk9HY9KzvZBAhmqrjlDVXNy5MWPS8OjcsDD9vRi_w8MAHcChToP9Cr7Dr01BuHoj_HRVteCeOKVJJM-FZnJb6JerjZo2F8Dr8aewnNbk/s3608/IMG_6194.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3608" data-original-width="2389" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXW1JszOhmVgojzcpNxtHDoi4m4r9LTprd4tE4at9vUsNhJs3OA9X__wVaYZCxyUWOGTwrg5UVAt7_0PGcCLNrk9HY9KzvZBAhmqrjlDVXNy5MWPS8OjcsDD9vRi_w8MAHcChToP9Cr7Dr01BuHoj_HRVteCeOKVJJM-FZnJb6JerjZo2F8Dr8aewnNbk/s320/IMG_6194.jpg" width="212" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The following morning (Friday), while the girls were taking their time getting ready following breakfast (women, am I right?), I went for a stroll around the neighborhood:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEgAlHP_x69p8ybtohjUGP2Nev8xWHSoA3wgXTXw_eI2V5p2sga40KwZZcMr9MmX6SVwSAEow2NaXvjPhF-0TOyngdYWbYlqpfA1lPZLXwRgiOoIKMJ040iSKvPgCB5K4IOnGH1oirdLxkooBmoQRNnl30a7Ftw6fzj_D5mf5vUTdROqaXvcWchMtalO4/s4032/IMG_6195.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEgAlHP_x69p8ybtohjUGP2Nev8xWHSoA3wgXTXw_eI2V5p2sga40KwZZcMr9MmX6SVwSAEow2NaXvjPhF-0TOyngdYWbYlqpfA1lPZLXwRgiOoIKMJ040iSKvPgCB5K4IOnGH1oirdLxkooBmoQRNnl30a7Ftw6fzj_D5mf5vUTdROqaXvcWchMtalO4/s320/IMG_6195.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The <a href="https://www.archdaily.com/139167/mode-gakuen-cocoon-tower-tange-associates" target="_blank">Modo Gakuen Cocoon Tower</a> モード学園コクーンタワー, a familiar sight to readers of manga 漫画 and watchers of anime アニメ:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvTdcGWNvvzPmehAiONFA6DIG2Z9MEpVm-Im7OjjLhJ4hYsvCKTI3RYgH6qZMeEo6RUPrbOq_zpeoJKEjoaYHbM7AW5W7T6pUUrWPJI9BZtyKGb-fPR0qKrOIKUsL_F21HZ2WbCDuNlNtrgOxC8f9ufYfD_8pck66aWsfH_pv45IwjF5lURZCfKk0HMJU/s4032/IMG_6197.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvTdcGWNvvzPmehAiONFA6DIG2Z9MEpVm-Im7OjjLhJ4hYsvCKTI3RYgH6qZMeEo6RUPrbOq_zpeoJKEjoaYHbM7AW5W7T6pUUrWPJI9BZtyKGb-fPR0qKrOIKUsL_F21HZ2WbCDuNlNtrgOxC8f9ufYfD_8pck66aWsfH_pv45IwjF5lURZCfKk0HMJU/s320/IMG_6197.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The <a href="https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3011_tocho.html" target="_blank">Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building</a> 東京都庁舎 peeks out from the end of a side street. The Tochō 都庁 was very controversial at the time of completion due to the perceived extravagance of its design, but the views from the observation decks are exceptional (and free):</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieKySimcnooZ-qYlqw8QnpcM353IH6-kCTTsYNfYqbIyj5Xnsiz2CzwU2Im6KzeB3KSYFkrUIEPKSRF6xXcpalF8oaAqjZbDiDBgbjtchZI1XmE4YB_SramjHX4dNP08DihyphenhyphennJR-dJZ97YF5okfRYUnF0tS_Trel0mdJy7-SzFitvVbcgGLxXeXdlG-TE/s4032/IMG_6199.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieKySimcnooZ-qYlqw8QnpcM353IH6-kCTTsYNfYqbIyj5Xnsiz2CzwU2Im6KzeB3KSYFkrUIEPKSRF6xXcpalF8oaAqjZbDiDBgbjtchZI1XmE4YB_SramjHX4dNP08DihyphenhyphennJR-dJZ97YF5okfRYUnF0tS_Trel0mdJy7-SzFitvVbcgGLxXeXdlG-TE/s320/IMG_6199.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Last year I took my daughter to Tokyo at the start of a 27-day jaunt going from the new capital to the old one (Kyōto 京都). I let Amber choose where to go, and the places in Tokyo (and its surroundings) we ended up going to included Akihabara 秋葉原 (<a href="https://kaminoge.blogspot.com/2023/06/first-day-in-japan.html" target="_blank">here</a> and <a href="https://kaminoge.blogspot.com/2023/06/third-day-in-japan.html" target="_blank">here</a>); <a href="https://kaminoge.blogspot.com/2023/06/second-day-in-japan.html" target="_blank">Tokyo Tower 東京タワー and Shibuya</a>; <a href="https://kaminoge.blogspot.com/2023/06/third-day-in-japan.html" target="_blank">Ikebukuro 池袋</a>; <a href="https://kaminoge.blogspot.com/2023/06/fourth-day-in-japan.html" target="_blank">Kamakura 鎌倉 and Odaiba お台場</a>; and <a href="https://kaminoge.blogspot.com/2023/06/fifth-and-sixth-days-in-japan.html" target="_blank">Asakusa 浅草, the Imperial Palace 皇居 and Harajuku 原宿</a>. This time being the first for Shu-E, I was curious to see where she would decide on visiting. The first stop turned out to be <a href="https://gotokuji.jp/en/" target="_blank">Gōtoku-ji Temple</a> 豪徳寺, located in a quiet residential area in Setagaya-ku 世田谷区:</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimdj9ylcYa8yHBQUTjJeStL0G0ielj9W7VlmB1wZRHRAMVFY-nl1nhx-cA6G7oRZ-WpcdC0qAeswUCjtCwO_cwBdl8Yoj0oCzbWO8taNm3H1Oi9_czI-6FQW-Q7wQui0fmhKaeRi9BjS9k5cozz9e5UlbPJye_BOVfG1cuiyeaahLxn1SuZJ07tpX6iLo/s3927/IMG_6200.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2945" data-original-width="3927" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimdj9ylcYa8yHBQUTjJeStL0G0ielj9W7VlmB1wZRHRAMVFY-nl1nhx-cA6G7oRZ-WpcdC0qAeswUCjtCwO_cwBdl8Yoj0oCzbWO8taNm3H1Oi9_czI-6FQW-Q7wQui0fmhKaeRi9BjS9k5cozz9e5UlbPJye_BOVfG1cuiyeaahLxn1SuZJ07tpX6iLo/s320/IMG_6200.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ_DQ_k9Db8XE1cPmsG5BItOjRZyo4TI10iP7h0KF_J10DFApXF6m-01qEqg_xmiYlETtzA9_zRNBmnKIePOYM-SMG5ZVe3PStGLv4EGRsBbGXKg-fCYdW9DoKJFhBHs03vj9mrn792aa6g_R1gmrkc4o4sdHEiNeXV8g0X-EjeBy8CriIKsgjIzkTCh8/s4032/IMG_6201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ_DQ_k9Db8XE1cPmsG5BItOjRZyo4TI10iP7h0KF_J10DFApXF6m-01qEqg_xmiYlETtzA9_zRNBmnKIePOYM-SMG5ZVe3PStGLv4EGRsBbGXKg-fCYdW9DoKJFhBHs03vj9mrn792aa6g_R1gmrkc4o4sdHEiNeXV8g0X-EjeBy8CriIKsgjIzkTCh8/s320/IMG_6201.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSybKM7hmVAS0536NSuoNsSRW-RIBd1ygEJuD315eXv8sBjen1b6oaXZjlhHluixCsWutBQeB0EtV6M10Fqbw5CQACIDxwh6psQdbtj0kQsi6oAHKykEjWXrJoFFQwLWj-6Syjmawdxbl24WriF3v4nGokcNyM9WEXk0Unt4z4RlEI3WvFz9EnjvG6USE/s4032/IMG_6202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSybKM7hmVAS0536NSuoNsSRW-RIBd1ygEJuD315eXv8sBjen1b6oaXZjlhHluixCsWutBQeB0EtV6M10Fqbw5CQACIDxwh6psQdbtj0kQsi6oAHKykEjWXrJoFFQwLWj-6Syjmawdxbl24WriF3v4nGokcNyM9WEXk0Unt4z4RlEI3WvFz9EnjvG6USE/s320/IMG_6202.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>A hint as to why we went to the temple:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy4EUPtskIx5v04CilicZISFdtDWy2sTqcXCEq9py-Vz-baIqflN7ZSvm1yR8dIB3GkTaM1arXvIpeYauwt7ZvFZmDtam6NbIoGYpVlE-Gf3GUvFPbUbpliUXEukTQdqJ9g01dbS8hmt2kze-TXqaG_WBj48DZYVf4voZ1H90LV4RP1JUMK1iLnnWiSeQ/s3947/IMG_6203.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3947" data-original-width="2961" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy4EUPtskIx5v04CilicZISFdtDWy2sTqcXCEq9py-Vz-baIqflN7ZSvm1yR8dIB3GkTaM1arXvIpeYauwt7ZvFZmDtam6NbIoGYpVlE-Gf3GUvFPbUbpliUXEukTQdqJ9g01dbS8hmt2kze-TXqaG_WBj48DZYVf4voZ1H90LV4RP1JUMK1iLnnWiSeQ/s320/IMG_6203.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Gotoku-ji is home to several thousand <i><a href="https://theconversation.com/what-is-the-story-of-maneki-neko-the-japanese-beckoning-cat-203906" target="_blank">Maneki-neko</a></i> 招き猫 figurines. If you look closely, you'll see one of the felines is cheekily waving the Republic of China (Taiwan) flag:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-mfYoClO7gGyoSo6F6zlKq_NFFYB5Wg3cRIabwumwUxEZnZq6XgStpS_vJGzjBwEastYx_wlXm7g88ph9LNk_AJUIWgEjLn2q5RJI_QiwofgYYhhYUYyN9_jUZ5Ih5DFGuqeyvk29Bht8meE1TPvoc6U4r_JOxeSJtRPDE-yxVa8Cr7cU4o2ACw_YDCg/s4032/IMG_6205.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-mfYoClO7gGyoSo6F6zlKq_NFFYB5Wg3cRIabwumwUxEZnZq6XgStpS_vJGzjBwEastYx_wlXm7g88ph9LNk_AJUIWgEjLn2q5RJI_QiwofgYYhhYUYyN9_jUZ5Ih5DFGuqeyvk29Bht8meE1TPvoc6U4r_JOxeSJtRPDE-yxVa8Cr7cU4o2ACw_YDCg/s320/IMG_6205.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMyEo5wX1B8LOyvsrhbFqSDlBch9siXkCXg0fFnw7QDZyNYUE9gLB8WBrvyHgiA1rcjUy8WZCQ3MaQOUb3mSQYAf1Cj7-I5cxiB6KXhKMPy4TCXaZnGzpxi2-zK0RBqEr7_zrTrYtDj78JAspqDEoOB5wTg87HjiYydTiECYGfUdQIW7XlD02FhFMVqjY/s4032/IMG_6206.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMyEo5wX1B8LOyvsrhbFqSDlBch9siXkCXg0fFnw7QDZyNYUE9gLB8WBrvyHgiA1rcjUy8WZCQ3MaQOUb3mSQYAf1Cj7-I5cxiB6KXhKMPy4TCXaZnGzpxi2-zK0RBqEr7_zrTrYtDj78JAspqDEoOB5wTg87HjiYydTiECYGfUdQIW7XlD02FhFMVqjY/s320/IMG_6206.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijH0-6sVakMVHh1g8CwRkBu7gkEv4rCzb4PCC4F7okmt1R904FANl3FVhv91e1o4DY09ZSvcRup8S0HboX2Yn_2UeZ3KU9gXIJhScw1wxYiMvKUqh1FZhNCDSrbJurLTDDB_75t1rJXb4L-VvAsKD6odKgW3lywUONNHLa9SSbnJRg43cWS0K9oy9TzTo/s4032/IMG_6207.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijH0-6sVakMVHh1g8CwRkBu7gkEv4rCzb4PCC4F7okmt1R904FANl3FVhv91e1o4DY09ZSvcRup8S0HboX2Yn_2UeZ3KU9gXIJhScw1wxYiMvKUqh1FZhNCDSrbJurLTDDB_75t1rJXb4L-VvAsKD6odKgW3lywUONNHLa9SSbnJRg43cWS0K9oy9TzTo/s320/IMG_6207.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNm76ojG0L2RlbSayhK7zMJS7B0t1qPVptccWKpyO73_aRuJ5_rzsl3WKV-c72tTenQ6fj3MDW_qbfDYWKHmFmkP2NLhLWLvcVinsxy3xSR1ll7fkqP63ykSuJd1AfLAHIpQcEWdLNmsg_HetoRYbK1hVtk8wcwuyzH8eLi3kK7xvKa4xF9dLxItF7ngM/s4032/IMG_6209.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNm76ojG0L2RlbSayhK7zMJS7B0t1qPVptccWKpyO73_aRuJ5_rzsl3WKV-c72tTenQ6fj3MDW_qbfDYWKHmFmkP2NLhLWLvcVinsxy3xSR1ll7fkqP63ykSuJd1AfLAHIpQcEWdLNmsg_HetoRYbK1hVtk8wcwuyzH8eLi3kK7xvKa4xF9dLxItF7ngM/s320/IMG_6209.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Some backstory: in the days before Instagram and the various other forms of social media, this temple was largely unknown. I visited it once sometime in the early-mid 1990's only because I was living in Setagaya-ku at the time, and the ward office had published a small English-language guide that introduced some of the (then) lesser-known sites in the area to its foreign residents. So one free weekday afternoon I rode my bike to Gotoku-ji. If memory serves me right, I was the only one there. There also weren't as many of the Maneki-neko statues as there are currently. If you visit now, you certainly won't be alone, and the temple now has a small gift shop selling figurines in different sizes, with visitors patiently queueing. A lot has certainly changed in the roughly thirty years between visits!:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimTG2iJdYkBSJHVYJK2uR-SIJ6Xor61ZmxoI4xLh0gA5vWEng_T4aA56k6pZaYLtsPUim59_rz-XuA2Psn-9N8uOZQMlb2Vf18v6n65eEj0dFn7I_NWr1eOAk0pAaPPLqLV2IVZi_N3aRrsqZnW9P6NLT6vDzXltbZHMalw0ASctnvaEQY0IyQwFJr-Ao/s4032/IMG_6210.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimTG2iJdYkBSJHVYJK2uR-SIJ6Xor61ZmxoI4xLh0gA5vWEng_T4aA56k6pZaYLtsPUim59_rz-XuA2Psn-9N8uOZQMlb2Vf18v6n65eEj0dFn7I_NWr1eOAk0pAaPPLqLV2IVZi_N3aRrsqZnW9P6NLT6vDzXltbZHMalw0ASctnvaEQY0IyQwFJr-Ao/s320/IMG_6210.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFrxQeT1s4UTiYEVdIPuuVuaN6yMJ48cfyvAu8q3a0T-tOqii0UCZDKpsFXbnNvQJOfB49zpNUuLEiofhVgD9aXRr4PjuSOPKMWOXVtvfITFytWG0BmJnBTL-CABO_lskK96u1-MYhJEOTVGypglrW1bGJsVH1DOJebUPSrJs9KQ9W5zIS1iOGAcr08dE/s4032/IMG_6211.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFrxQeT1s4UTiYEVdIPuuVuaN6yMJ48cfyvAu8q3a0T-tOqii0UCZDKpsFXbnNvQJOfB49zpNUuLEiofhVgD9aXRr4PjuSOPKMWOXVtvfITFytWG0BmJnBTL-CABO_lskK96u1-MYhJEOTVGypglrW1bGJsVH1DOJebUPSrJs9KQ9W5zIS1iOGAcr08dE/s320/IMG_6211.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUfui7P64y9M6CY6DatBQV6ypEkuqY3ctzPZW3y5ezkC1uIgsHBI1FmarXZdBGVAxeC0mWvpWUKRBg_9Esejiickmb8ao0RzrpaR5XdNxGW7AYYEX8xkTIvU5K9OUk6rAf15jLTxpGGMfEd90d9FLXLaQeWhQdzzYLOq9N5fRfB6zhR95pjmN6mN0sbGw/s3452/IMG_6212.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2552" data-original-width="3452" height="237" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUfui7P64y9M6CY6DatBQV6ypEkuqY3ctzPZW3y5ezkC1uIgsHBI1FmarXZdBGVAxeC0mWvpWUKRBg_9Esejiickmb8ao0RzrpaR5XdNxGW7AYYEX8xkTIvU5K9OUk6rAf15jLTxpGGMfEd90d9FLXLaQeWhQdzzYLOq9N5fRfB6zhR95pjmN6mN0sbGw/s320/IMG_6212.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>For the record, I am not saying "Power to the People!":</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1ENjaTOadTcxhYbrtYufGXwhEQuOMMCc-X8hSB4PdKW2yppubkYDBdqFfEszKHw0m-4inXHy_WEjCrI2-1ZcHHZvTFotMppAUG8CppvsCYlBpRNheEtO6YD-LlmdKycnrC6jsloaFhgp-OonQhVx8KeHQR8NbJkj1uweyfkBoY7-7h302-jCREJ7SFbw/s3807/IMG_6215.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3807" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1ENjaTOadTcxhYbrtYufGXwhEQuOMMCc-X8hSB4PdKW2yppubkYDBdqFfEszKHw0m-4inXHy_WEjCrI2-1ZcHHZvTFotMppAUG8CppvsCYlBpRNheEtO6YD-LlmdKycnrC6jsloaFhgp-OonQhVx8KeHQR8NbJkj1uweyfkBoY7-7h302-jCREJ7SFbw/s320/IMG_6215.jpg" width="254" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Another example of changing times is the modern cars used on the <a href="https://www.kanko-setagaya.jp/en/route/setagaya.html" target="_blank">Setagaya Line</a> 世田谷線, one of only two tramways till operating in Tokyo (the other being the <a href="https://www.japan-experience.com/plan-your-trip/to-know/traveling-japan/toden-arakawa" target="_blank">Toden Arakawa Line</a> 都電荒川線). This <a href="https://youtu.be/kZiUkSHShVU?si=VrZZP7U8E6lTL-Cx" target="_blank">video</a> shows what it was like in the 1990's, when I would ride the line to visit the ward office:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNpaMF7w6PSrDertg6K6Aifsnbg7IMTIfhbOyq8G1K-_ylAmfBVUBcoWeCE4HN36It50rydgiO3iWdliQ2-ovIvT-M2Z7OlYLD7-UCltynRuYfrRNx2Ly4WLueT-xdg9-C8fEnH0vSY5yQq8A23BjIcKp7DlGinxyKTls12qfwF2aCTvOiBcUBCxfP5G0/s4032/IMG_6218.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNpaMF7w6PSrDertg6K6Aifsnbg7IMTIfhbOyq8G1K-_ylAmfBVUBcoWeCE4HN36It50rydgiO3iWdliQ2-ovIvT-M2Z7OlYLD7-UCltynRuYfrRNx2Ly4WLueT-xdg9-C8fEnH0vSY5yQq8A23BjIcKp7DlGinxyKTls12qfwF2aCTvOiBcUBCxfP5G0/s320/IMG_6218.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Next stop: Tsukiji 築地, once home to the famous fish market. The market (with its early morning auction) has since been relocated to <a href="https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3013_market.html" target="_blank">Toyosu</a> 豊洲, but the <a href="https://www.tsukiji.or.jp/english/" target="_blank">Outer Market</a> 築地場外市場, selling seafood, vegetables and various other sundries, is still in operation:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin3fPdEEuKgBKjBHKqw2aD5FHiMiqvGcQOEtcyySBr9H2sdhWic46Hyla27pH7_KqVprr9QaWyf4ZrzVT_i75Sc56ykFCEYX64o92KR6KjepYj6agnnUi3UY0UbSQjO7RnhEq4T1k0BqstpNLxkWnJjInmCdqo88R024y1YpPgiYMff7gDbyLWnQbCU7c/s4032/IMG_6220.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin3fPdEEuKgBKjBHKqw2aD5FHiMiqvGcQOEtcyySBr9H2sdhWic46Hyla27pH7_KqVprr9QaWyf4ZrzVT_i75Sc56ykFCEYX64o92KR6KjepYj6agnnUi3UY0UbSQjO7RnhEq4T1k0BqstpNLxkWnJjInmCdqo88R024y1YpPgiYMff7gDbyLWnQbCU7c/s320/IMG_6220.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Tsukiji was one of the first places I visited after getting settled in in Tokyo, though I couldn't muster the effort to get there at 0500 hours to see the auction (in retrospect, I could've gone after staying out all night, something that wasn't uncommon back in those days. Youth is wasted on the young). I recall having a sushi breakfast with my girlfriend at around 0800 and being shocked when the bill came to ¥10,000 (fortunately I had enough cash on me). This time around, the three of us had a seafood lunch, and being in a higher income bracket than I was back in 1989, the cost wasn't an issue:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgzunw7-EShDoa2B2UpxRoqsqGRLX3EBgkcYy2Lta_g3tBQz63CSgxJQEl7hDMHFTDqVUXr5a7QCEplv_lsl6g9kpk6GGZ4iga0oA-eVEKwwsCLFpusx2C5yfyBz0EmPxZK0oSaEZLHynBN5wym9rMy2jLiE5FBuEly6b8fbYNQqOsljSUr8Qjg0tM3No/s4032/IMG_6221.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgzunw7-EShDoa2B2UpxRoqsqGRLX3EBgkcYy2Lta_g3tBQz63CSgxJQEl7hDMHFTDqVUXr5a7QCEplv_lsl6g9kpk6GGZ4iga0oA-eVEKwwsCLFpusx2C5yfyBz0EmPxZK0oSaEZLHynBN5wym9rMy2jLiE5FBuEly6b8fbYNQqOsljSUr8Qjg0tM3No/s320/IMG_6221.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5twh43wT3VZm2injsceA6Qkvhe9R5MT-F94GyeKHE5e2VeoH6KAu9jnFmbVpA6MjBQyVqsxp9Yi72aQlg9zSr5ZUbr90xRLauOyxRSfXqgjR4tGld155Wp5VMd5qQlg7ZXI8nZoI3-zep7p3s4vX1oKU-scGlQuDJakgRsv4qOHulLgn38EtBuy0aftI/s4032/IMG_6224.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5twh43wT3VZm2injsceA6Qkvhe9R5MT-F94GyeKHE5e2VeoH6KAu9jnFmbVpA6MjBQyVqsxp9Yi72aQlg9zSr5ZUbr90xRLauOyxRSfXqgjR4tGld155Wp5VMd5qQlg7ZXI8nZoI3-zep7p3s4vX1oKU-scGlQuDJakgRsv4qOHulLgn38EtBuy0aftI/s320/IMG_6224.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDJzu0KzV5UkAOKtxGpk0p-1VmmrNmBZudjm_N7x68zBqxDKwfebv20lsCyseXvWoDKL6PDQg3gBzMmc3A2gaWVQtIMax_eOr7VP0fM-EYY1l_pDl2TriYh-6X2ywFVlO4FJjoFRUrFMelHMqgNwl7nK4MOskH7cIWXWd7kDfWSLDxaMY9JbnM_NpI9WE/s2221/IMG_6225.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1638" data-original-width="2221" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDJzu0KzV5UkAOKtxGpk0p-1VmmrNmBZudjm_N7x68zBqxDKwfebv20lsCyseXvWoDKL6PDQg3gBzMmc3A2gaWVQtIMax_eOr7VP0fM-EYY1l_pDl2TriYh-6X2ywFVlO4FJjoFRUrFMelHMqgNwl7nK4MOskH7cIWXWd7kDfWSLDxaMY9JbnM_NpI9WE/s320/IMG_6225.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Following lunch, we spent the rest of our time at the market doing what we would do in a Taiwanese night market - snacking:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhlfH1pBQYHd177cgY9exK8-W9FLeWTwKJ8ud0_z2_9n9ZMjVHNK52y1ojMpx3t2qXLM-oCvCuBUVAhJf2tzN7zTI3DQnuFRJX5V2nA9P3wl7cb1HNkSo0nLNItKHc6MWiGhafRv8b2Be2Y-mRn-ryUsrepdP7UV2iOfeYkNWlQaW8l119eeJZoWFykI8/s4032/IMG_6228.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhlfH1pBQYHd177cgY9exK8-W9FLeWTwKJ8ud0_z2_9n9ZMjVHNK52y1ojMpx3t2qXLM-oCvCuBUVAhJf2tzN7zTI3DQnuFRJX5V2nA9P3wl7cb1HNkSo0nLNItKHc6MWiGhafRv8b2Be2Y-mRn-ryUsrepdP7UV2iOfeYkNWlQaW8l119eeJZoWFykI8/s320/IMG_6228.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSTUBQPIAfFlNP6gjnMU44w4xQnYewzKn9qd5F-CHyQ1nNQoIK9qW9yErwanH2l8pY8gOdx2yFv3QfhBPEUOJKOOXN4APXuW_tpLYFJOdqlxYolVzDGT2CiOTyTT42ywtVLWJKg_4PUxih9IrVoV_kZQTPQ86Liu5CZJOvSkP-vazW9gYBsoK54dBXCiM/s4032/IMG_6230.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSTUBQPIAfFlNP6gjnMU44w4xQnYewzKn9qd5F-CHyQ1nNQoIK9qW9yErwanH2l8pY8gOdx2yFv3QfhBPEUOJKOOXN4APXuW_tpLYFJOdqlxYolVzDGT2CiOTyTT42ywtVLWJKg_4PUxih9IrVoV_kZQTPQ86Liu5CZJOvSkP-vazW9gYBsoK54dBXCiM/s320/IMG_6230.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>A prewar house standing in the midst of the market:</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx6YfpDiYXFYYKc9A8VwoaHU0akYv8QxlY7b2vEKGhyphenhyphen-SZoR-xnNetPi45cRAhtvz7o7-M88Kmn3J-oVPru1S6dOeVVNQzjq5XlebMcB_ZWTREU4ZxjOnJ-XrUkpYvla-viq73NhGXuAYVuYXZ_O2pkYIEpW4Y3G0djw5XZ1LQYfhuZMBeH3fRkeuV1a4/s4032/IMG_6232.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx6YfpDiYXFYYKc9A8VwoaHU0akYv8QxlY7b2vEKGhyphenhyphen-SZoR-xnNetPi45cRAhtvz7o7-M88Kmn3J-oVPru1S6dOeVVNQzjq5XlebMcB_ZWTREU4ZxjOnJ-XrUkpYvla-viq73NhGXuAYVuYXZ_O2pkYIEpW4Y3G0djw5XZ1LQYfhuZMBeH3fRkeuV1a4/s320/IMG_6232.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh10JMGLF9qPREeUO43bjwudhVnNlXnCIZXji_j8KEP1KFo_eu6hRG_w3MILrMv8W-elrHSSMNGHAoUPDDLDepYcS8HtUizyLLc4qqmN7GHwVNwuTfusI1wvnXMfIiaZWYoeZsabNgBIXElQZGrPQAQMUdQ_wNzcqENivK-HvNmWk_g3IcWCr4lo4KqOzs/s4032/IMG_6233.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh10JMGLF9qPREeUO43bjwudhVnNlXnCIZXji_j8KEP1KFo_eu6hRG_w3MILrMv8W-elrHSSMNGHAoUPDDLDepYcS8HtUizyLLc4qqmN7GHwVNwuTfusI1wvnXMfIiaZWYoeZsabNgBIXElQZGrPQAQMUdQ_wNzcqENivK-HvNmWk_g3IcWCr4lo4KqOzs/s320/IMG_6233.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The girl and I enjoy <i><a href="https://www.justonecookbook.com/tamagoyaki-japanese-rolled-omelette/" target="_blank">tamagoyaki</a></i> 玉子焼き from <a href="http://www.yamachou-matue.jp/index.shtml" target="_blank">Yamachō</a> 山長:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXoRh_KpzsodmA-36kxfF3EneqsiCRkvM6WHW0PsInxlKmwgkiIn1YaH3-6tqn8LhJueWSQWsY8pj2GPYnvCtnRCFPyuYUXZQ27VLRVoiRyKDaortSb4Ptc1fFWcKHRr1gGhe-lXdDlv5zVcwa81Q7V_SWXg7YguU1n6wejv8BqOKV1YuW9foN7FhJS-w/s4032/IMG_6234.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXoRh_KpzsodmA-36kxfF3EneqsiCRkvM6WHW0PsInxlKmwgkiIn1YaH3-6tqn8LhJueWSQWsY8pj2GPYnvCtnRCFPyuYUXZQ27VLRVoiRyKDaortSb4Ptc1fFWcKHRr1gGhe-lXdDlv5zVcwa81Q7V_SWXg7YguU1n6wejv8BqOKV1YuW9foN7FhJS-w/s320/IMG_6234.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The missus opted for some grilled squid:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJHfjDtEQLBYnxdRKe1B9vE0uM28WFo66hw4_Btao63s9lc5UouyqXsLgnGyEsv1O_Ks3qbe07uFOGUY5b3SQFFTwwmUX3U_LvviSqIBMSysG1oca65mHZhOhjKEA42GgqtanDng1Y9hmmG1q4ERfw429otLJnDK7dR-74YwqU4eVbqzg10VV57YgdPDc/s4032/IMG_6236.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJHfjDtEQLBYnxdRKe1B9vE0uM28WFo66hw4_Btao63s9lc5UouyqXsLgnGyEsv1O_Ks3qbe07uFOGUY5b3SQFFTwwmUX3U_LvviSqIBMSysG1oca65mHZhOhjKEA42GgqtanDng1Y9hmmG1q4ERfw429otLJnDK7dR-74YwqU4eVbqzg10VV57YgdPDc/s320/IMG_6236.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_4UMtUs5nn4eHHcI5BHsj1nw9jKh-js5fZLrX0w1Dq2VLFbo5CX9wJZy3BY6w3TyJHdRqgWl6Ke6wgN4GUedEf2F_7VbAYVSH40zXRHY_0FJVIIlpTOA4sRpiX1Kzi2ETOL8BIFOg2Qmdf9jXyVZCegVMyzGRI_Fxy1Ctur6DyyjbGbbmwjp0CeIYQj0/s4032/IMG_6237.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_4UMtUs5nn4eHHcI5BHsj1nw9jKh-js5fZLrX0w1Dq2VLFbo5CX9wJZy3BY6w3TyJHdRqgWl6Ke6wgN4GUedEf2F_7VbAYVSH40zXRHY_0FJVIIlpTOA4sRpiX1Kzi2ETOL8BIFOg2Qmdf9jXyVZCegVMyzGRI_Fxy1Ctur6DyyjbGbbmwjp0CeIYQj0/s320/IMG_6237.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilUQX26y4xfhetDcW94ZUbE1Oq27PFV9_01vzl5fZNHSyToA4My9Wv3RsmKs1fBmElOA0UZqf9lnJ6Q0BznwDrt_x6MIVJ327Pf-K86OlGbf-sYHvXf4TVtzCRV9h6IpEOrG475nFvP1P-U5e81318F5csMFTQ9o6qQTfpMHPjSXBgy7Y7QF_oCu8rnbM/s4032/IMG_6238.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilUQX26y4xfhetDcW94ZUbE1Oq27PFV9_01vzl5fZNHSyToA4My9Wv3RsmKs1fBmElOA0UZqf9lnJ6Q0BznwDrt_x6MIVJ327Pf-K86OlGbf-sYHvXf4TVtzCRV9h6IpEOrG475nFvP1P-U5e81318F5csMFTQ9o6qQTfpMHPjSXBgy7Y7QF_oCu8rnbM/s320/IMG_6238.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>From Tsukiji it was a relatively short walk to the swanky <a href="https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3005.html" target="_blank">Ginza</a> 銀座 district, the symbol of which is the <a href="https://www.seiko.co.jp/en/seiko_house_ginza/history/" target="_blank">Seikō House Ginza Clock Tower</a> セイコーハウス銀座時計塔:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFd94scO5sfjn2KDi4O1aCS9pUo_lbhAtIj3QM6HCOZfrNRNdDrbBajZv1SCqWigE236-p64GipPy_0xON6NLBk64SxPQLdHAzKX_FO4ZlkFB4KMAhxOXAUpRHU3Y2nZJOAaddjL2CrZI_qkMdEymTg3vkLjmLbKCsyyKdA-0UkQ_QbDlZCaGlJLiGKqA/s3642/IMG_6240.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2990" data-original-width="3642" height="263" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFd94scO5sfjn2KDi4O1aCS9pUo_lbhAtIj3QM6HCOZfrNRNdDrbBajZv1SCqWigE236-p64GipPy_0xON6NLBk64SxPQLdHAzKX_FO4ZlkFB4KMAhxOXAUpRHU3Y2nZJOAaddjL2CrZI_qkMdEymTg3vkLjmLbKCsyyKdA-0UkQ_QbDlZCaGlJLiGKqA/s320/IMG_6240.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Just one of the many luxury brands with outlets in Ginza:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB6G6er95Lc8oOpcB4PaVLEB-Lxw_JQDtVk0qZztm84lavQD_HV89tbqUtexKkStWmpwFdfsqnmOWUJ-I5RodvzWavzTra_5xJvda7jzTLL5PGQ1K-cRXmx8mUhWCLRpnNgPjqCOmgtW-OyWqDoyEx825zAFtd4cWRECY3l7jylyeKNGfePBnd869PMVc/s4032/IMG_6241.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB6G6er95Lc8oOpcB4PaVLEB-Lxw_JQDtVk0qZztm84lavQD_HV89tbqUtexKkStWmpwFdfsqnmOWUJ-I5RodvzWavzTra_5xJvda7jzTLL5PGQ1K-cRXmx8mUhWCLRpnNgPjqCOmgtW-OyWqDoyEx825zAFtd4cWRECY3l7jylyeKNGfePBnd869PMVc/s320/IMG_6241.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Rather than symbols of conspicuous consumption, we were in Ginza to let Amber do some shopping at <a href="https://www.ito-ya.co.jp/lang/en/index.html" target="_blank">Itōya</a> 伊東屋, a well-known (and expansive - seven floors! - stationery store). Knowing she and her mother would be there for some time, I headed up to Cafe Stylo on the 12th floor to allow them plenty of time to look around:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwP3yWHS7tYzIBcsMcQ0dLlwG2MtNtu4-ehOAEG2PJa_wnYyMzOfK2jDx860WU8gkJfOtW0OJ2h3_HHHF777_MYYG5au9AlmMPu1rV8tHHJqJFF-TANk0Wg6euvVPJeOyX3FxOa2ae-MCcC4X_-LLcsfSbKX2hPHE7MUv6vUGde9nVxr3mUHXi1-kNeLk/s3728/IMG_6242.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1797" data-original-width="3728" height="154" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwP3yWHS7tYzIBcsMcQ0dLlwG2MtNtu4-ehOAEG2PJa_wnYyMzOfK2jDx860WU8gkJfOtW0OJ2h3_HHHF777_MYYG5au9AlmMPu1rV8tHHJqJFF-TANk0Wg6euvVPJeOyX3FxOa2ae-MCcC4X_-LLcsfSbKX2hPHE7MUv6vUGde9nVxr3mUHXi1-kNeLk/s320/IMG_6242.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>We ended the day in Shibuya, which admittedly was more my suggestion than my wife's. Shibuya was probably the area in which I spent the most time (other than the neighborhoods where my apartments were located) while living in Tokyo. And just as in Shinjuku the night before, I took a lot more photos now than compared to way back then:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjdJxzRPmyn79lrQkF77CZBwpeT3ULFxEf_R49aCsAntvQumrnu4qu4iaqFoLDhU3gcW-ytXOeBg7iwCCP0yX60iq2AklXNtv1o1VfTYYPR1lNBrjAnGOc8HsLHUcdJ0D7B-P1Yqju7uHyBLaBuvQXkW3qWYjKV4p2xiXzun89Kkcy80Tc5BJ5vpX2tYo/s4032/IMG_6243.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjdJxzRPmyn79lrQkF77CZBwpeT3ULFxEf_R49aCsAntvQumrnu4qu4iaqFoLDhU3gcW-ytXOeBg7iwCCP0yX60iq2AklXNtv1o1VfTYYPR1lNBrjAnGOc8HsLHUcdJ0D7B-P1Yqju7uHyBLaBuvQXkW3qWYjKV4p2xiXzun89Kkcy80Tc5BJ5vpX2tYo/s320/IMG_6243.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRhKBhhY54J-u5-I00nDAjxr5DpGSvDYxsCU8WEVtSxBRqTAAkUz4xyam5bnqGN39lMoi9fPkss6m_kyrxmX8TCXOy_ILu4dPKizj70MY9b-YYKkRBrGsQ6ihogWP5AaDvFDMR1vKtNFQakls5o-aHPDbk1vQIQkV_0N1AUMHpg3BXAPOzVk2UBciZm5Q/s4032/IMG_6244.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRhKBhhY54J-u5-I00nDAjxr5DpGSvDYxsCU8WEVtSxBRqTAAkUz4xyam5bnqGN39lMoi9fPkss6m_kyrxmX8TCXOy_ILu4dPKizj70MY9b-YYKkRBrGsQ6ihogWP5AaDvFDMR1vKtNFQakls5o-aHPDbk1vQIQkV_0N1AUMHpg3BXAPOzVk2UBciZm5Q/s320/IMG_6244.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjVT1yivCE4YIAjiCFh-lQrmCae9zke-vcY8XBpf0xzduCStd0FQ1PwK3qL85wKD3prUThHmsn1j7inZq4_UMHHdJKfIfM9tsZauiAncLBWujZPo4GbECgaUdxbSRAO_gnY-IvXSoNhG7lT9B7pajHC6fe-HP-j6Ou4YPPvkpRA0JHqotnc8dIutJtfPI/s3905/IMG_6246.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="3905" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjVT1yivCE4YIAjiCFh-lQrmCae9zke-vcY8XBpf0xzduCStd0FQ1PwK3qL85wKD3prUThHmsn1j7inZq4_UMHHdJKfIfM9tsZauiAncLBWujZPo4GbECgaUdxbSRAO_gnY-IvXSoNhG7lT9B7pajHC6fe-HP-j6Ou4YPPvkpRA0JHqotnc8dIutJtfPI/s320/IMG_6246.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The three of us split up for a while - Shu-E did some shopping at drugstores, Amber went to an arcade to spend some of my hard-earned money on games, and I went to see what <a href="https://www.cntraveler.com/shops/tokyo/tower-records" target="_blank">Tower Records</a> タワーレコード渋谷店 looks like these days. Despite the parent company (Sacramento's contribution to popular culture) having gone bankrupt in 2006, the Shibuya store is still around. Like Kinokuniya, I also spent a lot of time and money here. Unfortunately, the bookstore that used to occupy the 7th floor is now gone:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_DF007y0cMHNvdJ5ZYs_hJZLRxY9oEojlCRKBahywabLF5oTUTX963aSJnrv52R8VytoGYBHFpjNOgeb1l-Rlv0CXpdIJJDboAFyKOQmq9Ovc1v3xP_yM_5yiDDiL8Z9m7EYtwCNcLBUlMsBBxR0lWvioIFQhRrsn9VbDQXMQ28o7qNx7o4m2uSqxK7Y/s3968/IMG_6249.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3968" data-original-width="2868" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_DF007y0cMHNvdJ5ZYs_hJZLRxY9oEojlCRKBahywabLF5oTUTX963aSJnrv52R8VytoGYBHFpjNOgeb1l-Rlv0CXpdIJJDboAFyKOQmq9Ovc1v3xP_yM_5yiDDiL8Z9m7EYtwCNcLBUlMsBBxR0lWvioIFQhRrsn9VbDQXMQ28o7qNx7o4m2uSqxK7Y/s320/IMG_6249.jpg" width="231" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Next, I went to a small shop selling vintage soccer jerseys, where to my surprise I came across this <a href="https://www.southendunited.co.uk/" target="_blank">Southend United</a> jersey from the early-mid aughts. I would've purchased this to replace the one I bought in Southend in 1996 (and still wear)****, but the size was a medium, whereas I'm...big. A pity: </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvzegGicnx2OeuA7ilD3GrdlRIQUqrkdxobCVn0h_K-u74jP-iEVarWNVapwhyphenhyphenqYaDmh0VM5G1W9MpAZRO5Zl4c2M_-g4g2Hewow35jHXtyuRoiu89Gr5cIzUjLNUSA9LHGHUbkBtgF6M6VVC3nlnkfBt-SoGz2HCRX2wxhhp71ZHuH_cpZySZ09Pz_jI/s4032/IMG_6250.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvzegGicnx2OeuA7ilD3GrdlRIQUqrkdxobCVn0h_K-u74jP-iEVarWNVapwhyphenhyphenqYaDmh0VM5G1W9MpAZRO5Zl4c2M_-g4g2Hewow35jHXtyuRoiu89Gr5cIzUjLNUSA9LHGHUbkBtgF6M6VVC3nlnkfBt-SoGz2HCRX2wxhhp71ZHuH_cpZySZ09Pz_jI/s320/IMG_6250.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Of all the places in Tokyo we visited, both on this most recent trip and during July of last year, Shibuya was the area that for me has undergone the most dramatic of changes. Projects such as <a href="https://www.timeout.com/tokyo/shopping/miyashita-park" target="_blank">Miyashita Park</a> 宮下公園 (see photo below), <a href="https://www.shibuya-scramble-square.com.e.apy.hp.transer.com/" target="_blank">Shibuya Scramble Square</a> 渋谷スクランブルスクエア, <a href="https://www.hikarie.jp.e.ui.hp.transer.com/?_gl=1*1ylct1k*_gcl_au*MjUzODQzMjEwLjE3MDkyOTUwNzE." target="_blank">Shibuya Hikarie</a> 渋谷ヒカリエ and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shibuya_Stream" target="_blank">Shibuya Stream</a> 渋谷ストリーム have rendered many areas around the station (especially in the east and southeast) largely unfamiliar to this old Shibuya hand (fortunately <a href="https://www.gotokyo.org/en/spot/88/index.html" target="_blank">Center-gai</a> 渋谷センター街 hasn't changed much):</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifxeGbsxIehyu5A2wmSMDN_HDX6EJsCxRBwaxvMjTE_Lh52En6H1e6hhlY0ar_ZQAYKrzj9CjVYtFZPPrS3MzgdRCwOWoV1jlzmTqyvJT5nsBIuG5Ad6HfcUZ_yPyxAmKKjZ9msrjn10om8JrBdZz24Ihv-fnQKSAFQjkTvMQUib7tXg_WhsfXqNLCP8s/s4032/IMG_6251.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifxeGbsxIehyu5A2wmSMDN_HDX6EJsCxRBwaxvMjTE_Lh52En6H1e6hhlY0ar_ZQAYKrzj9CjVYtFZPPrS3MzgdRCwOWoV1jlzmTqyvJT5nsBIuG5Ad6HfcUZ_yPyxAmKKjZ9msrjn10om8JrBdZz24Ihv-fnQKSAFQjkTvMQUib7tXg_WhsfXqNLCP8s/s320/IMG_6251.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6KT_R5CfveqT2hBqe_PaSJJ9TLQ6GGTmLnj53bPpLUfbEqV0si2nf7VBqEsoMJOdK16v_UQG2aSwsP6rArFk-Cvb6rBh07AN6UuKuxq7qSgWfflLPPM0DAM_kg-k2gEwkRD-J_vuwnS8xPj5DgODsSeaecckbgojDrqjPLaqedeRxgItaEjwQCJDu4TE/s3881/IMG_6252.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3881" data-original-width="2911" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6KT_R5CfveqT2hBqe_PaSJJ9TLQ6GGTmLnj53bPpLUfbEqV0si2nf7VBqEsoMJOdK16v_UQG2aSwsP6rArFk-Cvb6rBh07AN6UuKuxq7qSgWfflLPPM0DAM_kg-k2gEwkRD-J_vuwnS8xPj5DgODsSeaecckbgojDrqjPLaqedeRxgItaEjwQCJDu4TE/s320/IMG_6252.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Passing behind <a href="https://www.gotokyo.org/en/spot/86/index.html" target="_blank">Hachikō</a> ハチ公. My wife wasn't interested in joining the line to have a photo taken with the loyal mutt:</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4SCoER11ScSPeHJIJSydyri9G1L6pN0QtdfKT-WcpgNgC0YD71J5n02z1dZth3HJj89uvWkSdnPcULvzUI-aj9XFKwmyLbeXzAgsCFlj843LJB2Q-udsv94bGP2DSVkXnqVD_OlCf8YpoI1YNsioHBoPWEF2NT2nx1jOA4-pvNaw-pAHMYLHh3CxSqTI/s4032/IMG_6253.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4SCoER11ScSPeHJIJSydyri9G1L6pN0QtdfKT-WcpgNgC0YD71J5n02z1dZth3HJj89uvWkSdnPcULvzUI-aj9XFKwmyLbeXzAgsCFlj843LJB2Q-udsv94bGP2DSVkXnqVD_OlCf8YpoI1YNsioHBoPWEF2NT2nx1jOA4-pvNaw-pAHMYLHh3CxSqTI/s320/IMG_6253.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The old <a href="https://www.timeout.com/tokyo/restaurants/nonbei-yokocho" target="_blank">Nonbei Yokochō</a> 渋谷のんべい横丁drinking alley by the station still appears to be holding on...:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFzHDWpXjTd52ka-q4i13Lezidxv8qRSvLqeisfnKqr-SVMI7wWOVC64yRbkZpyjKPxtGLjZXRbdFc9m6tcsY2mco-ZSucu27Yac1hsvIOgMAUqH47Dival5hZcSCjNLhBpbtIl8K_egM6KDEETSRh-ukgwcNaCSgWhBfTsm5INWnadVVQqLtFf-CJbb8/s4032/IMG_6254.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFzHDWpXjTd52ka-q4i13Lezidxv8qRSvLqeisfnKqr-SVMI7wWOVC64yRbkZpyjKPxtGLjZXRbdFc9m6tcsY2mco-ZSucu27Yac1hsvIOgMAUqH47Dival5hZcSCjNLhBpbtIl8K_egM6KDEETSRh-ukgwcNaCSgWhBfTsm5INWnadVVQqLtFf-CJbb8/s320/IMG_6254.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">...but much of it has been given the theme park treatment:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYSub2AUQi9WEe6HwxfojwE7o3vMYmMHBLWM1tA9mer9-YXwvncWeqLUFrWQdxSF4r75SmUrbBHG72b1O050OchhMlmcTG6mqcNVj3PyGdOmASi56PsZdT101tkykX-4AKECTLpKWCF9Ms7qmDMBlfZUK01u1fwNcGjcA91VjVi4tGudkWBE18IrU3dOY/s4032/IMG_6266.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYSub2AUQi9WEe6HwxfojwE7o3vMYmMHBLWM1tA9mer9-YXwvncWeqLUFrWQdxSF4r75SmUrbBHG72b1O050OchhMlmcTG6mqcNVj3PyGdOmASi56PsZdT101tkykX-4AKECTLpKWCF9Ms7qmDMBlfZUK01u1fwNcGjcA91VjVi4tGudkWBE18IrU3dOY/s320/IMG_6266.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh2o2z6bxEBYJcRZ0RoK0Y6NofKwEdYHgg8qGEO_V_A1-6RZjBm0zoLgWU9cSSMtiHexuasrYyG6Osxj98yQxTgRyY46Fkcxbe_mClxGz3lAaGJmnFhlgbFNvZvLhENDuy1DxD3dRa_dgrwaq3_wq4pYe8rYlYeo3P9C3v35nTNebBYhQyopae7uUgBTg/s4032/IMG_6255.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh2o2z6bxEBYJcRZ0RoK0Y6NofKwEdYHgg8qGEO_V_A1-6RZjBm0zoLgWU9cSSMtiHexuasrYyG6Osxj98yQxTgRyY46Fkcxbe_mClxGz3lAaGJmnFhlgbFNvZvLhENDuy1DxD3dRa_dgrwaq3_wq4pYe8rYlYeo3P9C3v35nTNebBYhQyopae7uUgBTg/s320/IMG_6255.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>And it was in the latter that we went for the <i><a href="https://www.tokyolocalized.com/post/what-is-izakaya" target="_blank">izakaya</a></i> 居酒屋 experience - fried or grilled foods washed down with copious amounts of alcohol (note: Amber remained a teetotaler throughout the evening) in a lively atmosphere:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtbPPgMoQLYUlDzQ_C4KsZve18WcrWqWNGOENPKXVFFLgxBJq_9AqgZtf-X1UddIqjnQpd3hn6Ry1aE6aiJxAB5t3kBLWFZ5tugV4PjXipzOPt0Jfe-xcR_fVCEYzd6l2HpNFVYwqehjKpBgNEnmtyh5Nx5Ho34Z3_mWDHAlJeydoT2NycT8aDWBNalXs/s4032/IMG_6256.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtbPPgMoQLYUlDzQ_C4KsZve18WcrWqWNGOENPKXVFFLgxBJq_9AqgZtf-X1UddIqjnQpd3hn6Ry1aE6aiJxAB5t3kBLWFZ5tugV4PjXipzOPt0Jfe-xcR_fVCEYzd6l2HpNFVYwqehjKpBgNEnmtyh5Nx5Ho34Z3_mWDHAlJeydoT2NycT8aDWBNalXs/s320/IMG_6256.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXMOo_8Yzz0-LHIvIMb7gxtBx4l-vWUedvNCxSUvwZgSfR2EBtHWAwg7GFif7z8hi6G0YfKN0SaUCRLnVNqUfetYohl6DB-dnBRfMLK17NIk39Ruc1ByyHIHFBvqcuSr6nwcOdg4s81KMLsA7RP5TtjqT-wTB8qqnJE5vKVXp9Y_syMQiQug5etne7WGU/s4032/IMG_6257.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXMOo_8Yzz0-LHIvIMb7gxtBx4l-vWUedvNCxSUvwZgSfR2EBtHWAwg7GFif7z8hi6G0YfKN0SaUCRLnVNqUfetYohl6DB-dnBRfMLK17NIk39Ruc1ByyHIHFBvqcuSr6nwcOdg4s81KMLsA7RP5TtjqT-wTB8qqnJE5vKVXp9Y_syMQiQug5etne7WGU/s320/IMG_6257.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhadvuNAmZa5orx5xBUANNJnedYJKw_9NIr4XZW1UmqHvAyOI1DOo4dqrJ3S6EFxhfpDg4d2zOLXzKRRTVJxcG-Ayu7TCsv8o6L_HI4D3SyVBrpDbVi1KSAY4wHA5tZiKVsqf8TpQ-kHMw15E53PjeMPVwtQoGSwsRdq2JC0etfnCxBeh1hrEZ_6yTj5co/s4032/IMG_6259.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhadvuNAmZa5orx5xBUANNJnedYJKw_9NIr4XZW1UmqHvAyOI1DOo4dqrJ3S6EFxhfpDg4d2zOLXzKRRTVJxcG-Ayu7TCsv8o6L_HI4D3SyVBrpDbVi1KSAY4wHA5tZiKVsqf8TpQ-kHMw15E53PjeMPVwtQoGSwsRdq2JC0etfnCxBeh1hrEZ_6yTj5co/s320/IMG_6259.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVx9qvPpLQ2YvnXHspEd94b_1WK4vNVzRNRHBtaMP5jtpqNryIjQrbha0R9EAZjTpUxw650pxzDHHggXHS93djyY9kqUCnPrAKhRbPWFDJ__5ywUezyxx0SVwijuekxFRtTzLX0VMM0e6rODHVi8kp2apGv-wGuK1d2CW86FSn3PHviT8VUZqX6LeJI6g/s4032/IMG_6261.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVx9qvPpLQ2YvnXHspEd94b_1WK4vNVzRNRHBtaMP5jtpqNryIjQrbha0R9EAZjTpUxw650pxzDHHggXHS93djyY9kqUCnPrAKhRbPWFDJ__5ywUezyxx0SVwijuekxFRtTzLX0VMM0e6rODHVi8kp2apGv-wGuK1d2CW86FSn3PHviT8VUZqX6LeJI6g/s320/IMG_6261.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg64t_y_P2gbzUspJOPH7ss3QZzzEhsGRkt51rli7CIKTwoyyLrY5LK54Jj-WXfqIN67ZaMrVBwiwb77PvBKc3gDOcxaX69XuUOBvBkKwzrtNe_B07DCAiBngTgJjQGIQa4Hr7IQJkE4q_RZ-at6tuzwnVmNHNima_Z1sPFpYtpwhPf-7VRBNKtPeEWJFw/s4032/IMG_6263.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg64t_y_P2gbzUspJOPH7ss3QZzzEhsGRkt51rli7CIKTwoyyLrY5LK54Jj-WXfqIN67ZaMrVBwiwb77PvBKc3gDOcxaX69XuUOBvBkKwzrtNe_B07DCAiBngTgJjQGIQa4Hr7IQJkE4q_RZ-at6tuzwnVmNHNima_Z1sPFpYtpwhPf-7VRBNKtPeEWJFw/s320/IMG_6263.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh67Qx-Esf3yuC7SfsVlal5a7kKANutBceV79Ic7dQ7eoib713sTTqCXO0Jst1niAm88Y8y_PDB9_xIkLx1TRsfgTPDk550-sTtHbLDMfj28HkkoDwtTTZpBNSGVEzX66sDJsr7ZzMldhQuCxlVqDBGABYhf3uxTLa7kFBs4uDKy6Fa2qLa-oNYClxWwv4/s4032/IMG_6264.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh67Qx-Esf3yuC7SfsVlal5a7kKANutBceV79Ic7dQ7eoib713sTTqCXO0Jst1niAm88Y8y_PDB9_xIkLx1TRsfgTPDk550-sTtHbLDMfj28HkkoDwtTTZpBNSGVEzX66sDJsr7ZzMldhQuCxlVqDBGABYhf3uxTLa7kFBs4uDKy6Fa2qLa-oNYClxWwv4/s320/IMG_6264.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVts_DbT9tzuveAKhZ7h6wqjpYpUoC0OjVhwNB7YgMcbVLx0Fp9DKQz62yanhAOzzANjP9YlR8D6Gao3_eNpaGyQLFEvUmovePTtYA32yFHjIih6bDzz6NlYXfmKymUzOc7nkLoLEkuHGs6iHyc5Ics1s2q51crLk_z0zPxgZ9Pi3PqPM5_PAi1rbyb9k/s1706/0330afa81e7e9307fe904c2b52077848.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1706" data-original-width="1280" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVts_DbT9tzuveAKhZ7h6wqjpYpUoC0OjVhwNB7YgMcbVLx0Fp9DKQz62yanhAOzzANjP9YlR8D6Gao3_eNpaGyQLFEvUmovePTtYA32yFHjIih6bDzz6NlYXfmKymUzOc7nkLoLEkuHGs6iHyc5Ics1s2q51crLk_z0zPxgZ9Pi3PqPM5_PAi1rbyb9k/s320/0330afa81e7e9307fe904c2b52077848.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>One thing I didn't get to do as much as I would've liked on this trip was to spend time in <a href="https://tokyotreat.com/blog/mister-donut-the-best-donuts-in-japan" target="_blank">Mister Donut</a> ミスタードーナツ. We did stop in the branch on Yasukuni-dori in Shinjuku the previous evening, but the pickings as closing time neared were on the slim side of the scale (though the doughnuts themselves could hardly be considered as "slimming"). With no ミスド in sight around Shibuya Station, I had to settle for Krispy Kreme as a fallback option:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7JSp1fRQY5Hv35FEMCLodqTA5rOKlUrzCCMuenkz-BdDkZ7oaxNxIQGDC9dbxkWKgyv3Q1sgzNym2H3JoywIHHzMculFjjDJpEJg6m_hDb-UJ8DaRIqJoxs4ucdSxGIieB7HCyXInO22hbz2yspYBzs7Q-hM-NxxaMU0Bq6QojZk7TBDX8zyJjYpuffc/s3939/IMG_6268.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2954" data-original-width="3939" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7JSp1fRQY5Hv35FEMCLodqTA5rOKlUrzCCMuenkz-BdDkZ7oaxNxIQGDC9dbxkWKgyv3Q1sgzNym2H3JoywIHHzMculFjjDJpEJg6m_hDb-UJ8DaRIqJoxs4ucdSxGIieB7HCyXInO22hbz2yspYBzs7Q-hM-NxxaMU0Bq6QojZk7TBDX8zyJjYpuffc/s320/IMG_6268.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>With our flight to Beijing 北京 scheduled for a 1420 hours departure on Saturday afternoon, there wasn't really any time to do anything that morning other than check out of the hotel, and ride the subway to Haneda Airport 羽田空港. I did find this PSA on the train to be mildly amusing - in my case, it was short people opening up their umbrellas and threatening to poke out one of my eyes in the process that was a greater danger, especially as I used to wear contacts:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjOHKbHPFwGckbY7cTKLjgcmdB7hOblqNYDsTDd9tZ712f99SKDmAjz9IsB2V3J8buK4sE4sZVaT5S-eg_76-2GkHfMg3KSIyy2_klVPjUobBe4c4fZ-ZqpmI7yOQWQKSfTlH6e1O8N4QDa3JOVK3a9dRGwmRH6eNPwFTdrH5uT1p8OumqR8uP9UV_c60/s2198/IMG_6269.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1898" data-original-width="2198" height="276" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjOHKbHPFwGckbY7cTKLjgcmdB7hOblqNYDsTDd9tZ712f99SKDmAjz9IsB2V3J8buK4sE4sZVaT5S-eg_76-2GkHfMg3KSIyy2_klVPjUobBe4c4fZ-ZqpmI7yOQWQKSfTlH6e1O8N4QDa3JOVK3a9dRGwmRH6eNPwFTdrH5uT1p8OumqR8uP9UV_c60/s320/IMG_6269.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>At the airport I was amused to find Air China (China) and China Air (Taiwan) on opposite sides of the shared check-in island. Unfortunately for us we were flying the former:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtUfOiJov4DUUFH-v_Gz6tB6dJ5oIwrAqXPzrzWOUN2yRTra-zipHfxoYhJ-gWSsmBCfaucp96ui8dI4A30YcxoL0d8cUp3Nya0M2vrQiij-hvN5iZ7RDewD_BLoRVTw9YYjSEgUI8hXM0caNCH0F6eI-PqOZJxD5tQJR9sDJtXrX41FOBR7lLHNftL64/s2963/IMG_6270.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2707" data-original-width="2963" height="292" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtUfOiJov4DUUFH-v_Gz6tB6dJ5oIwrAqXPzrzWOUN2yRTra-zipHfxoYhJ-gWSsmBCfaucp96ui8dI4A30YcxoL0d8cUp3Nya0M2vrQiij-hvN5iZ7RDewD_BLoRVTw9YYjSEgUI8hXM0caNCH0F6eI-PqOZJxD5tQJR9sDJtXrX41FOBR7lLHNftL64/s320/IMG_6270.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Heading off for lunch after checking in:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi07kMlmXYzgvh5NBvy285UBlP6Mg6bUVokS1Sw01Syl0l8KPdvbpeb4bk5yUtL5DinDWqKIr1eItM7svFS6GQpbxRjjJaBbW4wUxcmBOlHXkXMlMrxGOAG09qYrc6HkPKSMuJOTVuknY3Kh72OiNBtuWR32HoQ9x_UHAEqc3E7ro2up-q589FAyCm2x6A/s4032/IMG_6272.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2351" data-original-width="4032" height="187" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi07kMlmXYzgvh5NBvy285UBlP6Mg6bUVokS1Sw01Syl0l8KPdvbpeb4bk5yUtL5DinDWqKIr1eItM7svFS6GQpbxRjjJaBbW4wUxcmBOlHXkXMlMrxGOAG09qYrc6HkPKSMuJOTVuknY3Kh72OiNBtuWR32HoQ9x_UHAEqc3E7ro2up-q589FAyCm2x6A/s320/IMG_6272.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcyVa_j3ZPVHp-CLwU05w3EIFT2R0fypPt7ELMNcz8zTzg5DTKiKSVCbDwtG9Esbo_U3CmKllH-igodvihT0rfwKT3W_jgMJ4rMpM47CkYKJGr8IA1akQQnGsY35P0bU1BL_ILRZsAHFC3KwREbmdkdjiQabxXVwLvvupUTPk9YceSXBFwMlsh3jA75j4/s4032/IMG_6273.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcyVa_j3ZPVHp-CLwU05w3EIFT2R0fypPt7ELMNcz8zTzg5DTKiKSVCbDwtG9Esbo_U3CmKllH-igodvihT0rfwKT3W_jgMJ4rMpM47CkYKJGr8IA1akQQnGsY35P0bU1BL_ILRZsAHFC3KwREbmdkdjiQabxXVwLvvupUTPk9YceSXBFwMlsh3jA75j4/s320/IMG_6273.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>My final meal in Japan was a <a href="https://thewoksoflife.com/katsudon/" target="_blank">katsudon</a> カツ丼 set:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU7ITyjrgoxMxg7-lSqpqNrcKYf6wqCr87zh8KoNQho1_L0D0B8VSheBF7yBtJFbml-Wr-VqUu4kmAlfd0bT2JDxKh8H64exDR7wX1y6msIhqlD2WXsT2tHHnFYuOkDSi0WQM8SVXVN-25H-u7BxIIQj6hh0_NuR3LlsyU7rvMpXOqTVtt133lrp-ORRg/s4032/IMG_6275.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU7ITyjrgoxMxg7-lSqpqNrcKYf6wqCr87zh8KoNQho1_L0D0B8VSheBF7yBtJFbml-Wr-VqUu4kmAlfd0bT2JDxKh8H64exDR7wX1y6msIhqlD2WXsT2tHHnFYuOkDSi0WQM8SVXVN-25H-u7BxIIQj6hh0_NuR3LlsyU7rvMpXOqTVtt133lrp-ORRg/s320/IMG_6275.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>35 years in Asia and I'm still bemused by signs like this one:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhBOxXW8xcC8Tvn4utUHUvrtiHgbAKhjfjeZBX_XmcZQD5fyhSMEDIVkbzIvUdlmPhxoFEWEIdwxQAz5xD91Y8h1-Irn4BgqDotX0I-6KiSEjFGN8zFErM5SeBhfW3ztLgaTO-xk_1iStC1JK5WQiCXNsjHwsFd0AtHiGG_OoI8pP2n9nP3lgOl3TPE5I/s3404/IMG_6279.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2487" data-original-width="3404" height="234" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhBOxXW8xcC8Tvn4utUHUvrtiHgbAKhjfjeZBX_XmcZQD5fyhSMEDIVkbzIvUdlmPhxoFEWEIdwxQAz5xD91Y8h1-Irn4BgqDotX0I-6KiSEjFGN8zFErM5SeBhfW3ztLgaTO-xk_1iStC1JK5WQiCXNsjHwsFd0AtHiGG_OoI8pP2n9nP3lgOl3TPE5I/s320/IMG_6279.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Back home in Beijing. Timi was happy to see us back, but unsure of the gift that Amber had gotten for him:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmzaxZXYhq_WRu-YVGS7CEew8kjT5ict_b-jdDKP2e9kEsYMinx1pl-G51jsXjtyvDAcFDvICFFGa7IZaVBhnWGjsTsxo71k83LbhisY2WRWT1tsRXxqGdTtyZs2gBVVX7GOor7yqq4P2Gh17WHDbZgE2zzoHXePsj0GeEHHDo42JzZA5Mg137MApFqYc/s1706/66620adcce04266737b30d92384d3aa5.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1706" data-original-width="1280" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmzaxZXYhq_WRu-YVGS7CEew8kjT5ict_b-jdDKP2e9kEsYMinx1pl-G51jsXjtyvDAcFDvICFFGa7IZaVBhnWGjsTsxo71k83LbhisY2WRWT1tsRXxqGdTtyZs2gBVVX7GOor7yqq4P2Gh17WHDbZgE2zzoHXePsj0GeEHHDo42JzZA5Mg137MApFqYc/s320/66620adcce04266737b30d92384d3aa5.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Speaking of cats, here's a book I bought during the trip, posed next to an <i><a href="https://zoomingjapan.com/wiki/ema/" target="_blank">ema</a></i> 絵馬 that I picked up at <a href="https://kaminoge.blogspot.com/2024/02/in-search-of-mt-fuji-fujiyoshida.html" target="_blank">Kitaguchi Hongū Fuji Sengen-jinja</a> 北口本宮冨士浅間神社:</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkbjb7OXKxQDaNtALEsWcod8D017b1sTvUu99fQeXABMr_cuaMuUa3MvRRUUNHQdAnca2G0RvKrZtAfvmz2YHMvHHhv6c3Z1lLDeELnD7l6paQ3gc7zBP_-j3WFbYO6P8r9Nsop1c7tiEfFCwuwCGjRlBvslR-2kLBZab31jlP8yOLpW5r7q5nBeOFrto/s3876/IMG_6318.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2732" data-original-width="3876" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkbjb7OXKxQDaNtALEsWcod8D017b1sTvUu99fQeXABMr_cuaMuUa3MvRRUUNHQdAnca2G0RvKrZtAfvmz2YHMvHHhv6c3Z1lLDeELnD7l6paQ3gc7zBP_-j3WFbYO6P8r9Nsop1c7tiEfFCwuwCGjRlBvslR-2kLBZab31jlP8yOLpW5r7q5nBeOFrto/s320/IMG_6318.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div>Thank you for following along on these blog posts. It was an enjoyable time in a country that has played such a major role (for better and worse) in my adult life. This being possibly the last time the three of us travel as a family before our daughter heads off to college also lent a certain poignancy to the trip. But this isn't the end, as the Japanese saga will continue. In fact, my wife doesn't know it yet, but I'm already planning a return visit this autumn, to new and exciting places (and possibly some old, familiar ones, if Shu-E elects to join me). </div></div><div><br /></div><div>Until then, this blog will be China-centric in presentation Stay tuned...</div><div><br /></div><div><i>*In fact, years ago I did buy a Japanese-<a href="https://www.taiwanobsessed.com/taiwan-languages/#:~:text=In%20some%20ways%2C%20Taiwanese%20Mandarin,the%20end%20of%20many%20words." target="_blank">Taiwanese Hokkien</a> 臺灣話 phrasebook, but my wife has always been reluctant to assist me (or our daughter, for that matter) in learning to speak her co-mother tongue:</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUE7dYAbeqgdtXaXeawKdItQT5wQbLEr-Q9QdV1vzmxcTgtjI_QuGmMRhRLjzKIQodotMD8f49Nal69GIFD9NCeF5axfAZt_WovnayDLiQfsue5gej6qBY8XI7U3NwCvXA6J4ZR9WXXgSoUFrd4dGBsM5R9p6o1LYgl0pS850TsCbReFNaV11DZmLm-HY/s3413/IMG_6319.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3413" data-original-width="2588" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUE7dYAbeqgdtXaXeawKdItQT5wQbLEr-Q9QdV1vzmxcTgtjI_QuGmMRhRLjzKIQodotMD8f49Nal69GIFD9NCeF5axfAZt_WovnayDLiQfsue5gej6qBY8XI7U3NwCvXA6J4ZR9WXXgSoUFrd4dGBsM5R9p6o1LYgl0pS850TsCbReFNaV11DZmLm-HY/s320/IMG_6319.jpeg" width="243" /></a></div><i><div><i><br /></i></div>**For the record, such an experience never happened to me, but I did hear and read stories.</i></div><div><p><i>***There is a full 2+minute-long version of the song. The 2023 version is an improvement, but the annoying hook is still there:</i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/2UuFI5aFTEw" width="320" youtube-src-id="2UuFI5aFTEw"></iframe></div><p><i>****Here it is. I probably should update:</i></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7aFvrPrZ9SuUC1wEAaQIWxfMZFfy8jskqUaoE_pcG4mLL95-oxQ4PhglOSQfHEfHgYRe33OF89wCPPBreQ9G7eJNXMXzp7U1qyPmBFFgzY5EVQwC1Ofh2CLIWu9jIiRqxcbZvsMRwG8rdfF7msg20UcH03r_-0nlB2rKbAG_K0AEkmxEw4HzB_CeHthA/s4032/IMG_6317%20(1).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2924" data-original-width="4032" height="232" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7aFvrPrZ9SuUC1wEAaQIWxfMZFfy8jskqUaoE_pcG4mLL95-oxQ4PhglOSQfHEfHgYRe33OF89wCPPBreQ9G7eJNXMXzp7U1qyPmBFFgzY5EVQwC1Ofh2CLIWu9jIiRqxcbZvsMRwG8rdfF7msg20UcH03r_-0nlB2rKbAG_K0AEkmxEw4HzB_CeHthA/s320/IMG_6317%20(1).jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><i><br /></i><p></p></div>Kaminogehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07925637671913689331noreply@blogger.com021 Udagawacho, Shibuya City, Tokyo 150-0042, Japan35.659482 139.70055967.7146018291777843 104.54430959999999 63.604362170822213 174.8568096tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2497220891386919340.post-47855015594064682452024-02-26T20:48:00.004+08:002024-02-26T21:06:19.715+08:00In search of Mt. Fuji: Hakone <p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWxe8_aU2U47kYmOTIKEI9Rbu7BXo_JwKcsghjdaEriww56kf29Loj5Cg5MisYBAfCL8Sz4UWP5erzY6nLwTZNLrU-Ld40CWn3eqqJeOoHsCuVF3POzL6dUqx2zT05NYmGQXZGWXFGogRwghWowYoqh-MI-A65IMzLhGsRnRVWIyeSHtG41-uMCHf6AwI/s4032/IMG_6100.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWxe8_aU2U47kYmOTIKEI9Rbu7BXo_JwKcsghjdaEriww56kf29Loj5Cg5MisYBAfCL8Sz4UWP5erzY6nLwTZNLrU-Ld40CWn3eqqJeOoHsCuVF3POzL6dUqx2zT05NYmGQXZGWXFGogRwghWowYoqh-MI-A65IMzLhGsRnRVWIyeSHtG41-uMCHf6AwI/s320/IMG_6100.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><i><div style="text-align: center;"><i>One for the tourist snaps</i></div></i><p></p><p>The next stage in our pursuit of Mount Fuji 富士山 began on Valentine's Day. And what better way to celebrate an occasion set aside for love and romance than by enjoying a hotel buffet breakfast at the <a href="https://rembrandt-group.com/machida/machida_en/english_m" target="_blank">Rembrandt Hotel Tokyo Machida</a> in, um, Machida 町田, a city known for...pretty much nothing, as far I can determine. The view from our room as we awoke that Wednesday morning:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwRWccxbTcWS7kzGqBxUOOVFejJQIEEUP-XtUFOgXGhTeOYWHQMD1AFaH671yusDGZFJOZzqJMYvvvQzVQ8QsDFb3CbQDpWuzZkyq37KcMKXXnxBe7yq-hXdATl6luQL6p9rsaJbAIkAm-4drzwP2IIcWvS3zGbTEItmwM65cZsvBeSbGYzkJsnrcyKkA/s3992/IMG_6039.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2790" data-original-width="3992" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwRWccxbTcWS7kzGqBxUOOVFejJQIEEUP-XtUFOgXGhTeOYWHQMD1AFaH671yusDGZFJOZzqJMYvvvQzVQ8QsDFb3CbQDpWuzZkyq37KcMKXXnxBe7yq-hXdATl6luQL6p9rsaJbAIkAm-4drzwP2IIcWvS3zGbTEItmwM65cZsvBeSbGYzkJsnrcyKkA/s320/IMG_6039.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Even though the relevance completely eluded me at the time, we did depart Machida for Hakone-Yumoto Station 箱根湯本駅 on the appropriately dubbed <a href="https://www.odakyu.jp/english/romancecar/" target="_blank">"Romance Car"</a> ロマンスカー limited express train. The view as we left the burbs behind:<div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBcnuJhgnNjhMqa0KoOpuOgXRyCHkxcRgOHvJrdMZSdTMXKS-Xax32Qq5sZOiSyeRhU4jeUpC4P3BzZW8rgfCtvlVXIAYOwI93EHXIcZjixjs29IerKkBOsIh5tIBnQpQNiSrFG2PFZIxH-3-D5KfJnO8BrhEDM1GpMZiCgJc-j061nJkSzQTMLGXzses/s3870/IMG_6043.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2718" data-original-width="3870" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBcnuJhgnNjhMqa0KoOpuOgXRyCHkxcRgOHvJrdMZSdTMXKS-Xax32Qq5sZOiSyeRhU4jeUpC4P3BzZW8rgfCtvlVXIAYOwI93EHXIcZjixjs29IerKkBOsIh5tIBnQpQNiSrFG2PFZIxH-3-D5KfJnO8BrhEDM1GpMZiCgJc-j061nJkSzQTMLGXzses/s320/IMG_6043.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Soon into our ride on the rails, Fujisan began to peek out from behind the foothills. It would be yet another clear day for summit spying:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEIgmT-eAQaKLDnk7LQNybzY1x8NAKSI4p_YNpJkFvNAdJg83tMfhRoTe1NNlHeEmr0nmFwb-FrjnZWg9vYh_5M0R83jkcVAtX-N9zgC-iG-KZqGWv0E3KLy-GAMg_lLllqMl7UJBPYBYNUuCtc71ArjYhSMiLYx61m8xzNSd6j7afdmdc_UR_e07ujuY/s3400/IMG_6044.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1924" data-original-width="3400" height="181" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEIgmT-eAQaKLDnk7LQNybzY1x8NAKSI4p_YNpJkFvNAdJg83tMfhRoTe1NNlHeEmr0nmFwb-FrjnZWg9vYh_5M0R83jkcVAtX-N9zgC-iG-KZqGWv0E3KLy-GAMg_lLllqMl7UJBPYBYNUuCtc71ArjYhSMiLYx61m8xzNSd6j7afdmdc_UR_e07ujuY/s320/IMG_6044.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD-G_xgpd9hWzhHhnsPjldxt0VwpOsMLGvYKpC1l3ujKWj0ZrHdvKyUFVVxmZCp8ChSzDUxFKaqeJm0__YnhDqRlb8XdEEs9cNqk2pHTFEV9iaZqv87UR-JOtqDpK2TJDrZpnPm9hn5doa5lF_P5_FHVKISIVI5lYWGSAumnt5V1gv9fGDF0ArN__ihOs/s3804/IMG_6049.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2127" data-original-width="3804" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD-G_xgpd9hWzhHhnsPjldxt0VwpOsMLGvYKpC1l3ujKWj0ZrHdvKyUFVVxmZCp8ChSzDUxFKaqeJm0__YnhDqRlb8XdEEs9cNqk2pHTFEV9iaZqv87UR-JOtqDpK2TJDrZpnPm9hn5doa5lF_P5_FHVKISIVI5lYWGSAumnt5V1gv9fGDF0ArN__ihOs/s320/IMG_6049.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieMaLl8IdsBES4Ejc2Q5To-4nExpCO1BCYKFNXBbguzmxl_kAKJKyS-SbG4kDzoskzRVxux20VZ2IYG0jYLMae7P5qIRAFtTzh3oR9sibN7Gbcg4ErLN8UUvW__HmRXB8kGx7_THmkmQRGb-pyu05GRKh6Jn7rUaQwZV8ATjFdQWgS5Po3HC3TkD2qtoc/s3937/IMG_6050.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2385" data-original-width="3937" height="194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieMaLl8IdsBES4Ejc2Q5To-4nExpCO1BCYKFNXBbguzmxl_kAKJKyS-SbG4kDzoskzRVxux20VZ2IYG0jYLMae7P5qIRAFtTzh3oR9sibN7Gbcg4ErLN8UUvW__HmRXB8kGx7_THmkmQRGb-pyu05GRKh6Jn7rUaQwZV8ATjFdQWgS5Po3HC3TkD2qtoc/s320/IMG_6050.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The Romance Car after arriving at Hakone-Yumoto:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifAz4m4ZFRG730rndg92Nj_RUPHLOlrof94q-_RKydSWfsLGcIi1Df2IwqZbpi0GEWTiiGPqtZlW9eqmYwJcswCzXMaMMgfnDGm2lKzem0OwqVvgyP5ar0Ed7VD-EUj2pdb8j8Ka9EBRoxKc0UCDk8VaTmXrX6Wm5tS419IDiy4rz3rYmbLT6oCKRlc8M/s2888/IMG_6052.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2036" data-original-width="2888" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifAz4m4ZFRG730rndg92Nj_RUPHLOlrof94q-_RKydSWfsLGcIi1Df2IwqZbpi0GEWTiiGPqtZlW9eqmYwJcswCzXMaMMgfnDGm2lKzem0OwqVvgyP5ar0Ed7VD-EUj2pdb8j8Ka9EBRoxKc0UCDk8VaTmXrX6Wm5tS419IDiy4rz3rYmbLT6oCKRlc8M/s320/IMG_6052.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>While waiting to change trains at the station, our daughter had a look at some of the <i><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gashapon" target="_blank">Gachapon</a> ガチャポン</i> machines. One had some tempting Denny's-related merch inside, though in the end Amber didn't bite:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_VgxnfjnpPEIW8qkhCkmsM4G7gyLFZb3SF-yQlUQgfnPMueTscwQjaF5ExOdy439K9Vs8PR0onWg1p4SwEV0ixJug5Ae4lao6sudJT8V5XOv8Ok-UUrdqeTIh5fP1G_8bESKMLG-AJ3q8ai-jbsoDSIRYaRSJLjxIuPb11aqlghAod8Shiy0sa57baZI/s2571/IMG_6053.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1876" data-original-width="2571" height="233" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_VgxnfjnpPEIW8qkhCkmsM4G7gyLFZb3SF-yQlUQgfnPMueTscwQjaF5ExOdy439K9Vs8PR0onWg1p4SwEV0ixJug5Ae4lao6sudJT8V5XOv8Ok-UUrdqeTIh5fP1G_8bESKMLG-AJ3q8ai-jbsoDSIRYaRSJLjxIuPb11aqlghAod8Shiy0sa57baZI/s320/IMG_6053.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The Hakone Tozan Line 箱根登山線 <a href="https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e5202.html" target="_blank">switchback train</a> pulling into the station:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrqdHjRaDViOFsIpoB5kV3-4vFURhNhnxESufwVtA6R3qyu9mVV4zRwlwRt5JClGWZI4mOESs3TcguhTSbRjM0UFtW1is7XudE2tjGRdrF1vvwlVrjAKiWon9ynVvz60loGVHffxpWd2RBR5Gy90joMQzcxQnQe6UduEaTuaQdnW0tOinBsy5CYbkFMVk/s2992/IMG_6054.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2040" data-original-width="2992" height="218" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrqdHjRaDViOFsIpoB5kV3-4vFURhNhnxESufwVtA6R3qyu9mVV4zRwlwRt5JClGWZI4mOESs3TcguhTSbRjM0UFtW1is7XudE2tjGRdrF1vvwlVrjAKiWon9ynVvz60loGVHffxpWd2RBR5Gy90joMQzcxQnQe6UduEaTuaQdnW0tOinBsy5CYbkFMVk/s320/IMG_6054.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>We rode the train all the way to Gōra 強羅駅, the terminus station. This was my second time to have ridden the line, the first happening so long ago, I can't recall the exact time (circa 1989-1990). I do remember at that time getting off to visit the <a href="https://www.hakone-oam.or.jp/en/" target="_blank">Hakone Open-Air Museum</a> 箱根彫刻の森美術館, which my wife suggested we could do the following day as we had the <a href="https://www.hakonenavi.jp/international/en/discount_passes/free_pass" target="_blank">Hakone Free Pass</a>* 箱根フリーパス, which was valid for two days. In the end, Shu-E would change her mind, something she is wont to do. But before then, we searched for a place to have lunch in the area around Gora Station, which would prove to be an unexpected challenge, as we learned many eateries are actually closed on Wednesdays and Thursdays! In the end we did find a soba 蕎麦 restaurant that was open for business. The friendly owner was more than willing to suggest things to do while we were in the area:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDuBbgO9jZNFZ-VV11_U0x91UXprgVgPF72oeNYBh6c2b5hZxqk2SMrjjpmXpvvONglqYHGn_qRDS5Qod4ORqhd26juTYRSLv-BapNSYl1YVq43w4nLZAKzavKOVFxZ3kHnkN1tXmIFy9fhNb229ERO_31WoNbca0IKoukfUaygpnmQSdJvRuajAJmCUs/s4032/IMG_6056.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDuBbgO9jZNFZ-VV11_U0x91UXprgVgPF72oeNYBh6c2b5hZxqk2SMrjjpmXpvvONglqYHGn_qRDS5Qod4ORqhd26juTYRSLv-BapNSYl1YVq43w4nLZAKzavKOVFxZ3kHnkN1tXmIFy9fhNb229ERO_31WoNbca0IKoukfUaygpnmQSdJvRuajAJmCUs/s320/IMG_6056.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Atop the hill in the background can be seen the character "<i>dai</i>" 大, meaning "big" or "large". It's set alight each August during the <a href="https://hakone-japan.com/discover/history/hakone-history/hakone-daimonji-yaki-2/" target="_blank">Hakone Daimonji-yaki</a> 箱根大文字焼 festival. There is a <a href="https://www.japan-experience.com/all-about-japan/kyoto/events-festivals/daimonji-festival" target="_blank">similar (and more famous) festival in Kyōto </a>京都 that takes around the same time, during <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bon_(festival)" target="_blank">Obon</a> お盆, and involves the setting alight of logs in the shapes five characters (including 大) on hillsides around the city. I saw this on my first trip to the city back in the summer of 1989:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgismosjCvN7CzyGypBACIwvfjtTpSzGLFf8Ho0KHOX4SQbbrcMjn6WtjeidEsqUT-s_hl6U2HZaUfmg6B8e7wPJllE3FlAJ3DDYicDBDF7ZoxsO30GTkqatqiCqTs5sbhhXyLrPB38XKaAobD5d3WeUNrSSoaJD5LhK7-ojZOte5EQ-Y78ZE2MppE9NgU/s4032/IMG_6057.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2481" data-original-width="4032" height="197" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgismosjCvN7CzyGypBACIwvfjtTpSzGLFf8Ho0KHOX4SQbbrcMjn6WtjeidEsqUT-s_hl6U2HZaUfmg6B8e7wPJllE3FlAJ3DDYicDBDF7ZoxsO30GTkqatqiCqTs5sbhhXyLrPB38XKaAobD5d3WeUNrSSoaJD5LhK7-ojZOte5EQ-Y78ZE2MppE9NgU/s320/IMG_6057.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>For dessert, my wife suggested getting some sweetened tofu 豆腐 from a nearby shop:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinymTNu8mtIUw3oKpxbxn5tLhNezE13j8bvVh2M8A4_Unr3kNDxw9vPQ99w6OaUgCIHu7XKv-Kla2JhoHvhCjWcj9J_173H-0N0rpKT7qeQqTqPjY__4m0AzV22OkMmn5TcWRgG2siDrUABmxa1OFcduEjZ-5I8w3n_kHRwyUiJOH1tv7jNil8CZK9heA/s3424/IMG_6058.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3424" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinymTNu8mtIUw3oKpxbxn5tLhNezE13j8bvVh2M8A4_Unr3kNDxw9vPQ99w6OaUgCIHu7XKv-Kla2JhoHvhCjWcj9J_173H-0N0rpKT7qeQqTqPjY__4m0AzV22OkMmn5TcWRgG2siDrUABmxa1OFcduEjZ-5I8w3n_kHRwyUiJOH1tv7jNil8CZK9heA/s320/IMG_6058.jpg" width="283" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM6cOw_6ROm8w-x7cA25cwlseKujQx7C4zKaQ2fHv1nj5zkfVphL-b04nofbsU5gOcqyzLfYSUOauf59BDGg7NYnCa6gKkHW7KnLvdGzSflog_dGuNJSxWbrqkv1m6ldEKpmNq7Av0tPELdENl9O6Xy9127Rpzje4uyNQiSdbzxeTMJkErjQMWUQaEvAc/s3575/IMG_6059.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2054" data-original-width="3575" height="184" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM6cOw_6ROm8w-x7cA25cwlseKujQx7C4zKaQ2fHv1nj5zkfVphL-b04nofbsU5gOcqyzLfYSUOauf59BDGg7NYnCa6gKkHW7KnLvdGzSflog_dGuNJSxWbrqkv1m6ldEKpmNq7Av0tPELdENl9O6Xy9127Rpzje4uyNQiSdbzxeTMJkErjQMWUQaEvAc/s320/IMG_6059.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Part of the fun of traveling in the Hakone region is using the <a href="https://www.hakonenavi.jp/international/en/around" target="_blank">different modes of transport to get around</a>, which is made much easier if the traveler avails themselves of the free pass (which saves having to buy individual tickets for each leg of the journey). After lunch we hopped on the cable car 箱根登山ケーブルカー, riding it to the terminus at Sōunzan Station 早雲山駅:</div><div> <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHXA4s5K2zj_pV7a1RSejprXzzb0QX9T01VLhcMRyrWacK_rtbdn5tKt41vZBcxmhiHkXJL95wEUdppwsgnLsET0tM0fl6Qn7_swi14gUFQtqjB_i6S39iQeCApEGtAGfXM1PP2fhIfMlXBgVcwvKZMQoWT6pFKSEzudwq-lELSbZlYFbC4eoG84KepoM/s4032/IMG_6060.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHXA4s5K2zj_pV7a1RSejprXzzb0QX9T01VLhcMRyrWacK_rtbdn5tKt41vZBcxmhiHkXJL95wEUdppwsgnLsET0tM0fl6Qn7_swi14gUFQtqjB_i6S39iQeCApEGtAGfXM1PP2fhIfMlXBgVcwvKZMQoWT6pFKSEzudwq-lELSbZlYFbC4eoG84KepoM/s320/IMG_6060.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The view on the way up:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJFm0X6oBIm1pFnM51CcY2W1HtrDALnN0HFMMdQcrAay64M-kinyT9M8hA5jNZdavf7he9JsX3sxQJ1zzWidYQfLLlZ_Yrof7bfD7s4QGLC-l5F4MkLlUftnd_o5KZ4cojhCbutEl-kSbhMpyidTR-N0BtCEplPrwQ48FUC8_8zeCsQEFZIKBn8h1mNmg/s4032/IMG_6061.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJFm0X6oBIm1pFnM51CcY2W1HtrDALnN0HFMMdQcrAay64M-kinyT9M8hA5jNZdavf7he9JsX3sxQJ1zzWidYQfLLlZ_Yrof7bfD7s4QGLC-l5F4MkLlUftnd_o5KZ4cojhCbutEl-kSbhMpyidTR-N0BtCEplPrwQ48FUC8_8zeCsQEFZIKBn8h1mNmg/s320/IMG_6061.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>At Sounzan we switched to the ropeway 箱根ロープウェイ:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKo8RwR0hEohbfnCO06Vg7xyef7D86SA0iWe1Wsm6LXjGvqFElr53SMObA9Y2HgvNza7JTD2kx3oNJtrOdwoVopJ3LB_sfyRQZpAqSPQySbi0oRYjhiMwJrc8fhNrXCtc7Lnl-_a98iOBEw_2Tu7sb7hQ3u013c9t4pTbfNCXm5XRSIEQyfjvGuNIKiOs/s4032/IMG_6064.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKo8RwR0hEohbfnCO06Vg7xyef7D86SA0iWe1Wsm6LXjGvqFElr53SMObA9Y2HgvNza7JTD2kx3oNJtrOdwoVopJ3LB_sfyRQZpAqSPQySbi0oRYjhiMwJrc8fhNrXCtc7Lnl-_a98iOBEw_2Tu7sb7hQ3u013c9t4pTbfNCXm5XRSIEQyfjvGuNIKiOs/s320/IMG_6064.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGco8DiAWh1giSNDjzYWQcAqfdn5z50x8rAxYqNKYQ27eUxwoBkzdAtj9j47RUCmFcpWJUO2J7VWKYK3BLB-7FG8HZsdJUP5zvhFBrQVTJta9YCGMsye89UCRZ4ORew9Qc8IbznjY6S2fTPOyopeVe1zHB17k_2hEhey6sJurvTsyb373TAYihRKFJOQs/s4032/IMG_6065.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGco8DiAWh1giSNDjzYWQcAqfdn5z50x8rAxYqNKYQ27eUxwoBkzdAtj9j47RUCmFcpWJUO2J7VWKYK3BLB-7FG8HZsdJUP5zvhFBrQVTJta9YCGMsye89UCRZ4ORew9Qc8IbznjY6S2fTPOyopeVe1zHB17k_2hEhey6sJurvTsyb373TAYihRKFJOQs/s320/IMG_6065.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_HBoTT2Xp5CtZrqMO9q5ud_yzZbJzPkWpEUrhRb3kTMnVQUSDR-2d19Hjj7Z5p9220GyOu4FGN8Xb1pI8cg2SRgRTw8PBqn56F0aJ7be5iBvN9NQfcljwFyoEhRJ88W_hdWntSNGtoM0S8siLUiA25Zsq_NcKs6pMY6p_tOQoV2xGoO4Z83yo0DAIcbI/s4032/IMG_6067.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_HBoTT2Xp5CtZrqMO9q5ud_yzZbJzPkWpEUrhRb3kTMnVQUSDR-2d19Hjj7Z5p9220GyOu4FGN8Xb1pI8cg2SRgRTw8PBqn56F0aJ7be5iBvN9NQfcljwFyoEhRJ88W_hdWntSNGtoM0S8siLUiA25Zsq_NcKs6pMY6p_tOQoV2xGoO4Z83yo0DAIcbI/s320/IMG_6067.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW1mvsRLeOXSDP-ZL-ShmTI3WI5BzixGPv5RRohb4SuyYDh7acuo9QZzfwMOX2q6o3VBdQhwK11AY1ivJXBb4B_shPgptebxxebZCBAIXruviHRLdh_M9ynnrz_jx79WY4AwVxKe5UNlPeq7SbXEGOIzFC0D86TNZVd5rBQaEnFWSxfn6Dj6LfUExjlKA/s4032/IMG_6070.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW1mvsRLeOXSDP-ZL-ShmTI3WI5BzixGPv5RRohb4SuyYDh7acuo9QZzfwMOX2q6o3VBdQhwK11AY1ivJXBb4B_shPgptebxxebZCBAIXruviHRLdh_M9ynnrz_jx79WY4AwVxKe5UNlPeq7SbXEGOIzFC0D86TNZVd5rBQaEnFWSxfn6Dj6LfUExjlKA/s320/IMG_6070.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB8ogjZVD5Ms5MdgiiBeEgmvg6evh9hgxRJv7aD3UvTBEp_h_U00TuRESmymbz2AX70axrzgX96qTd20RiTAqQig8YuSD1CxuYoWgJoEzerF52s09rPK5nX0Jtg4OJ_JJGDHCQEsiL6JGpSELFwNGwEUcCxz7kyAh8BiZsm5XeDkUHTto2YPI8vqOUzfs/s1702/c84c70a5cc565821441f159c13d31446.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1702" data-original-width="1276" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB8ogjZVD5Ms5MdgiiBeEgmvg6evh9hgxRJv7aD3UvTBEp_h_U00TuRESmymbz2AX70axrzgX96qTd20RiTAqQig8YuSD1CxuYoWgJoEzerF52s09rPK5nX0Jtg4OJ_JJGDHCQEsiL6JGpSELFwNGwEUcCxz7kyAh8BiZsm5XeDkUHTto2YPI8vqOUzfs/s320/c84c70a5cc565821441f159c13d31446.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn7Cyi2Khz4Ge-87CO1mg48mq2Fxh-48DOijugq5fwR-V8ou_0tiT5BubxChK1CQbK6rwK1A7qRNjsSek0NXdKz-I6LXVwJUtAKppq5Refc_07SdChZK4Vmig65zp9P30KqLvLrhZA3osxOBvbvy8aNgQLKBikrilxpLE3MZFAb_b93PtcDGy9ivvNxkk/s4032/IMG_6071.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn7Cyi2Khz4Ge-87CO1mg48mq2Fxh-48DOijugq5fwR-V8ou_0tiT5BubxChK1CQbK6rwK1A7qRNjsSek0NXdKz-I6LXVwJUtAKppq5Refc_07SdChZK4Vmig65zp9P30KqLvLrhZA3osxOBvbvy8aNgQLKBikrilxpLE3MZFAb_b93PtcDGy9ivvNxkk/s320/IMG_6071.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Fujisan soon came into view, the first time we had seen her seen the brief glimpses from the Romance Car that morning:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGTEo_dAYuKMPHWW4i22RhiyzQFWqTH4PfiSNSZcLkTg3vpZb_TbOMykZ2nWxNnp28_y1l-UW7I6Srm3oo5XIDvCs9zRcQijt7EvGk2I_LCiSbTlHfZSYR-1kJkFxFfL6HyfZmjtehsntvdZCZG6JedPZDW8t5DpWmOWIwaNdhSyfN81-Ud0dKMk9-Z_8/s3243/IMG_6075.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2684" data-original-width="3243" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGTEo_dAYuKMPHWW4i22RhiyzQFWqTH4PfiSNSZcLkTg3vpZb_TbOMykZ2nWxNnp28_y1l-UW7I6Srm3oo5XIDvCs9zRcQijt7EvGk2I_LCiSbTlHfZSYR-1kJkFxFfL6HyfZmjtehsntvdZCZG6JedPZDW8t5DpWmOWIwaNdhSyfN81-Ud0dKMk9-Z_8/s320/IMG_6075.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnXcPZ3zH-M9Fvaw8puyusfuTZ-NJjm7rI9h55-LoXiTIybUGvRU0nH5HEGY-nf0PlsZesWVeLgJLEGycDo9C6qMTaqqVux0dtzaZ1Ob1Lbpz0UiLwdh1qH3VmVmQ4canRgQRiprKYwZG96K427K6ce3OKbinKZXeIh96SMpEflrfOH6tPrhbl3pBk9AM/s4029/IMG_6077.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3022" data-original-width="4029" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnXcPZ3zH-M9Fvaw8puyusfuTZ-NJjm7rI9h55-LoXiTIybUGvRU0nH5HEGY-nf0PlsZesWVeLgJLEGycDo9C6qMTaqqVux0dtzaZ1Ob1Lbpz0UiLwdh1qH3VmVmQ4canRgQRiprKYwZG96K427K6ce3OKbinKZXeIh96SMpEflrfOH6tPrhbl3pBk9AM/s320/IMG_6077.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Arriving at <a href="https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e5203.html" target="_blank">Ōwakudani</a> 大涌谷, elevation 1044 meters/3425 feet. I seem to recall when I visited the area 30+ years prior that we were able to walk around the steaming, sulphuric-smelling fumaroles, and purchase eggs steamed in the boiling water. But my aging hippocampus may be confusing this with similar volcanic areas in Japan and Taiwan. In any event, Owakudani is closed off to visitors for now:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8061sSUMooDnV8kzoZb9ukJIqLFEBLmLvFhGo9PyBStNah4sQDLqR_HwzmFQgLDaXC2UCJnXc9IU-f1-T2P74CIlLivCFt0Sgyq3_l_-EJPQx5rfa_r5VPT2rymn_2w5jbpiRgovUKYYD1KmpsBo6O_GYzFe-AZSlbpyEqvDPMMCQ51tWFTw1KPIt8s4/s4032/IMG_6078.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8061sSUMooDnV8kzoZb9ukJIqLFEBLmLvFhGo9PyBStNah4sQDLqR_HwzmFQgLDaXC2UCJnXc9IU-f1-T2P74CIlLivCFt0Sgyq3_l_-EJPQx5rfa_r5VPT2rymn_2w5jbpiRgovUKYYD1KmpsBo6O_GYzFe-AZSlbpyEqvDPMMCQ51tWFTw1KPIt8s4/s320/IMG_6078.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWqxYeMAW3cjBHcORoXeFMDhX-Gs0lC9xs6SXibEME2C565yKXE25tTaL5wW3TXdqA4_z3JEoiBE2FV9-a962n0_lDOtcBNhAZIS40RQjFdtbsQ7WZ8fIywU8MoVei6iGQOuambYfu9PyUpGywVFu3aqFszF4e4vnlM35ibkZc_nUHpQ1_uskF0cavkew/s4032/IMG_6079.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWqxYeMAW3cjBHcORoXeFMDhX-Gs0lC9xs6SXibEME2C565yKXE25tTaL5wW3TXdqA4_z3JEoiBE2FV9-a962n0_lDOtcBNhAZIS40RQjFdtbsQ7WZ8fIywU8MoVei6iGQOuambYfu9PyUpGywVFu3aqFszF4e4vnlM35ibkZc_nUHpQ1_uskF0cavkew/s320/IMG_6079.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxp4um8U1HQa-mKEWpX_9HvXdnZ2YGJ1unZOu1bdoksXpH07KNUofxkKvt85QLn36U7JIl5j2a5GBH3FrqmCiDa6xbot3QA5eU_HPYl6MJNybvVfg5OmZvpzk9F224prGgcNFkPAOaGy0NfjldedVeFCzQU56k8lI-PmcwtLDHl8jG8gYCY80ZQ1O4OaI/s4032/IMG_6081.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxp4um8U1HQa-mKEWpX_9HvXdnZ2YGJ1unZOu1bdoksXpH07KNUofxkKvt85QLn36U7JIl5j2a5GBH3FrqmCiDa6xbot3QA5eU_HPYl6MJNybvVfg5OmZvpzk9F224prGgcNFkPAOaGy0NfjldedVeFCzQU56k8lI-PmcwtLDHl8jG8gYCY80ZQ1O4OaI/s320/IMG_6081.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicH4YRdnATpUFuRynw7PpC7ejHlFyJmIslZUqEt3frX3sXnVJOwF1vy7uJr8U_789Ccjr6lVJ982kswJIZGEcdlR81KE2uJCpWKuIH2v33qkMMGtHX1cmO5cth16Gic0FYtt7DntST8s4MXH2Ka_xBYCQlYUBt1JHfWVD8LJP4dbbgyiU2R0NDz8-ZXhM/s4032/IMG_6082.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicH4YRdnATpUFuRynw7PpC7ejHlFyJmIslZUqEt3frX3sXnVJOwF1vy7uJr8U_789Ccjr6lVJ982kswJIZGEcdlR81KE2uJCpWKuIH2v33qkMMGtHX1cmO5cth16Gic0FYtt7DntST8s4MXH2Ka_xBYCQlYUBt1JHfWVD8LJP4dbbgyiU2R0NDz8-ZXhM/s320/IMG_6082.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The next stage of the aerial lift was closed for maintenance, but buses were available for the last leg of the journey to Tōgendai 桃源台駅 and Lake Ashi 芦ノ湖. Mount Fuji in all her glory as we waited to board the bus:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3SN1QETwxiUgoa4kZbt6GNexhz-oOBCYoT54ljyf6hV6kH8oJcSdZIkdDKHKRV0ct7Pf-isSD_3USLgeCX3cHQ3NiQRn_7Nb9_CVXVBgPNHMh2HF2KPF2eJyKTc5uJwVixFisGfGc1mS9HtH5JwROiukhPj9y0MSpk2U84Ra5Ho89iCcmx5BJqcQTmGs/s4032/IMG_6083.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2691" data-original-width="4032" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3SN1QETwxiUgoa4kZbt6GNexhz-oOBCYoT54ljyf6hV6kH8oJcSdZIkdDKHKRV0ct7Pf-isSD_3USLgeCX3cHQ3NiQRn_7Nb9_CVXVBgPNHMh2HF2KPF2eJyKTc5uJwVixFisGfGc1mS9HtH5JwROiukhPj9y0MSpk2U84Ra5Ho89iCcmx5BJqcQTmGs/s320/IMG_6083.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>In addition to seeking out local beers when I travel, I'm also a fan of regional soft drinks, like this bottle of <a href="https://japanhaul.com/products/mount-fuji-cola" target="_blank">Mount Fuji Cola</a> 富士山コーラ, which I purchased from the gift shop at the port terminal in Togendai:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBpkv4dvXvf3RJmdf1Lz4o3Foovw_rEH3ljgR19LVx4t9nZdTeHe1r4IHJAYBSk71_rPK_V2EmwyWqVNxr15HHYPMtV9sNvzhHeCun4mM3TMcDQMUtD1OupEkZ8i1QsbwvofWEXiirKyDnW9lWnj-EGAQv_u5ETGxB4J7RY1syeOJAupdZramJunukZt0/s3675/IMG_6084.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3675" data-original-width="2143" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBpkv4dvXvf3RJmdf1Lz4o3Foovw_rEH3ljgR19LVx4t9nZdTeHe1r4IHJAYBSk71_rPK_V2EmwyWqVNxr15HHYPMtV9sNvzhHeCun4mM3TMcDQMUtD1OupEkZ8i1QsbwvofWEXiirKyDnW9lWnj-EGAQv_u5ETGxB4J7RY1syeOJAupdZramJunukZt0/s320/IMG_6084.jpg" width="187" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGuvCooF_eP-qxugtByaK6b_zSQZYG8GQM8-lEQ1zcwr4_51egPBaX7lGx1oN1J9YyYekTHuZlqdwWRef2iZ8k9FRzykx3wB35dchbdvYD1oTT5eOlr-_4E5opLDcHu5pncwux6NP6PgRgrLJC8AJlA7KEYucKJRrGanlY2WO-yHcQk5c2rkr938gvOWg/s4032/IMG_6089.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGuvCooF_eP-qxugtByaK6b_zSQZYG8GQM8-lEQ1zcwr4_51egPBaX7lGx1oN1J9YyYekTHuZlqdwWRef2iZ8k9FRzykx3wB35dchbdvYD1oTT5eOlr-_4E5opLDcHu5pncwux6NP6PgRgrLJC8AJlA7KEYucKJRrGanlY2WO-yHcQk5c2rkr938gvOWg/s320/IMG_6089.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>With plenty of time remaining before dinner at that evening's accommodations, we joined the throng in boarding the <a href="https://www.hakonenavi.jp/international/en/transportation/hakone-kankosen" target="_blank">goofy-looking pirate boats</a> that ply the waters of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Ashi" target="_blank">Ashinoko</a>. From Togendai, the boat stopped first at Hakone-machi 箱根町港, before moving on to Motohakone 元箱根港, where we got off to have a quick look around. Boat rides are also included in the free pass:</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLl7r8CkK3CeJwuTrBgl_W8ExEPbFhkctnM2sYg4XvtVQZZlGi96F_O6QfpFdx1120EGZcIeMVGwUwCVxH1qB9bq70RVcv_QZ-onei2NOVgvSofakMVFnabQYnPseYZTFIUm1Q00D4cV2Tw1cQwKYUvY2H-UVKZkHNrqx2OOokIa_rcQUO5q3a8OurqzM/s1702/8f900d81386e3de619891065621ca2d1.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1276" data-original-width="1702" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLl7r8CkK3CeJwuTrBgl_W8ExEPbFhkctnM2sYg4XvtVQZZlGi96F_O6QfpFdx1120EGZcIeMVGwUwCVxH1qB9bq70RVcv_QZ-onei2NOVgvSofakMVFnabQYnPseYZTFIUm1Q00D4cV2Tw1cQwKYUvY2H-UVKZkHNrqx2OOokIa_rcQUO5q3a8OurqzM/s320/8f900d81386e3de619891065621ca2d1.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_b-46hBOb_NXw0tKf6JnF-_1UCm97_ejIiDCVwRS3B6n3JefkUljWF4uCz4fEEzLHB-vm6upYx0j_V2x4DfWpmYDzXeKw_XdXRKqoG_9vlt_OqIw0CcvVygMorgHqMGvjeLr1syz4pDbGE5lqjzGcFmuOJk-zXgDBYCwbmqlaqwUZxepmECnXPWjlLyU/s1702/61373f3f46b7a324dda99f3b3280cbaa.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1276" data-original-width="1702" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_b-46hBOb_NXw0tKf6JnF-_1UCm97_ejIiDCVwRS3B6n3JefkUljWF4uCz4fEEzLHB-vm6upYx0j_V2x4DfWpmYDzXeKw_XdXRKqoG_9vlt_OqIw0CcvVygMorgHqMGvjeLr1syz4pDbGE5lqjzGcFmuOJk-zXgDBYCwbmqlaqwUZxepmECnXPWjlLyU/s320/61373f3f46b7a324dda99f3b3280cbaa.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>The large <i>torii</i> 鳥居 gate on the approach to Hakone-jinja 箱根神社. Channeling our inner MacArthurs, we would return the following morning:</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir3iKLPQehMUA4I3CKp9_1EP0Jt2VIJaD445NWWCzvRyYE_zQCo9uQ9q_52eyvJHtGzm7i4pA0eO0myXmD3Qe-g53P7CQGzPVdnI2p-a9euYUMdpcRJ1_rIAKNIFUDBgJ9W8Bt5CP8RjoyZ5l65oSw_PaBHPT9GlAsfkhZ8SVAaWl34InJ0vFt-BAz5hg/s1655/123ce02168885def4ef110a312e865f9.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1241" data-original-width="1655" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir3iKLPQehMUA4I3CKp9_1EP0Jt2VIJaD445NWWCzvRyYE_zQCo9uQ9q_52eyvJHtGzm7i4pA0eO0myXmD3Qe-g53P7CQGzPVdnI2p-a9euYUMdpcRJ1_rIAKNIFUDBgJ9W8Bt5CP8RjoyZ5l65oSw_PaBHPT9GlAsfkhZ8SVAaWl34InJ0vFt-BAz5hg/s320/123ce02168885def4ef110a312e865f9.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Getting ready to get back on the boat, on what would be the last scheduled voyage of the day:</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaxyhSbASmKoYmgk8P5iGE31Rf74bdp_dhjf_BRb-5luk1Pcvg52_z-RNUKf7uRRchtua7FggL6H-NUZms_qP3dsdfVCnYQzzJLLf2l-mcU-F-sQmTDe0mCvLJ8uiM4NELjxbBpRdKRwaK5S-srWaTkEdWYRBX3hKa4fGSV1VFWqjV1nLqLAqG8hyIVEI/s1702/979a33aa27b5b6683d96f2208d1acc61.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1702" data-original-width="1276" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaxyhSbASmKoYmgk8P5iGE31Rf74bdp_dhjf_BRb-5luk1Pcvg52_z-RNUKf7uRRchtua7FggL6H-NUZms_qP3dsdfVCnYQzzJLLf2l-mcU-F-sQmTDe0mCvLJ8uiM4NELjxbBpRdKRwaK5S-srWaTkEdWYRBX3hKa4fGSV1VFWqjV1nLqLAqG8hyIVEI/s320/979a33aa27b5b6683d96f2208d1acc61.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Though the boat passage is included in the Hakone Free Pass, there is an upgrade option. For ¥700 (pass holders get a ¥100 discount off the ¥800 price) you can travel "first-class". In practice, this means fewer passengers (and thus more room to move around), and access to more decks. This is how we traveled on the ride back to Togendai, and the reward would be further views of Mount Fuji, the last we would have on this journey:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMf5-pYFQD6wZ6Dub7Nefgpe5-2UyI7utp-TGjC7vX7SZCCvE1w1KSJ8pArsM0u_fcM1XVT-KvXl4cxW61oVwLnkIPlEgYoHfgJozus8KOBQcbaNH6pFPcDGl9AZca1c7RZXj0addDKXyO0Rh-0lfwJrtFyg4CSDeYo2Yrs3paSlNS3RTNbGI9rSBgBwI/s3738/IMG_6092.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2884" data-original-width="3738" height="247" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMf5-pYFQD6wZ6Dub7Nefgpe5-2UyI7utp-TGjC7vX7SZCCvE1w1KSJ8pArsM0u_fcM1XVT-KvXl4cxW61oVwLnkIPlEgYoHfgJozus8KOBQcbaNH6pFPcDGl9AZca1c7RZXj0addDKXyO0Rh-0lfwJrtFyg4CSDeYo2Yrs3paSlNS3RTNbGI9rSBgBwI/s320/IMG_6092.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGNskcWf5etZS5GzyjnvzC8GNRGED6xTSorirCATB0LZ5Yd5ZZj__sZ2aTWUGjE0Z4Li7uDKCgrzmJEq8NyNsRG-XXh4aEpoiHk3zB-vUVyeumOMWo4LoEKjx5vVO-xef1rHhDTGha1CAnKq3_fnE_ALprFcyGCmRfrIAlYoU-xhDAi0mqgZds52wwazU/s2209/IMG_6095.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1722" data-original-width="2209" height="249" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGNskcWf5etZS5GzyjnvzC8GNRGED6xTSorirCATB0LZ5Yd5ZZj__sZ2aTWUGjE0Z4Li7uDKCgrzmJEq8NyNsRG-XXh4aEpoiHk3zB-vUVyeumOMWo4LoEKjx5vVO-xef1rHhDTGha1CAnKq3_fnE_ALprFcyGCmRfrIAlYoU-xhDAi0mqgZds52wwazU/s320/IMG_6095.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcYUTd00ZSHkt-vt391SzCT1cpfAbl8pqc3bDY73VG-Tr1RqK4NtYrUFbZqujjqQRU3vqhhYay4jXzIFONEJ9tpPYVAEHSifPNUfcd1Ij-qzaeekL1hfcKH_bbVvag0yz2EWuzqcAHMiVIqRho6h9zjIfj-MBUOiE0Sb1t9VTLExQCIMQ1u-aFhBm0gio/s3950/IMG_6097.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2213" data-original-width="3950" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcYUTd00ZSHkt-vt391SzCT1cpfAbl8pqc3bDY73VG-Tr1RqK4NtYrUFbZqujjqQRU3vqhhYay4jXzIFONEJ9tpPYVAEHSifPNUfcd1Ij-qzaeekL1hfcKH_bbVvag0yz2EWuzqcAHMiVIqRho6h9zjIfj-MBUOiE0Sb1t9VTLExQCIMQ1u-aFhBm0gio/s320/IMG_6097.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>We would get much closer to this <i>torii</i> the next day (see below):</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVm-qDXQ3jsRin0fV0qs8Tzde2fOzg71Lx96k_pdyDd_gxLgFSjYaSvHjB0OmKUO2lyM6qdMrLOQOr_L-SkPh0-nPubqDeZpRQxm1M4YurgllMzk7AKzlVtPTf8O_yKfjsKBl8HYRhda75wBbEPKS_lXHqvAqvu1MUnOJVLzK9df498y6OrM_8hXekxkw/s1702/396b3cd94863f9227c0b0548343b93f9.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1702" data-original-width="1276" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVm-qDXQ3jsRin0fV0qs8Tzde2fOzg71Lx96k_pdyDd_gxLgFSjYaSvHjB0OmKUO2lyM6qdMrLOQOr_L-SkPh0-nPubqDeZpRQxm1M4YurgllMzk7AKzlVtPTf8O_yKfjsKBl8HYRhda75wBbEPKS_lXHqvAqvu1MUnOJVLzK9df498y6OrM_8hXekxkw/s320/396b3cd94863f9227c0b0548343b93f9.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjebSgpcGywFmKWJN_88QOPY8z5e2heEogNis7P5hNzWgYI4_c0-aE0MvXphzYOAHL_lUqe6zFXXf2dQbz__A_qEG5bbigrBk-b_8yInHtw4UHxxF-WMdhTFJOryVRTM7wdmBmJdtwusIjohn8aNLaA8YgHdVUsJqRnowBbYOXL8IUMgb1Wb7eZSdSGIY8/s4032/IMG_6101.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2353" data-original-width="4032" height="187" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjebSgpcGywFmKWJN_88QOPY8z5e2heEogNis7P5hNzWgYI4_c0-aE0MvXphzYOAHL_lUqe6zFXXf2dQbz__A_qEG5bbigrBk-b_8yInHtw4UHxxF-WMdhTFJOryVRTM7wdmBmJdtwusIjohn8aNLaA8YgHdVUsJqRnowBbYOXL8IUMgb1Wb7eZSdSGIY8/s320/IMG_6101.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-0a_eMdQkAg3TStljDo1fqrrJsWBBC_FR-hzMoFUu4QBhQecM_kVC0CZMLyc_hhQJd9YkjBwivg7lmgBHYczKRO2f_DptM-_O_U9IqVc5rOUhQrJmRAObjEUbSevlx_ciBvvG6Gt4tngzo7P1VuVBKcQtyHIgZ8G50zKAWkR5mLRP_Nfz76kAbghEHdU/s1702/f57f50402ab51401868d715d4f4be120.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1702" data-original-width="1276" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-0a_eMdQkAg3TStljDo1fqrrJsWBBC_FR-hzMoFUu4QBhQecM_kVC0CZMLyc_hhQJd9YkjBwivg7lmgBHYczKRO2f_DptM-_O_U9IqVc5rOUhQrJmRAObjEUbSevlx_ciBvvG6Gt4tngzo7P1VuVBKcQtyHIgZ8G50zKAWkR5mLRP_Nfz76kAbghEHdU/s320/f57f50402ab51401868d715d4f4be120.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiyJBuChPZV_J0I9MJNVJrO6szveA5UTL7hLmHGqy46QQgjhNEVLhn3W-rOceQKDZjrgLYYkz00uBJ4tufq7dAolr9AD1fKcuqrFqQNYoB1anmnpsDowvBhIu1U5JrD0NOndGxG2kYbhkr4vKLCoXWw5yfR-ylpi2aLvTqhiNNHCdh9gyevBGfvWADeq0/s4032/IMG_6103.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiyJBuChPZV_J0I9MJNVJrO6szveA5UTL7hLmHGqy46QQgjhNEVLhn3W-rOceQKDZjrgLYYkz00uBJ4tufq7dAolr9AD1fKcuqrFqQNYoB1anmnpsDowvBhIu1U5JrD0NOndGxG2kYbhkr4vKLCoXWw5yfR-ylpi2aLvTqhiNNHCdh9gyevBGfvWADeq0/s320/IMG_6103.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9xv-J5j_ha3xt_UZJmui_j2MAZidVfYsF95WEozzdPc41-VGuDl5Rxtw7CbM15odl7C-17E_oUxYXzf6G0EmyTzpF7p54oOLE8arR0AH-B-2I6P7VBKTkU5IAFGt61NTFziEQvO4m2sqIXH4lWlEfUp2ufHIGrnxzGDb5w_EWqDddhIET4RxkrV4Fl5o/s4032/IMG_6106.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9xv-J5j_ha3xt_UZJmui_j2MAZidVfYsF95WEozzdPc41-VGuDl5Rxtw7CbM15odl7C-17E_oUxYXzf6G0EmyTzpF7p54oOLE8arR0AH-B-2I6P7VBKTkU5IAFGt61NTFziEQvO4m2sqIXH4lWlEfUp2ufHIGrnxzGDb5w_EWqDddhIET4RxkrV4Fl5o/s320/IMG_6106.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-C5j2od45twNulf8XbubjVulZPrUkVfaWEiLP9VThZZjnlf7fXrzGS2dMpa31uhV3wP_kfVFlA-0I31U-8XUmUnkKiOhYCgRi5095c2c5zhM7DqElxpQgYX_tNKcdcWodDh-1L9n_WMGQT0rtl-iikkbtQ2tuWkbIXyBUsSITmbyouIewZBP4g77AFBY/s4032/IMG_6108.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-C5j2od45twNulf8XbubjVulZPrUkVfaWEiLP9VThZZjnlf7fXrzGS2dMpa31uhV3wP_kfVFlA-0I31U-8XUmUnkKiOhYCgRi5095c2c5zhM7DqElxpQgYX_tNKcdcWodDh-1L9n_WMGQT0rtl-iikkbtQ2tuWkbIXyBUsSITmbyouIewZBP4g77AFBY/s320/IMG_6108.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIQOloJKhyphenhypheng9kJIeLPmWgL7sqK4LdN523foriSQzAC1B8erIyMn4X7nTIqH4_8iRMn60W81hhL7YDXD0bP2ZPlFGfxhr5yy66wcVwmhZH2zUlzw-5wYEUeyQ9OhJ4ukycXdGXcQHc_t6iwK7_zTSw_jlNINyMAA-6etjVOGZve0r1e8JCnOw45jPssQuw/s3088/IMG_6109.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2320" data-original-width="3088" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIQOloJKhyphenhypheng9kJIeLPmWgL7sqK4LdN523foriSQzAC1B8erIyMn4X7nTIqH4_8iRMn60W81hhL7YDXD0bP2ZPlFGfxhr5yy66wcVwmhZH2zUlzw-5wYEUeyQ9OhJ4ukycXdGXcQHc_t6iwK7_zTSw_jlNINyMAA-6etjVOGZve0r1e8JCnOw45jPssQuw/s320/IMG_6109.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Back at Togendai:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0YVWxpT2applEIjrwtWUTVQa7ipp-YMT4bVUUah4Ue6rf9aJ2A3aVaTxgmwWWe-azGkW_9PLi6UT_YocnoCpOWkkeK2cHJx-rnIgjFCrdTWAt4pE746Uj0BViHkfgaiwnLmPxM3j1oNwXHy0r76RsOXhaj2wdcs8pcx5fIoAjNfM1hAm8UxAo_TDigXY/s4032/IMG_6111.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0YVWxpT2applEIjrwtWUTVQa7ipp-YMT4bVUUah4Ue6rf9aJ2A3aVaTxgmwWWe-azGkW_9PLi6UT_YocnoCpOWkkeK2cHJx-rnIgjFCrdTWAt4pE746Uj0BViHkfgaiwnLmPxM3j1oNwXHy0r76RsOXhaj2wdcs8pcx5fIoAjNfM1hAm8UxAo_TDigXY/s320/IMG_6111.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>We weren't exactly sure what we were supposed to be on the lookout for, but in the end we didn't see any critters resembling the one in the sign:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii7UvQxJiF-V832R3FbDdT21hIhgp3NpKO7LVyMYHYj4psuH4CyUBfpcjy0J76eU3IK9FzBE7GefmxdCLwDKVatwQEP7hIZQEUup5u2K11m2FW0YqDCACWdykc_gRW1GvSUoma-IcZlpc6oXtQUFZiy1O4lT7JA6fLOlPwTWEkVetk02-MSnKkzjWswUQ/s3333/IMG_6112.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3333" data-original-width="2960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii7UvQxJiF-V832R3FbDdT21hIhgp3NpKO7LVyMYHYj4psuH4CyUBfpcjy0J76eU3IK9FzBE7GefmxdCLwDKVatwQEP7hIZQEUup5u2K11m2FW0YqDCACWdykc_gRW1GvSUoma-IcZlpc6oXtQUFZiy1O4lT7JA6fLOlPwTWEkVetk02-MSnKkzjWswUQ/s320/IMG_6112.jpg" width="284" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Getting ready to check in at the <a href="https://www.hakone-lakehotel.com/english/" target="_blank">Hakone Lake Hotel</a> 小田急箱根レイクホテル. Thanks to the baggage forwarding service provided at Hakone-Yumoto Station, our luggage was waiting for us at the front desk. Amber and I used such a service last summer when we traveled the <a href="https://kaminoge.blogspot.com/2023/06/ninth-day-in-japan.html" target="_blank">Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route</a> 立山黒部アルペンルート. It saved having to lug our bags with us on every leg of the jaunt, which some people appeared to be doing in Hakone!:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHeC7eva2exA2_fcl1SwRw_SwGXhBQLgG8HKdiW5GUfZn372kiWOJetC3i25Oz_yrLfQlMtfRWffSOcYaOPVdr23Z0Jx7z70ep1bikBLVr_xEgoWuKNtu_Y-IvRw9ny-11cpfiAwugCqBND6XfnSuNZO00GCEwj8IY6eUAV2TkwQJ6FQD1zzr4H12qmlM/s3619/IMG_6113.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2475" data-original-width="3619" height="219" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHeC7eva2exA2_fcl1SwRw_SwGXhBQLgG8HKdiW5GUfZn372kiWOJetC3i25Oz_yrLfQlMtfRWffSOcYaOPVdr23Z0Jx7z70ep1bikBLVr_xEgoWuKNtu_Y-IvRw9ny-11cpfiAwugCqBND6XfnSuNZO00GCEwj8IY6eUAV2TkwQJ6FQD1zzr4H12qmlM/s320/IMG_6113.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Another fine meal:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4tuLRvKDnmDxXl-_e5U2nlhIUYMv4nmM1JRwKHuN8LqpL7Px5W6Cb7U4PeVPpLlAbW64W5xLVD77YO1IclPBJI6I3eoD3aISr2iU29cZsqvD8IopWjjZE1aCKxvOksgeN1bHOrIiwco-tjiaeRUL2XC1roYnl_K0MPJS0uedMswfKNO1pnVGnKbPceao/s4032/IMG_6115.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4tuLRvKDnmDxXl-_e5U2nlhIUYMv4nmM1JRwKHuN8LqpL7Px5W6Cb7U4PeVPpLlAbW64W5xLVD77YO1IclPBJI6I3eoD3aISr2iU29cZsqvD8IopWjjZE1aCKxvOksgeN1bHOrIiwco-tjiaeRUL2XC1roYnl_K0MPJS0uedMswfKNO1pnVGnKbPceao/s320/IMG_6115.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Sampling both sake 日本酒 and <a href="https://www.springvalleybrewery.jp/en/" target="_blank">craft beer</a> 地ビール:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpPUrnAm3j5lQHfbzRwLhMNLO77l88hxU-tBWXdplMQsjp6zSZ2D3v1sVxcFer0gdZOpoFEF1NgZCIkZ_Ixp0nkYrsuvlU86I7fkACDL0SyTkzvcqKkGoDYfnvYn-uSTgX690tqVXFOU5SYDWaQua6VjS77hPp6lY9Xaln-ZL1bCTI_SxMMJFML2aDs18/s4032/IMG_6116.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpPUrnAm3j5lQHfbzRwLhMNLO77l88hxU-tBWXdplMQsjp6zSZ2D3v1sVxcFer0gdZOpoFEF1NgZCIkZ_Ixp0nkYrsuvlU86I7fkACDL0SyTkzvcqKkGoDYfnvYn-uSTgX690tqVXFOU5SYDWaQua6VjS77hPp6lY9Xaln-ZL1bCTI_SxMMJFML2aDs18/s320/IMG_6116.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig9KUNyaDyb1e0GNamP6JORmHFBI-IM-jQMvijAqkvzcE614JlqqPy2k7KAbw2Xc-s-Pl1T4_GFXo6M96tbUrdJj5spGkP27IvKexMgRhNHGDRqsSdkwUTReePNfXOSR4Cjr-grGkZmXns26K1nhG0_3yfHQFy12nBXFjaaaa7XQ1XZWYv6nC7kXg9fcA/s3762/IMG_6117.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3762" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig9KUNyaDyb1e0GNamP6JORmHFBI-IM-jQMvijAqkvzcE614JlqqPy2k7KAbw2Xc-s-Pl1T4_GFXo6M96tbUrdJj5spGkP27IvKexMgRhNHGDRqsSdkwUTReePNfXOSR4Cjr-grGkZmXns26K1nhG0_3yfHQFy12nBXFjaaaa7XQ1XZWYv6nC7kXg9fcA/s320/IMG_6117.jpg" width="257" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQm1if3OARh0YVHrMYyzKoOW4M3VNG2mOPovWetjCLsZ98mbNmq87OhHlUkysUXuP3XqYZZIyCiGgjCe7AgulOVcgvdNxY1gsTcATmrIB4o2QislJfdYiyLH00wltCxVjGtgzl_lta7q71JsxC5NWcJGF0VZXVudayYFs97iSizEDUHcXLeDZN2jNlY4s/s3246/IMG_6118.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2225" data-original-width="3246" height="219" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQm1if3OARh0YVHrMYyzKoOW4M3VNG2mOPovWetjCLsZ98mbNmq87OhHlUkysUXuP3XqYZZIyCiGgjCe7AgulOVcgvdNxY1gsTcATmrIB4o2QislJfdYiyLH00wltCxVjGtgzl_lta7q71JsxC5NWcJGF0VZXVudayYFs97iSizEDUHcXLeDZN2jNlY4s/s320/IMG_6118.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj96gXQit8Vj9_X0RWK0dqYk6wlUf0DF7NsEuVBf6rDHY7t72xUmACpn7moY4FN7uY-uEtbqXZWKdmEi5psImT76gwTwNkDuI0F_uErIRg4VmNM5UBRudLbtRc1rllya-3xBtnM3Tswm9n9nG8BABSmDQIG41BxkvvLV16GuxZiLBXCUU1mQtjNhEuMx0g/s4032/IMG_6120.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj96gXQit8Vj9_X0RWK0dqYk6wlUf0DF7NsEuVBf6rDHY7t72xUmACpn7moY4FN7uY-uEtbqXZWKdmEi5psImT76gwTwNkDuI0F_uErIRg4VmNM5UBRudLbtRc1rllya-3xBtnM3Tswm9n9nG8BABSmDQIG41BxkvvLV16GuxZiLBXCUU1mQtjNhEuMx0g/s320/IMG_6120.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDohQjc9Mf1oRNw4EJb3jEPwN8eVDXrUMwbTjOqr06RIRbh_akiLonRne08XdFbebl-oys-CQ96CJxuepsbWpNnrXIvg2LgzH9l7rH0ZsF9yV2lHJn2JTrziogO-7jCK5e1HYoHhfZ3En4SEJa6tOdSpw4DBnranYLVNYJ8FiJf1fBusp2GzzW9ixuPGM/s4032/IMG_6122.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDohQjc9Mf1oRNw4EJb3jEPwN8eVDXrUMwbTjOqr06RIRbh_akiLonRne08XdFbebl-oys-CQ96CJxuepsbWpNnrXIvg2LgzH9l7rH0ZsF9yV2lHJn2JTrziogO-7jCK5e1HYoHhfZ3En4SEJa6tOdSpw4DBnranYLVNYJ8FiJf1fBusp2GzzW9ixuPGM/s320/IMG_6122.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Hotel lounge:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizt8kEGt3K5cvTxp_4TkTZ3MoGhVv06IslNgVFzzY0q4PZ03q66NnPS9YVqeaOfnq5mOjB3ITNej9Ucve2SmeLbnhJa6DZTL02wvQYSz-yeTi0c_AhIU4O5hF8VLr9-qVwzsswAxIsYxsJ-fJfCgfrG6xpZXAJJEoYdvRbnTg_rv69A44Cc7wk9I7aTuo/s3942/IMG_6123.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2956" data-original-width="3942" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizt8kEGt3K5cvTxp_4TkTZ3MoGhVv06IslNgVFzzY0q4PZ03q66NnPS9YVqeaOfnq5mOjB3ITNej9Ucve2SmeLbnhJa6DZTL02wvQYSz-yeTi0c_AhIU4O5hF8VLr9-qVwzsswAxIsYxsJ-fJfCgfrG6xpZXAJJEoYdvRbnTg_rv69A44Cc7wk9I7aTuo/s320/IMG_6123.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Relaxing in the room before bath time:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLamSOuCu_k-Bi-4EEBa1HBnY6A0lQZ6T6-eFVXPvgstnCxTW-JJtEZ_n-RzjaYODLhT-FPMXesEBGcQaQHU1hF1zSwWGYwzMlPmuNt-8lHQL6JcXhOQ9Bazc8rkWfor5yWl-tjEfo38vE5QiNtk_RnS1ujKwIxWRQoL2Czk0pxdcZ3E7UbwwSW8DvvZk/s3956/IMG_6124.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2967" data-original-width="3956" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLamSOuCu_k-Bi-4EEBa1HBnY6A0lQZ6T6-eFVXPvgstnCxTW-JJtEZ_n-RzjaYODLhT-FPMXesEBGcQaQHU1hF1zSwWGYwzMlPmuNt-8lHQL6JcXhOQ9Bazc8rkWfor5yWl-tjEfo38vE5QiNtk_RnS1ujKwIxWRQoL2Czk0pxdcZ3E7UbwwSW8DvvZk/s320/IMG_6124.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>In addition to a large-sized <i>yukata</i> 浴衣, I also donned the traditional split-toed socks known as <i><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tabi" target="_blank">tabi</a> 足袋</i>:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH12fShqNDt7tob-y8WrnbLJ0KliE0Fwu_qa93Fl2CHPzX5sbXsxpPjqiDstR3cxsRGIh2iu58Bc9KYlX_whIDcfJfAyn3CxXeOVURvPqKq6IwWaZW2cNnlHm5azvS-w_M4K8n2byvey_DmQvRbecfePT5M2BkWtA0cNL_D-2qDcGUCbRoQp591yC93Po/s3445/IMG_6126.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2962" data-original-width="3445" height="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH12fShqNDt7tob-y8WrnbLJ0KliE0Fwu_qa93Fl2CHPzX5sbXsxpPjqiDstR3cxsRGIh2iu58Bc9KYlX_whIDcfJfAyn3CxXeOVURvPqKq6IwWaZW2cNnlHm5azvS-w_M4K8n2byvey_DmQvRbecfePT5M2BkWtA0cNL_D-2qDcGUCbRoQp591yC93Po/s320/IMG_6126.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Following breakfast the next morning the girls get ready to check out. Sort of:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGg_oR8rADSwHD5Ib6_JGURbfZttIofW1fg1ReTU0po7DhvBwXzKFOqOfSeQAxspirNaqz3kgz6kVGkfsyPFKaUSB5LoQuq1aCYgJj8lpNK2qaD3mpDqP7b6HjKyIkXwZKfaWghu37QphJpXWebfH5dnT-rf8-ErklwoIGCE7DwOvzTwCTawdn1dGLE5Y/s4032/IMG_6138.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGg_oR8rADSwHD5Ib6_JGURbfZttIofW1fg1ReTU0po7DhvBwXzKFOqOfSeQAxspirNaqz3kgz6kVGkfsyPFKaUSB5LoQuq1aCYgJj8lpNK2qaD3mpDqP7b6HjKyIkXwZKfaWghu37QphJpXWebfH5dnT-rf8-ErklwoIGCE7DwOvzTwCTawdn1dGLE5Y/s320/IMG_6138.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The view from in front of the hotel:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0E3S86HBz96y3SMEQlXrjqG1Z524-Q-QZULKzoKfTzujO8zPGW-8-YJe_nnbqg158K5ywEpSXbcgJqdz6iijIALUQQqyMNxwMOK59gZctPWs5e66y56x5Y_XYpyy6gGAam45jbZPZom4k1m_0uI1lpHmzDWzwSHHXBQK2GK38MoJE0vXhIbgbI5gyIYg/s4032/IMG_6139.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0E3S86HBz96y3SMEQlXrjqG1Z524-Q-QZULKzoKfTzujO8zPGW-8-YJe_nnbqg158K5ywEpSXbcgJqdz6iijIALUQQqyMNxwMOK59gZctPWs5e66y56x5Y_XYpyy6gGAam45jbZPZom4k1m_0uI1lpHmzDWzwSHHXBQK2GK38MoJE0vXhIbgbI5gyIYg/s320/IMG_6139.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Arrgh matey, we board the first pirate ship of the day at 1000 hours:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXUH1JEBmUXc08UmHlqO0X5WrRz1F-lOFXBo2U301CqpMyGoHwSoXXHz11eTApBx4dNHMS-zoi4XzAqoqrPsYwcrc4mCfhq89yQp8aaYxr8jDyHigKY2VEuapr-0ammaihZX0fFx3J-HK9XwKgZgRMLqWHQ-X0nrP0H3Gge_9jF1fpCqnrHEOEBkXKOSw/s4032/IMG_6140.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXUH1JEBmUXc08UmHlqO0X5WrRz1F-lOFXBo2U301CqpMyGoHwSoXXHz11eTApBx4dNHMS-zoi4XzAqoqrPsYwcrc4mCfhq89yQp8aaYxr8jDyHigKY2VEuapr-0ammaihZX0fFx3J-HK9XwKgZgRMLqWHQ-X0nrP0H3Gge_9jF1fpCqnrHEOEBkXKOSw/s320/IMG_6140.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div><a href="https://soranews24.com/2022/03/09/this-green-tea-soda-from-shizuoka-in-a-sense-betrayed-us-but-also-placated-us%E3%80%90taste-test%E3%80%91/" target="_blank">My morning pick-me-up</a>:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtwXXF-HHvSGEcnEcItQZ1gZfKCZhayM8-j1wGUf2m7JwEjTMqqQCo66de4JP1AHsK_0M46LVY4BgcSP9w6CvVhA34vdLXZJpdojOT_Kf5an3oRy2MVP76ExjR_GW_tKRB16Xr0DaMxBMOnbLmgmPFGfouco7loBV_6b4qbwqtjqJB_xG6Ctq_rhaw_tM/s4032/IMG_6142.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtwXXF-HHvSGEcnEcItQZ1gZfKCZhayM8-j1wGUf2m7JwEjTMqqQCo66de4JP1AHsK_0M46LVY4BgcSP9w6CvVhA34vdLXZJpdojOT_Kf5an3oRy2MVP76ExjR_GW_tKRB16Xr0DaMxBMOnbLmgmPFGfouco7loBV_6b4qbwqtjqJB_xG6Ctq_rhaw_tM/s320/IMG_6142.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKP7Wn80SxaubHy4w6rifOkCCgdp1GBO_PSJL9cV4Uw8btpBzmn8cJ5RlmZguXU2lODO5KJEHeLrOqEj6USNDRZYSzUmm8TsUOv4WPegefBJhzyJHoEzkCSyhJaWl0lTKdTLMypc5TYxksPbBZSRY0riR_tiOzzd_ErMnaUbeIC9V0WtgPx5RLxUHQV-g/s1702/193e8e339d7af97e0fcb6acbaef9cc62.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1702" data-original-width="1276" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKP7Wn80SxaubHy4w6rifOkCCgdp1GBO_PSJL9cV4Uw8btpBzmn8cJ5RlmZguXU2lODO5KJEHeLrOqEj6USNDRZYSzUmm8TsUOv4WPegefBJhzyJHoEzkCSyhJaWl0lTKdTLMypc5TYxksPbBZSRY0riR_tiOzzd_ErMnaUbeIC9V0WtgPx5RLxUHQV-g/s320/193e8e339d7af97e0fcb6acbaef9cc62.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>The first of the two large <i>torii</i> gates lining the route to <a href="https://hakonejinja.or.jp/" target="_blank">Hakone-jinja</a>:</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6ztOrlVE1JUqYQM6AkpZ5yDKkFh2GoNj-j7Qca4qPdvHatLFMX83fbBBWf3pa0iTaWzCJx32trQYv5Ph_vQA1aGAoeZljW3j1Q2WOWpTpqByKY0jUZm8f3if7I_V1PFG37wni4cw3bDikE51BPjopq14n76McxmSYI5k-oKKWgfaeO-nC9Z9xHSQ9NHs/s4032/IMG_6143.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6ztOrlVE1JUqYQM6AkpZ5yDKkFh2GoNj-j7Qca4qPdvHatLFMX83fbBBWf3pa0iTaWzCJx32trQYv5Ph_vQA1aGAoeZljW3j1Q2WOWpTpqByKY0jUZm8f3if7I_V1PFG37wni4cw3bDikE51BPjopq14n76McxmSYI5k-oKKWgfaeO-nC9Z9xHSQ9NHs/s320/IMG_6143.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The second <i>torii</i>:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidtbFEx58iDr1XDuRz6fbdr11rHmfdSjeDr2uprA4Uyc0noPc3JZvoaSGj77nOlIu5CrNQmfeGVzdKjbFUEm7mSixmkclNvo3ROdle3MJMJH5EUuDgJtudgM3jRToq9S4_K7PRu0zsZTI2NehdlT07Mbb0XlzKit0Hw_vZrzZ6fHbMjm-wvLH4HKI23Ho/s4032/IMG_6145.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2842" data-original-width="4032" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidtbFEx58iDr1XDuRz6fbdr11rHmfdSjeDr2uprA4Uyc0noPc3JZvoaSGj77nOlIu5CrNQmfeGVzdKjbFUEm7mSixmkclNvo3ROdle3MJMJH5EUuDgJtudgM3jRToq9S4_K7PRu0zsZTI2NehdlT07Mbb0XlzKit0Hw_vZrzZ6fHbMjm-wvLH4HKI23Ho/s320/IMG_6145.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Taking the path away from the road to the <a href="https://www.hakonenavi.jp/international/en/spot/523" target="_blank">shrine</a>:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz06ZMM6Oor9x4GKpp7EdEsBDvHsd250wxiP0NUQwlfyz9O9AfgI12cZLHmWGwBRZFl2XC7Xom7df_Jq2H5HknuCATy5K-B90MMkJ4yOu4qKpCFBM10oqUmU5jiwNV-CS-RYM3O7668Ti_cXC3hu-qHli3gAh9Dm1qjVRKWpnJnFv_6WqdBEpJjvyUH7k/s4032/IMG_6146.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz06ZMM6Oor9x4GKpp7EdEsBDvHsd250wxiP0NUQwlfyz9O9AfgI12cZLHmWGwBRZFl2XC7Xom7df_Jq2H5HknuCATy5K-B90MMkJ4yOu4qKpCFBM10oqUmU5jiwNV-CS-RYM3O7668Ti_cXC3hu-qHli3gAh9Dm1qjVRKWpnJnFv_6WqdBEpJjvyUH7k/s320/IMG_6146.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXeTqGSnXzb1UPavIxegXOveH1VUp3aa4a5dZS7EC0D_6LjGNE2alS0Ql7hE5KfaA3hDF1hYfQf1xv-tyeYvRPPmx8J-g3EMVI08_N83DG12qvQeb9N6UcJBAmLY2pAXx32F0nIpBkAq18XHkaNcilBDyPJEeHwd-WC3dI10VWJBkAOuFFcw5d9mwUNT4/s4032/IMG_6147.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXeTqGSnXzb1UPavIxegXOveH1VUp3aa4a5dZS7EC0D_6LjGNE2alS0Ql7hE5KfaA3hDF1hYfQf1xv-tyeYvRPPmx8J-g3EMVI08_N83DG12qvQeb9N6UcJBAmLY2pAXx32F0nIpBkAq18XHkaNcilBDyPJEeHwd-WC3dI10VWJBkAOuFFcw5d9mwUNT4/s320/IMG_6147.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The main shrine building:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZgnc-jWI67c_QR_-Cxr6mia1netqbeDKilgo97ZhE_QOpHuDrR6QChHRy4GfMlCtP68zRkBTOYQ4hmfX_26QyfFYYz6sTiDP4X8frdeW5zwiuRPUplF3tsxuPM6QvwGtuZTkmCrmDIxgbGorwdhjJjaTm7aylZ8UpWYD6EsIGFy9WF6i7XOetiybbE0k/s4032/IMG_6148.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZgnc-jWI67c_QR_-Cxr6mia1netqbeDKilgo97ZhE_QOpHuDrR6QChHRy4GfMlCtP68zRkBTOYQ4hmfX_26QyfFYYz6sTiDP4X8frdeW5zwiuRPUplF3tsxuPM6QvwGtuZTkmCrmDIxgbGorwdhjJjaTm7aylZ8UpWYD6EsIGFy9WF6i7XOetiybbE0k/s320/IMG_6148.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><i><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Komainu" target="_blank">Komainu</a></i> 狛犬:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDLKLjss4b_asrBN4V0OUMzQBEiRFCVy4jgXbowYj5wM5u6U6cbrXoeie3A4YK0yF0asFCBFBuXN3n7unGgiQ_l9aBk71weOgNwLnvnotH6QtQEcPLz2qiIUDVjbJN_JEKAGRQzA2TEkmOBHTszGOqpkRb_vbVXzyAE7Z2E8HX7wJNlHugSfyWu6ZfgoY/s4032/IMG_6149.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDLKLjss4b_asrBN4V0OUMzQBEiRFCVy4jgXbowYj5wM5u6U6cbrXoeie3A4YK0yF0asFCBFBuXN3n7unGgiQ_l9aBk71weOgNwLnvnotH6QtQEcPLz2qiIUDVjbJN_JEKAGRQzA2TEkmOBHTszGOqpkRb_vbVXzyAE7Z2E8HX7wJNlHugSfyWu6ZfgoY/s320/IMG_6149.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>What appears to be a giant rice scoop:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRY8KLHr3sZG9fRiUr-RYRSvw9zQ3tgiKZDbhYt8PJrRJBuSjvGTHc83i0BzwJ7FpwVZQhBdQFR2kc6kv-Ii5-yo39VE0WfK9qioT0RpmN_qDCH9k4dLDQtCcsShPo9YwfbrFvYE5glKCFUMmla1xW7bE2Do4UNc5dIovfZGY_ghpZ7qjD8tzyXIHbzCw/s4032/IMG_6150.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRY8KLHr3sZG9fRiUr-RYRSvw9zQ3tgiKZDbhYt8PJrRJBuSjvGTHc83i0BzwJ7FpwVZQhBdQFR2kc6kv-Ii5-yo39VE0WfK9qioT0RpmN_qDCH9k4dLDQtCcsShPo9YwfbrFvYE5glKCFUMmla1xW7bE2Do4UNc5dIovfZGY_ghpZ7qjD8tzyXIHbzCw/s320/IMG_6150.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>For the first time on this trip the weather began to deteriorate:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMLOtizRnAEzN08XF76CB-XEZ9p73V8G57cuRMbuumIPSJIFkmN4oNMHqxiQdkgC1YRiJUJU48doa5WFpxPC4YcUgY4Ljazo5BTPLI701ee6bLKfQ-gJtiWVanjfC-uTxqo4DfaGiUr4iDSlybv85U9UmRi6Fc4V7TeQ8CIOYIGTbr1PZkLdM1MhUHbwE/s4032/IMG_6151.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMLOtizRnAEzN08XF76CB-XEZ9p73V8G57cuRMbuumIPSJIFkmN4oNMHqxiQdkgC1YRiJUJU48doa5WFpxPC4YcUgY4Ljazo5BTPLI701ee6bLKfQ-gJtiWVanjfC-uTxqo4DfaGiUr4iDSlybv85U9UmRi6Fc4V7TeQ8CIOYIGTbr1PZkLdM1MhUHbwE/s320/IMG_6151.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw2nUe-D6IDfpk6V87HStrVALjWLGy3WiIE_nenMYaZuGWFoHPivVEK9mTX41d3jxFYu4iDTf_pRSYgsgd9G4r0wnUg6peMRaO352rPlt9MYXQqYZfXuu_S6Lu6LNkg80tusErqbcP7r_TcE4pYDdocmpzpDvnyMmtvK38kN8e_0HDYOjSD9Q_Vs_SvRc/s4032/IMG_6153.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw2nUe-D6IDfpk6V87HStrVALjWLGy3WiIE_nenMYaZuGWFoHPivVEK9mTX41d3jxFYu4iDTf_pRSYgsgd9G4r0wnUg6peMRaO352rPlt9MYXQqYZfXuu_S6Lu6LNkg80tusErqbcP7r_TcE4pYDdocmpzpDvnyMmtvK38kN8e_0HDYOjSD9Q_Vs_SvRc/s320/IMG_6153.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Enjoying a cup of <i><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amazake" target="_blank">amazake</a></i> 甘酒 in the morning chill:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_byNzC0pR7b-bQw85RpDCI6Ht4Jp2K1A3yCnA7yO9O4jsKM_0lcC_yDY5uBBXepLmAaspuU7dcOhRdDv7010lvqE1S4bBZ_KntVQ_ziaBVTXUq0mRQB60FzlZU7U5Gx9jh2QIwcR3rj4ZaHHirH2Mk_B5tz1tf9QQqzOFH6WA5vpleGmSeRP-NTyO3Cc/s4032/IMG_6154.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_byNzC0pR7b-bQw85RpDCI6Ht4Jp2K1A3yCnA7yO9O4jsKM_0lcC_yDY5uBBXepLmAaspuU7dcOhRdDv7010lvqE1S4bBZ_KntVQ_ziaBVTXUq0mRQB60FzlZU7U5Gx9jh2QIwcR3rj4ZaHHirH2Mk_B5tz1tf9QQqzOFH6WA5vpleGmSeRP-NTyO3Cc/s320/IMG_6154.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Notice my glasses fogging up:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1tNh8y3muk0NpEhxMPeIxr3cOsWnFoEOA25MXWD-0EGiA8cApNcCcX6olCY1JfISFVvp4qdapzs6-8DL8tKI_E0J8GoaUiokUlS3l-EMKhNArTT5oT05k700w1FAnRqkSt72qVcjoujpYKcRzxE06ABGqSSw_EVJKaIHZHqnxosZCYB_7eX95I7xRBzg/s4032/IMG_6156.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1tNh8y3muk0NpEhxMPeIxr3cOsWnFoEOA25MXWD-0EGiA8cApNcCcX6olCY1JfISFVvp4qdapzs6-8DL8tKI_E0J8GoaUiokUlS3l-EMKhNArTT5oT05k700w1FAnRqkSt72qVcjoujpYKcRzxE06ABGqSSw_EVJKaIHZHqnxosZCYB_7eX95I7xRBzg/s320/IMG_6156.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The Heiwa no Torii 平和の鳥居, erected in 1952 to commemorate the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treaty_of_San_Francisco" target="_blank">Treaty of San Francisco</a>, which ended the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Occupation_of_Japan" target="_blank">occupation of Japan</a>. Thanks to Japan's recent popularity among travelers (I'm looking at you, Instagram!), we had to line up with all the other tourists in order to take some photos. A marriage proposal took place under the beams while we were queuing up, though the moment was diminished to some extent when the couple ended up restaging the event, presumably because the first photos or videos taken weren't acceptable:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd8m5Y1PGE2co33UYQASRzTFvtGy0tSOOi0YcBP7bI92ihYlOFvfHPeHNF-Y9NW7mzJp5MGSoeIWqtFn_jGHyP8FK8TTg4Rq3evk505k3JzU3FYqneIslcWA9pcKjtGrKx8eFU6br7ai-FA0mY_2pprr3fCC5OGy4intQEIP_LZYO7oLY8BwRuGnpjCZw/s3995/IMG_6159.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2996" data-original-width="3995" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd8m5Y1PGE2co33UYQASRzTFvtGy0tSOOi0YcBP7bI92ihYlOFvfHPeHNF-Y9NW7mzJp5MGSoeIWqtFn_jGHyP8FK8TTg4Rq3evk505k3JzU3FYqneIslcWA9pcKjtGrKx8eFU6br7ai-FA0mY_2pprr3fCC5OGy4intQEIP_LZYO7oLY8BwRuGnpjCZw/s320/IMG_6159.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2tNAyph5iWXaZAaVfKwCwfbY6DoXMyU_gOr3Wwnt4PYrI6fGPVz1Y_HuXZ22IzgEpIenI83YvcFWtcvPds80UHcOsOrT1hMBoB8FZBDhHltjVQVNGTSXKuHIeAjrDEHCRd0GMGbvY5h6nrWSU_-dqsC6_Faw7lwEknSMt1oDu7DCcsjeW1QaVXBie0OU/s4007/IMG_6160.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4007" data-original-width="3006" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2tNAyph5iWXaZAaVfKwCwfbY6DoXMyU_gOr3Wwnt4PYrI6fGPVz1Y_HuXZ22IzgEpIenI83YvcFWtcvPds80UHcOsOrT1hMBoB8FZBDhHltjVQVNGTSXKuHIeAjrDEHCRd0GMGbvY5h6nrWSU_-dqsC6_Faw7lwEknSMt1oDu7DCcsjeW1QaVXBie0OU/s320/IMG_6160.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi84iVCUbmX6_ersD6iqRADEunX2jEeLBdaFBj_SELhNq-ytNghVwx8nV8SMrkgiU1jdyDrC4hUmowTO7RWvmyLnbMzBP-NBvkFFkpouBOrdFxd2l60WUl1b06NX3PiBOtryBMHaoHAP4Y-tomixi1AW9wvmdlMbizaVHcS6PSGvJ6Q7YEAmT1rpIu8VcI/s3887/IMG_6161.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3887" data-original-width="2915" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi84iVCUbmX6_ersD6iqRADEunX2jEeLBdaFBj_SELhNq-ytNghVwx8nV8SMrkgiU1jdyDrC4hUmowTO7RWvmyLnbMzBP-NBvkFFkpouBOrdFxd2l60WUl1b06NX3PiBOtryBMHaoHAP4Y-tomixi1AW9wvmdlMbizaVHcS6PSGvJ6Q7YEAmT1rpIu8VcI/s320/IMG_6161.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIwQrmvBcMg6A8H094uhhUcEuR6oVeR3o2V90R1jVHMVXzgV-Y50gwML_odp_dX-RtpWhnnHo_4qPiHa3Au8lwn9XpXbjEZjd07mHnvBSRy-8OYBmot_ktg31mAsn-vhHGMSAwCJD5LweMA1zbJKyYdWsaSLJbtpTUvIipPXl3GmvbCK6hQ_3fqiH7KG8/s1706/75c8926b45e6041b46f69405e150aef4.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1706" data-original-width="1280" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIwQrmvBcMg6A8H094uhhUcEuR6oVeR3o2V90R1jVHMVXzgV-Y50gwML_odp_dX-RtpWhnnHo_4qPiHa3Au8lwn9XpXbjEZjd07mHnvBSRy-8OYBmot_ktg31mAsn-vhHGMSAwCJD5LweMA1zbJKyYdWsaSLJbtpTUvIipPXl3GmvbCK6hQ_3fqiH7KG8/s320/75c8926b45e6041b46f69405e150aef4.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifEHOtDEPm-QIEJ0b4KZQ5LKoJkEEw9Kb8cfQPACN0SOZnA1sVj1MRvAFXKtZb0_F1Kb4noNaDKJulrG7JSaDT_X8OXaZWIVd5sQS6K2C2qkTQDfXrfKk-oOm2IfG8YrCHS3IL4k2q61DzYMaBGVP4XC3im0W3UfQox0vkFweuejDqzZGMoucCq4-K6rc/s4032/IMG_6163.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifEHOtDEPm-QIEJ0b4KZQ5LKoJkEEw9Kb8cfQPACN0SOZnA1sVj1MRvAFXKtZb0_F1Kb4noNaDKJulrG7JSaDT_X8OXaZWIVd5sQS6K2C2qkTQDfXrfKk-oOm2IfG8YrCHS3IL4k2q61DzYMaBGVP4XC3im0W3UfQox0vkFweuejDqzZGMoucCq4-K6rc/s320/IMG_6163.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Lunch at a restaurant called Hiroshiya ひろしや. My fragile ego received a boost when one of the servers asked me if I lived in Japan, presumably because I was the only foreign customer (among many present) who ordered their meal in Japanese rather than English:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKgmnWZqTweCduSSIvsO9cntcHuZ_LUaN3xeHb2re_aZthIZELUNzS0XKjNe5iu31bD9asIESZdS-Tp2VdjhamKO0naBL7xZ8NYf8CkaaLRM-VprVTUYZuTWWX36aHXxqu7ZV1W7k6qjo2fVg1ofUDyFTl1upPBTYcTZJwIRfTHyEj4ML2T79k8UU7T6g/s4032/IMG_6164.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2561" data-original-width="4032" height="203" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKgmnWZqTweCduSSIvsO9cntcHuZ_LUaN3xeHb2re_aZthIZELUNzS0XKjNe5iu31bD9asIESZdS-Tp2VdjhamKO0naBL7xZ8NYf8CkaaLRM-VprVTUYZuTWWX36aHXxqu7ZV1W7k6qjo2fVg1ofUDyFTl1upPBTYcTZJwIRfTHyEj4ML2T79k8UU7T6g/s320/IMG_6164.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguPoCl8GOJBkVya0_76uGgeC4Ga3f8fmCcw3mR97vbil_e8ykxzTIPVsmdSOyWhTbZMA2ImpjE7TVggIsqkNRUZfSlcYPA580R783Mq8HRC9CGHNcoHRwP0j7pu7niJog2La0IIRpvNK5yQV0bsyPJrYCpIbqDxUCTWnLZz21bI3ZtpXRHANzBK2p4ojU/s4032/IMG_6166.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguPoCl8GOJBkVya0_76uGgeC4Ga3f8fmCcw3mR97vbil_e8ykxzTIPVsmdSOyWhTbZMA2ImpjE7TVggIsqkNRUZfSlcYPA580R783Mq8HRC9CGHNcoHRwP0j7pu7niJog2La0IIRpvNK5yQV0bsyPJrYCpIbqDxUCTWnLZz21bI3ZtpXRHANzBK2p4ojU/s320/IMG_6166.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Taken in front of the local police box 元箱根交番, a cute way of telling visitors the way to Hakone Shrine lay in that direction:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_vuynxE-DEO0vWG7TyAPDnRqo8aRxpL0qY1rULXXIaW9uxB4ECq5DtyF1AqPBqv9s3FzBwUPGrNJUYlvS41V_7l2q3Hvo4PQ9RTYxv14sQVBdBFnFseE7Z-9arqSnAQxinjcmt7YM5V_wlqtnIAPTDkJEJLXXER7o6svk99_eudCZEjmET7kdgkcVvmY/s4032/IMG_6167.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_vuynxE-DEO0vWG7TyAPDnRqo8aRxpL0qY1rULXXIaW9uxB4ECq5DtyF1AqPBqv9s3FzBwUPGrNJUYlvS41V_7l2q3Hvo4PQ9RTYxv14sQVBdBFnFseE7Z-9arqSnAQxinjcmt7YM5V_wlqtnIAPTDkJEJLXXER7o6svk99_eudCZEjmET7kdgkcVvmY/s320/IMG_6167.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The weather at its worst. It would start to improve after this point:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz5rOyeAwd1zyt3OgC6B9ZvY6I2E_6eLviJu_Pg8rB3r2eUue7sI6hIGp-4lKxhuyUZp4Slc30rJep1eZ3HNm99A5Ln792fCKQIk72Co140zMY4v8f0NfYXQCkOMWyht8t5hDRkYMtXB8TPhhjeeIJ66pU-PaZHzKFsoV3-AzCyLZ5zqWXEpQHSQ5WwGk/s4032/IMG_6168.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz5rOyeAwd1zyt3OgC6B9ZvY6I2E_6eLviJu_Pg8rB3r2eUue7sI6hIGp-4lKxhuyUZp4Slc30rJep1eZ3HNm99A5Ln792fCKQIk72Co140zMY4v8f0NfYXQCkOMWyht8t5hDRkYMtXB8TPhhjeeIJ66pU-PaZHzKFsoV3-AzCyLZ5zqWXEpQHSQ5WwGk/s320/IMG_6168.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Lining up to get on a bus. The girls braved the elements while your humble scribe, wearing only a hoodie and a sweater, stayed inside the boat terminal in an attempt to stay dry and warm:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX2V-tz_XlcI_6kpVIJtddxDbd45X81Pc7MwrVD8ndy7OKOgVjQQZvypldQAlFrxN6D8sG-fBl_iuEeg1uiM0BL48GHZqbRbJJXahz8TLd3x07pxtIkV8xN50ls768ptrd76M0U6-_PswXBXvVRhXxzNvta3MVnAjdoqzmJKdV7z13TZf5qT-Mv7SOdqM/s3789/IMG_6169.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3789" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX2V-tz_XlcI_6kpVIJtddxDbd45X81Pc7MwrVD8ndy7OKOgVjQQZvypldQAlFrxN6D8sG-fBl_iuEeg1uiM0BL48GHZqbRbJJXahz8TLd3x07pxtIkV8xN50ls768ptrd76M0U6-_PswXBXvVRhXxzNvta3MVnAjdoqzmJKdV7z13TZf5qT-Mv7SOdqM/s320/IMG_6169.jpg" width="255" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Back on the platform at Hakone-Yumoto Station:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjueMFHRiJB3aKk6aBrHrcv9Xd0A7iVdrJl8wYnWi2JjvkZGphJiq2krWcD3VGxF_vCSJoVlenZrIdPG9VXgHNU9-j4182inisphSHIn74QidxN4FFwc8yaJ_4tt7hUkVNhN0EjW78VvCIfglC_ljIW2rn4s9mUkiuOKwxmUt4quIMRKO4GpCV2doGF-Tg/s4032/IMG_6171.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjueMFHRiJB3aKk6aBrHrcv9Xd0A7iVdrJl8wYnWi2JjvkZGphJiq2krWcD3VGxF_vCSJoVlenZrIdPG9VXgHNU9-j4182inisphSHIn74QidxN4FFwc8yaJ_4tt7hUkVNhN0EjW78VvCIfglC_ljIW2rn4s9mUkiuOKwxmUt4quIMRKO4GpCV2doGF-Tg/s320/IMG_6171.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The Odakyū Line 小田急線 express train to take us to Shinjuku 新宿 pulls into Odawara Station 小田原駅:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBCbQzirhi2XmQwNdFCub2fzk-Ewlkv2UFspwtt2IdY_v9aAZkIvnx_nvUsHozTLKMmjGOp_7xNuaREsyAonlHg9Lm2L8vFBl2rlXz-TOupTJqdMZBJwkMP6-WOgbdvQcEAcxpSp2MJZJJGvQxTrGecWBtL5OMuMJBXZLoAvgxr5c0tYjr96hEfqZsc4Q/s4032/IMG_6172.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBCbQzirhi2XmQwNdFCub2fzk-Ewlkv2UFspwtt2IdY_v9aAZkIvnx_nvUsHozTLKMmjGOp_7xNuaREsyAonlHg9Lm2L8vFBl2rlXz-TOupTJqdMZBJwkMP6-WOgbdvQcEAcxpSp2MJZJJGvQxTrGecWBtL5OMuMJBXZLoAvgxr5c0tYjr96hEfqZsc4Q/s320/IMG_6172.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The primary aim of this visit (at least in Shu-E's eyes) was to see Mount Fuji, and putting all modesty aside, BAM! I delivered everything that she could have hoped for in that department. The weather was close to perfect the three days we were in <a href="https://kaminoge.blogspot.com/2024/02/in-search-of-mt-fuji-lake-kawaguchi.html" target="_blank">Lake Kawaguchi</a> 河口湖, <a href="https://kaminoge.blogspot.com/2024/02/in-search-of-mt-fuji-fujiyoshida.html" target="_blank">Fujiyoshida</a> 富士吉田 and Hakone (except for this final day, but by then the wife was satisfied), and the views we had as a result were of the kind seen in coffee table books and brochures, and on travel and influencer websites. I was also happy that my daughter, too, could get to see the mountain, as our attempt to take the train last summer on a day trip from Tōkyō 東京 to Fujiyoshida had been thwarted by a lack of seats. All things considered, it was mission accomplished for one and all on this visit!</div><div><br /></div><div>Well, almost. I didn't really get any opportunities to pack on additional weight at a <a href="https://www.misterdonut.jp/" target="_blank">Mister Donut</a> ミスタードーナツ during this trip. And I've still yet to see the <a href="https://kaminoge.blogspot.com/2023/07/nineteenth-day-in-japan.html" target="_blank">Hanshin Tigers 阪神タイガース play at Kōshien Stadium 阪急甲子園球場</a> (the 2024 season doesn't kick off until March 29, with the first home game at Koshien scheduled for April 9). But even I was largely satisfied with the way things turned out on this trip. And, of course, I'm already working on future excursions. But in the meantime stay tuned here as we wrap things up in Tokyo in the next installment. <br /><p><i>*The name is a bit of a misnomer, as the pass costs ¥6100 if purchased in Shinjuku, or ¥5820 if bought in Machida, as we did on Tuesday evening. Welcome to Japan...</i></p></div>Kaminogehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07925637671913689331noreply@blogger.com0Hakone Shrine, 80-1 Motohakone, Hakone, Ashigarashimo District, Kanagawa 250-0522, Japan35.2048263 139.02537826.8945924638211551 103.8691282 63.515060136178846 174.1816282tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2497220891386919340.post-26397959592001887682024-02-23T22:18:00.001+08:002024-02-23T22:18:24.517+08:00In search of Mt. Fuji: Fujiyoshida <p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUCXnNIXZhMemrgTafVhyz9kdMaOgHzmgi2kGLta99A_nl_M4fwFA41kUZwGbDcIj5yNrnckFTfSNsMAMaE5IHupLgzwKJoq8RIO2_sShoBsUdVBU8ObPWsp8NI8cPcE23EMZe4I-uqDcBskVRKuqwdz_AmKcxNs-yU6WrQq4KB7w9HDp7QGL8ayVEbFA/s3930/IMG_5952.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2793" data-original-width="3930" height="227" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUCXnNIXZhMemrgTafVhyz9kdMaOgHzmgi2kGLta99A_nl_M4fwFA41kUZwGbDcIj5yNrnckFTfSNsMAMaE5IHupLgzwKJoq8RIO2_sShoBsUdVBU8ObPWsp8NI8cPcE23EMZe4I-uqDcBskVRKuqwdz_AmKcxNs-yU6WrQq4KB7w9HDp7QGL8ayVEbFA/s320/IMG_5952.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><i>You've seen this same image countless times on social media. You know you have...</i><p></p><p>Of all the places we visited on this trip, there was only one I had never been to before. And that singular exception was the city of <a href="https://fujiyoshida.net/en/#" target="_blank">Fujiyoshida</a> 富士吉田, in Yamanashi Prefecture 山梨県. I can't say with any certainty why I had never gotten around to at least spending a few hours there before, because it isn't a vast distance from Tōkyō 東京. In any event, in the late afternoon of Feb. 12th we arrived by train at Mt Fuji Station 富士山駅 (changed from Fuji-Yoshida Station 富士吉田駅 in 2011 in a bid to attract more <strike>money</strike> tourists). After dropping off our things at that night's lodgings, I went for a walk around the neighborhood and soon came across the <a href="https://fujiyoshida.net/en/see-and-do/24" target="_blank">Kanadorii Gate</a> 金鳥居. Though its origins go back to 1788, the current iteration dates from 1956. No matter when it was erected, the gate beautifully frames Mount Fuji:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8-2pI10RxMJZbKnx0L6X1QynZyzTQ9ywqFoY1C5qice41iLvAkPRL-S2hGw6SI9xtt8E1drANGcA7Aa-M9RLHVFw5UMtWpFFxV4jyvlthzWC_FVq3IrPujZtx22UEXsBiQQX2OXFfXKEhL97Ix8aF5cmxHTG8Wj-DDwCmKSSP-DVQKt9O6W-48fs6bko/s4032/IMG_5931.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8-2pI10RxMJZbKnx0L6X1QynZyzTQ9ywqFoY1C5qice41iLvAkPRL-S2hGw6SI9xtt8E1drANGcA7Aa-M9RLHVFw5UMtWpFFxV4jyvlthzWC_FVq3IrPujZtx22UEXsBiQQX2OXFfXKEhL97Ix8aF5cmxHTG8Wj-DDwCmKSSP-DVQKt9O6W-48fs6bko/s320/IMG_5931.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitowa_s2TmZjS-3ypzTRkhls4vVIeohvCR-6hyphenhyphen-nDntbszfQDsqvOJIF_86iPhnhFIB-fX9ySQA46R7eYxFwdq7-0VcDba7MDSVqZ_qB__55WYS_GkF1cQZuODj19VHC6UW4Wa8NhLnVQiPlwQbSJLdtm-l2_F9_JoFjvQobuDO2rDZ24nmt7gMIT8WIU/s4032/IMG_5933.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitowa_s2TmZjS-3ypzTRkhls4vVIeohvCR-6hyphenhyphen-nDntbszfQDsqvOJIF_86iPhnhFIB-fX9ySQA46R7eYxFwdq7-0VcDba7MDSVqZ_qB__55WYS_GkF1cQZuODj19VHC6UW4Wa8NhLnVQiPlwQbSJLdtm-l2_F9_JoFjvQobuDO2rDZ24nmt7gMIT8WIU/s320/IMG_5933.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Finding somewhere open for dinner proved something of a challenge as many shops were closed, but we eventually succeeded in locating an open one in what was once apparently a lively entertainment district in days gone by:<div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4bfc8pb-nzGxfNQPc92bzlWksBFNsAzO5wd8Ndy5qK_T8ucKqmi3or5cigOLC5tIVozrfzydHjrY0U0TN8zn1rnguhDNePLnUNqSKVF2-16f3ldGmx5geOFBqw9yiJ8XKMvvdwmx4bTUtcIP2r41batZj5bfAMSCsyBeheDdNun6OcUB2lbPCu2NPJl0/s3995/IMG_5934.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2996" data-original-width="3995" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4bfc8pb-nzGxfNQPc92bzlWksBFNsAzO5wd8Ndy5qK_T8ucKqmi3or5cigOLC5tIVozrfzydHjrY0U0TN8zn1rnguhDNePLnUNqSKVF2-16f3ldGmx5geOFBqw9yiJ8XKMvvdwmx4bTUtcIP2r41batZj5bfAMSCsyBeheDdNun6OcUB2lbPCu2NPJl0/s320/IMG_5934.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4yo3jJ23o8h5BxeJkGVDFyhfd_J2Sih721SemCIjROxuoB69Ur7I3Jiw7cj3BUg7aezDJ069D08YpRyi2rEoXcC7KmvIJOqLMNVwvldzla0uKQYKiE3n-eRKsHXIQwicPjC8RZ78LdHSJhtXu55L7OlJjE0SP5cdD6PMNaRYxT_vwBTjIZ8MYDfg6sPk/s4032/IMG_5935.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4yo3jJ23o8h5BxeJkGVDFyhfd_J2Sih721SemCIjROxuoB69Ur7I3Jiw7cj3BUg7aezDJ069D08YpRyi2rEoXcC7KmvIJOqLMNVwvldzla0uKQYKiE3n-eRKsHXIQwicPjC8RZ78LdHSJhtXu55L7OlJjE0SP5cdD6PMNaRYxT_vwBTjIZ8MYDfg6sPk/s320/IMG_5935.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>For this night we did not stay in a hotel, inn, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ryokan#Minshuku" target="_blank"><i>minshuku</i></a> 民宿 or <i><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ryokan" target="_blank">ryokan</a></i> 旅館, but instead a house. <a href="https://livejapan.com/en/in-tokyo/in-pref-fuji_mountain/in-mount_fuji/spot-lj0049759/" target="_blank">Guest house Fujinoyado Akebono</a> was actually a typically modern Japanese home - the upstairs having two tatami-mat 畳 bedrooms (pictured below), plus a toilet, while on the lower floor there was a living room (also tatami), a dining room, a kitchen, another toilet and the shower/bath. Having stayed in homes like this on a number of occasions, it was all very familiar, but for the girls it was a new experience:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1Ebc58kg01lw2339pNer8ElFWQtSaPVHDZHLOrcqDIbtUAegY8BykeX7NlXEDQoOo-YocR-YhJ8KMkPnQjpy8_XmPrOpNbqYl8fhin_G_At5VHDUq5xpqX5dtphxSaRypv2YVSLfxd8GMQQvSwe5iQqgrwGAXJAtflZ1rsUsGeu8yKzfseapsFDYgBLc/s4032/IMG_5937.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1Ebc58kg01lw2339pNer8ElFWQtSaPVHDZHLOrcqDIbtUAegY8BykeX7NlXEDQoOo-YocR-YhJ8KMkPnQjpy8_XmPrOpNbqYl8fhin_G_At5VHDUq5xpqX5dtphxSaRypv2YVSLfxd8GMQQvSwe5iQqgrwGAXJAtflZ1rsUsGeu8yKzfseapsFDYgBLc/s320/IMG_5937.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>And being a typical Japanese house, there was virtually no insulation to speak of, and a complete lack of central heating, meaning the place was chilly. But each of the main rooms did have an aircon with heating, and the low table in the living room came with a <i><a href="https://japanobjects.com/features/kotatsu" target="_blank">kotatsu</a></i> 炬燵. Amber adapted quickly, though my long limbs and overall lack of flexibility made sitting at one much more of a challenge than it used to be (same when it came to getting up from the <i>futon</i> 布団 the next morning):</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgTbUqZryyetpcpQeKsy2awtnFM7qb-fWaALB9YxAbSQ4MVW7_lHYsm2qjonnmJSNiTN1LO8-AHjjgG4Ianwq9NPE3X_xPAutmhPohX22XsKg2md1XRqdY1vFIDD4_zv8Iru75yXDB0GyvghrOmJVZ-VH9TvFimf_fFabK7tgvifrioo5tP6hDbubMHKA/s3887/IMG_5939.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2915" data-original-width="3887" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgTbUqZryyetpcpQeKsy2awtnFM7qb-fWaALB9YxAbSQ4MVW7_lHYsm2qjonnmJSNiTN1LO8-AHjjgG4Ianwq9NPE3X_xPAutmhPohX22XsKg2md1XRqdY1vFIDD4_zv8Iru75yXDB0GyvghrOmJVZ-VH9TvFimf_fFabK7tgvifrioo5tP6hDbubMHKA/s320/IMG_5939.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The view from the upstairs bedroom the following morning:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSk1uhK4TTI_6MgpzdRajb0wrgERjNKNLYMX3SS3Md3UKMuC51Y3p8JCUGnVOTNZzRbtcDpJvTlOPHlhSSNk4zPrrS244LKl4AFLJHZz77H-Li20W5Z4YdFaeyJfcNpl2Tkij2rmTHz_fmlmTv1m9inpXry3Cg8_z8K3r_ctGmEVKlqBDskAhUs-HS-dE/s3855/IMG_5942.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3855" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSk1uhK4TTI_6MgpzdRajb0wrgERjNKNLYMX3SS3Md3UKMuC51Y3p8JCUGnVOTNZzRbtcDpJvTlOPHlhSSNk4zPrrS244LKl4AFLJHZz77H-Li20W5Z4YdFaeyJfcNpl2Tkij2rmTHz_fmlmTv1m9inpXry3Cg8_z8K3r_ctGmEVKlqBDskAhUs-HS-dE/s320/IMG_5942.jpg" width="251" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Guest house Fujinoyado Akebono. My name is Kaminoge, and I endorse this accommodation. The welcoming owner may have spoken only limited English, but he was able to explain all the important things to know:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhujtwHsfAD33_xGZIgJ_3dPDRXvCXLJqRLNBpb6jQR4bkh5lHUa8hxGp69i77u1faGarYlQPac4PH-p6aL767psut8tWIA4tfGHY9LhULpKMZUIiR7pSnWnvwv9zCamUSjj2KAvf-v5iHcn1YU_VKlhKUC4gUw-b8Nl79L_vhyBomPNMc9VsizEaxl9uM/s4032/IMG_5943.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhujtwHsfAD33_xGZIgJ_3dPDRXvCXLJqRLNBpb6jQR4bkh5lHUa8hxGp69i77u1faGarYlQPac4PH-p6aL767psut8tWIA4tfGHY9LhULpKMZUIiR7pSnWnvwv9zCamUSjj2KAvf-v5iHcn1YU_VKlhKUC4gUw-b8Nl79L_vhyBomPNMc9VsizEaxl9uM/s320/IMG_5943.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Breakfast had been self-catering, courtesy of a nearby 7-Eleven. So I was still feeling a bit hungry when we got to the train station; fortunately, there was some time to kill before the train to Shimoyoshida 下吉田駅 would depart <u>and</u> there was a <a href="https://www.mos.jp/inbound/en/" target="_blank">MOS Burger</a> モスバーガー in the station:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDQToXB_WIsKIza4ubOuWtrlP_DUavrq8paPFXzNTcvAi3JCbunO9HsMXwHp7Prn-IjhDgnOcvDhu3jwerZyr9tu6hRx_ATq9rZ5dbekbbPo8ruL1NnvZBbjeZ6n2JjnNndkpyiI_dFjnfLFv8xUTnvR3C09XcDp_yBKgHSWMhBLQmCWsUtF_WNP2_TOs/s4032/IMG_5944.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDQToXB_WIsKIza4ubOuWtrlP_DUavrq8paPFXzNTcvAi3JCbunO9HsMXwHp7Prn-IjhDgnOcvDhu3jwerZyr9tu6hRx_ATq9rZ5dbekbbPo8ruL1NnvZBbjeZ6n2JjnNndkpyiI_dFjnfLFv8xUTnvR3C09XcDp_yBKgHSWMhBLQmCWsUtF_WNP2_TOs/s320/IMG_5944.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>With our bags safely stowed away in coin lockers at Fujisan-eki, we boarded the Fujikyūkō Line 富士急行線 for the short ride to Shimoyoshida Station. It was another gloriously bright and clear day, the results of which could be seen from the platform immediately after getting off the train:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0n5e5Gaa6ds2_BxuU3wGEVv4_5M6zZg1MI_AJopCZQUqcBh-1GdOsUpeRgulL6IHnhFqYatzCkmD-7IbB1SyILTq7hYnksYNWGlnolsUjBOUCzH7pXG2qdeu_hdGTAqotpgGFs0HZlMJBGMB2TSabBVDWly3RVtUFcmBx9Fu0k6i1JcpMwDMtfjdrCGc/s4032/IMG_5945.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0n5e5Gaa6ds2_BxuU3wGEVv4_5M6zZg1MI_AJopCZQUqcBh-1GdOsUpeRgulL6IHnhFqYatzCkmD-7IbB1SyILTq7hYnksYNWGlnolsUjBOUCzH7pXG2qdeu_hdGTAqotpgGFs0HZlMJBGMB2TSabBVDWly3RVtUFcmBx9Fu0k6i1JcpMwDMtfjdrCGc/s320/IMG_5945.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIRnKVqLd5gyOACLHK1Pk6qKGJHl5OuoPRGsB4RZosGTepw-SK-NVtFCO_CY8yqbXKBRy34EXb7W59wBJ46-MX43T1gMnrvYR5WzThd9VLc0Q7SCyBa6xl-y6pJ24SNeX8ovvyn45AswlKlj9DLFfdxXsCaKLcDBeMXD9L6uDFYGzkjXy4hglBCB6_T4A/s4032/IMG_5947.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIRnKVqLd5gyOACLHK1Pk6qKGJHl5OuoPRGsB4RZosGTepw-SK-NVtFCO_CY8yqbXKBRy34EXb7W59wBJ46-MX43T1gMnrvYR5WzThd9VLc0Q7SCyBa6xl-y6pJ24SNeX8ovvyn45AswlKlj9DLFfdxXsCaKLcDBeMXD9L6uDFYGzkjXy4hglBCB6_T4A/s320/IMG_5947.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Our destination was the <a href="https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e6917.html" target="_blank">Chūrei-tō Pagoda</a> 忠霊塔, as it was for everyone else that morning, so we followed the crowd. On the way there was a good view of Mount Fuji 富士山 from a small field:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimGNsxOmevO34QhbWbOXQjWHsvsgNyBAtGNTP7gNcVbu2L7GxiMCXAppB-JCfVpA1uOu2GGahaPTFMz2m-0cY5MZMaUXubUGbz6cZUPhG1iyBZ0rFkKlJx0c36u_FxjN1XrossMXty83emfiRzP0KaY1RznLX8JQE1KJlm9UrDQbKFPsZhgN7AknUno1A/s4032/IMG_5949.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimGNsxOmevO34QhbWbOXQjWHsvsgNyBAtGNTP7gNcVbu2L7GxiMCXAppB-JCfVpA1uOu2GGahaPTFMz2m-0cY5MZMaUXubUGbz6cZUPhG1iyBZ0rFkKlJx0c36u_FxjN1XrossMXty83emfiRzP0KaY1RznLX8JQE1KJlm9UrDQbKFPsZhgN7AknUno1A/s320/IMG_5949.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>We soon reached the staircase leading up to the pagoda. It can't be seen from the following photos thanks to my superb cropping and framing skills, but the site was packed with visitors from everywhere, it seemed, but Japan. Although to be fair, this day was a regular weekday, so it was understandable if not too many locals were visiting. Still...:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLiEEl3LzU2fNP5hq1_CRhw4im_0r5pxMfsbHRY2CNxzfJr6-kXR0_nYVIx-ZCKTZ5Cr913smFCgWZLlFhwInI82KCrvohCtkgMe80O2KBZc0_d8DCoUgJRLL0FS6TvnMWH6UuQL8PbqE2IrR_ZC6H0_LO0d-kMv0-CXPU250tJaHusKIGTGJcFNzCjrk/s4032/IMG_5950.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLiEEl3LzU2fNP5hq1_CRhw4im_0r5pxMfsbHRY2CNxzfJr6-kXR0_nYVIx-ZCKTZ5Cr913smFCgWZLlFhwInI82KCrvohCtkgMe80O2KBZc0_d8DCoUgJRLL0FS6TvnMWH6UuQL8PbqE2IrR_ZC6H0_LO0d-kMv0-CXPU250tJaHusKIGTGJcFNzCjrk/s320/IMG_5950.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The pagoda looks and feels historic, but it actually only dates back to 1963, when it was built to honor the souls of those from Fujiyoshida who died in wars from the mid-1800's up to the Second World War (and perhaps, just perhaps, to bring more visitors to the area):</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN2v-Ww1e1F8vfHK6AS7xhAaojRUI55t_eZ4xO2PjIOWLWosZc9jSs6Ivlqc8VINsDSpaF8UoZPa8wNvn3sSnjCN0rug4tL6EVWVUE8wILkcVypmWn_4dF4xGSKphF0aHb2h4_jiBfQ5xyHT6Zn-oePbQn6li_PQWWjkcRAuHAH9QKfP5gVs0ZmrTT8ag/s4032/IMG_5951.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN2v-Ww1e1F8vfHK6AS7xhAaojRUI55t_eZ4xO2PjIOWLWosZc9jSs6Ivlqc8VINsDSpaF8UoZPa8wNvn3sSnjCN0rug4tL6EVWVUE8wILkcVypmWn_4dF4xGSKphF0aHb2h4_jiBfQ5xyHT6Zn-oePbQn6li_PQWWjkcRAuHAH9QKfP5gVs0ZmrTT8ag/s320/IMG_5951.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>It took some jostling and patience, but the reward is that classic view:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2WfyNTc-MidPO_kAW8KHOAutJ0GixRbp3cPdyNdDBs808yZqaykWnPrCTZY3hvNEUtaguM7rBSHcS0Fc2azM8krXWn2E0l-DRlIQmaHzz_BznjDW2-x4Z8p6tsMrok-XiA4njzZ8edCxj_lAfQyX1rUkCxv-qY2T2UxQhIucx02oYUJiQQ1c7enXNqt8/s3995/IMG_5953.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2598" data-original-width="3995" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2WfyNTc-MidPO_kAW8KHOAutJ0GixRbp3cPdyNdDBs808yZqaykWnPrCTZY3hvNEUtaguM7rBSHcS0Fc2azM8krXWn2E0l-DRlIQmaHzz_BznjDW2-x4Z8p6tsMrok-XiA4njzZ8edCxj_lAfQyX1rUkCxv-qY2T2UxQhIucx02oYUJiQQ1c7enXNqt8/s320/IMG_5953.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeQ5mLLaw61FH5c3fg_JNCXV8f9lTgeLX9kWUlFfRmuVA96vxDMSBXovLJB8_D4p0o47FrsQZ-IBM0Z1142uWnHdOCmLTEzjnM3QzUPJWEtCTutpiYWpgbwC7oTvgjD5LCbENYocN_gkAoUWETHi5QF9yJTsM8TOtPZEY2Fvwhnsw8jnpgLaW2Q7vIOKk/s1587/ca28abb6f765f44bdc029c152cd7ad69.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1235" data-original-width="1587" height="249" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeQ5mLLaw61FH5c3fg_JNCXV8f9lTgeLX9kWUlFfRmuVA96vxDMSBXovLJB8_D4p0o47FrsQZ-IBM0Z1142uWnHdOCmLTEzjnM3QzUPJWEtCTutpiYWpgbwC7oTvgjD5LCbENYocN_gkAoUWETHi5QF9yJTsM8TOtPZEY2Fvwhnsw8jnpgLaW2Q7vIOKk/s320/ca28abb6f765f44bdc029c152cd7ad69.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwl9Tj-SkjxjuBavrE_13uUbsX9rQ7RSA3zvOq1NVZQIhfgStID6bl3eFerI_fLYTuFSeaLuBFx46uoznZ7-8qGUSFSgjkSKcRsUyLMTRmwRd_9Xy3QPfek_ocAW2NzQxo2hKFc4OHo28Mhf9UlaPFY9UbpyZ4SSCqRhSA5-7CExdOPAV-yTJBsFy5JYw/s1681/76a5acbfff930f930a759e48f0ba5fba.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1261" data-original-width="1681" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwl9Tj-SkjxjuBavrE_13uUbsX9rQ7RSA3zvOq1NVZQIhfgStID6bl3eFerI_fLYTuFSeaLuBFx46uoznZ7-8qGUSFSgjkSKcRsUyLMTRmwRd_9Xy3QPfek_ocAW2NzQxo2hKFc4OHo28Mhf9UlaPFY9UbpyZ4SSCqRhSA5-7CExdOPAV-yTJBsFy5JYw/s320/76a5acbfff930f930a759e48f0ba5fba.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>After taking some time to absorb the vista, we slowly made our way back down from the pagoda. Fujiyoshida city felt small in the neighborhood where we stayed the previous night, but from this vantagepoint we could see the sprawl of the nearly 50,000-person burg:</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinRCbXJvTZrYI4X1WK_UWCoETaSS2fK-CLq2Bi0goeOfO6F77lM7_rA3a_nEm-PkdMXS9rq_mt099gOaSamou5-utX3hxKFfcshJ0ReisRM8KVkUAd-eAQfb8ENsSmU2WzlRbqnlnnM9rx4WpcW6J2ThT9vFb0EGrq4qqUMHlcqdm8Z3tmCfANjm5ecfo/s3765/IMG_5965.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2824" data-original-width="3765" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinRCbXJvTZrYI4X1WK_UWCoETaSS2fK-CLq2Bi0goeOfO6F77lM7_rA3a_nEm-PkdMXS9rq_mt099gOaSamou5-utX3hxKFfcshJ0ReisRM8KVkUAd-eAQfb8ENsSmU2WzlRbqnlnnM9rx4WpcW6J2ThT9vFb0EGrq4qqUMHlcqdm8Z3tmCfANjm5ecfo/s320/IMG_5965.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8eMu_OO12irtclFv31JtN0t9FAjE8EFQhE7Z_QDVy6qIOLnBpjW1Uktx_i6sEdPC3OaG9nsRAQZbGaJGY5zFjs7ug-pz-ov6_LrjgtrHc6oTiYV2Q7ZUtJ7hVnDEVa9whOcLfg_OuE0bej5ujAyFWlpcAyWI0GF5VEOdpIBOtM7vVXHWFd58O-P27J_I/s3965/IMG_5966.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2974" data-original-width="3965" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8eMu_OO12irtclFv31JtN0t9FAjE8EFQhE7Z_QDVy6qIOLnBpjW1Uktx_i6sEdPC3OaG9nsRAQZbGaJGY5zFjs7ug-pz-ov6_LrjgtrHc6oTiYV2Q7ZUtJ7hVnDEVa9whOcLfg_OuE0bej5ujAyFWlpcAyWI0GF5VEOdpIBOtM7vVXHWFd58O-P27J_I/s320/IMG_5966.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Paying our respects at <a href="https://fujiyoshida.net/en/see-and-do/27" target="_blank">Arakura Fuji Sengen Shrine</a> 新倉富士浅間神社 before returning to Shimoyoshida Station:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvh5rOcxl0q3XlczIbB989U1vR-R3fYvGX-nkqrNeVG2_hSBYkVwneSjr5IyZb_FziBagzlVRzBCuXXfbeh1R_NsJVqv7yRSPgZrYFW3ikJ7j2cEfnOyrduHNyPsWWI6a6Z7IWiedQsXU-K4lxgoHpMJj7J4xg2UzhVyLjEMNBEFKzDANdTSpgJ_htrRg/s4004/IMG_5967.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3003" data-original-width="4004" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvh5rOcxl0q3XlczIbB989U1vR-R3fYvGX-nkqrNeVG2_hSBYkVwneSjr5IyZb_FziBagzlVRzBCuXXfbeh1R_NsJVqv7yRSPgZrYFW3ikJ7j2cEfnOyrduHNyPsWWI6a6Z7IWiedQsXU-K4lxgoHpMJj7J4xg2UzhVyLjEMNBEFKzDANdTSpgJ_htrRg/s320/IMG_5967.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The train arrives, but the girls hardly notice. It was a good thing for them that I was along for the ride:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmMbbHFlaxJf4tbmosNCHrHUVCCRTzVbitkTNZfW9DwS6Huga8k5VaOjm46zz1gFRDqZxXawlHltFsvPQdlBUOOLg6JtoFmiWy7l8-gfLTbpnVkQFzQWoAoY7P9Xc1p0X96lqxI30Vof94dGE_GaI3ElTQatx_2rBdBdaDVDbpa8XdYMtU3IW7Xhs_bQw/s3702/IMG_5968.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2900" data-original-width="3702" height="251" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmMbbHFlaxJf4tbmosNCHrHUVCCRTzVbitkTNZfW9DwS6Huga8k5VaOjm46zz1gFRDqZxXawlHltFsvPQdlBUOOLg6JtoFmiWy7l8-gfLTbpnVkQFzQWoAoY7P9Xc1p0X96lqxI30Vof94dGE_GaI3ElTQatx_2rBdBdaDVDbpa8XdYMtU3IW7Xhs_bQw/s320/IMG_5968.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Once back at Fujisan Station, we headed off toward <a href="https://www.yamanashi-kankou.jp/english/uncover/kitaguchi-hongu-fuji-sengen-shrine.html" target="_blank">Kitaguchi Hongu Fuji Sengen Shrine</a> 北口本宮冨士浅間神社, passing by this interestingly-named hair salon as we set out:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzvITk0k1WFQMXme2o7BQfKdGAdweYQlqNe74RX6WNm77XtVB0sybYob9WWUA8xmkS0tM1SE2z2KwuRwIcA0ngEV3ywP198JaPKdBMZc7dfQW-a4njibMg0qmcJJLKxZmIqTGXgVc66N1p5mg5jNR1a23LhrcrSNEAKzhnSluoBiNKz5oEHLZv1d7xElg/s4032/IMG_5969.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzvITk0k1WFQMXme2o7BQfKdGAdweYQlqNe74RX6WNm77XtVB0sybYob9WWUA8xmkS0tM1SE2z2KwuRwIcA0ngEV3ywP198JaPKdBMZc7dfQW-a4njibMg0qmcJJLKxZmIqTGXgVc66N1p5mg5jNR1a23LhrcrSNEAKzhnSluoBiNKz5oEHLZv1d7xElg/s320/IMG_5969.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Shu-E found this snow-covered home to be charming:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2fzICgPMbfb60GFpR-H4tUDaoQJ8_r5wO5rybhWtTRXGxs3qmhiS14-R076d3rnhDRrPWz3d7oOTMDgFyPdn_cnqui6MBs1SMy9sygh-k6UpoL4_fMFn8LlqZAGRWiyXzIgvqZ_CUqGp3wv7BNgDR1AZJxHFug3i9GD2mLSagzs7m-hVxMOqiQ-8puYI/s4032/IMG_5971.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2526" data-original-width="4032" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2fzICgPMbfb60GFpR-H4tUDaoQJ8_r5wO5rybhWtTRXGxs3qmhiS14-R076d3rnhDRrPWz3d7oOTMDgFyPdn_cnqui6MBs1SMy9sygh-k6UpoL4_fMFn8LlqZAGRWiyXzIgvqZ_CUqGp3wv7BNgDR1AZJxHFug3i9GD2mLSagzs7m-hVxMOqiQ-8puYI/s320/IMG_5971.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The girls make their way uphill. It was a gentle slope up the road, but the shrine was still 1.9 kilometers/1.2 miles from the train station:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM8FN_lIgSTY0mq7YSOezaHcDZVyZ7IyhL-A99o56tildZY6fSChvzMTYcVw1QdqKjzVl-q2u8_dnQirEUEWhjiQMC3SHuollAt8rV9V2L66T3Wj3xCrI-36z24b1EeWktNcVBiDbQb5EuJYvkJM5OZISp9es9bmryiF_LJnq0ghzpYflieSCmynm0qOg/s4032/IMG_5972.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM8FN_lIgSTY0mq7YSOezaHcDZVyZ7IyhL-A99o56tildZY6fSChvzMTYcVw1QdqKjzVl-q2u8_dnQirEUEWhjiQMC3SHuollAt8rV9V2L66T3Wj3xCrI-36z24b1EeWktNcVBiDbQb5EuJYvkJM5OZISp9es9bmryiF_LJnq0ghzpYflieSCmynm0qOg/s320/IMG_5972.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The views of the mountain made up for the effort being expended:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPIXkemV5NaDgKWTMfM-CFl8MJAEoif9aAIoxtVs5rab-FLmnnqNcWfnN_CAwog63fF2yXFMHA8RXHnqu6j5AkM8aeN1Q09u__L1B2SzZLhEdnhEpmqxB3JcUe8BUaTTzVq7Qm36va-4y_cJqRYtke2JQtNmLIYiorlltbWU-ZFT6-_DojuIjQfxz642c/s4032/IMG_5973.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPIXkemV5NaDgKWTMfM-CFl8MJAEoif9aAIoxtVs5rab-FLmnnqNcWfnN_CAwog63fF2yXFMHA8RXHnqu6j5AkM8aeN1Q09u__L1B2SzZLhEdnhEpmqxB3JcUe8BUaTTzVq7Qm36va-4y_cJqRYtke2JQtNmLIYiorlltbWU-ZFT6-_DojuIjQfxz642c/s320/IMG_5973.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Many localities in Japan are noted for their <a href="https://www.openculture.com/2023/07/behold-the-unique-beauty-of-japans-artistic-manhole-covers.html" target="_blank">manhole covers</a>. Fujiyoshida is no exception:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho4f5qufkHhv02WG7iFSfuEwoULwTIaDvNqcVvV7vwgCm1zvX4mi84wljgTEXcxTTiRd_kDU5GZmQ7qKymP0Eiy7Jgx48ePauYhbO7ymyRcCaeRV_d0lGMVlwyrZ9ZnrgTDFaOY17hyxflbo-_I8w2Ox2QjrMgMRgk0NvkHDdDXNTUgUUjUiESa2PDvXs/s3066/IMG_5974.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2394" data-original-width="3066" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho4f5qufkHhv02WG7iFSfuEwoULwTIaDvNqcVvV7vwgCm1zvX4mi84wljgTEXcxTTiRd_kDU5GZmQ7qKymP0Eiy7Jgx48ePauYhbO7ymyRcCaeRV_d0lGMVlwyrZ9ZnrgTDFaOY17hyxflbo-_I8w2Ox2QjrMgMRgk0NvkHDdDXNTUgUUjUiESa2PDvXs/s320/IMG_5974.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>We had lunch at <a href="https://www.cocos-jpn.co.jp/" target="_blank">Coco's</a> ココス, an establishment the Japanese call a "family restaurant" ファミリーレストラン, but what in the States we might refer to as a diner, <i>a la</i> Dennys (which also has branches throughout Japan). Japanese cuisine, or <i><a href="https://www.justonecookbook.com/washoku/" target="_blank">Washoku</a></i> 和食, is celebrated worldwide, but the Japanese take on Western food, <i><a href="https://www.justonecookbook.com/yoshoku/" target="_blank">Yōshoku</a></i> 洋食, is also a cuisine worthy of enjoying:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZS8vjd1qijU4VGAWpktWpMqJ-Oxz_XT9r_QtnbxyjAq-gF3vETrVWDEqM4pCYEU04DsXowbmzBxwMsEXZrgpR3c4gcO257gDUiBAgMBZpcjDeDZf0iAnihVemaIokTfnCoWZhBaopqrXYxBySUhyphenhyphenTD6_qflIoglJ8K45kiipvhQsrNCYzPXQOD9FVXLc/s4032/IMG_5975.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZS8vjd1qijU4VGAWpktWpMqJ-Oxz_XT9r_QtnbxyjAq-gF3vETrVWDEqM4pCYEU04DsXowbmzBxwMsEXZrgpR3c4gcO257gDUiBAgMBZpcjDeDZf0iAnihVemaIokTfnCoWZhBaopqrXYxBySUhyphenhyphenTD6_qflIoglJ8K45kiipvhQsrNCYzPXQOD9FVXLc/s320/IMG_5975.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The entrance to Kitaguchi Hongu Fuji Sengen Shrine:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGdCaXlSb1AHwy_RBqrRFwD7glMjXmrsJlt-r5i7ZxJRQoWPUSLt3agNLLa4GwbY_IDN-jMuRWYeLWZMe0qnsNxkSIJo_dodyfHJl1lQjuhCn8zkg5L112baAY8XaJt_W0qq7S7-bvENI5dB7ktPtuNTrRjL-0ZLlgqjPxfRWz39aEsV1d8_Je1wSzbPo/s4032/IMG_5976.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGdCaXlSb1AHwy_RBqrRFwD7glMjXmrsJlt-r5i7ZxJRQoWPUSLt3agNLLa4GwbY_IDN-jMuRWYeLWZMe0qnsNxkSIJo_dodyfHJl1lQjuhCn8zkg5L112baAY8XaJt_W0qq7S7-bvENI5dB7ktPtuNTrRjL-0ZLlgqjPxfRWz39aEsV1d8_Je1wSzbPo/s320/IMG_5976.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq98QUVsfhyGQoa4oQNzlxkIRVPQx-K1nHp32nh9ONn2HXtxj8UJFLztLv2hQwlFi6jnMqLSqovcGVSDm5H1PsedasBziK3Y27H6lx0XruwwQNLa1zMDNpQQhxW0bwcJTdaU8e4hteld5OsSnbAfATtFnfZ0G82tm9jSjKC5Qwavc9vabWba3lz_hPxFw/s1702/248a5c16e85293d1c38da9bd7e96c3aa.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1276" data-original-width="1702" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq98QUVsfhyGQoa4oQNzlxkIRVPQx-K1nHp32nh9ONn2HXtxj8UJFLztLv2hQwlFi6jnMqLSqovcGVSDm5H1PsedasBziK3Y27H6lx0XruwwQNLa1zMDNpQQhxW0bwcJTdaU8e4hteld5OsSnbAfATtFnfZ0G82tm9jSjKC5Qwavc9vabWba3lz_hPxFw/s320/248a5c16e85293d1c38da9bd7e96c3aa.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The approach to the main shrine building 本殿. Notice anything missing? That's right, people. Unlike the Churei-to, this Sengen-jinja had only a small number of visitors (most of them Japanese, to boot), creating an atmosphere more contemplative than circus:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQEVOxKUKGq0qDutmKWqWy5503JUeXASdXE-9Meg3qugOC9NA6QNhEjgJChcGbjB1hJhc9XyB3CLYSfUhYygHgRv1NLUi-vp8c-Py42qRJioeZmYVsFq2BmKhPn4RRoA1KoytFYa18xXmcCWTlSHTzNN_Oyb6d6Ten77I04Lo1rJ_k8DWynem9HgMl-9A/s4032/IMG_5977.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQEVOxKUKGq0qDutmKWqWy5503JUeXASdXE-9Meg3qugOC9NA6QNhEjgJChcGbjB1hJhc9XyB3CLYSfUhYygHgRv1NLUi-vp8c-Py42qRJioeZmYVsFq2BmKhPn4RRoA1KoytFYa18xXmcCWTlSHTzNN_Oyb6d6Ten77I04Lo1rJ_k8DWynem9HgMl-9A/s320/IMG_5977.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpHtlSCz-eQ6YW18IjfCxpaRKCdKZqaaxf-rlJxZ3W6wIvtt6JuhnV3bqUqoLoY3bFTGzkBkhmfDJToWEyJpg8PYwUzkCKDI30EazKpzlq5spedbTRNS9uLPjs5GUt4-zv2M5SY4TGUDZT27JrqJGUiljorlKAeZ5AaWHP-Z-oTT5IGk4QIx_XRtaEMqw/s4032/IMG_5979.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpHtlSCz-eQ6YW18IjfCxpaRKCdKZqaaxf-rlJxZ3W6wIvtt6JuhnV3bqUqoLoY3bFTGzkBkhmfDJToWEyJpg8PYwUzkCKDI30EazKpzlq5spedbTRNS9uLPjs5GUt4-zv2M5SY4TGUDZT27JrqJGUiljorlKAeZ5AaWHP-Z-oTT5IGk4QIx_XRtaEMqw/s320/IMG_5979.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Approaching the <i>honden</i>:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3JsurmH2BRFntXI5Fi5629fbOOw8bT4i_iM-7Xb3nwN82G_XNeqH6V8qHOLQ4TGPpJxd6B9KZxkpiXqhmCOtYP4mDGIUgAXAwOPfPUGQRnLZUK7SGlw74PEdDtGDPOTnV3CRcSR8oqPfX56Oj5LqJOJ8k8K0DFpnhVnd1kvzg5yURrKHcBi1DTh7Guns/s4032/IMG_5980.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3JsurmH2BRFntXI5Fi5629fbOOw8bT4i_iM-7Xb3nwN82G_XNeqH6V8qHOLQ4TGPpJxd6B9KZxkpiXqhmCOtYP4mDGIUgAXAwOPfPUGQRnLZUK7SGlw74PEdDtGDPOTnV3CRcSR8oqPfX56Oj5LqJOJ8k8K0DFpnhVnd1kvzg5yURrKHcBi1DTh7Guns/s320/IMG_5980.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>One-half of the pair of <i><a href="https://www.japan-experience.com/plan-your-trip/to-know/understanding-japan/komainu" target="_blank">Komainu</a></i> 狛犬 guardian lion statues frequently found in Shintō shrines 神社:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDQNCp8-VMbROq_wp3LGXaFcbVzq1SNL0aOB6Ho_9EgrPtoya8g08hxMkT3jHn9e172LhbLkPVM2hhnADoIJhZ2l9LUeZHgG4RzUh_6-V3EFugZOEHnwoGl_S2JsX_T812TooXgYwxe7GSssvjkYY2vuGc9aNvuZ2FZOP2qdGxBRgrEVpFdGLnXz8yf5g/s4032/IMG_5981.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDQNCp8-VMbROq_wp3LGXaFcbVzq1SNL0aOB6Ho_9EgrPtoya8g08hxMkT3jHn9e172LhbLkPVM2hhnADoIJhZ2l9LUeZHgG4RzUh_6-V3EFugZOEHnwoGl_S2JsX_T812TooXgYwxe7GSssvjkYY2vuGc9aNvuZ2FZOP2qdGxBRgrEVpFdGLnXz8yf5g/s320/IMG_5981.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2-lwWxtKRu_OfIwzdOrxsOrxxhnDurQ9C_GeV1Adgr1j_ZF_Y_Erp9u_QLvVqyz0jwsfv7RiDaBzv12ojY_RiIcyQB9cIW6qhrn8R3jUB1MDg6Oi7uu9dBPH30j348uR_18xcgAuLLlH9hcX2UgVZ-WFU6xWecw3Smqb4IVI3SQBmlQOcrxcfvIVgKNg/s4032/IMG_5983.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2-lwWxtKRu_OfIwzdOrxsOrxxhnDurQ9C_GeV1Adgr1j_ZF_Y_Erp9u_QLvVqyz0jwsfv7RiDaBzv12ojY_RiIcyQB9cIW6qhrn8R3jUB1MDg6Oi7uu9dBPH30j348uR_18xcgAuLLlH9hcX2UgVZ-WFU6xWecw3Smqb4IVI3SQBmlQOcrxcfvIVgKNg/s320/IMG_5983.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9wIvLUXhyq7Sisbcjb7a5ZK0BUygWlkw9dGXXuI3guw5DRPBbuFcQwM3u0t_2W1s1GJdDsE0S6E6uWrj2iDJSmxine8l9gJBn6tIjFkJCvAtMHsg9MDS95-QxjY9Wp3i5_xwLOyocj85oT4NPi4hV7WuuZxebABCElFFMjLz1WvU88X0P3cFwYL6ApFI/s4032/IMG_5984.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9wIvLUXhyq7Sisbcjb7a5ZK0BUygWlkw9dGXXuI3guw5DRPBbuFcQwM3u0t_2W1s1GJdDsE0S6E6uWrj2iDJSmxine8l9gJBn6tIjFkJCvAtMHsg9MDS95-QxjY9Wp3i5_xwLOyocj85oT4NPi4hV7WuuZxebABCElFFMjLz1WvU88X0P3cFwYL6ApFI/s320/IMG_5984.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT33VaHZhHooup_GEqWQUfegnaGCSFerGItpumRNyeBBG0bgJQLoVS-EFJtGWh-eBYJm5LeE6m5FGcUlBRi9Fy8po1J5WcXsQOf1UK6ohWAtXPd8954Oav-t3qwOfdFvM2TSE4JKlZVeLuxq9YbCIMVkvZas5B11Ilris14Jx1bnJDvuaYXlTdLKBEPsg/s4032/IMG_5985.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT33VaHZhHooup_GEqWQUfegnaGCSFerGItpumRNyeBBG0bgJQLoVS-EFJtGWh-eBYJm5LeE6m5FGcUlBRi9Fy8po1J5WcXsQOf1UK6ohWAtXPd8954Oav-t3qwOfdFvM2TSE4JKlZVeLuxq9YbCIMVkvZas5B11Ilris14Jx1bnJDvuaYXlTdLKBEPsg/s320/IMG_5985.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM8d9SjPOooYV1-17glq4_M1g_RWsepz710pvLs6A_BBN-kqvvXvp-MHxDYc9C6JcI7X9H5n_SGUwjF6y6XBcD5KA2nT7-WGHCi9Y7X_FB5m6xKWWp6As1F4XjQjT1qaqQPK4i0nggwPZfYDtZO3cYgoBVVCKN3HmjDM6MsRFA2PjtSHlBONw2sei8NAE/s4032/IMG_5986.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM8d9SjPOooYV1-17glq4_M1g_RWsepz710pvLs6A_BBN-kqvvXvp-MHxDYc9C6JcI7X9H5n_SGUwjF6y6XBcD5KA2nT7-WGHCi9Y7X_FB5m6xKWWp6As1F4XjQjT1qaqQPK4i0nggwPZfYDtZO3cYgoBVVCKN3HmjDM6MsRFA2PjtSHlBONw2sei8NAE/s320/IMG_5986.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTJnGMEPF8YWYgNB1Q6bXB69-dTa09CNKX7A8A4zZK7UqHj16bawzmsVaZ9cLvQwD7fm4HrYpXF1kl5HFUWAhzKO0Qvls443Qh6A33De_Ao_ctPHWrgEXpNWhl3aISrs-ij1dSh1yziL8dAWCG2Z1llq-tfUeMSNDLRIJS-xlP38tJTD4NKz4pVD1jkrg/s4032/IMG_5987.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTJnGMEPF8YWYgNB1Q6bXB69-dTa09CNKX7A8A4zZK7UqHj16bawzmsVaZ9cLvQwD7fm4HrYpXF1kl5HFUWAhzKO0Qvls443Qh6A33De_Ao_ctPHWrgEXpNWhl3aISrs-ij1dSh1yziL8dAWCG2Z1llq-tfUeMSNDLRIJS-xlP38tJTD4NKz4pVD1jkrg/s320/IMG_5987.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyOj6wSkVOvSrJ-YDWYcem-gL-MWCz0E-JfMFcc9rum1C_DB4OqAcZM7xZkf62aw62Qr1B-P-DdhqCRcd_Px8J4bpZMIAGF0rRlRZQumHHixJhLlAPrfGgTRVyWoZp0ZpKJQRfBjqROzCWwScfc3-VHN-FDkindpN3xhtQAY9_1nURfLyN3mqYy1M85wc/s4032/IMG_5990.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyOj6wSkVOvSrJ-YDWYcem-gL-MWCz0E-JfMFcc9rum1C_DB4OqAcZM7xZkf62aw62Qr1B-P-DdhqCRcd_Px8J4bpZMIAGF0rRlRZQumHHixJhLlAPrfGgTRVyWoZp0ZpKJQRfBjqROzCWwScfc3-VHN-FDkindpN3xhtQAY9_1nURfLyN3mqYy1M85wc/s320/IMG_5990.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The girls in front of the main shrine building. The <i><a href="https://sanpai-japan.com/2016/05/25/what-are-kami/" target="_blank">kami</a></i> 神 must have been listening to my prayers for safekeeping, because as I made my back down the steps, a large chunk of snow broke off from the roof and narrowly missed me:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0IWLMcPWXtB7kyerEDX7Ijyt6-Vvlg_g40yeiYUtp3qQqMhGmvJOGHQuPyyJV0h6mAVYqM_EFtVRr_dpsHYnFHVjTkFxZIgY0m3Ccy90jj_vZwi99-MbS6DkhfTn5q1isiI476rkLxWrVfsNVH0T0v9hY6DrNkLCJXGNkF9AYscDc4eG8WRzr9oMTV6A/s4032/IMG_5991.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0IWLMcPWXtB7kyerEDX7Ijyt6-Vvlg_g40yeiYUtp3qQqMhGmvJOGHQuPyyJV0h6mAVYqM_EFtVRr_dpsHYnFHVjTkFxZIgY0m3Ccy90jj_vZwi99-MbS6DkhfTn5q1isiI476rkLxWrVfsNVH0T0v9hY6DrNkLCJXGNkF9AYscDc4eG8WRzr9oMTV6A/s320/IMG_5991.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLsvqsMnX6Y61D_xFspD_LlwQufB7sk5Zbrrpg6hfWtXydb82bf8zxgyl-37vnYQe7KaNedHM79V4V8ctMFW515PDrdb4sgcvLw4NJ0P_gD3Jc-bMzbP_28ZqHvlGQWqy_Skn9Hoqzn3aMI17yzoKVInXrEFvAUsYWw726WaiSvsTGeFFE97JEgmROtKo/s4007/IMG_5992.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3006" data-original-width="4007" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLsvqsMnX6Y61D_xFspD_LlwQufB7sk5Zbrrpg6hfWtXydb82bf8zxgyl-37vnYQe7KaNedHM79V4V8ctMFW515PDrdb4sgcvLw4NJ0P_gD3Jc-bMzbP_28ZqHvlGQWqy_Skn9Hoqzn3aMI17yzoKVInXrEFvAUsYWw726WaiSvsTGeFFE97JEgmROtKo/s320/IMG_5992.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>In days of yore, before a paved road was constructed that went halfway up the mountain, those wishing to climb to the summit of Mount Fuji would start their journey here, after paying their respects to the <i>kami</i>:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgpOrDtXUW00snFh0UvFz4IGS6deCOLhd-YjFRbMAl2ieN9VQE0CXmrQ-WlfWIWDkeYSzj83FAM70DhnBnOAxd9s_wqYdVI26Pc37mkaTzrlt8cBqOOFMGD3uhHV4pYUTjeqsW6xeYPJ3_dVKZAkYlZktzRu3ZCk3irI2e_Tq_VLxrdDB02uhpw2rBOzU/s4032/IMG_5994.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgpOrDtXUW00snFh0UvFz4IGS6deCOLhd-YjFRbMAl2ieN9VQE0CXmrQ-WlfWIWDkeYSzj83FAM70DhnBnOAxd9s_wqYdVI26Pc37mkaTzrlt8cBqOOFMGD3uhHV4pYUTjeqsW6xeYPJ3_dVKZAkYlZktzRu3ZCk3irI2e_Tq_VLxrdDB02uhpw2rBOzU/s320/IMG_5994.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYZgvBmMDS5u_PGabH4eB02nr0nwO0NBeG5upg-TMr0B3GDnKL3gcBKsCZuqXEIdB2uxtfaN7-Zhueifo9Wwy3uz1RWZWeu462PDvk-UpmWlAf1vN5NwLwxIl2OUJJ06lpjJfgahDyfjVRs4Z44JRJ2si9n0PY4NWXnSLcyWXTV92QwS-2e9GHsEeJcKE/s4032/IMG_5995.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYZgvBmMDS5u_PGabH4eB02nr0nwO0NBeG5upg-TMr0B3GDnKL3gcBKsCZuqXEIdB2uxtfaN7-Zhueifo9Wwy3uz1RWZWeu462PDvk-UpmWlAf1vN5NwLwxIl2OUJJ06lpjJfgahDyfjVRs4Z44JRJ2si9n0PY4NWXnSLcyWXTV92QwS-2e9GHsEeJcKE/s320/IMG_5995.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Before my cardiac system turned on me, I used to contemplate doing the hike the traditional way. At Amber's suggestion, I imagined what it would like setting out on the climb...:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGpXafBFdvCsfM8foZNlH-GgnHQXRvJ6WQceBdPU5PWyG1CbWRiZSI84DWOkHmzDteKY2YIleWlk4tByzAT4EiGvA7bVm1P1nLukpeA9EnQZ-Cwa_Z7f-5aT2K0VzcEbfPM4y0Q73WCvhpVlypRdie5P4MuYNNsCu7cHsYJVGZXnbFsuwuoVAVHuVB5tA/s4032/IMG_5996.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGpXafBFdvCsfM8foZNlH-GgnHQXRvJ6WQceBdPU5PWyG1CbWRiZSI84DWOkHmzDteKY2YIleWlk4tByzAT4EiGvA7bVm1P1nLukpeA9EnQZ-Cwa_Z7f-5aT2K0VzcEbfPM4y0Q73WCvhpVlypRdie5P4MuYNNsCu7cHsYJVGZXnbFsuwuoVAVHuVB5tA/s320/IMG_5996.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>...and returning from the 3776-meter/12,388-foot high summit:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzo6bS_EonSIN8yEKyZyGIxKzEi-ueZHnpltaVKsyMGw0T1wwwEsdlWOQCnM89RtuX1pHz6CNIU6S-mdM3MObSlNaVXicU_bzPNCUlmkcEpk8OGFJJdtCAtTyoleF5iTsgXC1dkWn8dJmVtOxkEkJZEBM_l7PSixHZrA0Btc3PFt2jSzt9wkeXIXEhMY8/s3468/IMG_5998.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3468" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzo6bS_EonSIN8yEKyZyGIxKzEi-ueZHnpltaVKsyMGw0T1wwwEsdlWOQCnM89RtuX1pHz6CNIU6S-mdM3MObSlNaVXicU_bzPNCUlmkcEpk8OGFJJdtCAtTyoleF5iTsgXC1dkWn8dJmVtOxkEkJZEBM_l7PSixHZrA0Btc3PFt2jSzt9wkeXIXEhMY8/s320/IMG_5998.jpg" width="279" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Of all the places we visited on this trip, Kitaguchi Hongu Fuji Sengen Shrine was my favorite. The buildings, the setting, the calm and the overall atmosphere all worked together in setting up that contemplative mood. For a brief respite, I was at peace with the world and myself:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcldp5djP8Svs68NuuysyRJJk7ghsTJTBmCwEvrcms1-VemN2L0J41rLkTshFbJ62Pchnvq3Jn8ZClOcHK77CYtXF3O2vfBzgPCqhev8mOadWCjUPOnVpKmGAw-fFfUKP_KCbvW82quujpOyqu7r6-4Y8nbNMVmzoomxYP3_x-H9YlQA3CEAIhUzASj2U/s3884/IMG_6002.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3884" data-original-width="2913" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcldp5djP8Svs68NuuysyRJJk7ghsTJTBmCwEvrcms1-VemN2L0J41rLkTshFbJ62Pchnvq3Jn8ZClOcHK77CYtXF3O2vfBzgPCqhev8mOadWCjUPOnVpKmGAw-fFfUKP_KCbvW82quujpOyqu7r6-4Y8nbNMVmzoomxYP3_x-H9YlQA3CEAIhUzASj2U/s320/IMG_6002.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1pXEx4jOgEapPPeU1ktSePya9GEQ41_LNFIdlB8pUh3nA1xNOB0EGt278vMn7VgDPrLojVuokuFQ_RgQGwVqHQzZruPL6wQ_b6WCikqO5yd6m092kM0Q_ojvGFw-dS89RkJ20YE8_Wc-WmnZPeH0UrpuAhQLW-9e8RZ06CxCufwO_uob1_BBXIzLUlYM/s3962/IMG_6003.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3962" data-original-width="2972" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1pXEx4jOgEapPPeU1ktSePya9GEQ41_LNFIdlB8pUh3nA1xNOB0EGt278vMn7VgDPrLojVuokuFQ_RgQGwVqHQzZruPL6wQ_b6WCikqO5yd6m092kM0Q_ojvGFw-dS89RkJ20YE8_Wc-WmnZPeH0UrpuAhQLW-9e8RZ06CxCufwO_uob1_BBXIzLUlYM/s320/IMG_6003.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAFEUOaauJBFzkgdWqUou4_LKIYu_jkgQmTwdvraA44YesOHLmMgb89niZcnDUcrt8NfK2tNXrlDafvn_QU7iiaLY6NVnhlPcBxccBa6yV2BEQ94hnlNIoHdfKISeWsfHVKkic-m3Y_Vi3yvvQQgT3YIQKwrqhJIpOSvp-XMZNOd5KP1WyOTLUKV0qiBc/s3638/IMG_6006.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3638" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAFEUOaauJBFzkgdWqUou4_LKIYu_jkgQmTwdvraA44YesOHLmMgb89niZcnDUcrt8NfK2tNXrlDafvn_QU7iiaLY6NVnhlPcBxccBa6yV2BEQ94hnlNIoHdfKISeWsfHVKkic-m3Y_Vi3yvvQQgT3YIQKwrqhJIpOSvp-XMZNOd5KP1WyOTLUKV0qiBc/s320/IMG_6006.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Amongst the businesses making contributions to the shrine was the <a href="https://fujiyama-beer.com/" target="_blank">Fujiyama Beer Company</a> ふじやまビール株式会社:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzS84ifce3zNFDnHIo5UtFwHYp5MtdeN7d6q45lSE2CQCp1tLMzBvNeVQ288ErcZnPvyNhI38NcQYlR5LGY6oLnIFzlOgHyEBxaeSRmeSZoqka6bjDUZvfqt2RyOz0arY43jY2iDNg4yvQxqKGoqSHertbfXjm71avL2QNPSJbJPg3nEgnzbXtUWEASkM/s4032/IMG_6008.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzS84ifce3zNFDnHIo5UtFwHYp5MtdeN7d6q45lSE2CQCp1tLMzBvNeVQ288ErcZnPvyNhI38NcQYlR5LGY6oLnIFzlOgHyEBxaeSRmeSZoqka6bjDUZvfqt2RyOz0arY43jY2iDNg4yvQxqKGoqSHertbfXjm71avL2QNPSJbJPg3nEgnzbXtUWEASkM/s320/IMG_6008.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Leaving the precincts:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP1BuWGdYNyODXdEue8f5DCo2MdJztrb7duc9vYmpw_9SgTi22t9rlIwafpkvlON3GRQCyiRgdoZqKsCWRofaSFw8zLMC4d9lnp7mbKXmyXxqL2SvGo-wDU_JP9rX9GPO4oXTAX-oN3jvVpp99xMqy5Sm3kMu4jzWEpg7eDIYC9tCuTxY9aRScwZEqjbg/s4032/IMG_6009.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP1BuWGdYNyODXdEue8f5DCo2MdJztrb7duc9vYmpw_9SgTi22t9rlIwafpkvlON3GRQCyiRgdoZqKsCWRofaSFw8zLMC4d9lnp7mbKXmyXxqL2SvGo-wDU_JP9rX9GPO4oXTAX-oN3jvVpp99xMqy5Sm3kMu4jzWEpg7eDIYC9tCuTxY9aRScwZEqjbg/s320/IMG_6009.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Glancing back at the mountain as we make our way back to Mount Fuji Station:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdODcRulYRABU9J62mR5cAoMk_w7xVGkn9QQtQ8euQYdSjKU4CWNRU6RVLGB_X42eSHZCXFxTHW2J1XGOACPERV55qdo2tG6qBZAgJrDcpzc97Fb8ifqQ1j_vU4flwoWlXC2vzEaJSO1cWdrxK5rqMtErAhYCbRdMr_UFgpGNWTYjBBOMq7moQoXfIhz0/s4032/IMG_6010.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdODcRulYRABU9J62mR5cAoMk_w7xVGkn9QQtQ8euQYdSjKU4CWNRU6RVLGB_X42eSHZCXFxTHW2J1XGOACPERV55qdo2tG6qBZAgJrDcpzc97Fb8ifqQ1j_vU4flwoWlXC2vzEaJSO1cWdrxK5rqMtErAhYCbRdMr_UFgpGNWTYjBBOMq7moQoXfIhz0/s320/IMG_6010.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Passing by a neighborhood Shinto shrine:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOKmiQSzJu836t6ip8V3LmgYaKXB4Xd3MQ-aMi9X23zwIjn0n4RlXmQxawCx6jCRHcwCaxHgVR1aD71DZYw7dsAACXsN8C8mAlxFe9TrMO2QFu4sl3Ez25nPxJiobg2wTCNIawvj2aJ1DXj0fbDw36L2TLFeVCCNFLB_jADywTt_9jPqi9M5ionHHVeLA/s4010/IMG_6012.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3008" data-original-width="4010" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOKmiQSzJu836t6ip8V3LmgYaKXB4Xd3MQ-aMi9X23zwIjn0n4RlXmQxawCx6jCRHcwCaxHgVR1aD71DZYw7dsAACXsN8C8mAlxFe9TrMO2QFu4sl3Ez25nPxJiobg2wTCNIawvj2aJ1DXj0fbDw36L2TLFeVCCNFLB_jADywTt_9jPqi9M5ionHHVeLA/s320/IMG_6012.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Shu-E hadn't yet taken any photos at the Kanadorii, so time was set aside for that:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXyMUdTDIxL-B9uLXyPE80mJZ0lCsLRv8KIZBk9h8D3bua60z7DBdiftxYM3zVNOgX_w8y2M_mEsSDWfohs4Spk9eBJ0xOu21Rtdym0Hef-0sdn1s6R1qGdGvpVUDohY6dDwJr_OX7i2T27qGg4h0RbribpOhLuf0EC9xlb2NBiTAez3qmbFgCzanTMlg/s4032/IMG_6013.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXyMUdTDIxL-B9uLXyPE80mJZ0lCsLRv8KIZBk9h8D3bua60z7DBdiftxYM3zVNOgX_w8y2M_mEsSDWfohs4Spk9eBJ0xOu21Rtdym0Hef-0sdn1s6R1qGdGvpVUDohY6dDwJr_OX7i2T27qGg4h0RbribpOhLuf0EC9xlb2NBiTAez3qmbFgCzanTMlg/s320/IMG_6013.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSR7R6XTzxTOgSBq9zW9jQSJWSJLej2w0XRGoyiis7vH-P_wtcr9RiiP_G7G19Pgtx8CLEYKNCTwmjNWVDmcys1Oamd0SwLum61P9YTkDE8Ua9BL0i7YgedgKxFqc3ZPYWpgldoGju5f0jhvHWiAaceEMx1qFXrf4j-8O7ckEc4L4P8pfkxa9Ktd17dPg/s3933/IMG_6014.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3933" data-original-width="2950" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSR7R6XTzxTOgSBq9zW9jQSJWSJLej2w0XRGoyiis7vH-P_wtcr9RiiP_G7G19Pgtx8CLEYKNCTwmjNWVDmcys1Oamd0SwLum61P9YTkDE8Ua9BL0i7YgedgKxFqc3ZPYWpgldoGju5f0jhvHWiAaceEMx1qFXrf4j-8O7ckEc4L4P8pfkxa9Ktd17dPg/s320/IMG_6014.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHg8mOGhUxrXldnqsLstWWgrkp_0cvdCQht25Cf_9ymPWk_rpwbYeHV2rCieJdAIKAUk4S56KHAQWt1Ka473uBIXsIlpZCNqVzq-gpNM_uEhUAxAct8KpO2wEqnkf47pW0IWU1WGwrcAPQ932fESNTlNy80AamBtq5AkYCAf6Kdr34pcJHD8fKtKBzhGs/s1702/b13fbc8ae3ffeb72f4625bb9b466178c.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1702" data-original-width="1276" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHg8mOGhUxrXldnqsLstWWgrkp_0cvdCQht25Cf_9ymPWk_rpwbYeHV2rCieJdAIKAUk4S56KHAQWt1Ka473uBIXsIlpZCNqVzq-gpNM_uEhUAxAct8KpO2wEqnkf47pW0IWU1WGwrcAPQ932fESNTlNy80AamBtq5AkYCAf6Kdr34pcJHD8fKtKBzhGs/s320/b13fbc8ae3ffeb72f4625bb9b466178c.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYYqtpi2yu8tH3jVNiOJFOGTCiG8DGUrOSsURiZMzuf9qMB3_KnSm1Lrga45dhUy-YYmvOT5hXubqKJ4lLeMutLQyqw-oN6cmfFcMRb6X_Q5uxdtjU0qEitpHXxDadMizvMWPRQzHplrjPtBSi5HtQHeDSFbQu-JaG1a8rhisEzVHMZgXgjvUtsxIJmEw/s3024/IMG_6015.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2016" data-original-width="3024" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYYqtpi2yu8tH3jVNiOJFOGTCiG8DGUrOSsURiZMzuf9qMB3_KnSm1Lrga45dhUy-YYmvOT5hXubqKJ4lLeMutLQyqw-oN6cmfFcMRb6X_Q5uxdtjU0qEitpHXxDadMizvMWPRQzHplrjPtBSi5HtQHeDSFbQu-JaG1a8rhisEzVHMZgXgjvUtsxIJmEw/s320/IMG_6015.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Our penultimate action before leaving Fujiyoshida was to go up to the sixth-floor roof of the <a href="http://www.q-sta.jp/" target="_blank">Q-STA</a> キュースタ shopping mall for the view. Off to the west could be seen the <a href="https://www.fujiq.jp/en/" target="_blank">Fuji-Q Highland</a> 富士急ハイランド amusement park. I've been there once, way back in the autumn of 1989, where I had the surreal experience of looking at Mt. Fuji while upside down on a roller coaster:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhIiqUqXXm_Q5W8va8g6-L-fnj0S-TU9hR1Oktgh3nX5V1ce6ORCSPlMmO5VY9k8dpwliiDeZiYEFmJmMiJCmlAMTG1nZIJPE5M56QSKyUsEMeX_qRSRDAe27pFJUFi53MdTjM7tetg8QXQnyZkJ-9JyA859Qp0aZvwx4y3efEXtdjcgwcIu9JU9Mi7Jc/s4032/IMG_6017.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2639" data-original-width="4032" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhIiqUqXXm_Q5W8va8g6-L-fnj0S-TU9hR1Oktgh3nX5V1ce6ORCSPlMmO5VY9k8dpwliiDeZiYEFmJmMiJCmlAMTG1nZIJPE5M56QSKyUsEMeX_qRSRDAe27pFJUFi53MdTjM7tetg8QXQnyZkJ-9JyA859Qp0aZvwx4y3efEXtdjcgwcIu9JU9Mi7Jc/s320/IMG_6017.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The main draw of the roof, of course, was toward the south, to have one last photo op of Mount Fuji in all her glory:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjt78ovqRibu9a-h7sZ1rV2P8S0F5MegIEOtTP9j80kElHQcp7l6VoqxTncKD6J-YIGPFb-g0QcSHMu48pX1hBImbTiaqgabxjN92V5M4jirJA4uktqom3JwTZv4CZ0slVZ6aAyxVtbqBzbBeJCVxnhaNusY7HG1XA6pICI4r8e1LKsVTDI-finrI8F0U/s3915/IMG_6019.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2937" data-original-width="3915" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjt78ovqRibu9a-h7sZ1rV2P8S0F5MegIEOtTP9j80kElHQcp7l6VoqxTncKD6J-YIGPFb-g0QcSHMu48pX1hBImbTiaqgabxjN92V5M4jirJA4uktqom3JwTZv4CZ0slVZ6aAyxVtbqBzbBeJCVxnhaNusY7HG1XA6pICI4r8e1LKsVTDI-finrI8F0U/s320/IMG_6019.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The last action was buying some Fuji-shaped <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castella" target="_blank">castella cakes</a> カステラ for our daughter to snack on before boarding the train:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqBnZX7sKbKnBVgxb8JnGB-effJHSvbC7vp9J2nALM5CfsTSAa-7Bn5AsAEGRMbLPvWBYGkfSwSp1uY3UUqGbVlKFgeHrmKIShE6WSgBOF4zN6dmgwvhsUcSvikjm1ajJttlali3_pImUc8u0qo7Q_ecnsiYoX9Ck6dDudX6UV2OQHl2T8FOTVvhbqQhg/s3829/IMG_6021.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3829" data-original-width="2872" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqBnZX7sKbKnBVgxb8JnGB-effJHSvbC7vp9J2nALM5CfsTSAa-7Bn5AsAEGRMbLPvWBYGkfSwSp1uY3UUqGbVlKFgeHrmKIShE6WSgBOF4zN6dmgwvhsUcSvikjm1ajJttlali3_pImUc8u0qo7Q_ecnsiYoX9Ck6dDudX6UV2OQHl2T8FOTVvhbqQhg/s320/IMG_6021.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>We would spend the night in <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Machida,_Tokyo" target="_blank">Machida</a> 町田, a city of nearly 430,000 in Tōkyō Prefecture 東京都 that serves as a major transportation artery, with stations on both the JR and Odakyū 小田急線 Lines. Machida is primarily a bedroom community serving Tokyo and Yokohama 横浜, though the area around the two stations is a lively one, with various department stores, shops and restaurants spilling out onto the surrounding streets. Apparently, the city is also the location for mysterious cattle abductions by extraterrestrial visitors:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT8IjghgnncBN5kQiLIUxqOEc0Q2s9r6WlaIse7cZAQ8tsD8o90bRRSVbs5wrqySY4DNVOMtP35swWJJlTVBiOdLM3DB7XdLK7ytPBqqLKSOWNaP9utSSvWvwYnzS9_uf5zTc_v4wAj4TsqVJq2Ef8zewBA5L9bnOL6sUNUfZJYVpnN6ufazY1RD8Bdkk/s4032/IMG_6022.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT8IjghgnncBN5kQiLIUxqOEc0Q2s9r6WlaIse7cZAQ8tsD8o90bRRSVbs5wrqySY4DNVOMtP35swWJJlTVBiOdLM3DB7XdLK7ytPBqqLKSOWNaP9utSSvWvwYnzS9_uf5zTc_v4wAj4TsqVJq2Ef8zewBA5L9bnOL6sUNUfZJYVpnN6ufazY1RD8Bdkk/s320/IMG_6022.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>For dinner we had Indian food in one of the department stores. While waiting for my meal I pondered our options for the following day's itinerary in Hakone 箱根:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNnDlZ9kA3rgIVnETdOxVNPMYzo-81j9wRafMahlLj8-te_9O97ywo6ghcCuxmt4Fksy43_Q4dyzo0KUM9PV6R-k0jW2kb3tGFuFPuYm_sWYFvXucLIO94FkWhMpsq9ownl2a7zAgpoDHwo0INbRLunfPZgMk4XRc94zrzMgJgFreLrLIGX3WlfUqQqBQ/s3336/IMG_6023.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3336" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNnDlZ9kA3rgIVnETdOxVNPMYzo-81j9wRafMahlLj8-te_9O97ywo6ghcCuxmt4Fksy43_Q4dyzo0KUM9PV6R-k0jW2kb3tGFuFPuYm_sWYFvXucLIO94FkWhMpsq9ownl2a7zAgpoDHwo0INbRLunfPZgMk4XRc94zrzMgJgFreLrLIGX3WlfUqQqBQ/s320/IMG_6023.jpg" width="290" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6ZZTfUVwURXbz18skaRxREEF06C6bh00hcYL7iWcrnRFdAQtt025GsTUKvfpp6q0UETKgHd572F7TZyJXlrYf-2Grnx9hdYnUjp_3aTPvbbHMgrRMcTGMQOA5LT4bDA6EOo5gzzS_qNtLwnW2iRMLZ8KwFlbxl1YX_6pkSJIIYlyRzqkGfJLzNHfIkl8/s4032/IMG_6024.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6ZZTfUVwURXbz18skaRxREEF06C6bh00hcYL7iWcrnRFdAQtt025GsTUKvfpp6q0UETKgHd572F7TZyJXlrYf-2Grnx9hdYnUjp_3aTPvbbHMgrRMcTGMQOA5LT4bDA6EOo5gzzS_qNtLwnW2iRMLZ8KwFlbxl1YX_6pkSJIIYlyRzqkGfJLzNHfIkl8/s320/IMG_6024.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Japan is a treasure trove for vintage clothing, and this store near our hotel had an extensive range of apparel, including some items for those going for that Freddy Kreuger look:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrAMi2O1GlG4p6-sVYsPpSR4krC02GC5wBgZJa-MUPn-xV9dvXmYNHoCEakN1p9qDhjGkI5luu0Bq1ToxBAymuLAooOLGVPzSDtxTKMBpuUlN6_JTspU6reAWc0jRtTbXH5FfHWHGt0-yUF4uofuxQdlitW0j5fGIlT-t9cD59RpTWbd8voQHdL279F2I/s4032/IMG_6025.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrAMi2O1GlG4p6-sVYsPpSR4krC02GC5wBgZJa-MUPn-xV9dvXmYNHoCEakN1p9qDhjGkI5luu0Bq1ToxBAymuLAooOLGVPzSDtxTKMBpuUlN6_JTspU6reAWc0jRtTbXH5FfHWHGt0-yUF4uofuxQdlitW0j5fGIlT-t9cD59RpTWbd8voQHdL279F2I/s320/IMG_6025.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><p>Our stay in Machida would be a brief one. Join us in the next installment as we continue our pursuit of Fujisan in the Hakone region. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /></div>Kaminogehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07925637671913689331noreply@blogger.com0Chureito Pagoda, 2-chōme-4-1 Asama, Fujiyoshida, Yamanashi 403-0011, Japan35.5012626 138.80138527.1910287638211514 103.6451352 63.811496436178842 173.9576352tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2497220891386919340.post-52824649828488597242024-02-21T20:50:00.001+08:002024-02-21T21:04:17.896+08:00In search of Mt. Fuji: Lake Kawaguchi <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOfVYLEYl3kv_ZuHer5Ri3Qq67dYb8Dv5886ASZFDc1R2RVwhq18okaRw-KsEi_1YdiKUpHbrqGdYc_sRdPq9NIAq1biYXpQHVh3OgNepBSYwL7o1DyPa_9oWBYQ7JD-NuPDLAbi9g2oNbp8fzMZ6VTHK40yPlbizDZLTp0eGw2-p6wDpxVPx45u-hf6g/s4032/IMG_5920.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOfVYLEYl3kv_ZuHer5Ri3Qq67dYb8Dv5886ASZFDc1R2RVwhq18okaRw-KsEi_1YdiKUpHbrqGdYc_sRdPq9NIAq1biYXpQHVh3OgNepBSYwL7o1DyPa_9oWBYQ7JD-NuPDLAbi9g2oNbp8fzMZ6VTHK40yPlbizDZLTp0eGw2-p6wDpxVPx45u-hf6g/s320/IMG_5920.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><i><div style="text-align: center;"><i>For Chrissakes, do <u>not</u> call it "Fujiyama"!*</i></div></i><p></p><p>Mount Fuji 富士山. The first time I cast my glance upon arguably Japan's most iconic symbol came way back in October of 1989, when a girlfriend and I spent a night at an inn along the shores of <a href="https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e6906.html" target="_blank">Lake Kawaguchi</a> 河口湖, expressly in the hope that I could get a glimpse of the mountain. Unfortunately, Fujisan is a notoriously shy peak, being obscured by clouds for much of the year, and even though the two of us soon after arrival visited a lookout that should have provided a spectacular view, all we could see were the lower slopes. The rest of the mountain remained invisible up to the point we were getting ready to return to Tōkyō 東京, when suddenly I noticed from the bus that familiar shape. We quickly returned to the lookout and had a spectacular view of Fuji before it was quickly swallowed up by cloud cover again. Since that time, I've seen Fujisan on many occasions, from planes, trains and automobiles, and including one spectacular occasion following a typhoon when I was left awestruck by the silhouette of the mountain in the clear, late afternoon sky as I stood on the banks on the storm-swollen Tama River 多摩川 near where I was living at that time (somewhere there's a photo of that scene buried in an old album). And I have climbed the mountain 1¾ times**. </p><p>Nearly 35 years later I returned to Kawaguchi-ko a different man, traveling with a family in the hopes of giving them an up close look at the majestic dormant volcano. And the first thing I immediately noticed upon arrival at Kawaguchiko Station 河口湖駅 was just how popular Japan has become with foreign tourists. Back in the fall of 1989 <i>gaijin</i> 外人 visitors like myself were a rare enough sight that my mere presence on the train was enough to send a gaggle of schoolkids into excited spasms of laughter, interspersed with requests to say something, <i>anything</i>, in English. Those days are <i>long</i> gone. The once-quiet station was now teeming with Chinese, Koreans, Taiwanese, Singaporeans, Indians, Malaysians and various Westerners, all with the same hopeful goal as us. Fortunately, we were able to escape the throng by boarding the shuttle bus that took us to the <a href="https://www.mizunosato.jp/en/" target="_blank">Lakeland Hotel Mizunosato</a> レイクランドホテルみづのさと. This was the view that greeted us from our room's window:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixbuhtlPIb9EtmhY65T8xbAHUg05xAF5gDM0Yh1FMl-eIBZQt5ymvFZOhZ63zhltdfFQUj1uiN7QJYfBeTJsGmbniFAMS__wVlSOdpXIP_BDWJ5nMJ1xGlPYorZWYCiBCST9VLn94s7eb7FfRxey1OpSHSDWC4mODsMCU0cMfeer4FOK1cvBnv9hVDbjs/s3980/IMG_5838.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2985" data-original-width="3980" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixbuhtlPIb9EtmhY65T8xbAHUg05xAF5gDM0Yh1FMl-eIBZQt5ymvFZOhZ63zhltdfFQUj1uiN7QJYfBeTJsGmbniFAMS__wVlSOdpXIP_BDWJ5nMJ1xGlPYorZWYCiBCST9VLn94s7eb7FfRxey1OpSHSDWC4mODsMCU0cMfeer4FOK1cvBnv9hVDbjs/s320/IMG_5838.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>There are two selling points to staying in Japanese-style lodgings. One is the food (assuming meals are provided). This is what dinner looked like that evening:<div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj67PMxq0kjFO4534Wtv74mCAEvTz48q3egxf_kWb_TCvhpVcluZF1Y91XeDF_6JaEkMAAi4Xo-a2CVy6IsnEbYKE8MalLEFoH-CSWB0ANDxPymrRoMXSPI1afCjmm4eCVyc2PwvpMOb6IhVBh4vZrQgU5W5oerla0dCpQAvF-9zrOkGUDotIowBIjX14U/s2621/IMG_5840.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1158" data-original-width="2621" height="141" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj67PMxq0kjFO4534Wtv74mCAEvTz48q3egxf_kWb_TCvhpVcluZF1Y91XeDF_6JaEkMAAi4Xo-a2CVy6IsnEbYKE8MalLEFoH-CSWB0ANDxPymrRoMXSPI1afCjmm4eCVyc2PwvpMOb6IhVBh4vZrQgU5W5oerla0dCpQAvF-9zrOkGUDotIowBIjX14U/s320/IMG_5840.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqbkpazFCTP4J9MJDtnOZ0ATZEWEZmaRDGR2kzJsDcYFd_GV9-K61YunzREEGv1PM3vzbxp0XWCIl6ZJNFyGuMMYJi0vjXav_quXYyV3KOD69ewsbBCms3CDyi8sBA-pMSntmXRjo3AZYzs-v7eNLYg10zfpKNMMjcPofY9s5nMyxGr7riCR4q5pBtn0U/s3940/IMG_5841.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2617" data-original-width="3940" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqbkpazFCTP4J9MJDtnOZ0ATZEWEZmaRDGR2kzJsDcYFd_GV9-K61YunzREEGv1PM3vzbxp0XWCIl6ZJNFyGuMMYJi0vjXav_quXYyV3KOD69ewsbBCms3CDyi8sBA-pMSntmXRjo3AZYzs-v7eNLYg10zfpKNMMjcPofY9s5nMyxGr7riCR4q5pBtn0U/s320/IMG_5841.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlRp9nRfHza4Gh1vakeVkphpV_48ZLR0uNyyXwKfXodndTWHNg2gDPIgcbNSvwjW8nqV8z5FKQCWkt0NRJ5q0TwyaDJ_LGP-VxbIUDeycU1Ru_Zo8CK-kdFbp3KkQ0NqMhNl3flvRgVLmRxOV72tO0NI2o7DaoUcr-a87NsFKKe0kdh6-ksniyNXBBDjg/s4032/IMG_5842.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2369" data-original-width="4032" height="188" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlRp9nRfHza4Gh1vakeVkphpV_48ZLR0uNyyXwKfXodndTWHNg2gDPIgcbNSvwjW8nqV8z5FKQCWkt0NRJ5q0TwyaDJ_LGP-VxbIUDeycU1Ru_Zo8CK-kdFbp3KkQ0NqMhNl3flvRgVLmRxOV72tO0NI2o7DaoUcr-a87NsFKKe0kdh6-ksniyNXBBDjg/s320/IMG_5842.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUFJHudk4VWcYdiyKkixLvC2tcNjrsklEfx8xJqWpRB93NlUdDnYAHYeCVB43G-xcmzmghXgiO0NRzbPFrZyiHZ9jypxTSokzL1qNE1lcrfLK78Th_h7MLleWdQIrfU-msQVnF50OIm8viAvvWZIqi4yNZCY0HKLagEhPoZkFoqh3Be3DYGDcxT6U1Nfg/s4032/IMG_5843.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUFJHudk4VWcYdiyKkixLvC2tcNjrsklEfx8xJqWpRB93NlUdDnYAHYeCVB43G-xcmzmghXgiO0NRzbPFrZyiHZ9jypxTSokzL1qNE1lcrfLK78Th_h7MLleWdQIrfU-msQVnF50OIm8viAvvWZIqi4yNZCY0HKLagEhPoZkFoqh3Be3DYGDcxT6U1Nfg/s320/IMG_5843.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqEwmGlHLIxcy9kBlajuCDd9IhooWmsdFPZzkAgH8QNSAq4Hv6mryxxMwJhOLxkVp494d-lv9F_hXxwQhhpIB_n-JcvCSDZER2LN7JhvA3ZTLwAZtUw7jP-fx20A__sNc1ZbgQ0YjoJbSumWnT0mzyuGe7_Ri8tfh145fm7h-UsdoMC3Wk1Blph1mBNz8/s3696/IMG_5845.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2907" data-original-width="3696" height="252" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqEwmGlHLIxcy9kBlajuCDd9IhooWmsdFPZzkAgH8QNSAq4Hv6mryxxMwJhOLxkVp494d-lv9F_hXxwQhhpIB_n-JcvCSDZER2LN7JhvA3ZTLwAZtUw7jP-fx20A__sNc1ZbgQ0YjoJbSumWnT0mzyuGe7_Ri8tfh145fm7h-UsdoMC3Wk1Blph1mBNz8/s320/IMG_5845.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ6Y4HbzzBUwhfeBmjvPTImZoxPshBtaPhTjzBFoKssRU3Ffcq_uSfXQLl0HEgOqE4c7Lf4-rNSwuOMDpwZuD3ZzajNR9lXAae-8EbWAQ9THzOoJwjjUXhaIfoRIoSM-MUP04cqGEDPZr34uVVtItmV7Npu28-wl8KSA1LNWVt1YpEDVvFeQZNFMV3GCo/s3355/IMG_5846.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="3355" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ6Y4HbzzBUwhfeBmjvPTImZoxPshBtaPhTjzBFoKssRU3Ffcq_uSfXQLl0HEgOqE4c7Lf4-rNSwuOMDpwZuD3ZzajNR9lXAae-8EbWAQ9THzOoJwjjUXhaIfoRIoSM-MUP04cqGEDPZr34uVVtItmV7Npu28-wl8KSA1LNWVt1YpEDVvFeQZNFMV3GCo/s320/IMG_5846.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2k0Z9_V-dEoYhFDpS_Ioy_kVT9kxXfQoMQk1tBnEVYy4DNbmbCb1_QMvzxU3d9M3ZjHGadXGVkR5xtX-QA6KG2NL7Bj3kXNvMhmEvPHK_GsRbooRcGH0BDmBKaJBDpp_LLi4d0ZjOKb-fEJ50VCmymWKGQPioL9t5llWcM77isp9qrcTbr4E15sUzDmI/s4032/IMG_5848.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2k0Z9_V-dEoYhFDpS_Ioy_kVT9kxXfQoMQk1tBnEVYy4DNbmbCb1_QMvzxU3d9M3ZjHGadXGVkR5xtX-QA6KG2NL7Bj3kXNvMhmEvPHK_GsRbooRcGH0BDmBKaJBDpp_LLi4d0ZjOKb-fEJ50VCmymWKGQPioL9t5llWcM77isp9qrcTbr4E15sUzDmI/s320/IMG_5848.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Most people are probably put off by the smell of kerosene, but for me it brings back memories of my first time in Japan, when I arrived in Tokyo in January of 1989. I stayed in a <a href="https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2026.html#:~:text=Minshuku%20(%E6%B0%91%E5%AE%BF)%20are%20family%2D,resorts%20and%20in%20the%20mountains." target="_blank">minshuku</a> 民宿 during my first week in the city, in a tatami-mat 畳 room kept comfortable by a heater like the one in the photo. Kerosene is a popular source of winter warmth throughout Japan, where central heating in private homes is a relative rarity. My wife was so taken with the heater we used in our <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yokkaichi" target="_blank">Yokkaichi</a> 四日市 residence that she had it shipped back to Taiwan to use in our cold, tiled and concrete apartment, even finding kerosene was a challenge:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcL7IevoUcy57q_18qgzX6JkFM7oGgatJ_kQrtPha3_Mxaj9hBuzQf84S47PKLkBOda9l4LogcRXepGdFKrLEZyvyvXqeoA1zTjAGxmKAwMjHUFtYA02UcS-OTPDrkM4gJrCkxQx-UzAkBuvEY_ax1X2har92VdKby8aoahm-VArr1wl8i4iwf5fVc_Lg/s3621/IMG_5850.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2808" data-original-width="3621" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcL7IevoUcy57q_18qgzX6JkFM7oGgatJ_kQrtPha3_Mxaj9hBuzQf84S47PKLkBOda9l4LogcRXepGdFKrLEZyvyvXqeoA1zTjAGxmKAwMjHUFtYA02UcS-OTPDrkM4gJrCkxQx-UzAkBuvEY_ax1X2har92VdKby8aoahm-VArr1wl8i4iwf5fVc_Lg/s320/IMG_5850.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Our room was on the top floor (the fifth), and from there we had access to a rooftop terrace. Mt. Fuji could not be seen that evening due to a combination of cloud cover and darkness, but there was a brief fireworks show by the lake from we did have a good vantage point to enjoy:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/4sB-AKWLX70" width="320" youtube-src-id="4sB-AKWLX70"></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The second selling point for staying in a place like the Lakeland Hotel Mizunosato is the bathing. Few things are as enjoyable at the end of a long day that relaxing in a hot <i><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Onsen" target="_blank">onsen</a></i> 温泉 bath, soaking away all your concerns, at least temporarily. Photos inside the baths are strictly forbidden; this one was taken in our room as I donned <a href="https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2103.html" target="_blank"><i>yukata</i></a> 浴衣 in preparation for my evening soak. Shu-E would beg to differ: being Taiwanese, where bathing suits are often worn in hot spring baths, the idea of getting naked with strangers is one she's never become accustomed to. Amber, on the other hand, has learned to embrace the Japanese way of getting clean:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivGj5hf_XdQWSkGC1F0EpEqzpYbIkQGcA2L0ia-MCbbuWoDW6lOp1M9R5w8txdL1OfOpEBMYMn0ASjPkBX8RxDSWWbr7UwZFf11izqK-SDTeY81ThPpOcx9nmLpIKEL1MltqREcI2-duG2g_I5Tsb3-oOVymqJVBuYn-RUiEUL4lvsZtwaQCwGbgWIyeU/s3087/IMG_5859.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2654" data-original-width="3087" height="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivGj5hf_XdQWSkGC1F0EpEqzpYbIkQGcA2L0ia-MCbbuWoDW6lOp1M9R5w8txdL1OfOpEBMYMn0ASjPkBX8RxDSWWbr7UwZFf11izqK-SDTeY81ThPpOcx9nmLpIKEL1MltqREcI2-duG2g_I5Tsb3-oOVymqJVBuYn-RUiEUL4lvsZtwaQCwGbgWIyeU/s320/IMG_5859.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>She's also long adapted to the <i><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seiza" target="_blank">seiza</a></i> 正座 sitting position, something I've never been able to master, even back in the days when my knees and tendons functioned more or less properly:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglVUn2XyC72JHaawOFgocMiJPMCx9PowrXhfjjgFdsJrGYoh08hnTwAoo_q_mvUb8r7Uz7i30Y9v1Q7E9HJpJlMgiFikQosN-i0RIenR2LdaGBncvedQxgkrDMNzqX2Ro1qcXNVfQdogd55r_FzETgFbCdQRwq7qARwB_ujqH7a9A4r2T_V3NRnvKDWcQ/s4032/IMG_5864.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglVUn2XyC72JHaawOFgocMiJPMCx9PowrXhfjjgFdsJrGYoh08hnTwAoo_q_mvUb8r7Uz7i30Y9v1Q7E9HJpJlMgiFikQosN-i0RIenR2LdaGBncvedQxgkrDMNzqX2Ro1qcXNVfQdogd55r_FzETgFbCdQRwq7qARwB_ujqH7a9A4r2T_V3NRnvKDWcQ/s320/IMG_5864.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>As our room did not have an en suite bathroom (only a <a href="https://www.totousa.com/washlet" target="_blank">Washlet</a> toilet), I awoke the following morning at 0600 to enjoy another hot bath. But not before first stepping out onto the terrace to get a glimpse of Mt. Fuji in its early-morning finery:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsm7UK2ijMBnf19gbbewhD8MTIU3DxfvKm0SR6EULMYukHNUJz4vEA8l5g06nvhM8vZeak1LS3DbMK3WxeyHSSUb14VWTOszDmIKmBjyWXFUkRZq7HrokQ1bfExPIisNfr-po4Tf1bHKETrmfbdm_QHNOSnE_nMs_88VmqQpySp-5EnUEfjZ34SMsOQXU/s3980/IMG-5865.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2985" data-original-width="3980" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsm7UK2ijMBnf19gbbewhD8MTIU3DxfvKm0SR6EULMYukHNUJz4vEA8l5g06nvhM8vZeak1LS3DbMK3WxeyHSSUb14VWTOszDmIKmBjyWXFUkRZq7HrokQ1bfExPIisNfr-po4Tf1bHKETrmfbdm_QHNOSnE_nMs_88VmqQpySp-5EnUEfjZ34SMsOQXU/s320/IMG-5865.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQdNNE5SbVVv_pV94OSvZRFhhf2xptTFJzENhyphenhyphenvH1sYPAOHq372WnKA4vVJv11QyD4JUi5ceZzomJUr6KemeJKe-XHHfmAJssx239Pr3aqDm2cIgbXMayWFe_EubVPoo1ZSAZ1Tu63OIGvPdzW9KMKgbl7pfrA7etcS2CPsfGhMWOsGTzaCYYnYoqfBPg/s4032/IMG-5868.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQdNNE5SbVVv_pV94OSvZRFhhf2xptTFJzENhyphenhyphenvH1sYPAOHq372WnKA4vVJv11QyD4JUi5ceZzomJUr6KemeJKe-XHHfmAJssx239Pr3aqDm2cIgbXMayWFe_EubVPoo1ZSAZ1Tu63OIGvPdzW9KMKgbl7pfrA7etcS2CPsfGhMWOsGTzaCYYnYoqfBPg/s320/IMG-5868.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Because not all baths are the same, many establishments switch the genders of the bathrooms on a daily basis. In other words, yesterday's women's bath become today's men's bath. In this case, the men this morning could be rewarded a (partial) view of Fujisan from the <i><a href="https://www.japanhouse.jp/en/stories/06-onsen.html#:~:text=Roten%2Dburo%20(Outside%20bath),experiences%20unique%20to%20Japanese%20culture." target="_blank">rotenburo</a></i> 露天風呂:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfYddyLeYwQxMU0vjWCf8neCXg9Wpm12KW9O-D94Kvp1wmJ7fUkfNe2VWeA5vcxVp5mR68JelqOewUc3W3HxB-DeSB5A4YDuyy3dyWQlmPNoiTJ8mWABVZDSM3ZR8m-qZdlyzr-ZPMsNI5FcE5qTe1iFQgjZEYvc0qzY2dbuVDWDLFnTPCbsvWzNklcys/s3733/IMG-5869.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2391" data-original-width="3733" height="205" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfYddyLeYwQxMU0vjWCf8neCXg9Wpm12KW9O-D94Kvp1wmJ7fUkfNe2VWeA5vcxVp5mR68JelqOewUc3W3HxB-DeSB5A4YDuyy3dyWQlmPNoiTJ8mWABVZDSM3ZR8m-qZdlyzr-ZPMsNI5FcE5qTe1iFQgjZEYvc0qzY2dbuVDWDLFnTPCbsvWzNklcys/s320/IMG-5869.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>After the bath, I returned to the terrace, only this time I had company, including my wife. And no wonder, for the view was stunning, though I also made sure to have a look at the lake behind us:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-n9AhXGrBQZMcDP5hn1kUFX3avpyWFvqIxKpd-UrxJrwgdRUg6L53zYCWoNIpYrinfTOCMAApzNdvcitN5Eo7BlsCStWkC6l6FiqXfH6cNEFEhu4tqKU7FC4g3QwEJbR4s7pUrCKMH-Kh3uMuF1AU10Pyd4vDOMc9w6_6y6aDmYKtB_0QCIvJd4_fc8A/s4032/IMG-5871.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-n9AhXGrBQZMcDP5hn1kUFX3avpyWFvqIxKpd-UrxJrwgdRUg6L53zYCWoNIpYrinfTOCMAApzNdvcitN5Eo7BlsCStWkC6l6FiqXfH6cNEFEhu4tqKU7FC4g3QwEJbR4s7pUrCKMH-Kh3uMuF1AU10Pyd4vDOMc9w6_6y6aDmYKtB_0QCIvJd4_fc8A/s320/IMG-5871.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Of course, when the volcano inevitably wakes up, the town of Kawaguchi-ko will be doomed, but until that day comes, "wow":</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8WXF-2ogCxLu8GjTNEedupzY1ss6ESwbn5gx1xanPC3y7Xv7hf_6SWH7Fn6Jux1CRGqG86Xa41w29ZtO-wHGSpk7LDvK4bYm_CayODn2GR-WjDisGrsCCgKAyoFdUDoYUCR0BSwGQX82EinIsIhMWCTik2cc0w6cIxFQM_LnDJNoYuegZuH6q_cwCjlI/s4032/IMG-5874.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8WXF-2ogCxLu8GjTNEedupzY1ss6ESwbn5gx1xanPC3y7Xv7hf_6SWH7Fn6Jux1CRGqG86Xa41w29ZtO-wHGSpk7LDvK4bYm_CayODn2GR-WjDisGrsCCgKAyoFdUDoYUCR0BSwGQX82EinIsIhMWCTik2cc0w6cIxFQM_LnDJNoYuegZuH6q_cwCjlI/s320/IMG-5874.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Yes, I was still clad in my post-bath <i>yukata</i> and feeling fine despite the -4°C/25°F temperature:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-vsp-nU6q2UYPGvpokD1xQhPr5qbN1VGW6C_O6TT_aZwIKCFzDzBMghbbPsGlWVXEb3OWahZ-ZdYpXeSrYA9dQTWA-nYDKzS7iU3FLSAu-pzrjJWBxMT-4NbgrGdUVWZv3NTAFsc0NXs-_aqWqYKkBr1YD2zBcVxYr0rxTPvWbUl1t6xzYwjisqSOgtk/s2313/IMG-5876.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1735" data-original-width="2313" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-vsp-nU6q2UYPGvpokD1xQhPr5qbN1VGW6C_O6TT_aZwIKCFzDzBMghbbPsGlWVXEb3OWahZ-ZdYpXeSrYA9dQTWA-nYDKzS7iU3FLSAu-pzrjJWBxMT-4NbgrGdUVWZv3NTAFsc0NXs-_aqWqYKkBr1YD2zBcVxYr0rxTPvWbUl1t6xzYwjisqSOgtk/s320/IMG-5876.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Once our daughter was up and dressed, we took her outside to enjoy the view, which was rapidly approaching postcard-perfect in perspective:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMIlp-lF5IQPYvw8jTObPlGHdG57v_mNdDGzFooii5M_UST4FIP94-j1I543ZYUMowTrQLf_ztaNYQNeBh4j6ZgxLSBJw2sjm0yXU5XQf57bkmEl2AOMxK0pOIUqdqG1vRRtCrImYBzAvj3PJtyt9BCzccU2tbGk5jaKWvaEOXKL54dpP5p6SaKeOPt1Y/s4032/IMG-5878.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMIlp-lF5IQPYvw8jTObPlGHdG57v_mNdDGzFooii5M_UST4FIP94-j1I543ZYUMowTrQLf_ztaNYQNeBh4j6ZgxLSBJw2sjm0yXU5XQf57bkmEl2AOMxK0pOIUqdqG1vRRtCrImYBzAvj3PJtyt9BCzccU2tbGk5jaKWvaEOXKL54dpP5p6SaKeOPt1Y/s320/IMG-5878.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ_qF0-suIUAstuR0-b0xb_mlP2D-Dm3OgT4ImeXsnu4rxRaJ9xNzc0z3OZ7nBz-RzWT0sgqE16HPyONLDryCk4urYPuDnDK1FstlBi_9O_ZkBfPTg9jaqnRTuMZxtliAh5n6eCSAEBdSckMFQfL3FKHzJCkAwZfMymXjP6B8Z4ndvFoj4QxLGVdNaPEg/s4032/IMG-5880.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ_qF0-suIUAstuR0-b0xb_mlP2D-Dm3OgT4ImeXsnu4rxRaJ9xNzc0z3OZ7nBz-RzWT0sgqE16HPyONLDryCk4urYPuDnDK1FstlBi_9O_ZkBfPTg9jaqnRTuMZxtliAh5n6eCSAEBdSckMFQfL3FKHzJCkAwZfMymXjP6B8Z4ndvFoj4QxLGVdNaPEg/s320/IMG-5880.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9pY-iwuau394KUOGDTFuTa7mdwdx9bHIRjwXdu7GMuP8eozCnhX3QUdFscQLQkhMV_T6rMzq-8Ag50UhzI2kCX-m-bq-Uw1UrnfEIBQYIDG17QGUM0I1-jfhTb4pApaTnCJzpqcEs5wel4dr0UsKwscI5GbA2Rp_VCneImPXxQ5m7s-tZSVJU7AuE5KQ/s3989/IMG-5881.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2992" data-original-width="3989" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9pY-iwuau394KUOGDTFuTa7mdwdx9bHIRjwXdu7GMuP8eozCnhX3QUdFscQLQkhMV_T6rMzq-8Ag50UhzI2kCX-m-bq-Uw1UrnfEIBQYIDG17QGUM0I1-jfhTb4pApaTnCJzpqcEs5wel4dr0UsKwscI5GbA2Rp_VCneImPXxQ5m7s-tZSVJU7AuE5KQ/s320/IMG-5881.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>As much as I enjoy the local cuisine, Japanese-style breakfasts can be a challenge. But not this morning:</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVXWesZbu-0sZXukxkIQfQIdPDMsgA6lDpCZFcOQBmSMQc2KCBthTiU-8kpN7AklM5oAwEOb3nQ3kYpqexyhu8Oap37OMj73cSt-ruA46J2mPgxV4Zm1OjL330YOIaHeLK4GD6kmZs5OvkIPRuWf-T_ANek1Ie9QMadJZ3DW6CG3P-DYI_Lx5zJvgqAd8/s3744/IMG-5882.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2808" data-original-width="3744" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVXWesZbu-0sZXukxkIQfQIdPDMsgA6lDpCZFcOQBmSMQc2KCBthTiU-8kpN7AklM5oAwEOb3nQ3kYpqexyhu8Oap37OMj73cSt-ruA46J2mPgxV4Zm1OjL330YOIaHeLK4GD6kmZs5OvkIPRuWf-T_ANek1Ie9QMadJZ3DW6CG3P-DYI_Lx5zJvgqAd8/s320/IMG-5882.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXI2PIB_N27mLzYP1NR8i-hgSaQ5RXKWFX9rGcHx8xYMcGQ8x2-Hm3qSOaprtnFMBIpz5YqTOsmi3bGicJwDNRyf5Lpem0bolkN3GQrYm_8wwQL7tfknrd89mLXGZ3AtGxiBX2WlbpBLQ5HGIH5fLSKOwaxh4OB9VB_HzQCdi8WU2dpQvbfZ8c8iNwWno/s3119/IMG-5883.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3119" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXI2PIB_N27mLzYP1NR8i-hgSaQ5RXKWFX9rGcHx8xYMcGQ8x2-Hm3qSOaprtnFMBIpz5YqTOsmi3bGicJwDNRyf5Lpem0bolkN3GQrYm_8wwQL7tfknrd89mLXGZ3AtGxiBX2WlbpBLQ5HGIH5fLSKOwaxh4OB9VB_HzQCdi8WU2dpQvbfZ8c8iNwWno/s320/IMG-5883.jpg" width="310" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Checking out of the hotel and waiting for the shuttle to bring us back to the station:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmnQzHIFV_reKeynlOkUHf68A0skNBCOjpKo8avqaKA0NiiRQaWeLXWN7B6QWOs2CqTfYzFVBuPBNLoLZQ61cd_aeHWKUQmAoKN4iOed8GOmNdKkN_Nssy06TAoYb7gqwRdRxI2BigkRJCG2xbs4okxk26TEP6SV71OU-0ypbnMH3RsugCXMwQFLxmBdg/s4032/IMG-5885.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmnQzHIFV_reKeynlOkUHf68A0skNBCOjpKo8avqaKA0NiiRQaWeLXWN7B6QWOs2CqTfYzFVBuPBNLoLZQ61cd_aeHWKUQmAoKN4iOed8GOmNdKkN_Nssy06TAoYb7gqwRdRxI2BigkRJCG2xbs4okxk26TEP6SV71OU-0ypbnMH3RsugCXMwQFLxmBdg/s320/IMG-5885.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The view from in front of the train station:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAWply9suo4_RzBrRqwyh3v7JqLRSTenSQdE_3F6nOHFfPYmD693J90sv_4IPzb8XJSEYKhyphenhyphenYI5ilPUs3DN1Pw0arkjiJKUv-bCvglbdwwEeBGgW12XkY1YYteWOVs0aQX8h4UbhgGe4ZMuUv0OiDX6n6zq6K2UexYv6d8tX6lNUR2nV5bwLfh8HZDHew/s3965/IMG-5887.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2796" data-original-width="3965" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAWply9suo4_RzBrRqwyh3v7JqLRSTenSQdE_3F6nOHFfPYmD693J90sv_4IPzb8XJSEYKhyphenhyphenYI5ilPUs3DN1Pw0arkjiJKUv-bCvglbdwwEeBGgW12XkY1YYteWOVs0aQX8h4UbhgGe4ZMuUv0OiDX6n6zq6K2UexYv6d8tX6lNUR2nV5bwLfh8HZDHew/s320/IMG-5887.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDpPXk3YEeeL9_GQINba_kfGXTDi9UTvRfiGh8Grefjvw7Mv_VKuTELHk48yLSA6Qv_NQzi04GrlfJVtxlNiQpr0bfCJeECDMZVDYNgQLdo2dqKNrI-QlWR5R6B11F0-R3-RfgfhTdjkpS8EvjmTgMLDB-oOZqz4-JcsJBX87m2mXvcKeIpg2rPycJYxE/s4032/IMG-5888.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2700" data-original-width="4032" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDpPXk3YEeeL9_GQINba_kfGXTDi9UTvRfiGh8Grefjvw7Mv_VKuTELHk48yLSA6Qv_NQzi04GrlfJVtxlNiQpr0bfCJeECDMZVDYNgQLdo2dqKNrI-QlWR5R6B11F0-R3-RfgfhTdjkpS8EvjmTgMLDB-oOZqz4-JcsJBX87m2mXvcKeIpg2rPycJYxE/s320/IMG-5888.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>After storing our bags at a souvenir shop across the road, we hopped on a Red Line tourist bus to take us around the lake. Before reaching the water, the bus passed by not one, but two Lawson ローソン convenience stores that have become <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/travel/article-12261301/How-visit-prettiest-Lawson-convenience-store-Kawaguchiko-Japan-Mt-Fuji-views.html" target="_blank">popular on Instagram due to their positions vis-a-vis Mount You Know What</a>. These photos were taken from the bus window, but there were a lot of tourists on the ground trying to get that perfect shot to share on social media. With so many scenic spots to choose from, Instagram has played a large role in turning Japan into a major tourist destination. There was a time (the late 1990's in my case) when you could visit, say, the <i><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torii" target="_blank">torii</a></i> 鳥居 tunnels of <a href="https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3915.html" target="_blank">Fushimi Inari-taisha</a> 伏見稲荷大社 in Kyōto 京都 and have the mountain more or less to yourself (provided you showed up on a weekday). Nowadays, the only possibility of that happening would be if a there was a major outbreak of a contagious virus:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTRiwGqHg2XVU3Z2mJ58k3RL6TEiXksnaEf-DbtHnKP97pXchPbpquksuAqP2fqe0h2XqGDCpXf9GYqDSyyGM7Z1MoMp9_PlSk15ojAgqfJuMO_b-UdaMWRUXysIbsGKMLJuJQyGhrSBNysi2-Vm5ptniE6aFgxx3Dl0VGfE_XmjuZnfbcIEkoSXeRUj4/s3265/IMG-5889.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2352" data-original-width="3265" height="231" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTRiwGqHg2XVU3Z2mJ58k3RL6TEiXksnaEf-DbtHnKP97pXchPbpquksuAqP2fqe0h2XqGDCpXf9GYqDSyyGM7Z1MoMp9_PlSk15ojAgqfJuMO_b-UdaMWRUXysIbsGKMLJuJQyGhrSBNysi2-Vm5ptniE6aFgxx3Dl0VGfE_XmjuZnfbcIEkoSXeRUj4/s320/IMG-5889.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOmnM5kSBJDZdeJ_3keV_UcJwTXRZM9Y3T2Rtc-grpnwQ2-vQda_AqX7sbNHX-lUBDF1r42Pacwr19_DDCFp0J9UecN9bddWIsLxkjGBHvBcqhEN6Sf7H-poFOIKgo1ijmQp_fz91wyuOKOjd9bSjsR2iUKYf3sa-fdmbe33h928FWeCgv1CIUHTvNxVg/s3611/IMG_5916.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2577" data-original-width="3611" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOmnM5kSBJDZdeJ_3keV_UcJwTXRZM9Y3T2Rtc-grpnwQ2-vQda_AqX7sbNHX-lUBDF1r42Pacwr19_DDCFp0J9UecN9bddWIsLxkjGBHvBcqhEN6Sf7H-poFOIKgo1ijmQp_fz91wyuOKOjd9bSjsR2iUKYf3sa-fdmbe33h928FWeCgv1CIUHTvNxVg/s320/IMG_5916.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk_0ZFW31R7JDfLjNO3vfEhZ_yWITe0HxJOcemQfC9ZAz1DLjdFMeBfPaA2RBImLAh9SVpPRKNnzFB45ivUzSHrU-eMuLM7ULYrs5uwXGxlK3x0m4CFk9rXp-fK9J407KHBSQQiHV9zDLvJrXHZK56f4UKuaOrLd5DXAjrCSBF7TL_JGEsjtzDM7xjoGk/s3688/IMG-5891.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2766" data-original-width="3688" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk_0ZFW31R7JDfLjNO3vfEhZ_yWITe0HxJOcemQfC9ZAz1DLjdFMeBfPaA2RBImLAh9SVpPRKNnzFB45ivUzSHrU-eMuLM7ULYrs5uwXGxlK3x0m4CFk9rXp-fK9J407KHBSQQiHV9zDLvJrXHZK56f4UKuaOrLd5DXAjrCSBF7TL_JGEsjtzDM7xjoGk/s320/IMG-5891.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>We were fortunate to have seats on the left-hand side of the crowded bus, providing us with views like this as we made our way around the lake:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3IaZMT7NqPGgcxs3QQ3KhwoyeoYGuDeSlJCjwTH4AU2TzOy-S-z9z4CEtwdNpOWA8NyC13coclHyDxoQ9xs4ptf4432ugzT9oWQ7FVu6WZXEhD-tJkbIzovLoaWfa8IOzDqBZRBWvBGqjqKyV1rs3aUekPCOTomNuH5k6TtFJurT6LBNJ6UHA81itxnk/s3998/IMG-5893.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2766" data-original-width="3998" height="221" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3IaZMT7NqPGgcxs3QQ3KhwoyeoYGuDeSlJCjwTH4AU2TzOy-S-z9z4CEtwdNpOWA8NyC13coclHyDxoQ9xs4ptf4432ugzT9oWQ7FVu6WZXEhD-tJkbIzovLoaWfa8IOzDqBZRBWvBGqjqKyV1rs3aUekPCOTomNuH5k6TtFJurT6LBNJ6UHA81itxnk/s320/IMG-5893.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">うぶや</div><div><br /></div>We got off at the Kawaguchiko Natural Living Center ブルーベリーの里河口湖自然生活館 stop, the end of the Red Line. There we were treated to almost postcard-like views of Fujisan:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjAsz9_pdA9b4oK2LgmuOlbSGSZkRCjC65hSihuX7XLXudXErNzBtCCJnZ3t1s7HPqBZUgeiUAAZBCef5-S0mc8_r5tjvDB2Rxn4G02G1Hidkqz_0af6EwFL3HAsGZsbuAve-SxTW8Qot_1chXng0jLytdLBeezt32VTmCkqEhgvGIHJkCCSSXLtHPEck/s3995/IMG-5895.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2996" data-original-width="3995" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjAsz9_pdA9b4oK2LgmuOlbSGSZkRCjC65hSihuX7XLXudXErNzBtCCJnZ3t1s7HPqBZUgeiUAAZBCef5-S0mc8_r5tjvDB2Rxn4G02G1Hidkqz_0af6EwFL3HAsGZsbuAve-SxTW8Qot_1chXng0jLytdLBeezt32VTmCkqEhgvGIHJkCCSSXLtHPEck/s320/IMG-5895.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6GCIXDJ9nEf5MEYieCqm09xHJriSHjvRGRGTQ9AdZkgEfhu6GrnuSSWoTpbMEuipRtVPBTzdIxcFoVqhfACMCYc4Q4usXCX8aPGA8jvi5QHVf2lOa2PpLyY5_i9OFTDnuLVtPph6jS1Y3nHx-kjslzumdPU3Sg7JAx8s1Js14_hTiR_rVYJxQDGWtGN0/s3913/IMG-5896.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2597" data-original-width="3913" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6GCIXDJ9nEf5MEYieCqm09xHJriSHjvRGRGTQ9AdZkgEfhu6GrnuSSWoTpbMEuipRtVPBTzdIxcFoVqhfACMCYc4Q4usXCX8aPGA8jvi5QHVf2lOa2PpLyY5_i9OFTDnuLVtPph6jS1Y3nHx-kjslzumdPU3Sg7JAx8s1Js14_hTiR_rVYJxQDGWtGN0/s320/IMG-5896.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The girls line up their phones for that perfect shot. You know what I do many of the photos I take (share them on this blog and on Facebook); what they do with the thousands of pictures they take is largely a mystery to me:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnMkxiWDhXVNMv1rsblJlVH7wyXoyHDYg1f3xxpDM-w-Lp1N9quj4qH8SHKE0FPuAaW-RblkCh7CPFqlPPKbodUlUFIivcfsrbd2at_5WjRt5u99Jv930J-4Nx93sMZAfSdgyt-2pdQY6ZZk7Pw9HzPdIkeQdITwaEFa2vjEKEG0x0Xq2n-eWgpnmHNyQ/s3807/IMG-5897.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3807" data-original-width="2855" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnMkxiWDhXVNMv1rsblJlVH7wyXoyHDYg1f3xxpDM-w-Lp1N9quj4qH8SHKE0FPuAaW-RblkCh7CPFqlPPKbodUlUFIivcfsrbd2at_5WjRt5u99Jv930J-4Nx93sMZAfSdgyt-2pdQY6ZZk7Pw9HzPdIkeQdITwaEFa2vjEKEG0x0Xq2n-eWgpnmHNyQ/s320/IMG-5897.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxQk2G2A-yf6I60_MZjNjJW2zxuaB5d-dw3KgyjhC6pemfbKVPMebE-0aEyUgtQZ5MAh8E7oVD8gt_L5FwL6rXrcFk_VQDTkx1tSLjDUf2aXNyW8qaZ35bZo3HiqR-AuiMeaKfvuAWSMtYsPuoYennmhyQuimiajNmEnLNWRpcnSMFkm3YpWRb3hnZoxs/s3913/IMG_5898.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3913" data-original-width="2934" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxQk2G2A-yf6I60_MZjNjJW2zxuaB5d-dw3KgyjhC6pemfbKVPMebE-0aEyUgtQZ5MAh8E7oVD8gt_L5FwL6rXrcFk_VQDTkx1tSLjDUf2aXNyW8qaZ35bZo3HiqR-AuiMeaKfvuAWSMtYsPuoYennmhyQuimiajNmEnLNWRpcnSMFkm3YpWRb3hnZoxs/s320/IMG_5898.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5YPjC5Ij0qdVoD1JnTJnvxbLVElkTUEI0UhyphenhyphenerrI1AgrIHsc2U6gkbwXpqJqU6OeeT7MHS_TK8TJg_XN5MCgsNKaFE5ESJQ73CTa0t4uTiYFNovYjRELNnUfY-HQUCXnTEgFqcpGuF6eDCT9YGpecajg3x4dVAj5wkdXPjxOUfYMMNDTRkHy00-003hY/s3950/IMG-5899.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2726" data-original-width="3950" height="221" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5YPjC5Ij0qdVoD1JnTJnvxbLVElkTUEI0UhyphenhyphenerrI1AgrIHsc2U6gkbwXpqJqU6OeeT7MHS_TK8TJg_XN5MCgsNKaFE5ESJQ73CTa0t4uTiYFNovYjRELNnUfY-HQUCXnTEgFqcpGuF6eDCT9YGpecajg3x4dVAj5wkdXPjxOUfYMMNDTRkHy00-003hY/s320/IMG-5899.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Even gawking at the almost perfect symmetry of one of the world's most beautiful mountains has its limits, so we also took time to peruse the items on offer in the gift shops. I would eventually come away that afternoon with a Fuji-themed necktie similar to the ones below:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqY3rUn6swl4bn8gexeVyqyLXVFFOyE0rWoKQAExq6l-hO6RrVd2VQ8thOPglyJJZPLLyzOR54biheU18MCtCrBIto0DEBtQ2m5AEYt1h6QhpInLE97Df604ABbF65u4h2g7rgZZdPsQ1BWqXMVMouwM4QIQSwpxvvb1a2j5L0tbSmFM6hd6Fn-9SQ_eU/s3446/IMG-5900.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="3446" height="281" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqY3rUn6swl4bn8gexeVyqyLXVFFOyE0rWoKQAExq6l-hO6RrVd2VQ8thOPglyJJZPLLyzOR54biheU18MCtCrBIto0DEBtQ2m5AEYt1h6QhpInLE97Df604ABbF65u4h2g7rgZZdPsQ1BWqXMVMouwM4QIQSwpxvvb1a2j5L0tbSmFM6hd6Fn-9SQ_eU/s320/IMG-5900.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Perspective in perspective. This miniature <i>torii</i> gate was strategically placed to give the illusion of a spiritually-themed Instagram shot:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7m_UCW2GDEVsGoUq7OaFiieNJGzxj7N1TS2Eql0a0Ia46_4v2q5PGF_ddDIy6jyqju5Ms7yU43_6G8e7rAneK7VGVs4SAmUTy3qPcga5NVkljEBFmrHCOQM6WNqgQ4ZgKLdtSsmvZmbIFZ9OVEg1hspBQ4JyioE-9__5ZzU_ROCTdC4ZqI6JpJol3I4Q/s3127/IMG-5903.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2573" data-original-width="3127" height="263" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7m_UCW2GDEVsGoUq7OaFiieNJGzxj7N1TS2Eql0a0Ia46_4v2q5PGF_ddDIy6jyqju5Ms7yU43_6G8e7rAneK7VGVs4SAmUTy3qPcga5NVkljEBFmrHCOQM6WNqgQ4ZgKLdtSsmvZmbIFZ9OVEg1hspBQ4JyioE-9__5ZzU_ROCTdC4ZqI6JpJol3I4Q/s320/IMG-5903.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg68Q7tj_FJhF61bHRZOuOBbVJW2WYrZoEVo2v3XlWd7LZ8Y2YQMdUhfeHkcY3po2Nhcj71BT12p3j9pJpNd4SnedexFhSQQPrUNBJsBaB3p5rFslmFvqYbYJe6nwpZWzN9XHyxahVwmnjaqUzAQM-wHPvRtwG0uBZQw4__9o9QATk0BDVE2POfFLrSjK8/s4032/IMG_5921.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2777" data-original-width="4032" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg68Q7tj_FJhF61bHRZOuOBbVJW2WYrZoEVo2v3XlWd7LZ8Y2YQMdUhfeHkcY3po2Nhcj71BT12p3j9pJpNd4SnedexFhSQQPrUNBJsBaB3p5rFslmFvqYbYJe6nwpZWzN9XHyxahVwmnjaqUzAQM-wHPvRtwG0uBZQw4__9o9QATk0BDVE2POfFLrSjK8/s320/IMG_5921.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZDL8Np6vgxlUZ48pwLyIMoBQPTRC1ueSbryTQGEcLcGUq4XiH7BFh58Ma8-qwMSwzLRqQP4vUBD5__7-mVdbDD6QkLUfhrnaBJQA1erHOYkitIRrpKDrxb9SOvq6HziED4KwZo2lJFrCeMu0TEgJ9LS_f2aJ7czCvaYtBfGKRFNoqY2pQU7E_NnFTEfI/s4032/IMG_5923.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZDL8Np6vgxlUZ48pwLyIMoBQPTRC1ueSbryTQGEcLcGUq4XiH7BFh58Ma8-qwMSwzLRqQP4vUBD5__7-mVdbDD6QkLUfhrnaBJQA1erHOYkitIRrpKDrxb9SOvq6HziED4KwZo2lJFrCeMu0TEgJ9LS_f2aJ7czCvaYtBfGKRFNoqY2pQU7E_NnFTEfI/s320/IMG_5923.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Time for an ice-cream break:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ0xdYvoH1b4UibmvQiBPrjjdnghZbRELYmgDHI-QvNZVB0tyaj9dSCO5MgB9MuMWxmD5yAqLkTfHb48MTDB2A3qoeSXlJRpJqUEg5mkHfX0uJEI-qtlwnaquFAsg9885ZyBcc-O-KVq27t44T2uVz8mXMfVV701jcU3-_7wQ1ZeKFykO2oC75M2KcyDo/s3655/IMG_5924.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3655" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ0xdYvoH1b4UibmvQiBPrjjdnghZbRELYmgDHI-QvNZVB0tyaj9dSCO5MgB9MuMWxmD5yAqLkTfHb48MTDB2A3qoeSXlJRpJqUEg5mkHfX0uJEI-qtlwnaquFAsg9885ZyBcc-O-KVq27t44T2uVz8mXMfVV701jcU3-_7wQ1ZeKFykO2oC75M2KcyDo/s320/IMG_5924.JPG" width="265" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>The girls brought heavy jackets along with them on this trip from an often below-freezing Beijing 北京, but I gambled on wearing layers instead. Most of the time the gamble paid off, but occasionally I would get caught out in the chill, especially on our last day in Hakone 箱根 later on in our journey:</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwsq2aWEItaSX6zOCKakV5T_q9tKX6If85m8y6hQHPmkqtWyjxUTg0ovzgx0y0lpc4emILNnhyR5817Cnl5S3X6lScoJsqyguE_viluCs_NYVAmSQh09fOt_MzxX003ZXHJP-Ve5_StdLok0pArg8U4zrg4cKjJT8ZGXfedUe8kjbvkfUNJaxMEBIBtQE/s3893/IMG-5904.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3893" data-original-width="2919" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwsq2aWEItaSX6zOCKakV5T_q9tKX6If85m8y6hQHPmkqtWyjxUTg0ovzgx0y0lpc4emILNnhyR5817Cnl5S3X6lScoJsqyguE_viluCs_NYVAmSQh09fOt_MzxX003ZXHJP-Ve5_StdLok0pArg8U4zrg4cKjJT8ZGXfedUe8kjbvkfUNJaxMEBIBtQE/s320/IMG-5904.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Lured by the English signage, for lunch we sampled a regional specialty, <a href="https://www.justonecookbook.com/hoto-noodle-soup-yamanashi/" target="_blank">Hōtō ほうとう noodle soup</a>. We got there early enough to beat the lunch rush and therefore not have to wait outside the small shop for seats to become available. Yours truly ordered the wild boar 猪 - a bit on the chewy side, but still tasty:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifOQ-V9lsQPan-pcqZOyldzBjr7YoY2DdK-wMoM_hMBrYn-XPp_FxswOC-OIVHzg2jaWBfMZ5d9i8yqscz3ctWLl-tz9z8BilgpYSNEv2-JrjMptWjNy7JjH6wFDmPJkTo0wzoCiRc2dxj9rnFq1tLSArSYMbJTHeQ6YMH7In9IaMS1DIHdVDjgQrFwmA/s3603/IMG-5906.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3603" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifOQ-V9lsQPan-pcqZOyldzBjr7YoY2DdK-wMoM_hMBrYn-XPp_FxswOC-OIVHzg2jaWBfMZ5d9i8yqscz3ctWLl-tz9z8BilgpYSNEv2-JrjMptWjNy7JjH6wFDmPJkTo0wzoCiRc2dxj9rnFq1tLSArSYMbJTHeQ6YMH7In9IaMS1DIHdVDjgQrFwmA/s320/IMG-5906.jpg" width="269" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg26xr8QT7Zju4Fkn52tuizzdFwRvYUjEYTDK_v5WHbVZ1bdjNtD8lcjJjzdJLxrAcPygwRh2PFWv-BvO0Cyk9RQx7Jh0qXMf25cS5t1rqDcTQc8uYrG6qM2mqc3mQMC4N9Bf15NPxf3bnwTMjpcEkHDFEn15g-BX4c7961mExikLkQPMp9oAWtiOXSFIE/s4032/IMG-5907.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg26xr8QT7Zju4Fkn52tuizzdFwRvYUjEYTDK_v5WHbVZ1bdjNtD8lcjJjzdJLxrAcPygwRh2PFWv-BvO0Cyk9RQx7Jh0qXMf25cS5t1rqDcTQc8uYrG6qM2mqc3mQMC4N9Bf15NPxf3bnwTMjpcEkHDFEn15g-BX4c7961mExikLkQPMp9oAWtiOXSFIE/s320/IMG-5907.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>After lunch we did some more browsing in the gift shops. One store specializing in textiles had some traditional weaving looms on display:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9TYndBqVV2SYDRqg5V6bgTHz9OikoVaGTsMc-1XTugAZHxAiE_lS_QT_QPdlz2xJZvXUcuqcW2ViWabdaGPgWoy_6V41EXd2GIz8qo546G1UA7kgdDJzMXkEmYMdBTivWauFTqKITG-sLQOQwsXgRNIddVt6pP15TYels_FTWybzLU_ZjgJR95ahGmfE/s3992/IMG-5908.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3992" data-original-width="2994" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9TYndBqVV2SYDRqg5V6bgTHz9OikoVaGTsMc-1XTugAZHxAiE_lS_QT_QPdlz2xJZvXUcuqcW2ViWabdaGPgWoy_6V41EXd2GIz8qo546G1UA7kgdDJzMXkEmYMdBTivWauFTqKITG-sLQOQwsXgRNIddVt6pP15TYels_FTWybzLU_ZjgJR95ahGmfE/s320/IMG-5908.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Eventually it was time to get back on the Red Line. We were fortunate in being at the front of the line and securing seats for the return, especially as the bus quickly filled up with each succeeding stop (eventually the driver had to tell would-be riders to wait for the next bus as there was no more room for boarding). Unfortunately for us, the bus was so crowded that we were not able to get off at Ubuya うぶや, where one of the best views of the mountain overlooking the lake was available (see above). In the end we stayed on board until the final destination, which was the train station:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmqnFZcwyxR_dSYD6qPBGaio3el_TDBYsc38vdcxDuYy4WFOWOz3yVr_fyPq2FNzshLS0is2rbfYGTuhwUTlvpRdAv_7P_avbwD0jiG7BUGyD_eoVoHawFlO3T21r4iRFgmVASqm856dDFrLAoBKcfR8Gx8w6i6KmLGmmQwvn_FSM2zKMi3GMG80CmbvU/s4032/IMG-5910.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2565" data-original-width="4032" height="204" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmqnFZcwyxR_dSYD6qPBGaio3el_TDBYsc38vdcxDuYy4WFOWOz3yVr_fyPq2FNzshLS0is2rbfYGTuhwUTlvpRdAv_7P_avbwD0jiG7BUGyD_eoVoHawFlO3T21r4iRFgmVASqm856dDFrLAoBKcfR8Gx8w6i6KmLGmmQwvn_FSM2zKMi3GMG80CmbvU/s320/IMG-5910.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The view back at Kawaguchiko Station:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIJKot9dn3Zk27eiL_ZTFugYeVTLP3rDtIUtBXJ2D2tszz4dDn-O3wlwckXQF4QCM3V_3UhVhKoQfWPr-qH7r0OnyZTkhZga4llDOoLpcUXN9yQvAdLhM5L0M4GKMI26fXgpaCWkw0Wf9rzY9Nzd5g3ROwViotU7rExgbnHu3N789gTDqLbAb_X_OIY9A/s3977/IMG-5912.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2156" data-original-width="3977" height="173" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIJKot9dn3Zk27eiL_ZTFugYeVTLP3rDtIUtBXJ2D2tszz4dDn-O3wlwckXQF4QCM3V_3UhVhKoQfWPr-qH7r0OnyZTkhZga4llDOoLpcUXN9yQvAdLhM5L0M4GKMI26fXgpaCWkw0Wf9rzY9Nzd5g3ROwViotU7rExgbnHu3N789gTDqLbAb_X_OIY9A/s320/IMG-5912.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Before retrieving our bags and moving on to our next destination, we took a break at a café across from the station for some liquid refreshments, which in my case was a <a href="https://www.fujizakura-beer.jp/en/" target="_blank">local brew</a>. Travel for me in Japan always seems to involve copious amounts of hops and malts in liquid form:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFlQG03iICfYTbi-4t9Ug6mwKpHch6Vwkg26q1uwtIToMtZLRW0NJ5YVLBZD_GR0ogKYdv7lfOlss6lTgi9s2Mj8vM8x2oKAjGVFsq4_xAkJ18sJtYE7_jv9WQg2QeLboIy6JH4ci7NuceM3d71dWdtNFbqW2h5OaqbIHx6Yq1KhzjW4-N9VREH52A7Zo/s3962/IMG-5913.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3962" data-original-width="2972" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFlQG03iICfYTbi-4t9Ug6mwKpHch6Vwkg26q1uwtIToMtZLRW0NJ5YVLBZD_GR0ogKYdv7lfOlss6lTgi9s2Mj8vM8x2oKAjGVFsq4_xAkJ18sJtYE7_jv9WQg2QeLboIy6JH4ci7NuceM3d71dWdtNFbqW2h5OaqbIHx6Yq1KhzjW4-N9VREH52A7Zo/s320/IMG-5913.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7UCkPKxcgXtmwQXYHhfvxQt97I1g-SBugsjR2_4B4Ouu1Bvjd3XT-8clCrVDyW61iJk3f5NigMiIwKax00a0AthgzMZLFvkotZGsGaom9R46mfet8dPv0mB7JrTueU0o25rbgYNmODJekioPpujrDNqVTwvJ8fYimH8CjzPpZ667CNHDWTTCMegsXPSM/s3950/IMG_5925.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3950" data-original-width="2963" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7UCkPKxcgXtmwQXYHhfvxQt97I1g-SBugsjR2_4B4Ouu1Bvjd3XT-8clCrVDyW61iJk3f5NigMiIwKax00a0AthgzMZLFvkotZGsGaom9R46mfet8dPv0mB7JrTueU0o25rbgYNmODJekioPpujrDNqVTwvJ8fYimH8CjzPpZ667CNHDWTTCMegsXPSM/s320/IMG_5925.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Horse meat for sale at the station gift shop. Amber wouldn't allow me to purchase any:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJTuMhT0yNgTjg6-qaCgc8M1DB1nTw_CczGI4BqfissPerUq4bMwBcrBs6A6m79N4vhKCDPYFzhHZgmTrLb1InB-eY6sqZI_c-eYOr2rD3MNFwlz7knDUGxyMK0A2qaKLhgCR5fgp0W-7wF2GhWGqNiM1sk3P3GPOV_n48zqVIN5fFmgoXuiyt3Jdy0aU/s3555/IMG_5926.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3555" data-original-width="2964" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJTuMhT0yNgTjg6-qaCgc8M1DB1nTw_CczGI4BqfissPerUq4bMwBcrBs6A6m79N4vhKCDPYFzhHZgmTrLb1InB-eY6sqZI_c-eYOr2rD3MNFwlz7knDUGxyMK0A2qaKLhgCR5fgp0W-7wF2GhWGqNiM1sk3P3GPOV_n48zqVIN5fFmgoXuiyt3Jdy0aU/s320/IMG_5926.jpg" width="267" /></a></div><div><br /></div>On the platform at the station. Why Thomas the Tank Engine? See <a href="https://www.fujiq.jp/en/special/thomas25th/index.html" target="_blank">here</a>:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibTGSPCsk86cmYQwW7Ojw3pijSCxCCzFj9t10BnbuJqqbn-CYq9xU6oBdTAj8sQdZXgB0Ba_QXgDdLZMRBxYYwVfxF_rWc57aCNuj3qv2QKKQ9UeVGxVD8tWA0506W-0wk1biXUnbQjX473OO3oFlSYVCym2mZeFKxb8SYiXuO1UL7ahUx7SJLq3y3FqY/s4032/IMG_5927.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2786" data-original-width="4032" height="221" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibTGSPCsk86cmYQwW7Ojw3pijSCxCCzFj9t10BnbuJqqbn-CYq9xU6oBdTAj8sQdZXgB0Ba_QXgDdLZMRBxYYwVfxF_rWc57aCNuj3qv2QKKQ9UeVGxVD8tWA0506W-0wk1biXUnbQjX473OO3oFlSYVCym2mZeFKxb8SYiXuO1UL7ahUx7SJLq3y3FqY/s320/IMG_5927.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The train that would take us to our next stop, the imaginatively-named Mt. Fuji Station 富士山駅 in the city of <a href="https://fujiyoshida.net/en/" target="_blank">Fujiyoshida</a> 富士吉田:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnhGUtMfrvE9wOb_mvAbXa7we0fGLV7YM28D6gD4N7CHEk3_xBwfKaRxWxsDoBVWUwR1ab5yrF-ixdYpDNS0XOPPLHZM84mKBFF8Rd0pqYSJtSm0nF5Mt1sDx_zWf3tkeepOk1MIt56BuDkofx0g1emLm0rFJFkYyyvWmR2Ud1C-atioTOds3Xi1THTkY/s4032/IMG_5928.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnhGUtMfrvE9wOb_mvAbXa7we0fGLV7YM28D6gD4N7CHEk3_xBwfKaRxWxsDoBVWUwR1ab5yrF-ixdYpDNS0XOPPLHZM84mKBFF8Rd0pqYSJtSm0nF5Mt1sDx_zWf3tkeepOk1MIt56BuDkofx0g1emLm0rFJFkYyyvWmR2Ud1C-atioTOds3Xi1THTkY/s320/IMG_5928.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv1YxHvJPN2C-ytl6M16tYWM05Zg0MgavZEtb_KW7RX_xpSnhgNirufWqfDVFI9kpetYB-rI8iA8IAjchJ34JwFEYJE4Io938z6a-sT0jN1BsKRmaDp2RsuG7ZMyXhoIq-dm4Tf27DKkcW_wn5bKU-7pnQWKD6S6rhuDH7OTTFGh5l_ZdAam4F5hN-0tU/s4032/IMG_5930.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv1YxHvJPN2C-ytl6M16tYWM05Zg0MgavZEtb_KW7RX_xpSnhgNirufWqfDVFI9kpetYB-rI8iA8IAjchJ34JwFEYJE4Io938z6a-sT0jN1BsKRmaDp2RsuG7ZMyXhoIq-dm4Tf27DKkcW_wn5bKU-7pnQWKD6S6rhuDH7OTTFGh5l_ZdAam4F5hN-0tU/s320/IMG_5930.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Shu-E must have done something right before our trip, because most of the time we were in Japan the weather <i><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kami" target="_blank">kami</a></i> 神 were looking down favorably upon us. The views of Mt. Fuji that day (and the following one) were of the kind you usually only seen in tourist brochures or coffee table books. But we certainly weren't alone in enjoying the scenery. And though this particular day (Feb. 12) was a national holiday (the somewhat controversial <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Foundation_Day_(Japan)" target="_blank">National Foundation Day</a> 建国記念の日), I had difficulty in discerning much Japanese being spoken among the crowds we encountered throughout the day. </div><div><br /></div><div>For an old-timer such as myself, it's still something of a shock to see just how popular Japan has become with overseas visitors. I'm conceited enough to think of myself as meriting special consideration, separate from the tourist hordes descending on Tokyo, Kyoto and Lake Kawaguchi. After all, I have more than 34 years' experience living, traveling and/or working in the Land of the Rising Sun. I have been to all but two of the country's 47 prefectures, and if all goes according to plan, by spring next year I will have checked those ones off my traveling bucket list. My interest in Japanese culture and history stretches back to my time at uni in the mid-1980's, and I recall with a wistful fondness those days when I could visit what are now popular Instagram sites and have them virtually to myself (though it helped if I could visit on them on weekdays, as opposed to weekends and national holidays). To see the sheer number of visitors in Tokyo or Kyoto makes me all the more appreciative that I saw most of the famous sightseeing attractions long before the current boom.</div><div><br /></div><div>And yet, I have to face the reality that I, too, am a tourist/traveler (I don't buy into the pretentious Anthony Bourdainish false distinction between the two). I haven't resided in Japan since 2005, meaning I no longer pay income and residence taxes nor national health insurance premiums. I don't have a Japanese spouse, nor bicultural children in the local school system. When I do visit Japan these days, I receive the same 90 days permission to stay that most other visitors from visa-free nations receive upon arrival. Japan is popular with a lot of people from many parts of the world for a multitude of reasons, and I have to accept the fact that this is 2024 and not 1989***, and being a <i>gaijin</i> venturing outside of the well-trodden Tokyo-Kyoto-Hiroshima 広島 corridor is no longer cause to get the locals excited. </div><div><br /></div><div>At least now that Shu-E (this trip plus previous visits) and Amber (last summer as well as this time) have seen some of the more popular sightseeing spots, I can now get back to visiting places that are (as much as I hate the hoary cliché) "off the beaten track"****. Considering how rusty my Japanese skills have gotten over the last few years thanks to having to study Mandarin Chinese, I'm looking forward to putting myself into places and situations again where English speakers are scarce. Until then, I hope you enjoyed this <strike>rant</strike> post, and please join me for the next installment, when we get even more in the shadow of Japan's iconic mountain.</div><div><br /></div><div>じゃまた...</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-7tBivB_5RLqsdlMlIKza2LBeT8OT23V0XVzHclFufzIfQ_VXCyf4oewEzReMmJyw9t1oPPxPjF1T6PJAAt17mycCnYhOPu0PVtm1zFoDVIMF8VEs2W7GGx0bmp2GShYkdBIdvTUenIUILSdRnA5hEtM5Um57CEpr5ReC-PizlnrceoRGLAxb9YnaQ_I/s4032/IMG_5917.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-7tBivB_5RLqsdlMlIKza2LBeT8OT23V0XVzHclFufzIfQ_VXCyf4oewEzReMmJyw9t1oPPxPjF1T6PJAAt17mycCnYhOPu0PVtm1zFoDVIMF8VEs2W7GGx0bmp2GShYkdBIdvTUenIUILSdRnA5hEtM5Um57CEpr5ReC-PizlnrceoRGLAxb9YnaQ_I/s320/IMG_5917.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div><i>*Your grandfather, who refers to Fujisan as "Fujiyama", probably also calls Taiwan "Formosa" or, worse, "Free China". </i></div><div><br /></div><div>**<i>The first time I was climbing through the night with two others when we got stuck in a human traffic jam around the 8th station (there are ten official stops on the way to the summit at 3776 meters/12,389 feet). It was cold and drizzly, and the sun was starting to rise, meaning we were going to miss seeing the dawn break at the top of the mountain, so my companions decided to give up and go back down, over my bitter protests. The second time I traveled with a group of coworkers, going by car to the opposite side of the mountain away from Tokyo, where the trails were much less choked with hikers. We ended up making it to the summit with a couple of hours to spare, so we had to shiver in the below-freezing temperatures until dawn, but it was worth it to see the sunrise. There's an <a href="https://rollingtsuchinoko.wordpress.com/2017/10/04/a-wise-man-climbs-mt-fuji-once-only-a-fool-climbs-it-twice-%E4%B8%80%E5%BA%A6%E3%82%82%E7%99%BB%E3%82%89%E3%81%AC%E9%A6%AC%E9%B9%BF%E3%80%81%E4%BA%8C%E5%BA%A6%E7%99%BB%E3%82%8B%E9%A6%AC/" target="_blank">overquoted saying about being a fool to climb Mt. Fuji more than once</a>, but I was happy with finally attaining the goal. </i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i>***And back in the late 1980's, in the eyes of some of the then-long-term expats residing there, I was just another fresh face arriving in Japan at the height of the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_asset_price_bubble" target="_blank">"bubble economy"</a> バブル景気, looking to make easy money teaching English while looking to pick up women in <a href="https://www.tofugu.com/japan/roppongi-nightlife/" target="_blank">Roppongi</a> 六本木 every weekend. Which to be honest wasn't that far off from the truth, at least early on in my stay. Ah, those were the days...</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i>****For some foreign travelers, perhaps, but Japanese people will certainly be familiar with them. <br /></i><div><br /></div></div></div>Kaminogehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07925637671913689331noreply@blogger.com0Kawaguchiko Station, Japan, 〒401-0301 Yamanashi, Minamitsuru District, Fujikawaguchiko, Funatsu, 河口湖駅35.498236200000008 138.76884097.1880023638211625 103.61259089999999 63.808470036178853 173.9250909tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2497220891386919340.post-53278343441760803482024-02-18T22:46:00.005+08:002024-02-18T23:02:56.001+08:00In search of Mt. Fuji: Yokohama <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY1-XafA-OUwC74JYadlIy7hddWW5195iJASRV4KibYKCo4D8ZDIKeKv1xfHXYca98PStmMaeRyZpJ_Q4K785mRXEYUlIeyNOYsKLh9g1pT0HBfIDVitieev3g-eU8y70R7zCoCUtzWFsq4XSOzZDlXo25ztbhAGRwVoytFQhzgyIn_K8MbEWfzBhjH9M/s4032/IMG_5765.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY1-XafA-OUwC74JYadlIy7hddWW5195iJASRV4KibYKCo4D8ZDIKeKv1xfHXYca98PStmMaeRyZpJ_Q4K785mRXEYUlIeyNOYsKLh9g1pT0HBfIDVitieev3g-eU8y70R7zCoCUtzWFsq4XSOzZDlXo25ztbhAGRwVoytFQhzgyIn_K8MbEWfzBhjH9M/s320/IMG_5765.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><i><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Minato Mirai 21 in Yokohama</i></div></i><p>It wasn't supposed to happen this way. Originally we didn't have any travel plans for the Lunar New Year holiday that this year ran from February 9th to the 14th. Instead, regular readers may recall that I was going to take my daughter on a quick jaunt from Beijing 北京 to Tōkyō 東京 last November, during the time my wife was visiting her family in Taiwan. However, that plan was aborted the night before departure when I discovered that Shu-E had mistakenly taken my regular U.S. passport with her, and the two of us <a href="https://kaminoge.blogspot.com/2023/11/tianjin-not-tokyo.html" target="_blank">spent the weekend instead in the nearby city of Tianjin</a> 天津 instead. We had a good time there, but it wasn't Japan. As a way of atonement, my wife suggested rescheduling the trip to the LNY holiday period. And following further negotiations, it was decided that all three of us would go, and that I would structure the itinerary to give the girls a chance to view Japan's iconic symbol, Mt. Fuji 富士山*. </p><p>And so we found ourselves arriving at Tokyo's Haneda Airport 羽田空港 in the early afternoon of the Lunar New Year's Eve. We had our first lunch in country at an airport eatery:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqZBv2_AV0W_aOFMgKhbHziGFqPVUsd6QdcIuj9mzrnd3Xaq1Bvayxcdw6ldKYrETClxpA8lXT-_DiOVdYBRvDyzxrAibPI6Y-4j9-h80MkUfHaYF8ukk7q4dQtakTVjrUMDkrvCYWmdqfcQAM8z40s4Ap1mmfENXQo-FcuFLGcPLMUUiareSoecxf7a8/s4032/IMG_5675.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqZBv2_AV0W_aOFMgKhbHziGFqPVUsd6QdcIuj9mzrnd3Xaq1Bvayxcdw6ldKYrETClxpA8lXT-_DiOVdYBRvDyzxrAibPI6Y-4j9-h80MkUfHaYF8ukk7q4dQtakTVjrUMDkrvCYWmdqfcQAM8z40s4Ap1mmfENXQo-FcuFLGcPLMUUiareSoecxf7a8/s320/IMG_5675.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Instead of doing the obvious and staying our first night in the capital, I booked a room for two nights at the <a href="https://www.hotel-newgrand.co.jp/english/" target="_blank">Hotel New Grand</a> ホテルニューグランド in Yokohama 横浜, Japan's second-largest city by population (and making up a vast conurbation with Tokyo and Kawasaki 川崎). As they say in the real estate business (which an uncomfortable number of friends and acquaintances from my teaching days in Japan are now engaged in), it's location³. The hotel is located across the street from <a href="https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3204.html" target="_blank">Yamashita Park</a> 山下公園 and its LNY decorations:<div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibn8aS5iIsyFekfBMXI4NKBsECp2iHhbrFB_1e3DsEZ_FN3NMx4Y8q5caOkMihsBedNvWUVtVFjZTJaIeO9AWgEPlKJ_AnhuAJsHDmtDfq22cz3PFtiO3d6IUx92efTdzCYxGHvZDZN_qNPRBoSNhN2MI04m2641vnimJ0yKyN5NV5lYDPk_NdT7rW7mo/s4032/IMG_5678.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibn8aS5iIsyFekfBMXI4NKBsECp2iHhbrFB_1e3DsEZ_FN3NMx4Y8q5caOkMihsBedNvWUVtVFjZTJaIeO9AWgEPlKJ_AnhuAJsHDmtDfq22cz3PFtiO3d6IUx92efTdzCYxGHvZDZN_qNPRBoSNhN2MI04m2641vnimJ0yKyN5NV5lYDPk_NdT7rW7mo/s320/IMG_5678.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Also berthed directly across from the hotel is the <i><a href="https://hikawamaru.nyk.com/en/" target="_blank">NYK Hikawa Maru</a> </i>日本郵船氷川丸, a 1930's-era ocean liner that now serves as a maritime museum. I visited her in those halcyon days before the dawn of history, otherwise known as the 1990's:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNO3uvkxtMFO6G0f5YIzJfd0-iZpr-vG9x11FmlZyynZK6s83D_A1hnXbidpq1X1t_TcUEF4M3xxFsTvlmdou3oXrpsnX50uNT7BEOyASOHzCOVl7tA5-sXTkZncUkpW9YkpOXSh-aNLFuSzZkOT4xIOZPSYh_reBFb_4zNXsOAzmvGBc2gR5ZE8nJK08/s4032/IMG_5679.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNO3uvkxtMFO6G0f5YIzJfd0-iZpr-vG9x11FmlZyynZK6s83D_A1hnXbidpq1X1t_TcUEF4M3xxFsTvlmdou3oXrpsnX50uNT7BEOyASOHzCOVl7tA5-sXTkZncUkpW9YkpOXSh-aNLFuSzZkOT4xIOZPSYh_reBFb_4zNXsOAzmvGBc2gR5ZE8nJK08/s320/IMG_5679.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The reason for staying at the New Grand in particular was its close proximity to Yokohama's <a href="https://www.chinatown.or.jp/" target="_blank">Chinatown</a> 中華街. LNY Eve is the rough equivalent to Thanksgiving, a time when family members gather over a sumptuous feast - in other words, an occasion of great importance to my Taiwanese spouse. The Chōyōmon Gate 朝陽門 entrance was only 190 meters from the hotel, and we headed into the district soon after checking in:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOGcJefCySq5K9177nVL8zpeEWLURxIt35rkxFwcGpOHpm664dHwTPiWu_-H5WCgMaJRvf3GhhkHG4G-Yx-EYRoPQWVS_QignyTkafQBIDMFxu76Zfv1h_nqF1H7RGxHXA1muMi2ejSSSDTV8cSYBrFeoX3hcysreZRf_-y3p9__IimKy5s4lglIV5ZA8/s4032/IMG_5680.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOGcJefCySq5K9177nVL8zpeEWLURxIt35rkxFwcGpOHpm664dHwTPiWu_-H5WCgMaJRvf3GhhkHG4G-Yx-EYRoPQWVS_QignyTkafQBIDMFxu76Zfv1h_nqF1H7RGxHXA1muMi2ejSSSDTV8cSYBrFeoX3hcysreZRf_-y3p9__IimKy5s4lglIV5ZA8/s320/IMG_5680.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWh2H8tm98x47qywtdZcEdCC155prcz7Suhk8AXR9d7M8bQ3SygXCcyC8Gy0R9HR5qKIy6sWPFVU-gDkMNokS77O8rLQQucnescDAekGPaB0SGnaCEaoFL_eO5yxCz12oZBCLKk2SpngGHXY4VvJYof8tpzTR-j-fXlBFzHsWk4Zo8DDOu-DqXFsrbxZ8/s4032/IMG_5681.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWh2H8tm98x47qywtdZcEdCC155prcz7Suhk8AXR9d7M8bQ3SygXCcyC8Gy0R9HR5qKIy6sWPFVU-gDkMNokS77O8rLQQucnescDAekGPaB0SGnaCEaoFL_eO5yxCz12oZBCLKk2SpngGHXY4VvJYof8tpzTR-j-fXlBFzHsWk4Zo8DDOu-DqXFsrbxZ8/s320/IMG_5681.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOvizfLIKwWtkda7GRu1TlBb1LDnM5KzwJViIGUHIe89BFtO4tM1x-sUrfFzFjqBdGgnvOD8Q5maBm_rswrMAY4RZ2-5gVdOqF849njfDJc8iDXC96j0f3S2PTk93cKlog0dLqm8WO0z04qrjAqDOpITjwNSrmbKleay6lJzXsoblgFdRL-dRVaNYJKvU/s4032/IMG_5684.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOvizfLIKwWtkda7GRu1TlBb1LDnM5KzwJViIGUHIe89BFtO4tM1x-sUrfFzFjqBdGgnvOD8Q5maBm_rswrMAY4RZ2-5gVdOqF849njfDJc8iDXC96j0f3S2PTk93cKlog0dLqm8WO0z04qrjAqDOpITjwNSrmbKleay6lJzXsoblgFdRL-dRVaNYJKvU/s320/IMG_5684.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>My daughter tries her luck at <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kendama" target="_blank">kendama</a> けん玉, a traditional ball-and-cup game. I was accused of cheating when I did much better than her, merely because I would spin the ball first before getting it to land successfully on the different cups:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw7pBCwFvGMT6rtvn8BIhzUaGx8VZNbR58w2V3V5kZSSa-nuxuLw-VVzj6yAb-40f9rhiXtFEvLZYztElBEiNNf4XUZa63QBZntKHOHNCUbkWesTINdZA-aMQcjPzfJ8bUM0wC4W84Nk3QYk-Sndu5HA9z8JLo-MGvCZY_JfA5ZYyLpx_HNsW3FP-TFCw/s4032/IMG_5685.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw7pBCwFvGMT6rtvn8BIhzUaGx8VZNbR58w2V3V5kZSSa-nuxuLw-VVzj6yAb-40f9rhiXtFEvLZYztElBEiNNf4XUZa63QBZntKHOHNCUbkWesTINdZA-aMQcjPzfJ8bUM0wC4W84Nk3QYk-Sndu5HA9z8JLo-MGvCZY_JfA5ZYyLpx_HNsW3FP-TFCw/s320/IMG_5685.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>As if you weren't already aware, we've entered the Year of the Dragon 辰:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5-W05v9gxvyL3hHOUk5hVqryX4KEK2ZO-PqRq-PX2HXMKUpVl4UGp3zZInlYcq0JSGGj7rZ5vTHoIWqVeaLaaDLoLEfEl-1WJqB4we9lDcTWqkRkkp5IQVzr3Cqi4KgmYWGS3fc3wOBp96dBDZdHLd8lm0njGzw8ludlV2U-4f96jBEb9MGFWiO1ACIk/s4032/IMG_5688.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5-W05v9gxvyL3hHOUk5hVqryX4KEK2ZO-PqRq-PX2HXMKUpVl4UGp3zZInlYcq0JSGGj7rZ5vTHoIWqVeaLaaDLoLEfEl-1WJqB4we9lDcTWqkRkkp5IQVzr3Cqi4KgmYWGS3fc3wOBp96dBDZdHLd8lm0njGzw8ludlV2U-4f96jBEb9MGFWiO1ACIk/s320/IMG_5688.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Within the confines of Chinatown stands <a href="https://yokohama-kanteibyo.com/en/" target="_blank">Kantei-byō</a> 関帝廟, dedicated to <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guan_Yu" target="_blank">Guan Yu</a>. Though first established in 1871, the temple has had a rough time, being first destroyed during the <a href="https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/the-great-japan-earthquake-of-1923-1764539/" target="_blank">Great Kantō Earthquake of 1923</a> 関東大地震, then by U.S. bombers in 1945, and finally burning down yet again in 1986. The current structure dates from 1991:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiWgtkX5aQDJytAHRPSYp38EaLA9PLQgnDSgDLDJo3wLILZx0NNAirJ-OfoEe9oHdeHSkWkd2ZBjcuC4GOGr2pxkYGei3qB6AiA5vSJ8u5UlOO9ZhtRdCqtJqistgEhKDGQGCL7dzvsIExCfVINDWfbplQLLd0ozOB0Fskhrn3rWSY1l9vEBmQes-wVX0/s4032/IMG_5689.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiWgtkX5aQDJytAHRPSYp38EaLA9PLQgnDSgDLDJo3wLILZx0NNAirJ-OfoEe9oHdeHSkWkd2ZBjcuC4GOGr2pxkYGei3qB6AiA5vSJ8u5UlOO9ZhtRdCqtJqistgEhKDGQGCL7dzvsIExCfVINDWfbplQLLd0ozOB0Fskhrn3rWSY1l9vEBmQes-wVX0/s320/IMG_5689.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5WcZkD8cSxlyO5e8w50FHWx7HeWWxGVsOCb36q2fBrXwMC7_v6uQON50_xtTQeuEl7kDHo3RXdmaCa007B9drWAwIB-08C7UElhlSFvzAdLTQRdlsdk37AkZLdLGLcu-CIbDPDiHk5JQNhXUqR5P5-4eATJC9SZNwenHPmkFZQJHYGESorPN6AQ1ozbs/s4032/IMG_5690.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5WcZkD8cSxlyO5e8w50FHWx7HeWWxGVsOCb36q2fBrXwMC7_v6uQON50_xtTQeuEl7kDHo3RXdmaCa007B9drWAwIB-08C7UElhlSFvzAdLTQRdlsdk37AkZLdLGLcu-CIbDPDiHk5JQNhXUqR5P5-4eATJC9SZNwenHPmkFZQJHYGESorPN6AQ1ozbs/s320/IMG_5690.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Chinatown is home to a large number of Taiwan-related businesses, which shouldn't come as a surprise considering the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taiwan_under_Japanese_rule" target="_blank">history between the two countries</a>. The first time I visited Chūkagai was on October 10, 1990-something. While the date is set aside as a national holiday in Japan called <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sports_Day_(Japan)" target="_blank">Sports Day</a> スポーツの日, it is a different celebration of sorts in Taiwan known as <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Day_of_the_Republic_of_China" target="_blank">Double Ten Day</a>. On the day I stopped by almost 30 years ago, there was a lively parade on the streets of Chinatown, with many people waving <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_the_Republic_of_China" target="_blank">ROC flags</a>:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw_jVghgvxzPTU3g6KTyw_ZGAb5qOZpgh0-bBHHapdxI5Y9KjX80qcf_MsR55h9i3Ig5PegIVgm97D5WS9FlGTdwAbz5o9EswRXy3PbSJrr4BTLXcU_uld93yBpd8vjwGB0TMxBsv1592lflLPZcA3KN4DxIIAbVSvycyniqex3gfLCM-p-DY5TDT9mKo/s4032/IMG_5692.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw_jVghgvxzPTU3g6KTyw_ZGAb5qOZpgh0-bBHHapdxI5Y9KjX80qcf_MsR55h9i3Ig5PegIVgm97D5WS9FlGTdwAbz5o9EswRXy3PbSJrr4BTLXcU_uld93yBpd8vjwGB0TMxBsv1592lflLPZcA3KN4DxIIAbVSvycyniqex3gfLCM-p-DY5TDT9mKo/s320/IMG_5692.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>A common sight in China, Hong Kong and Taiwan, but not so in Japan:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8143UiV23Dgz9o8G1vrT87ecuFHgpfaFn-pjtG6oZ8xfRcOK9anohYTlewDzQ8g-ZyMR6El0llYhXqK_z-_hSgtnz1o5tSRrhYdhKLfJJC1Ta5WV4w0l3zhtKCyGS6W8FcZIpynBmtoYWsChcaPvjwNFrbp5AXa0ZW5NZcTSqVOCAkDaEPiUizvKghf0/s4032/IMG_5693.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8143UiV23Dgz9o8G1vrT87ecuFHgpfaFn-pjtG6oZ8xfRcOK9anohYTlewDzQ8g-ZyMR6El0llYhXqK_z-_hSgtnz1o5tSRrhYdhKLfJJC1Ta5WV4w0l3zhtKCyGS6W8FcZIpynBmtoYWsChcaPvjwNFrbp5AXa0ZW5NZcTSqVOCAkDaEPiUizvKghf0/s320/IMG_5693.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Shu-E settled on a Taiwanese restaurant for dinner, where I had <a href="https://www.instructables.com/Pai-Gu-Fan-Taiwanese-Pork-Chop-over-Rice-with-Grou/" target="_blank">Pai Gu Fan</a> <span face="Roboto, arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #4d5156; font-size: 14px;">排骨飯</span>, washed down with a bottle of Taiwan Beer 台灣啤酒, much to my weary resignation:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicsF_Ow7cxXvDDdENIY02D5BV_DptSp_dqq_pGbiFzQVZ8oBFGetGLFCR-SrbMMJ-Ud7ZRTdIxe6JJcj_1KamX4kiQlkDSY_tUJvwm10Nhf9oESLZe1Asl7DADSBU0ea0drQkWQ0-n2qvAHQDyIyNy-imaqUMjUcRtZbGGVs0JXI7bG1ipS2wEgio82XI/s4032/IMG_5694.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicsF_Ow7cxXvDDdENIY02D5BV_DptSp_dqq_pGbiFzQVZ8oBFGetGLFCR-SrbMMJ-Ud7ZRTdIxe6JJcj_1KamX4kiQlkDSY_tUJvwm10Nhf9oESLZe1Asl7DADSBU0ea0drQkWQ0-n2qvAHQDyIyNy-imaqUMjUcRtZbGGVs0JXI7bG1ipS2wEgio82XI/s320/IMG_5694.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio3MAK1ujv0jjOwCLAUdoNvv6-DiWfr6xkc0x7ZtyG6QsJ0NUJX-uxfN86FCFuLL6XyP8fEnNs_TBEU3EvVYwcCu9TmmtmlQsAfHoPikLZODh5FLs4ZpXOG31J-LqwpNYFO6B5wouOon03VvT5nxq_rDjHR-Fj173_edXSVqdw3p5xjHhLLYNXtkGQits/s4032/IMG_5696.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio3MAK1ujv0jjOwCLAUdoNvv6-DiWfr6xkc0x7ZtyG6QsJ0NUJX-uxfN86FCFuLL6XyP8fEnNs_TBEU3EvVYwcCu9TmmtmlQsAfHoPikLZODh5FLs4ZpXOG31J-LqwpNYFO6B5wouOon03VvT5nxq_rDjHR-Fj173_edXSVqdw3p5xjHhLLYNXtkGQits/s320/IMG_5696.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>It was a multi-lingual whirlwind inside, with the family running the establishment speaking to each other (as well as with my wife) in the Taiwanese dialect, while conversing in Mandarin Chinese and Japanese with those respective patrons:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi94v3LPkxVwwCra_T5p_MsQeRsy216RaXwA9uLhp4nq_4EmzFSiZdg-GGrgKiuUX5KLPqIyjB0w-6X7GqeV_z5ZYcFZ3z55amU7ygEVW8QkvIqiTZ_TYbCXWkrVtWRYTKUtIwPbmFzMEt1hpN114EisSeEY-IndsuUKeSIyZqy7719dWSLvsrEKSKYZcI/s4032/IMG_5698.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi94v3LPkxVwwCra_T5p_MsQeRsy216RaXwA9uLhp4nq_4EmzFSiZdg-GGrgKiuUX5KLPqIyjB0w-6X7GqeV_z5ZYcFZ3z55amU7ygEVW8QkvIqiTZ_TYbCXWkrVtWRYTKUtIwPbmFzMEt1hpN114EisSeEY-IndsuUKeSIyZqy7719dWSLvsrEKSKYZcI/s320/IMG_5698.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Dessert was of a 可愛い variety:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisCWkKwKH07RugVmxiApCSWYFH8FZ85uSAWcab_mUqloIvPro5ZgGyX05LGzpACW8GEfgWFVQ_iJVbqabY7eL82lMkDe4pMfAx2mVKIFZd9r3fRmP89qsDJq0r1z24jtA8VH_hgfnrHxyrAwIbEg_jJvXHPiGOm5hsE3ki0B4Undrs1w7tKKYBrBEKgY8/s4032/IMG_5699.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisCWkKwKH07RugVmxiApCSWYFH8FZ85uSAWcab_mUqloIvPro5ZgGyX05LGzpACW8GEfgWFVQ_iJVbqabY7eL82lMkDe4pMfAx2mVKIFZd9r3fRmP89qsDJq0r1z24jtA8VH_hgfnrHxyrAwIbEg_jJvXHPiGOm5hsE3ki0B4Undrs1w7tKKYBrBEKgY8/s320/IMG_5699.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>After dinner, Shu-E was feeling a bit tired (understandable as the three of us had been up since 0430 that morning in preparation for catching our flight), so she returned to the hotel room. I, however, <strike>coerced</strike> convinced my daughter to accompany me in visiting the venerable <a href="https://marinetower.yokohama/" target="_blank">Yokohama Marine Tower</a> 横浜マリンタワー, completed in 1961 and supposedly the tallest lighthouse in the world, at a height of 106 meters/348 feet:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip7dU-hMfyUpG5GS4ZDw37kEkO-sO-slvgkq5ETX_6vkYs9rGB1mj4Q_vZw4pqAdWTbuXMy4cmY0wWzJ7sWzLlflx0VM5UqaT9YrLM1RmInf5f6DCPn1T9-qSYZb6HTIaDrrMyDjEkJqJPOLvRGjlV0mZ9_BOJMyv5iAnO8byex0f4D-mh1rl2TFkxgkE/s4032/IMG_5700.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip7dU-hMfyUpG5GS4ZDw37kEkO-sO-slvgkq5ETX_6vkYs9rGB1mj4Q_vZw4pqAdWTbuXMy4cmY0wWzJ7sWzLlflx0VM5UqaT9YrLM1RmInf5f6DCPn1T9-qSYZb6HTIaDrrMyDjEkJqJPOLvRGjlV0mZ9_BOJMyv5iAnO8byex0f4D-mh1rl2TFkxgkE/s320/IMG_5700.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOj7TYrm2zqTLNz7YA0BN9rEJxA_b5wwd4lURWJxm3nmcFExW6LwNk_tGXm-C22wTJU-VGpG4di4Gf-6qcbghlK734m-4SiXj-MY-nRyy7HbzdfJTUE6IHWTWSNfWGHGBQgC258YkCP2l9_zRQ4b8-OcNpzgqXmRf5HAxCjsT4cxwy7WTljHbsHERarhE/s4032/IMG_5701.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOj7TYrm2zqTLNz7YA0BN9rEJxA_b5wwd4lURWJxm3nmcFExW6LwNk_tGXm-C22wTJU-VGpG4di4Gf-6qcbghlK734m-4SiXj-MY-nRyy7HbzdfJTUE6IHWTWSNfWGHGBQgC258YkCP2l9_zRQ4b8-OcNpzgqXmRf5HAxCjsT4cxwy7WTljHbsHERarhE/s320/IMG_5701.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The observatory, at 100 meters/328 feet, provides views of the surrounding area:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPtsqJkHBOueMrvVLcolFhCzFz9nQFX4sYJsUr8YtxF4k74rumHFTMyUQPaPCRiw_ubz0umnrLgLGdRo2G_NhnEWCRsDszA28Qfi0SdXv7wWMIvgRymPsh1O4Kwe3Py91ApQbC81CJPy40CigAWdrIQRpXzyO9PnPgC1e-lAnKNrnH7L6oof13dxBlCqY/s4032/IMG_5702.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPtsqJkHBOueMrvVLcolFhCzFz9nQFX4sYJsUr8YtxF4k74rumHFTMyUQPaPCRiw_ubz0umnrLgLGdRo2G_NhnEWCRsDszA28Qfi0SdXv7wWMIvgRymPsh1O4Kwe3Py91ApQbC81CJPy40CigAWdrIQRpXzyO9PnPgC1e-lAnKNrnH7L6oof13dxBlCqY/s320/IMG_5702.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO-CckZkA13FkAfaK8QwzoqxtfTwQmpOvcB9UM-uVxAuHgfkxoMct_kJkOlkkzM-faKlY_9RGJyY_SkIwQk8M4hAK7mDLPQ7es2XWJ7_WEVsZ5-3btpA3YlQNU9K71tCpczBC7YAK9lM94p00q5-qj7HmP3QrdSoC4PFekfUqAF1p1GMjfAB7Q-YJeSr8/s4032/IMG_5704.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO-CckZkA13FkAfaK8QwzoqxtfTwQmpOvcB9UM-uVxAuHgfkxoMct_kJkOlkkzM-faKlY_9RGJyY_SkIwQk8M4hAK7mDLPQ7es2XWJ7_WEVsZ5-3btpA3YlQNU9K71tCpczBC7YAK9lM94p00q5-qj7HmP3QrdSoC4PFekfUqAF1p1GMjfAB7Q-YJeSr8/s320/IMG_5704.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwEVwky_DQH-jSuqJPc2X2GidXglI6BHFxfDUUPRJi3dEsrJl3jIBwWfFvQ-P2PJEeY5du6Dpqb9rBH9aT1cg' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div><br /></div><div>Returning to the hotel, where the gift shop has for purchase some very posh teddy bears:</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjP7rsqEP161M9BiNUCsSM0KB-qdgril6NkccqYzELO9e4PGTagdVAVJOBcz8GwrLoJ_eiupZ5kvrzz-JG7atYU4fqL00BJ7HAzhDlEjcfWxv-7L3OrkrIjXI-19J5AfGKPspiC9l9i1L0bOoWfcQal-sKIpFarKClLLYBSozDspLLBKCm4OH_IaDuoWU/s4032/IMG_5708.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjP7rsqEP161M9BiNUCsSM0KB-qdgril6NkccqYzELO9e4PGTagdVAVJOBcz8GwrLoJ_eiupZ5kvrzz-JG7atYU4fqL00BJ7HAzhDlEjcfWxv-7L3OrkrIjXI-19J5AfGKPspiC9l9i1L0bOoWfcQal-sKIpFarKClLLYBSozDspLLBKCm4OH_IaDuoWU/s320/IMG_5708.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The view from our room on the 10th floor at the Hotel New Grand:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVfgJ5agYzqFc0cglPFMavDdDTpc5fPRgghkbRLZK8mApv0AT631C82fhWpEhI2TFuhzXDauG_Xscb7oGYFt7Kp2h3RmY0_RKdfz99R0Xj6rZONKVZoyfM2FoEZMbLH-OMOiUzjYdOAHOfSVUNyVEuUNpzuugheW4MPgqicsU2IaX6TDY3KvNU1BmiD2k/s4032/IMG_5710.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2642" data-original-width="4032" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVfgJ5agYzqFc0cglPFMavDdDTpc5fPRgghkbRLZK8mApv0AT631C82fhWpEhI2TFuhzXDauG_Xscb7oGYFt7Kp2h3RmY0_RKdfz99R0Xj6rZONKVZoyfM2FoEZMbLH-OMOiUzjYdOAHOfSVUNyVEuUNpzuugheW4MPgqicsU2IaX6TDY3KvNU1BmiD2k/s320/IMG_5710.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>The view on Saturday morning, the first day of the Lunar New Year. 新年快樂 (Happy New Year!) and 恭喜發財 (May you have a prosperous New Year!):</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWH9iVH3JYYSdDuS4TprHPG0pw_7f2Ee8B_GrAA5uWDpFV4DVYHPAd_rI0owaeylweKnLWJnqXyva6Bb6YGaCf1pSj0Hl_nfgT0nOie8eS6_iUXnkVKu8tx2dFMwBDGabWE85Q6kNvTxHZ6EcXBxafOEHsu8JRiDnX9MnVOiVY3UnY_jIoBz9_CDZ6BN4/s4020/IMG_5712.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2913" data-original-width="4020" height="232" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWH9iVH3JYYSdDuS4TprHPG0pw_7f2Ee8B_GrAA5uWDpFV4DVYHPAd_rI0owaeylweKnLWJnqXyva6Bb6YGaCf1pSj0Hl_nfgT0nOie8eS6_iUXnkVKu8tx2dFMwBDGabWE85Q6kNvTxHZ6EcXBxafOEHsu8JRiDnX9MnVOiVY3UnY_jIoBz9_CDZ6BN4/s320/IMG_5712.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>A Western-style breakfast at the hotel's Le Normandie restaurant:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWJmrqrz8bv0jYV2wuEzRzMso97TvtQ5KcrZvFBtQPMJt3t46giGinlTnE7-Y1bjRHFfEqFBwoQ4iRQHwqb1z_coTblykrKJRF5LC4xWd9ivHifHpbHYS80D5t6G3dhKKFewqdYAI_TkqgPjCFGppodKJbb15FKAWO0DG6O6x37m_7IyN93Hu0XZAxWXc/s4032/IMG_5713.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWJmrqrz8bv0jYV2wuEzRzMso97TvtQ5KcrZvFBtQPMJt3t46giGinlTnE7-Y1bjRHFfEqFBwoQ4iRQHwqb1z_coTblykrKJRF5LC4xWd9ivHifHpbHYS80D5t6G3dhKKFewqdYAI_TkqgPjCFGppodKJbb15FKAWO0DG6O6x37m_7IyN93Hu0XZAxWXc/s320/IMG_5713.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The view from our room was somewhat marred by its close proximity to <a href="https://japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/society/general-news/20231119-150554/" target="_blank">Sōka Gakkai</a>'s 創価学会 Kanagawa Culture Hall 神奈川文化会館. I'm leery of most religions as a matter of principle, but SGI and I in particular have had an uneasy relationship, going back to a Japanese girlfriend I dated for about 1½ years who was a devout follower. Her efforts to get me to convert gave me an insight into the organization the likes of Orlando Bloom and Tina Turner most likely never had, and my refusal to play along and join the cult played a large role in our inevitable breakup. And what is creepy about including these words in this post is that there's a very good chance someone from SGI might leave a comment defending the organization, because they monitor what is being said and written about it on social media, no matter how small or obscure the site. <a href="https://kaminoge.blogspot.com/2009/04/open-letter-to-monica-in-california-usa_02.html" target="_blank">It happened on an earlier incarnation of this blog</a>:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWGgM66HZ4L1rvj4GFF4lMDOsPsxf8FMxOzfBbz1_JW6Z3d_PnrtELS68WYYe2TbHeZamKTS_fMtGu8YUM1V9QdqRle9wq6m36P3GR9Y_XqYb0230OHhkebNH2DqkfjR5J5X6nFNLF8GoPFHljeO_E3oDpXZplrbs_I4UIEsq1sivQAKzilNh57RSJgFM/s3968/IMG_5714.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2976" data-original-width="3968" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWGgM66HZ4L1rvj4GFF4lMDOsPsxf8FMxOzfBbz1_JW6Z3d_PnrtELS68WYYe2TbHeZamKTS_fMtGu8YUM1V9QdqRle9wq6m36P3GR9Y_XqYb0230OHhkebNH2DqkfjR5J5X6nFNLF8GoPFHljeO_E3oDpXZplrbs_I4UIEsq1sivQAKzilNh57RSJgFM/s320/IMG_5714.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>After breakfast we ventured back into Chinatown:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgClaVCUrxYEHamUoEqUzne5J7_A_TuP5nwBQ_hM8AiJ6vTF7rcFOngylzfBw0q6owjdhhDejlOVFLGNx_G5Z_9vlqhQ4HPzORraWS-njludVQMGXF9q2HSF8SWzPEkeuKxpNa09JKiTZ1KTHKwVs2FKlKiAjATTbG9sXndf7VJYIbK30wf0WOup7vKGWA/s4032/IMG_5715.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgClaVCUrxYEHamUoEqUzne5J7_A_TuP5nwBQ_hM8AiJ6vTF7rcFOngylzfBw0q6owjdhhDejlOVFLGNx_G5Z_9vlqhQ4HPzORraWS-njludVQMGXF9q2HSF8SWzPEkeuKxpNa09JKiTZ1KTHKwVs2FKlKiAjATTbG9sXndf7VJYIbK30wf0WOup7vKGWA/s320/IMG_5715.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUKORK5nxWK9dHTSTccxGV1wP0tyIapNY-65kRXoseeoepi5enpCgJI8hyphenhyphenVW_NvYahNA09NieAYEhfh9Uma0vNWYy9ycvVsE1I7prCkHzdc2eGzFJIBgKkkQNLJUTw_whSonxjZvEuuKj-qSiXP-GWbtwwDLGETGN0YxKifxqVNPPGWepOlTaw05tEYXM/s3989/IMG_5716.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3989" data-original-width="2992" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUKORK5nxWK9dHTSTccxGV1wP0tyIapNY-65kRXoseeoepi5enpCgJI8hyphenhyphenVW_NvYahNA09NieAYEhfh9Uma0vNWYy9ycvVsE1I7prCkHzdc2eGzFJIBgKkkQNLJUTw_whSonxjZvEuuKj-qSiXP-GWbtwwDLGETGN0YxKifxqVNPPGWepOlTaw05tEYXM/s320/IMG_5716.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz3Cu72HDb5fylbaRwuzjrXNuXe_DNpQ3aNmXzZTxHky-v52Q9LE4AlaUzkf97MIIX4RTdcCEZNLJ4pJSo3LedX8j_tDgLut6JRNJbFhd4gCdPHRtj3QffgGoInCan3R0qIRIpjxxelg5ifPpUOmT9YlsqQ-S3PoiuJOTQ17NqIXJ9qMGkgPHAc1hLye0/s4032/IMG_5718.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz3Cu72HDb5fylbaRwuzjrXNuXe_DNpQ3aNmXzZTxHky-v52Q9LE4AlaUzkf97MIIX4RTdcCEZNLJ4pJSo3LedX8j_tDgLut6JRNJbFhd4gCdPHRtj3QffgGoInCan3R0qIRIpjxxelg5ifPpUOmT9YlsqQ-S3PoiuJOTQ17NqIXJ9qMGkgPHAc1hLye0/s320/IMG_5718.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>We returned to Kantei-byo to beseech the gods for protection in the new year:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibqs6X-5DaPwY-5tUJPN730DMwfp52OdQw_6r9_vvEHuH2_GcgCMmyzS2DY4R2Ub7EXyihLEuXvh-N9PeZNBOXJVX30FkjFAJaWJgbXTtXIGjYTpfLnMPb8-r00HLaJqkUdErfi1_8TP25emv0UN-VYZ1n8Cb_Ko2KcqdIyRjHOoWx6uA-aUv0Rw25poU/s4032/IMG_5719.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibqs6X-5DaPwY-5tUJPN730DMwfp52OdQw_6r9_vvEHuH2_GcgCMmyzS2DY4R2Ub7EXyihLEuXvh-N9PeZNBOXJVX30FkjFAJaWJgbXTtXIGjYTpfLnMPb8-r00HLaJqkUdErfi1_8TP25emv0UN-VYZ1n8Cb_Ko2KcqdIyRjHOoWx6uA-aUv0Rw25poU/s320/IMG_5719.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH7x3-tpoN_k1N7B2-bXLDhMHn-C267Oy-3MVoYqU17w5z_81OumLLKTGRjlKIJu26J_aCwftsTUBwN33fC6e66ks1ogZqO7biP5hoBkmc7JAwX4RzchWbUKPFztErtifwN_VYLK4C8C5c5E0TFbbnzK3NqPAtCdk5_PvqrKQS6R35pBBnVtANQ6vl2zQ/s4032/IMG_5720.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH7x3-tpoN_k1N7B2-bXLDhMHn-C267Oy-3MVoYqU17w5z_81OumLLKTGRjlKIJu26J_aCwftsTUBwN33fC6e66ks1ogZqO7biP5hoBkmc7JAwX4RzchWbUKPFztErtifwN_VYLK4C8C5c5E0TFbbnzK3NqPAtCdk5_PvqrKQS6R35pBBnVtANQ6vl2zQ/s320/IMG_5720.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiOE_OEMxz-PzzLQUc61XSf8KDT59c67tEvgaX61vcOW9iXeDbRlef2DHyRXF4RhWW1KsHLqZjeFcyYluCH7qb5MdCrk_h30vX57ASTw-RPit-BswVe0Wasw_R6CYlOuoZenXpLz2JfKn-dYV-nxchTKdMR_9RywyGH32oMWDCb6xs1vkecD4kjnNQr1s/s4032/IMG_5721.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiOE_OEMxz-PzzLQUc61XSf8KDT59c67tEvgaX61vcOW9iXeDbRlef2DHyRXF4RhWW1KsHLqZjeFcyYluCH7qb5MdCrk_h30vX57ASTw-RPit-BswVe0Wasw_R6CYlOuoZenXpLz2JfKn-dYV-nxchTKdMR_9RywyGH32oMWDCb6xs1vkecD4kjnNQr1s/s320/IMG_5721.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZn2nHGyVoVCsAL51jAHvJFWcOaY20tH3HDrTlQ1RYIg0EW-kKVmbJL1Kx0A72VGUy3wtPgCGevUXGUv9E-7jzw6CgGGT77q7huZ0p6SvHfrhyphenhyphen-PwdO6LhQ9YvpbfjvkweU-BaQiQWCjSzNZ5X6mowjhr5g3NchIWxjD1V8y_6lQeNgpeOrwNEB0ps-D4/s4032/IMG_5722.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZn2nHGyVoVCsAL51jAHvJFWcOaY20tH3HDrTlQ1RYIg0EW-kKVmbJL1Kx0A72VGUy3wtPgCGevUXGUv9E-7jzw6CgGGT77q7huZ0p6SvHfrhyphenhyphen-PwdO6LhQ9YvpbfjvkweU-BaQiQWCjSzNZ5X6mowjhr5g3NchIWxjD1V8y_6lQeNgpeOrwNEB0ps-D4/s320/IMG_5722.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUIZ1O0IP3DrILW4ypcvj0j6oBUAsis5lSLYsm5jiOkHinHiNmtD_4ddRz_pGRkFSfRxExN-2Re8R4yVop-_JwpifnPWe3dhzomUTtFtAG0tKx3TBtfZSwv_Ki4qD2o2DxTcmuv9RhHOso3QyNcTlk6di_CDuBGX0-dGkmwSFbgHgRwOx0WBL6e2Ltd9k/s3898/IMG_5724.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2924" data-original-width="3898" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUIZ1O0IP3DrILW4ypcvj0j6oBUAsis5lSLYsm5jiOkHinHiNmtD_4ddRz_pGRkFSfRxExN-2Re8R4yVop-_JwpifnPWe3dhzomUTtFtAG0tKx3TBtfZSwv_Ki4qD2o2DxTcmuv9RhHOso3QyNcTlk6di_CDuBGX0-dGkmwSFbgHgRwOx0WBL6e2Ltd9k/s320/IMG_5724.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Having made the proper remonstrations, it was finally time to do something, you know, Japanese seeing as we were in, you know, Japan. And that something was the <a href="https://www.raumen.co.jp/english/" target="_blank">Shin-Yokohama Rāmen Museum</a> 新横浜ラーメン博物館, where nine ramen restaurants from around Japan compete for customers in a mock-up of a <i><a href="https://old-tokyo.info/about-shitamachi/" target="_blank">shitamachi</a></i> 下町 neighborhood circa 1958:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzHOiQVJub7AR18Ojo4XKhZ1AiSe6x_wZJOfj3fSXy8jdzlF_ur9kOLZiAAT3-zo8NXaPFHgFV_NsjVE1xojwRjIFKPbyrY9Y9k9hmA1IyOMydFcmIWY6u_iodBSlJ54bI5fyTBDd0jEadnC2B_PP5uj5gQPVyMWBAW2c1P-LiITp7rZQqWOPJsjzziCc/s4032/IMG_5725.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzHOiQVJub7AR18Ojo4XKhZ1AiSe6x_wZJOfj3fSXy8jdzlF_ur9kOLZiAAT3-zo8NXaPFHgFV_NsjVE1xojwRjIFKPbyrY9Y9k9hmA1IyOMydFcmIWY6u_iodBSlJ54bI5fyTBDd0jEadnC2B_PP5uj5gQPVyMWBAW2c1P-LiITp7rZQqWOPJsjzziCc/s320/IMG_5725.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSCW2hOjkxefC086QHzBqKl6x-ywq_zhR_fzMaUFp7o5ffQ90GfZB5laeDl-RsQ-f8LvOcuj-S4fkStI-1D3G8HlUBHPyNFc6dd56WI1t3vmwhC_8jIwYiAW-aetDGN_TJg7DgCOrb9Z8y6qG1xTOA0nCZDP-gWqtGEpV7lbQPpJwgrsTPeYozfQ23VGc/s4032/IMG_5726.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSCW2hOjkxefC086QHzBqKl6x-ywq_zhR_fzMaUFp7o5ffQ90GfZB5laeDl-RsQ-f8LvOcuj-S4fkStI-1D3G8HlUBHPyNFc6dd56WI1t3vmwhC_8jIwYiAW-aetDGN_TJg7DgCOrb9Z8y6qG1xTOA0nCZDP-gWqtGEpV7lbQPpJwgrsTPeYozfQ23VGc/s320/IMG_5726.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>For lunch we went with Ippūdō <a href="https://www.ippudo.com/" target="_blank">博多一風堂</a>, mainly because their shop had the shortest wait to get in:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYLGfuckIOS8q5JZL4GxGR4pqdMd_OJlzfxbxLS6VWRPtpsL39tytHAGawQudm1rs1QLbuILDAX9W711-U4cJBJQwkCqBNdsFdmoeDA5YoxbAfMJTLsyhycN7jw3Y4-NNHpG8PSU4IhAIJswY91M3oyTAr3pYCmR9vcnx-Vk74XBSNFmaxVz_wywSMTdY/s4032/IMG_5728.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYLGfuckIOS8q5JZL4GxGR4pqdMd_OJlzfxbxLS6VWRPtpsL39tytHAGawQudm1rs1QLbuILDAX9W711-U4cJBJQwkCqBNdsFdmoeDA5YoxbAfMJTLsyhycN7jw3Y4-NNHpG8PSU4IhAIJswY91M3oyTAr3pYCmR9vcnx-Vk74XBSNFmaxVz_wywSMTdY/s320/IMG_5728.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFVm2Tp8vSNTk5hGBJKU4PACMGtdFPyQ8EVkivc_AjaukEJBngzKyK1oY5p2M2BAQqHTpiRnO6QX-5FZ1_vOnwIGtDuaJ36bbmGcSbwW1awZcYcLvOzUIO6XO78RYfNUom9DNMj1x1r5nB88MTP6HxQhNporaFe6gB-wYp0OMkuFbATpZ0vaQVrkIu5v8/s4032/IMG_5729.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFVm2Tp8vSNTk5hGBJKU4PACMGtdFPyQ8EVkivc_AjaukEJBngzKyK1oY5p2M2BAQqHTpiRnO6QX-5FZ1_vOnwIGtDuaJ36bbmGcSbwW1awZcYcLvOzUIO6XO78RYfNUom9DNMj1x1r5nB88MTP6HxQhNporaFe6gB-wYp0OMkuFbATpZ0vaQVrkIu5v8/s320/IMG_5729.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOmdLE-aNYZhVsxI7bjcrIL6LeLo4Q80_ze5UzDkpxVoqArtibgpuvpOap6d4D2vUdbYN0ipOmstV1oiZMRwTWXxQqzMQDhZ-zjEJGD0vNy_IZap1uFQzDX_oDUxnwKD6SAVNt47K-MmJEW8qj0IXEQBceCUp0QyXWIEkHFDyjVPmf89TaTfDU7tQOdus/s4032/IMG_5730.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOmdLE-aNYZhVsxI7bjcrIL6LeLo4Q80_ze5UzDkpxVoqArtibgpuvpOap6d4D2vUdbYN0ipOmstV1oiZMRwTWXxQqzMQDhZ-zjEJGD0vNy_IZap1uFQzDX_oDUxnwKD6SAVNt47K-MmJEW8qj0IXEQBceCUp0QyXWIEkHFDyjVPmf89TaTfDU7tQOdus/s320/IMG_5730.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilWhdUvWASc8a4rcl_21077rFrUOibhCsiYGqcN9fDaND-tkdxECNqBjYxLL5ezJxX9twJ4r00E54_e4GNA0hdxLWgMj7e1Zv3UfBM4AJduwJP4zNjGZ2CTr8lWHSCS9HWCCAxyNDN67fhcy4tQwzXSGrzM1MZou7KQmgaUN7Wa_XOwVwuZcNPqyY2iA4/s4032/IMG_5731.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilWhdUvWASc8a4rcl_21077rFrUOibhCsiYGqcN9fDaND-tkdxECNqBjYxLL5ezJxX9twJ4r00E54_e4GNA0hdxLWgMj7e1Zv3UfBM4AJduwJP4zNjGZ2CTr8lWHSCS9HWCCAxyNDN67fhcy4tQwzXSGrzM1MZou7KQmgaUN7Wa_XOwVwuZcNPqyY2iA4/s320/IMG_5731.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjM4zdfMOj-fPkdOuQQBmllnacXdnYvllFKDZzQNhpkbR1rpbDYjDMh7ZitMtsNKpMNR2UmoNQi2EUgUX5DP9oDwaCVQhuxZz06I-w0NuUceAFPYjc_4vzv6W4xK4wTK1Mf9qPYLiCeTvEDaTeB6v5vrVgyTCCvDW84I6k3NJjJvkAMPpxv-6-P-d7NEA/s4032/IMG_5734.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjM4zdfMOj-fPkdOuQQBmllnacXdnYvllFKDZzQNhpkbR1rpbDYjDMh7ZitMtsNKpMNR2UmoNQi2EUgUX5DP9oDwaCVQhuxZz06I-w0NuUceAFPYjc_4vzv6W4xK4wTK1Mf9qPYLiCeTvEDaTeB6v5vrVgyTCCvDW84I6k3NJjJvkAMPpxv-6-P-d7NEA/s320/IMG_5734.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Amber bought some candy cigarettes at the vintage sweets shop:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeuZejYXWhddRM-uPPwcIMeUOdSBseq3bjO4iOCN5749TNK6mE-La0hagdHek-V5jG_fPjDRa852Cq7x76tmstT19f9wyR6ItofD0L4rtBxcK3z39mW50Lh1mXsGkaZn3cuh4A5jPrxCGBSqxRx8Wee-yJwDf1bxCA3Wte6X1QgGF4fEH4enCoxzF1Ts0/s4032/IMG_5736.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeuZejYXWhddRM-uPPwcIMeUOdSBseq3bjO4iOCN5749TNK6mE-La0hagdHek-V5jG_fPjDRa852Cq7x76tmstT19f9wyR6ItofD0L4rtBxcK3z39mW50Lh1mXsGkaZn3cuh4A5jPrxCGBSqxRx8Wee-yJwDf1bxCA3Wte6X1QgGF4fEH4enCoxzF1Ts0/s320/IMG_5736.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEcGX1I8SmPgMVvDjozqs7tPppOMAucz-JLQtzfRX9m_vUifdWV89lHLP32eZe5OXW2CkuZeeUbga3bB1STEftDOGoxtdOp5K0x0Rvd-YGV_l4kPV9jcP3jqZhyphenhyphen70sD-CLkKo9m_7pZyPCudB8xrV-mxdvyVKjthU4A6WEipu47dk0CTCo3IXi-DwY3ys/s4032/IMG_5737.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEcGX1I8SmPgMVvDjozqs7tPppOMAucz-JLQtzfRX9m_vUifdWV89lHLP32eZe5OXW2CkuZeeUbga3bB1STEftDOGoxtdOp5K0x0Rvd-YGV_l4kPV9jcP3jqZhyphenhyphen70sD-CLkKo9m_7pZyPCudB8xrV-mxdvyVKjthU4A6WEipu47dk0CTCo3IXi-DwY3ys/s320/IMG_5737.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5ulNXbiVkRew9C9f8lBaW2llMHbxVtmAKgzD2c8eILumo7qw6TDX7L__qu8ugIiqk4-bpCTWxE_lc4mvwlxZBYvetHTtK8ye8jdfD6FEG-utEagl1qeDWKlKtucPpPB1gPVmLks27LP5P9RxnFBQIVuifLwmNQzJmnNBWaCFDjcqxKSnIpH3zylTIzCY/s1702/48844f82527ca93692372803c256cfaa.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1702" data-original-width="1276" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5ulNXbiVkRew9C9f8lBaW2llMHbxVtmAKgzD2c8eILumo7qw6TDX7L__qu8ugIiqk4-bpCTWxE_lc4mvwlxZBYvetHTtK8ye8jdfD6FEG-utEagl1qeDWKlKtucPpPB1gPVmLks27LP5P9RxnFBQIVuifLwmNQzJmnNBWaCFDjcqxKSnIpH3zylTIzCY/s320/48844f82527ca93692372803c256cfaa.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij5zymkKhet7HTAg0hGgCoh8DsIHhbVUXVgrYOIssuFZF6nL0wU8YgX4dkho_JCWCt0_Dpk82zqPVzfMHwSVGkl0vSzXhFtnntX4PvRKZqGhOq5kdJ4AO77aZof71rpVwAMJU0hLCmUIr0i9jWT3aLqZ947s5fbXbcTetDe_DFW-UOnMbqL4qiXne1X-w/s4032/IMG_5739.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij5zymkKhet7HTAg0hGgCoh8DsIHhbVUXVgrYOIssuFZF6nL0wU8YgX4dkho_JCWCt0_Dpk82zqPVzfMHwSVGkl0vSzXhFtnntX4PvRKZqGhOq5kdJ4AO77aZof71rpVwAMJU0hLCmUIr0i9jWT3aLqZ947s5fbXbcTetDe_DFW-UOnMbqL4qiXne1X-w/s320/IMG_5739.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Yes, you're not mistaken. The wait time to be seated for that one restaurant (Rishiri Ramen Miraku 利尻らーめん味楽) is <i>three hours</i>!:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlzBD_p2wvgd98naIaHfXO5eNHTzWhxD89CPbQctRr6Me-ruMdBePpFOU7QNs6fqPCGItIf9_MNUVTL9y3UdyPmmPkkoA1yj7ows2RW57BsC4lSTQ4G_hwfMuqbQkugl_0L2VP_QCQ6kbGMSQv8Xv1LaNO09jt3b7pn2r2v8XprmsOIivlSYFgJWCcako/s3648/IMG_5741.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2349" data-original-width="3648" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlzBD_p2wvgd98naIaHfXO5eNHTzWhxD89CPbQctRr6Me-ruMdBePpFOU7QNs6fqPCGItIf9_MNUVTL9y3UdyPmmPkkoA1yj7ows2RW57BsC4lSTQ4G_hwfMuqbQkugl_0L2VP_QCQ6kbGMSQv8Xv1LaNO09jt3b7pn2r2v8XprmsOIivlSYFgJWCcako/s320/IMG_5741.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAgroIR-Gxv8Zj2QX_SF1nNfmYGQKg7o0xy_cifTb5kCRM4yRYyMcI79YDq8xUP9yyhi7r6Wyg3azHSFKRh-VjW1FJCqqyv8nNHfs1JvyYZv-LaEasu_ADz1GPIUi78dYaPIOBSiuMWc6dXtn0_tRJVBxvrJCa17cdC0mWudqrltGolioRfwi-9EB8mLU/s3301/IMG_5742.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2161" data-original-width="3301" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAgroIR-Gxv8Zj2QX_SF1nNfmYGQKg7o0xy_cifTb5kCRM4yRYyMcI79YDq8xUP9yyhi7r6Wyg3azHSFKRh-VjW1FJCqqyv8nNHfs1JvyYZv-LaEasu_ADz1GPIUi78dYaPIOBSiuMWc6dXtn0_tRJVBxvrJCa17cdC0mWudqrltGolioRfwi-9EB8mLU/s320/IMG_5742.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWI3KJenxyWWygQrhFVj_ZCtif181Zu71d0BRaFLjclTO_ZlEbNEcckU9yMa9kvRkhmD5qClyEkBkaXHWu-RR77sscieB7cgkyN3UhZip71pYmJ8yHLdBdO79_2uxHKPKdvosgi5qCeYpRQ_Rkv6WZXLRbyV4CWdt7y7GdcDwalBoiIeWVltQSYvaqwJw/s4032/IMG_5743.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWI3KJenxyWWygQrhFVj_ZCtif181Zu71d0BRaFLjclTO_ZlEbNEcckU9yMa9kvRkhmD5qClyEkBkaXHWu-RR77sscieB7cgkyN3UhZip71pYmJ8yHLdBdO79_2uxHKPKdvosgi5qCeYpRQ_Rkv6WZXLRbyV4CWdt7y7GdcDwalBoiIeWVltQSYvaqwJw/s320/IMG_5743.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Momofuku_Ando" target="_blank">Momofuku Andō</a> 安藤百福, the inventor of Instant Ramen. Was he Japanese or Taiwanese? Do we care? Apparently a lot of people in both countries do, enough to debate it (for the record, my wife considers him a traitor to the ROC!):</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh3b1OkhydSqjM2hIzjje2yN78DPAdVQZHs2jZNJjMr_z18vQGns-cBvYAVhBuz0-lrxZEPGVYf4Oi0bf1oPKRhA0WA_Erz0rtaRKR2sOngexRdr0ZSatWhs2bqk-a2SUQ-CdYzFU_-1qzSlLxYEKphy61GqOYTZifbxGEiC-vH6miKH7l0ZUxYC3zIvE/s3431/IMG_5744.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3431" data-original-width="2162" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh3b1OkhydSqjM2hIzjje2yN78DPAdVQZHs2jZNJjMr_z18vQGns-cBvYAVhBuz0-lrxZEPGVYf4Oi0bf1oPKRhA0WA_Erz0rtaRKR2sOngexRdr0ZSatWhs2bqk-a2SUQ-CdYzFU_-1qzSlLxYEKphy61GqOYTZifbxGEiC-vH6miKH7l0ZUxYC3zIvE/s320/IMG_5744.jpg" width="202" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxZsk6AVde-nlIGYQfee3s1qiouQ4CII_2kLZjp0-ImCZHGOY7MZbxfzTk05V4PGqNCYn4FgQHk7qvLxNW4yg' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div><br /></div>Going to the museum was my idea. For the rest of the day it was up to the girls to decide what to do. So Shu-E did some research on her phone and came up with the suggestion to visit the <a href="https://en.japantravel.com/kanagawa/iseyama-kotai-shrine/13818" target="_blank">Iseyama Kōtaijingū</a> Shintō shrine 伊勢山皇大神宮, located in the hilly area behind the <a href="https://www.yokohama-landmark.jp/" target="_blank">Yokohama Landmark Tower</a> 横浜ランドマークタワー:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinnKotOMifRrf9V4p8jyPWg9yrPkchRtKr5BdVHw06Wr5QsRtcELoT0Y7vU6ii_cmTPISrPzuodxeKEM2cRSrVpmshpuG1JYPU3JmbiyfdK-9ska2vUCI0xg_ZzYecIEYb1rX76xwIsO-vA7QUskaVU3QlwMPP9EuQvQQfI-YHseXudAFoyOAMeKECLKE/s4032/IMG_5749.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinnKotOMifRrf9V4p8jyPWg9yrPkchRtKr5BdVHw06Wr5QsRtcELoT0Y7vU6ii_cmTPISrPzuodxeKEM2cRSrVpmshpuG1JYPU3JmbiyfdK-9ska2vUCI0xg_ZzYecIEYb1rX76xwIsO-vA7QUskaVU3QlwMPP9EuQvQQfI-YHseXudAFoyOAMeKECLKE/s320/IMG_5749.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih-pYl3KJQJ5Fv1uWJiSY3xdDSJAgVgVH0GGphA-7gHd14WLyIl-40cCnCUHI3mxHp99bq9MfqatgRpv94pDwhrbkJxHOIRKYuya08NpogFQne8YDWi8TcHPmMb5oItoha2ouRSKOPsEQsjK6j6MVxwfzCVE74K_uOiokWSdWF3YiJD1xb_wcMqVADHbw/s4032/IMG_5750.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih-pYl3KJQJ5Fv1uWJiSY3xdDSJAgVgVH0GGphA-7gHd14WLyIl-40cCnCUHI3mxHp99bq9MfqatgRpv94pDwhrbkJxHOIRKYuya08NpogFQne8YDWi8TcHPmMb5oItoha2ouRSKOPsEQsjK6j6MVxwfzCVE74K_uOiokWSdWF3YiJD1xb_wcMqVADHbw/s320/IMG_5750.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhmiAmyvsrLgqfm5VowP94vWdozjt58WSvjJrI-UaRi9FGnZxvVQ3hC5Hu72BiPodEbDVMazz5CqwoI9jpPO6NOJiIx6FYD0gp7QwX6gUBrNO8PdQJp_uVt3U581noPJjjEUxwbOpSM7BEUtl4eaxsINDkNQQYgKgki1pTV9rQLEJV6CkZThFkttJiKOI/s3861/IMG_5752.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2661" data-original-width="3861" height="221" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhmiAmyvsrLgqfm5VowP94vWdozjt58WSvjJrI-UaRi9FGnZxvVQ3hC5Hu72BiPodEbDVMazz5CqwoI9jpPO6NOJiIx6FYD0gp7QwX6gUBrNO8PdQJp_uVt3U581noPJjjEUxwbOpSM7BEUtl4eaxsINDkNQQYgKgki1pTV9rQLEJV6CkZThFkttJiKOI/s320/IMG_5752.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>From the shrine it was a short walk to the <a href="https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3200.html" target="_blank">Minato Mirai 21</a> みなとみらい21 area. To reach where all the action was we rode the completely unnecessary (but comfortable, following a lot of walking around up to that point) <a href="https://yokohama-air-cabin.jp/en/" target="_blank">Yokohama Air Cabin</a>:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh_O_pso8tOyGIVFy3RYnXn6RTr29uFxlF1NiFu5DG0CLKOQ-sxaKWL5pEvgpkNa4Sc1mBZykmEoHOj9yAiDG6lVIeo1PFVg17IxIPcJHzgf-VhAXXq76-yeuWmrcC8qVce-1vqe6QtStWgi7iTSzxzZx8FX98UIlWub9TpFyN1QG2Ss5Hkye1S3k1By4/s3893/IMG_5755.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2919" data-original-width="3893" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh_O_pso8tOyGIVFy3RYnXn6RTr29uFxlF1NiFu5DG0CLKOQ-sxaKWL5pEvgpkNa4Sc1mBZykmEoHOj9yAiDG6lVIeo1PFVg17IxIPcJHzgf-VhAXXq76-yeuWmrcC8qVce-1vqe6QtStWgi7iTSzxzZx8FX98UIlWub9TpFyN1QG2Ss5Hkye1S3k1By4/s320/IMG_5755.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCMHYMkp_nqjlVCavMySncduoZ1a0TNC-mKHm_o8LoC337Hkv2Cx4YJjhi5ffoQ0WkUbuWMOTv-NWOaUOeGv69_qZu951lPsrIONrkvvn1e8c5NJJH372IFRtcnc2HrkaQrVRw2sxDd_sWKbFx-cPCp9e7knwzpyPNIrf0yNc0MCuSbOYgufGia1DVRYM/s4032/IMG_5758.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCMHYMkp_nqjlVCavMySncduoZ1a0TNC-mKHm_o8LoC337Hkv2Cx4YJjhi5ffoQ0WkUbuWMOTv-NWOaUOeGv69_qZu951lPsrIONrkvvn1e8c5NJJH372IFRtcnc2HrkaQrVRw2sxDd_sWKbFx-cPCp9e7knwzpyPNIrf0yNc0MCuSbOYgufGia1DVRYM/s320/IMG_5758.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHchcnAdP8CAREOrCLroCe-FLMaPiD2mb-5SVqvu9TZwRSRXRFPI5oFtYsMslUDFQYI-aONrD1AQelm-DtxaPUHHJ8UbkEcjoiJvhRd1-Yb4XarR_GpSe8dQFRfYblzK1oPCwDQJprwsbhQUj8Yi-1NDGHrmEbDcGl6gfXVCPxVCdanKbThP28wZCZF_o/s1702/450a8aa53b423b12e441985b6ac16ce1.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1276" data-original-width="1702" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHchcnAdP8CAREOrCLroCe-FLMaPiD2mb-5SVqvu9TZwRSRXRFPI5oFtYsMslUDFQYI-aONrD1AQelm-DtxaPUHHJ8UbkEcjoiJvhRd1-Yb4XarR_GpSe8dQFRfYblzK1oPCwDQJprwsbhQUj8Yi-1NDGHrmEbDcGl6gfXVCPxVCdanKbThP28wZCZF_o/s320/450a8aa53b423b12e441985b6ac16ce1.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I visited the Landmark Tower and Minato Mirai 21 sometime in the mid-1990's, but the redevelopment project has grown considerably since then. The girls pose on the roof of the <a href="https://en.aeonmall.global/mall/yokohamaworldporters/" target="_blank">Yokohama World Porters</a> 横浜ワールドポーターズ shopping mall, with the <a href="http://cosmoworld.jp/attraction/wonder/cosmoclock21/" target="_blank">Cosmo Clock 21</a> コスモクロック21 Ferris wheel and the <a href="https://www.ihg.com/intercontinental/hotels/us/en/yokohama/yokha/hoteldetail?cm_mmc=GoogleMaps-_-IC-_-JP-_-YOKHA" target="_blank">InterContinental Grand</a> looming behind them:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLdYu7JKfaNjrE573JOvoUJQb0qpeIn9BbFq9DiISeTPkADeyiBIlMZXPHkPt12IrrhOhBHh8CRfDu4ukTlioCHkKL_LXCG5AhhD30JHDHoVbakn1z3_SSMOyezcIq3h5vpMdHE64FaN8UMydngxvuX4xoh6I0vm9ceXuaFtR6LkeO5UphD5N2nKsSKus/s3974/IMG_5761.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2981" data-original-width="3974" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLdYu7JKfaNjrE573JOvoUJQb0qpeIn9BbFq9DiISeTPkADeyiBIlMZXPHkPt12IrrhOhBHh8CRfDu4ukTlioCHkKL_LXCG5AhhD30JHDHoVbakn1z3_SSMOyezcIq3h5vpMdHE64FaN8UMydngxvuX4xoh6I0vm9ceXuaFtR6LkeO5UphD5N2nKsSKus/s320/IMG_5761.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBUtPu6VlpSJLKuxzL3TSe2qkfm_T9FEKJ2IS88SnJzTVWz_Q4sq7npiqvC0acd0bcPMBqr2Qm9d5DZcYVB4KYsAeT2_K_21QlZwb2b0R7_1OhlA-bexYBRo1hdJbpRbs8oMkhWGUyunSZ-zdlaQ5tJzG1Gh2wtsj0yuwl1vhy1Md9U9hlp4EC_AxqPMo/s4032/IMG_5762.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBUtPu6VlpSJLKuxzL3TSe2qkfm_T9FEKJ2IS88SnJzTVWz_Q4sq7npiqvC0acd0bcPMBqr2Qm9d5DZcYVB4KYsAeT2_K_21QlZwb2b0R7_1OhlA-bexYBRo1hdJbpRbs8oMkhWGUyunSZ-zdlaQ5tJzG1Gh2wtsj0yuwl1vhy1Md9U9hlp4EC_AxqPMo/s320/IMG_5762.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>It was inevitable that we would brave the lines to go for a ride on the Cosmo Clock ourselves:</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioodPnp-Dj146P-eYxcXc0QvEzF3Vacbg0_CUSubV6jzc7jPJvz-m5Tuhs22pfjsmM1KNaL4w2cGnxMrC9vwG1CvZ0lsGJqz5mVcHdZhBlli-4OPkJH52kK82hyphenhyphenoSW78kYSYwZ3mwmSOLDnqIqQUrpWCaqF0Aw8cJaLHFs028SnTwdIDs2tPZ3jUZ018Q/s1702/7582ec3d691da4b13ce6e604b156f781.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1276" data-original-width="1702" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioodPnp-Dj146P-eYxcXc0QvEzF3Vacbg0_CUSubV6jzc7jPJvz-m5Tuhs22pfjsmM1KNaL4w2cGnxMrC9vwG1CvZ0lsGJqz5mVcHdZhBlli-4OPkJH52kK82hyphenhyphenoSW78kYSYwZ3mwmSOLDnqIqQUrpWCaqF0Aw8cJaLHFs028SnTwdIDs2tPZ3jUZ018Q/s320/7582ec3d691da4b13ce6e604b156f781.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>The views from 112.5 meters/369 meters up were worth the 50-minute wait, especially considering we boarded at dusk:</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg320GccqdhD57Uj4C06Z5ncAFtVbq3MwiNJs_3So5fJ8Tkh8zqKVq7s3d30aIvLmz_DLXRwna-C80MurGqfz0v9k_cb5B7Gg-8OdWn7kJHpvn5JaVvVBq1jYhvrCkfyiIwdPm7jVNuEdnYrL5kfl2Q00__ftTlW66354i33yXANgZjIxKpC4DrGruZUQc/s4032/IMG_5764.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg320GccqdhD57Uj4C06Z5ncAFtVbq3MwiNJs_3So5fJ8Tkh8zqKVq7s3d30aIvLmz_DLXRwna-C80MurGqfz0v9k_cb5B7Gg-8OdWn7kJHpvn5JaVvVBq1jYhvrCkfyiIwdPm7jVNuEdnYrL5kfl2Q00__ftTlW66354i33yXANgZjIxKpC4DrGruZUQc/s320/IMG_5764.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEUjdbY0genXywtVzSi832aRHNIUo7xvTV3ibpGu-cneGIRih7jA09zOkBDp5_ka7PpKWqTAL3L5kSCZaQ62Wqq3KkROwP_Fx-ikuBrCfrjPWaGyeex6C0YWBPeCTTRuZgbls53Nvu0nEo_DPcxVZNtRN9eHPL0GDQKL67KqtdA0ZuXbdiUcUQxfGG79k/s4032/IMG_5769.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEUjdbY0genXywtVzSi832aRHNIUo7xvTV3ibpGu-cneGIRih7jA09zOkBDp5_ka7PpKWqTAL3L5kSCZaQ62Wqq3KkROwP_Fx-ikuBrCfrjPWaGyeex6C0YWBPeCTTRuZgbls53Nvu0nEo_DPcxVZNtRN9eHPL0GDQKL67KqtdA0ZuXbdiUcUQxfGG79k/s320/IMG_5769.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzspauA6lKf6PGEGjFNHde1-XvzUx3d99WxHPKzj-rY2_p-I-riVm5x6_M8XxpLpx9BpMU0xnu-uwHR26qocnOl-EYUeNevxgyisA6xwuZGx3Rqfsqgbae-jbFOVjCceEIs_xYGclodjrgKj95rl3sJBspGhyphenhyphenfqU3PeoUvim0G_nQ3m9e4WIaDb1Px4Qw/s3939/IMG_5771.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2954" data-original-width="3939" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzspauA6lKf6PGEGjFNHde1-XvzUx3d99WxHPKzj-rY2_p-I-riVm5x6_M8XxpLpx9BpMU0xnu-uwHR26qocnOl-EYUeNevxgyisA6xwuZGx3Rqfsqgbae-jbFOVjCceEIs_xYGclodjrgKj95rl3sJBspGhyphenhyphenfqU3PeoUvim0G_nQ3m9e4WIaDb1Px4Qw/s320/IMG_5771.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX_uX2jj5vldAH9PtzdwKBgiT39ddZ5tf77t2I7UpJmFhHpeJBqE587U0be7RVN4gSKQGmZssBQkM1O1WA6WR8DVXk01p9l0a4ODPKTh4d7UK_T4w_Ix57hfCZf_y4La5vmKBml5EuObxzobom4z1FJCYP09MwJPDXIWC57Z3pNJv6VSqzdVIuk6_x-Hs/s4032/IMG_5772.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX_uX2jj5vldAH9PtzdwKBgiT39ddZ5tf77t2I7UpJmFhHpeJBqE587U0be7RVN4gSKQGmZssBQkM1O1WA6WR8DVXk01p9l0a4ODPKTh4d7UK_T4w_Ix57hfCZf_y4La5vmKBml5EuObxzobom4z1FJCYP09MwJPDXIWC57Z3pNJv6VSqzdVIuk6_x-Hs/s320/IMG_5772.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwPEheOSXDsMuVyDQ3X99epXIGhyBclKgphX5eKnyPAWQvUbFbXU-GnZxiyBoofApVS6oy9k-cIg-28OjA_Az6rYMjCd3tsYAAMSNeMIS9iR_oq0x2WqDG7JD4dwKb-fBAGG20Z3cbTCiN6gtZLRHaKxa03S0Hsmwuts7NRmC9k3l3YR2rZygAV9RITX4/s4032/IMG_5773.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2751" data-original-width="4032" height="218" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwPEheOSXDsMuVyDQ3X99epXIGhyBclKgphX5eKnyPAWQvUbFbXU-GnZxiyBoofApVS6oy9k-cIg-28OjA_Az6rYMjCd3tsYAAMSNeMIS9iR_oq0x2WqDG7JD4dwKb-fBAGG20Z3cbTCiN6gtZLRHaKxa03S0Hsmwuts7NRmC9k3l3YR2rZygAV9RITX4/s320/IMG_5773.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>If you look closely, you can see that the roller coaster tracks disappear into a hole in the ground:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio1IYawBGVSh36cvo2Bz4wjx4dN4kLZmsn5SMA65kb9TI7wShytx0ys9Sc0iPXxCUyxO1lb4O10Adtp1oMRplYPeWCfMKKPiL0r6SZd8d2sr3Uekj19kOch-sIl8UpGVyow4fSRliAN3koUPFNRwOdyEClVEe_IetyUs0F6FUInBlwc-GXw-JILNgELdc/s4032/IMG_5775.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio1IYawBGVSh36cvo2Bz4wjx4dN4kLZmsn5SMA65kb9TI7wShytx0ys9Sc0iPXxCUyxO1lb4O10Adtp1oMRplYPeWCfMKKPiL0r6SZd8d2sr3Uekj19kOch-sIl8UpGVyow4fSRliAN3koUPFNRwOdyEClVEe_IetyUs0F6FUInBlwc-GXw-JILNgELdc/s320/IMG_5775.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Back on terra firma a lot of time and money went into an unsuccessful attempt to get one of these figurines:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMm4rP0pI92w0sSJcRLnhLLO_u9iQABDuXF2RsSGXnyftk-n3fjtlwcZkRtUqgGgLWWGOf9Fa4wdgxkTusc2gwSsbjeZ7WTrmjSv5Q7bjMOLUNEMxXHJf2bLL21BR91BdYoedqu5f7bQLzdv8Uz5T-6SYAJtk-emm7Z_UxhlOGJtZZEfm_tughCwcz4DE/s3558/IMG_5776.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3558" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMm4rP0pI92w0sSJcRLnhLLO_u9iQABDuXF2RsSGXnyftk-n3fjtlwcZkRtUqgGgLWWGOf9Fa4wdgxkTusc2gwSsbjeZ7WTrmjSv5Q7bjMOLUNEMxXHJf2bLL21BR91BdYoedqu5f7bQLzdv8Uz5T-6SYAJtk-emm7Z_UxhlOGJtZZEfm_tughCwcz4DE/s320/IMG_5776.jpg" width="272" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Dinner in the World Porters mall:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDklgf4A7-1xMnwARKI1a_2x_k9p2x-mya5qq89OkBravOVOTfcVDZal46lM03qgShnV-9hfPz1aE9s1T82kE4YiIaDY3HZ7fXrPZop7WQuDh-7LoMWRh50NG2xzF756Wnij5hZgzP2D9_dZUpVhZHGSHiXB4j4_9LKNDPsKDnY4_tJr6ukfx9JVp8fnY/s4032/IMG_5780.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDklgf4A7-1xMnwARKI1a_2x_k9p2x-mya5qq89OkBravOVOTfcVDZal46lM03qgShnV-9hfPz1aE9s1T82kE4YiIaDY3HZ7fXrPZop7WQuDh-7LoMWRh50NG2xzF756Wnij5hZgzP2D9_dZUpVhZHGSHiXB4j4_9LKNDPsKDnY4_tJr6ukfx9JVp8fnY/s320/IMG_5780.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn02tkHn6FBu3QECsfttxODTYzCxmwWhFJS4ExzurqMsXsXwlMKxvxKMp5t_2xj-nvkuF0OhBPhEkfuPSvevXqqioBgqVngeVxpIn7PjcBWEDBIVUfbbYAboHc1ZmK7SrK0-WggT9C57vo9j9chvvlLuUdN2iD1TfrttEQ2QHYmG6k9aKTX_EHICqsdlY/s3331/IMG_5781.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2915" data-original-width="3331" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn02tkHn6FBu3QECsfttxODTYzCxmwWhFJS4ExzurqMsXsXwlMKxvxKMp5t_2xj-nvkuF0OhBPhEkfuPSvevXqqioBgqVngeVxpIn7PjcBWEDBIVUfbbYAboHc1ZmK7SrK0-WggT9C57vo9j9chvvlLuUdN2iD1TfrttEQ2QHYmG6k9aKTX_EHICqsdlY/s320/IMG_5781.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Back on the roof after dinner to watch a brief fireworks display:</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/T4j7BhcxLW4" width="320" youtube-src-id="T4j7BhcxLW4"></iframe></div><div><br /></div><div>For some reason there is a plethora of <a href="https://www.stripes.com/living/find-a-little-honolulu-in-the-heart-of-yokohama-1.456716" target="_blank">Hawaiian-themed shops</a> in the Minato Mirai 21 area, like this place selling <a href="https://keepingitrelle.com/easy-hawaiian-style-malasadas-recipe/" target="_blank">malasadas</a>:</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM4yg-wWqmYX6jbdVyqByqPbaclMlXyV35uqM6tWsn_EYuA5ZMSYn0M1ngn6b73HNLnjFvVfrow5_bRUlPPFVCsA_FbKZ61Ust2UIjBo-GHemSZQvs3fma-ysvhotyS_DoH4D4WAgwhZZxYYNAIN8V0AeR10ZsFr8Ih9dPvYwsn1G5Dg1VsQcfOZYRaiU/s3821/IMG_5786.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2866" data-original-width="3821" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM4yg-wWqmYX6jbdVyqByqPbaclMlXyV35uqM6tWsn_EYuA5ZMSYn0M1ngn6b73HNLnjFvVfrow5_bRUlPPFVCsA_FbKZ61Ust2UIjBo-GHemSZQvs3fma-ysvhotyS_DoH4D4WAgwhZZxYYNAIN8V0AeR10ZsFr8Ih9dPvYwsn1G5Dg1VsQcfOZYRaiU/s320/IMG_5786.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Meanwhile, this establishment apparently has the blessing of former president Barack Obama, who was born in Honolulu:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjosMydqJs4SeTzsbFvD-2PhOuXQzHL5uG3vX85Hny1vGaXIBg23IHW1RheGqf0eNK0g7nkMm5uTPlyAfboDvrf0sb-hoA23xeA4Kr9S6i6Op2v4lS4yJVCqXr4RO_8yM7PZrQpLafswUORo3x8QCwPoRbDze-tM92CTPisdwiCQfZC5ABvAQ9SG1qHJVU/s4032/IMG_5787.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjosMydqJs4SeTzsbFvD-2PhOuXQzHL5uG3vX85Hny1vGaXIBg23IHW1RheGqf0eNK0g7nkMm5uTPlyAfboDvrf0sb-hoA23xeA4Kr9S6i6Op2v4lS4yJVCqXr4RO_8yM7PZrQpLafswUORo3x8QCwPoRbDze-tM92CTPisdwiCQfZC5ABvAQ9SG1qHJVU/s320/IMG_5787.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>On our way back to our hotel, we passed by the <a href="https://www.yokohamajapan.com/things-to-do/detail.php?bbid=184" target="_blank">Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse</a> 横浜赤レンガ倉庫, a pair of former customs houses converted into a restaurant/retail complex. For some reason my iPhone 8 camera made the buildings look somewhat derelict and forlorn, which couldn't be further from reality, though most of the businesses within were closed for the day by the time we came along:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNZWfeU5WaAJb-16nHL7w6bEjZxsl0cQTtBCeKOcFxajzV1U_uKCtFOZwpUTHbmFVE4RNH5VJSTeXEemZehKjSctVvPeMqAJ2HSTkAAo6QO_Nnuf-bG3gSJXzIXSCR0l9qUIUuMZnrJWpJGMQ7aNrF1qbOSm7c8q51kBGeeXpVI7b5HhCfsfidHQheURU/s4032/IMG_5788.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNZWfeU5WaAJb-16nHL7w6bEjZxsl0cQTtBCeKOcFxajzV1U_uKCtFOZwpUTHbmFVE4RNH5VJSTeXEemZehKjSctVvPeMqAJ2HSTkAAo6QO_Nnuf-bG3gSJXzIXSCR0l9qUIUuMZnrJWpJGMQ7aNrF1qbOSm7c8q51kBGeeXpVI7b5HhCfsfidHQheURU/s320/IMG_5788.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhew7J4Ke395yzfvyxgSUd5AUPgfKbQa2Twz5ks6JbPe2Hhfou_-9Vx3vZREcN1b-dRXHoIGmH6YWHWt5oQzYg6cW5kUe_ZsBN8dStqxVCFY1JuuNBUKSY71QQaLn2boAiod40Ntxz-vmUykwKssMXwODDxeQ4Zz2PGAe2seHEF4mWu6JoO5gbzH7CML28/s4032/IMG_5790.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2126" data-original-width="4032" height="169" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhew7J4Ke395yzfvyxgSUd5AUPgfKbQa2Twz5ks6JbPe2Hhfou_-9Vx3vZREcN1b-dRXHoIGmH6YWHWt5oQzYg6cW5kUe_ZsBN8dStqxVCFY1JuuNBUKSY71QQaLn2boAiod40Ntxz-vmUykwKssMXwODDxeQ4Zz2PGAe2seHEF4mWu6JoO5gbzH7CML28/s320/IMG_5790.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPNL3Up7Ab1zjq_T6uIPAP748hCtZnmx_FyZF4GC6J7SMcmJPuEMJeGOpzBDXo2vxsiXLeiOJCEDKXyI3RQy7lrNfJdnIOFvXGPi2FJ1dwM9kkV9Nft31nSug8cFgOpQA8Ggn_Boz7wIBgJM3SsngWNBEPS7JGMfBinsUj5D0GTUz7zDpejtME2dKAYs4/s4032/IMG_5791.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1979" data-original-width="4032" height="157" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPNL3Up7Ab1zjq_T6uIPAP748hCtZnmx_FyZF4GC6J7SMcmJPuEMJeGOpzBDXo2vxsiXLeiOJCEDKXyI3RQy7lrNfJdnIOFvXGPi2FJ1dwM9kkV9Nft31nSug8cFgOpQA8Ggn_Boz7wIBgJM3SsngWNBEPS7JGMfBinsUj5D0GTUz7zDpejtME2dKAYs4/s320/IMG_5791.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbYH8VUjYZy4zusMXued_FjZPE1EGRTQy6joAStpo-Pwi1wOwtZwvP7M-e-C-tKE35Ww7b6bZReLTVeyTu9Y4OVvUIEIH53rVfQcYE6xQEKNezrjiMU_-swp9XDNTjaMgp8fCg3NUDCGORAhKHO5BDu_Kd5h3xtDqMYoUMrh2_bWCvbPVt8LybpDzVBb4/s3937/IMG_5793.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2057" data-original-width="3937" height="167" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbYH8VUjYZy4zusMXued_FjZPE1EGRTQy6joAStpo-Pwi1wOwtZwvP7M-e-C-tKE35Ww7b6bZReLTVeyTu9Y4OVvUIEIH53rVfQcYE6xQEKNezrjiMU_-swp9XDNTjaMgp8fCg3NUDCGORAhKHO5BDu_Kd5h3xtDqMYoUMrh2_bWCvbPVt8LybpDzVBb4/s320/IMG_5793.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Enjoying a locally-brewed nightcap back in our hotel room:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb1-IsEDo6jdtNMycQIkodyjKw8TnGjZztHiF_aGYJrpf1MojACObFc_jbvcsZdImpfB72VkCMX30BEzKckgh7Y7lBVMODu254c9GfxvPZjTDv0rLwxL2I0ASnROgyIweF3R3gSfYJEaF8LEbhx68HejDPthxUDjeLiYWCD5iH4smeMl4Sg-gsaGRfmMQ/s3971/IMG_5794.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3971" data-original-width="2978" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb1-IsEDo6jdtNMycQIkodyjKw8TnGjZztHiF_aGYJrpf1MojACObFc_jbvcsZdImpfB72VkCMX30BEzKckgh7Y7lBVMODu254c9GfxvPZjTDv0rLwxL2I0ASnROgyIweF3R3gSfYJEaF8LEbhx68HejDPthxUDjeLiYWCD5iH4smeMl4Sg-gsaGRfmMQ/s320/IMG_5794.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>For breakfast on Sunday morning, we enjoyed a Japanese-style spread at the Tankuma たん熊 restaurant, located in the older building (our room was in the adjoining, more modern annex):</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiabtGSHziQU3VyXJEbRVtS46HN3tS2Y7OrgHa4tQ-fwU_paj8vog-cOSGiBOPXEe2aYU5vtcvMfsniVJ1vfVMVJ1Epryluk3uYLoz2w9ils7PZM4y8fHtBHCrVhCNr8Uk_BuKdWUTlqO6WiHq5o1rHKR-iforNSElMKcL32WlWl_jXkWXE9eLmcawlT6M/s3562/IMG_5814.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3562" data-original-width="2954" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiabtGSHziQU3VyXJEbRVtS46HN3tS2Y7OrgHa4tQ-fwU_paj8vog-cOSGiBOPXEe2aYU5vtcvMfsniVJ1vfVMVJ1Epryluk3uYLoz2w9ils7PZM4y8fHtBHCrVhCNr8Uk_BuKdWUTlqO6WiHq5o1rHKR-iforNSElMKcL32WlWl_jXkWXE9eLmcawlT6M/s320/IMG_5814.jpg" width="265" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglGrNI7TxJFsU6fXbNwAm748bCesndk76x_7QnJrq7JOvWxbph94KFBT53X0E_Kq0tyh5PIx0aVO-upOFtcDG99oCTGcjD-SvtQgicjM0umohLIxYHpBTiUytUrq5IP76pKSqfukjkDupFoPlwQZ_JkDj1GKVqdqqX26ivSvDGklAOFuq7bP_bMHT4PGA/s4032/IMG_5816.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglGrNI7TxJFsU6fXbNwAm748bCesndk76x_7QnJrq7JOvWxbph94KFBT53X0E_Kq0tyh5PIx0aVO-upOFtcDG99oCTGcjD-SvtQgicjM0umohLIxYHpBTiUytUrq5IP76pKSqfukjkDupFoPlwQZ_JkDj1GKVqdqqX26ivSvDGklAOFuq7bP_bMHT4PGA/s320/IMG_5816.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPj-3UloG2ofCywhsOo5smBy67Jr4fHRPpvaIv1wAHN36MAiiuretLLB44UAepeAHmI7Lepy28FXVFRqMN9csiKpOtfSIlRACA9xqPSYJ5D0xf0fsagHpqJbf4QhK3kGWfbTcJ5zK_QzJMhleHk6iju0niaPBbj8QyUSJHLN8N21e8AI3lA4LAqoZtN18/s4032/IMG_5818.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPj-3UloG2ofCywhsOo5smBy67Jr4fHRPpvaIv1wAHN36MAiiuretLLB44UAepeAHmI7Lepy28FXVFRqMN9csiKpOtfSIlRACA9xqPSYJ5D0xf0fsagHpqJbf4QhK3kGWfbTcJ5zK_QzJMhleHk6iju0niaPBbj8QyUSJHLN8N21e8AI3lA4LAqoZtN18/s320/IMG_5818.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>As we were finishing up the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MS_Asuka_II" target="_blank">MS <i>Asuka II</i></a> 飛鳥II was pulling into port:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzHapRbJpHz5PFzSZmwOkocvA1axSyDkpJq1uW7r-gBmUgT0fsvjCwC9vy-T0qqvIaOB1SH5m_exz6c7xg6yPJyTgDntqBjta64YFm85u-9tIdBvVnaMmTxV18EnBE7BlF56FVc8hDZ0wMdqwK88dMpIC8KLkyMwT_omxl82UTbdYyAsiuM05cq0N29R4/s3618/IMG_5819.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1865" data-original-width="3618" height="165" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzHapRbJpHz5PFzSZmwOkocvA1axSyDkpJq1uW7r-gBmUgT0fsvjCwC9vy-T0qqvIaOB1SH5m_exz6c7xg6yPJyTgDntqBjta64YFm85u-9tIdBvVnaMmTxV18EnBE7BlF56FVc8hDZ0wMdqwK88dMpIC8KLkyMwT_omxl82UTbdYyAsiuM05cq0N29R4/s320/IMG_5819.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yokohama_Bay_Bridge" target="_blank">Yokohama Bay Bridge</a> 横浜ベイブリッジ. Viewing the bridge from Yamashita Park became a popular "date spot" デートスポット after it was completed in 1989:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9_OGtXSJ5davq2LH1dhEhd5bkgSRfVGDlODSCJyeYdwxQZfPjvG4T17B-GiOBYKdK_8TELPnoOQCGOyjCa7MCS6J8r3nUTmhwG_KlTaR5Cj8NTZgW2uiwSEb8GPzRVjEgofYbubmo9xmCb2HWQ9h_2qFZOFjUAOXgonFBhK9EOLwUTcwFhml96kIq2Iw/s4032/IMG_5820.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1828" data-original-width="4032" height="145" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9_OGtXSJ5davq2LH1dhEhd5bkgSRfVGDlODSCJyeYdwxQZfPjvG4T17B-GiOBYKdK_8TELPnoOQCGOyjCa7MCS6J8r3nUTmhwG_KlTaR5Cj8NTZgW2uiwSEb8GPzRVjEgofYbubmo9xmCb2HWQ9h_2qFZOFjUAOXgonFBhK9EOLwUTcwFhml96kIq2Iw/s320/IMG_5820.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The massive ship was being guided into its berth at the <a href="https://www.yokohamajapan.com/cruise/terminal/osanbashi/" target="_blank">Yokohama International Passenger Terminal</a> 横浜港大さん橋国際客船ターミナル as we returned to our room following breakfast:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsc8BNxXjS4rexvMThMFR1pp6vqCcBuYjSTpSnGDGLrHn4x13WPMYmtWbMsyenu6uUf-rTddSBLqCoKubAmw5FROsKTGGjLtadp0tOMnlQQ45HLRdrHoDscsUzCNla0b132K0jMDi2KEeB2HzGtqVbSlLPERL2ygZjMNdZg7BH6HVoYZL34Aj6DBUibYI/s4032/IMG_5823.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2864" data-original-width="4032" height="227" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsc8BNxXjS4rexvMThMFR1pp6vqCcBuYjSTpSnGDGLrHn4x13WPMYmtWbMsyenu6uUf-rTddSBLqCoKubAmw5FROsKTGGjLtadp0tOMnlQQ45HLRdrHoDscsUzCNla0b132K0jMDi2KEeB2HzGtqVbSlLPERL2ygZjMNdZg7BH6HVoYZL34Aj6DBUibYI/s320/IMG_5823.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The best shot I could get of the Hotel New Grand. The main building on the left dates from 1927, while our room was in the newer annex on the right:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3lclI5uN88Bb1-GTy7UUwm1zG1F9ZJRpYr9Vs4wk1UkmBpg2OfuLpzFqgVc-jy2FmN7lcV6zKOdgCzVhXi_ey7h_bIMRryZKtQjTxxFwPCom0QTxbte4FY2esAEF5l9hcKRi-jImEkPSmBXEZHpmm1QoptFDMacqPkFpNCPtxFrTU3miRiOO65nSsCbI/s4032/IMG_5824.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3lclI5uN88Bb1-GTy7UUwm1zG1F9ZJRpYr9Vs4wk1UkmBpg2OfuLpzFqgVc-jy2FmN7lcV6zKOdgCzVhXi_ey7h_bIMRryZKtQjTxxFwPCom0QTxbte4FY2esAEF5l9hcKRi-jImEkPSmBXEZHpmm1QoptFDMacqPkFpNCPtxFrTU3miRiOO65nSsCbI/s320/IMG_5824.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Following checkout, and with bags being pulled behind us, we returned to the Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse, passing by the 1928 <a href="https://www.yokohamajapan.com/things-to-do/detail.php?bbid=186" target="_blank">Kanagawa Prefectural Government Office</a> 神奈川県庁:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbEFm6odYjj5_fmuwGXm3H3qsQydLNtMAmxsZQ0v2HbN80aQATMhpnNpQtheq97gugZgU7zQNcK-AdOOqplFiuQXnUOqgBujReEnpAIQCaJqyfg61iZkpnid8AQYtDbionASARA89OVMja4VebWhPe7ht_GEnlUvWj40rQpoZF_G-Cic6UubdSlYJabRo/s4032/IMG_5825.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbEFm6odYjj5_fmuwGXm3H3qsQydLNtMAmxsZQ0v2HbN80aQATMhpnNpQtheq97gugZgU7zQNcK-AdOOqplFiuQXnUOqgBujReEnpAIQCaJqyfg61iZkpnid8AQYtDbionASARA89OVMja4VebWhPe7ht_GEnlUvWj40rQpoZF_G-Cic6UubdSlYJabRo/s320/IMG_5825.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The warehouse buildings looked more inviting in the morning light:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiedhxZYQA0nCYoBBXk5GxncHLvW0YyLxSDEW4uNRZU9OHlwBNlEnzkOp5RLPRdIMBOb7VX3-8V4q7RlCGCiKcJoupx_LjZ8908wOi6_Ca9ebaUOnr3TV3q9ZqCl4H__O9FHMG1xK-8kMD9IuLZfo_7ulZTVncFz-56bOBw851hgF1EskTuVt9HvVkZh1M/s4032/IMG_5828.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiedhxZYQA0nCYoBBXk5GxncHLvW0YyLxSDEW4uNRZU9OHlwBNlEnzkOp5RLPRdIMBOb7VX3-8V4q7RlCGCiKcJoupx_LjZ8908wOi6_Ca9ebaUOnr3TV3q9ZqCl4H__O9FHMG1xK-8kMD9IuLZfo_7ulZTVncFz-56bOBw851hgF1EskTuVt9HvVkZh1M/s320/IMG_5828.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Waiting for the complex to open at 1100 hours:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijHNBi7QZ55o74Urz7U907p2A4-DD8w7Pc1O9e6tFv8ExsX_eS7DNsnsakZTRCwyElHKo97ZvAVsPjEVjjCYFkhXH3YQGyRPinILBhfd3fC7lS-QTFeHMXryJws8QjduMNrpWbECqoExAXGPL1WEHL0oOPL_b8UROztkJdiS3dPHBt5wU2K08A2SH62Xc/s4032/IMG_5829.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijHNBi7QZ55o74Urz7U907p2A4-DD8w7Pc1O9e6tFv8ExsX_eS7DNsnsakZTRCwyElHKo97ZvAVsPjEVjjCYFkhXH3YQGyRPinILBhfd3fC7lS-QTFeHMXryJws8QjduMNrpWbECqoExAXGPL1WEHL0oOPL_b8UROztkJdiS3dPHBt5wU2K08A2SH62Xc/s320/IMG_5829.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The girls spent almost an hour browsing, with Shu-E eventually buying some skin creams:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMYmOGwyjijND5UGnYdmatsQuPD4b7NViG-oa_-yq4hJlLb2P7qbohZobU5_K_Hb-srB8akxQvRIQGYqINn61RsAEE2rK1MJcQbV7Fz93CwtM4w9vx5CW0o2A_4csJ6LLCfttRrxG7rOAVNbnpwJGiqlnkzD6KbcpRBkt3qOwL5vu7vNV59uxXHE1BbyQ/s4032/IMG_5830.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMYmOGwyjijND5UGnYdmatsQuPD4b7NViG-oa_-yq4hJlLb2P7qbohZobU5_K_Hb-srB8akxQvRIQGYqINn61RsAEE2rK1MJcQbV7Fz93CwtM4w9vx5CW0o2A_4csJ6LLCfttRrxG7rOAVNbnpwJGiqlnkzD6KbcpRBkt3qOwL5vu7vNV59uxXHE1BbyQ/s320/IMG_5830.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>With a long train ride ahead of us, it was time to leave Minato Mirai 21:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLFPW63Jq5K26sU_XNh4pbaxqXqi4TiCZq96o9Y131MpCJd5vrd-kbNStq_5ITqDVIwr_kJbk-NO-_gnRIymZTxIZUilbwEyUX91LcCL__QoUXsIrLlGgBWX30-yufbObP2bv_flFVOvPeN3mztecH6LsxaFpQv3JJ6RT-fOkHLV0iYwkgtlL_6JFqJmw/s4032/IMG_5831.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2652" data-original-width="4032" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLFPW63Jq5K26sU_XNh4pbaxqXqi4TiCZq96o9Y131MpCJd5vrd-kbNStq_5ITqDVIwr_kJbk-NO-_gnRIymZTxIZUilbwEyUX91LcCL__QoUXsIrLlGgBWX30-yufbObP2bv_flFVOvPeN3mztecH6LsxaFpQv3JJ6RT-fOkHLV0iYwkgtlL_6JFqJmw/s320/IMG_5831.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Passing by the <a href="https://www.yokohamajapan.com/things-to-do/detail.php?bbid=187" target="_blank">Port Opening Memorial Hall</a> 横浜市開港記念館, a 1917 landmark red-brick building featuring a 118-foot (36-meter) clocktower:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCc-D7p_zDzQSkDTgy3BLWlnY7lpbZ7VsT5BBZNJjPIKNGCm4E2JF4UNqEpzkJNeWkkfRx1k61XaIWO0x0xXUY4AQpFO-NaCEUmsUc1-1q_n0Rb01Y8XgzgkjTMPKEtDni4pdBErTDEUmD9tOSVRmC6DP40uCB7qj8eNKKWFmHv7-gR4CkWkmKhjb1hr0/s4032/IMG_5833.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCc-D7p_zDzQSkDTgy3BLWlnY7lpbZ7VsT5BBZNJjPIKNGCm4E2JF4UNqEpzkJNeWkkfRx1k61XaIWO0x0xXUY4AQpFO-NaCEUmsUc1-1q_n0Rb01Y8XgzgkjTMPKEtDni4pdBErTDEUmD9tOSVRmC6DP40uCB7qj8eNKKWFmHv7-gR4CkWkmKhjb1hr0/s320/IMG_5833.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>We boarded a train on the Minatomirai Line みなとみらい線 at Nihon-ōdōri Station 日本大通り駅. The train terminated at Kikuna Station 菊名駅, whereupon we exited the building to have lunch at a nearby <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jonathan%27s" target="_blank">family restaurant</a>:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFefuWziPHWsVkdS_CC6dGktJ8ZwPRPEaO61DYSiGB5aatYwqClwEzlQ66P6VDhyphenhyphenZHI9QSwCRVpMjbxoCt-widG-s1SUClNgRH-XW6TfiCrf2eYmmSO7Mtb-D9U_jTovIyashggHQIqWpIpc75wkDWsLTjnhRLSpYuEhGYxAMNCGskrjPFS6oKPFVBQgs/s4032/IMG_5834.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFefuWziPHWsVkdS_CC6dGktJ8ZwPRPEaO61DYSiGB5aatYwqClwEzlQ66P6VDhyphenhyphenZHI9QSwCRVpMjbxoCt-widG-s1SUClNgRH-XW6TfiCrf2eYmmSO7Mtb-D9U_jTovIyashggHQIqWpIpc75wkDWsLTjnhRLSpYuEhGYxAMNCGskrjPFS6oKPFVBQgs/s320/IMG_5834.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitXX1JRQ29PD0snBPmofLQ_6ubMkYw58pddJLYyB0fLthrE-UkyDZLaGcsk9LRrIIkqHBSj6c6wc85dfhc2Fg2hCy9pq7zLouHK9ByXMG2m52Pp7pcu-qEgEzUcjlBrFDSinM9NxSqMRYXB7Pw8LeYVbRSQ1PAkRJCYza2Ac1YRtMpTabfF8-KLkE3tV0/s3732/IMG_5835.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3732" data-original-width="2452" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitXX1JRQ29PD0snBPmofLQ_6ubMkYw58pddJLYyB0fLthrE-UkyDZLaGcsk9LRrIIkqHBSj6c6wc85dfhc2Fg2hCy9pq7zLouHK9ByXMG2m52Pp7pcu-qEgEzUcjlBrFDSinM9NxSqMRYXB7Pw8LeYVbRSQ1PAkRJCYza2Ac1YRtMpTabfF8-KLkE3tV0/s320/IMG_5835.jpg" width="210" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Waiting for our Yokohama Line 横浜線 train to take us to Hachiōji 八王子 and places beyond. The Jonathan's on the left is where we had lunch:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP_XO1C8zKs6XhIOxmlabQ7ahv6lpCo3bpFLGmMIcDTgLXVP6KyavKA3Axe0ACGGwNirOPXlv2DjijUaV6e3x_9DnFdMZngD3j2psWxoEaL64NusVr5ierYqwGz-0T3qkLX8ewC6rLAOMgXoS5esQlGBFqogroHO02OdINDuQdG-voUXybMIcd7COGEgY/s3953/IMG_5836.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2788" data-original-width="3953" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP_XO1C8zKs6XhIOxmlabQ7ahv6lpCo3bpFLGmMIcDTgLXVP6KyavKA3Axe0ACGGwNirOPXlv2DjijUaV6e3x_9DnFdMZngD3j2psWxoEaL64NusVr5ierYqwGz-0T3qkLX8ewC6rLAOMgXoS5esQlGBFqogroHO02OdINDuQdG-voUXybMIcd7COGEgY/s320/IMG_5836.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Next up: in search of Fujisan at Lake Kawaguchi. </div><div><br /></div>*<i>Amber and Shu-E had actually seen Fuji-san a couple of times, but not up close. The first time was while in transit at Narita Airport 成田空港, when the silhouette of the mountain could be made out in the distance in the fading gloom of twilight. The second occasion was from a plane as we traveled from Fukuoka 福岡 to Narita on the first leg of a long return trip back to Vilnius, Lithuania.</i> <br /><div><br /></div></div>Kaminogehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07925637671913689331noreply@blogger.com0Minatomirai, Nishi Ward, Yokohama, Kanagawa 220-0012, Japan35.4600798 139.63245777.1498459638211571 104.4762077 63.770313636178848 174.7887077tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2497220891386919340.post-2782107436539245802024-02-04T21:12:00.005+08:002024-02-04T21:19:09.314+08:00Post-Australia, pre-Japan <p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia24OGEA5A0iJ5koPo1VzTEOQxXxm-hirLTqZgpXg6LEO-xzonhPM4NI47nq2gyNcOYnDmDVEcz9QgFwA2-Kvrs6uu8fzlR2jw6LavS901TEJo-ozjdwzA17xhmi1kE3j3S6SyUmrODM8j8uGotAtl3lw0_hE-4tVHWcCH-1LNwbn1kAEXmtpC95ODAqs/s4032/IMG_5447.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2574" data-original-width="4032" height="204" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia24OGEA5A0iJ5koPo1VzTEOQxXxm-hirLTqZgpXg6LEO-xzonhPM4NI47nq2gyNcOYnDmDVEcz9QgFwA2-Kvrs6uu8fzlR2jw6LavS901TEJo-ozjdwzA17xhmi1kE3j3S6SyUmrODM8j8uGotAtl3lw0_hE-4tVHWcCH-1LNwbn1kAEXmtpC95ODAqs/s320/IMG_5447.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><i><div style="text-align: center;"><i>The view from the *66th floor of the Park Hyatt Guangzhou hotel</i> </div></i><p></p><p>If you've been following this blog recently, you will know that we took a 12-day trip to Australia that stretched from Boxing Day to the 7th of January. We've stayed home since returning to Beijing 北京, but that doesn't mean we were idle in our free time. The biggest event in the 28 days we've been back, of course, has been the <a href="https://kaminoge.blogspot.com/2024/01/welcome-to-real-world.html" target="_blank">entrance into legal adulthood taken by our daughter</a>. This post will cover a few of those other things that have taken place in the immediate post-Sydney timeline.</p><p>My wife's attempt at making some <i><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zongzi" target="_blank">zongzi</a></i> 粽子, a traditional glutinous rice dish:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJBTqZRCt5NbIeweSQfTfrrulyEeMW3_Ms2sejS0pcuMzVDjUdX-A_Bl0y4PZXe2Fh-EIIhUFEtPN6gLqSDB9PpdlQH9lgnjfktLinCUEk6KBI50GY9F5xjKu9FWxRYHxfjDLpzrnvZTWHjD6D0Jqku1_5vxgbQEi5wnDFxLGRyoJSXByygTC_JEkdF3A/s3918/IMG_5294.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3918" data-original-width="2423" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJBTqZRCt5NbIeweSQfTfrrulyEeMW3_Ms2sejS0pcuMzVDjUdX-A_Bl0y4PZXe2Fh-EIIhUFEtPN6gLqSDB9PpdlQH9lgnjfktLinCUEk6KBI50GY9F5xjKu9FWxRYHxfjDLpzrnvZTWHjD6D0Jqku1_5vxgbQEi5wnDFxLGRyoJSXByygTC_JEkdF3A/s320/IMG_5294.jpg" width="198" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The area where we reside is home to a large number of Japanese dining and drinking establishments, doubtless due to the proximity of the Japanese Embassy. The small London double-decker bus does add a small incongruous touch to the surroundings, however:<div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbt-7hWAIJmYADlndvRl1TQMqBSV95V6bCUCJ7NcrY1l4UoWzpFQ9mdXosXBykmMwDicgBVqACcFvGHLPj_Q0tT5udxipd0LlScxFTrwpIIMaYuG7mcfcRjLQwTzj3aDfFMyxnohFJQLw92otEochVLeeG496UJqWY0HOoWy-wzGCktRnLdac6NVFkgVY/s3482/IMG_5298.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3482" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbt-7hWAIJmYADlndvRl1TQMqBSV95V6bCUCJ7NcrY1l4UoWzpFQ9mdXosXBykmMwDicgBVqACcFvGHLPj_Q0tT5udxipd0LlScxFTrwpIIMaYuG7mcfcRjLQwTzj3aDfFMyxnohFJQLw92otEochVLeeG496UJqWY0HOoWy-wzGCktRnLdac6NVFkgVY/s320/IMG_5298.jpg" width="278" /></a></div><div><br /></div>This building used to house several Japanese bars, but I'm not sure what lies behind the completely-revamped facade now:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhUn43tEvafDrnvMEylZJBlBvcI0ocumJpHf4yY3Jtu0t5142u78a8fiMGfJ6PWv_hUBGrO0GIE8ru1bmOfHWZ9rPpnhwpAg7UyT6GwwT7-o8eVKdXr1KLqztkS8O0UCrPoTrIdeB0ZcDomIvNt_MtJ78IScxiCrtapHGuwTGRbIohgCSYwHTW-7mT2PE/s3305/IMG_5300.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3305" data-original-width="2985" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhUn43tEvafDrnvMEylZJBlBvcI0ocumJpHf4yY3Jtu0t5142u78a8fiMGfJ6PWv_hUBGrO0GIE8ru1bmOfHWZ9rPpnhwpAg7UyT6GwwT7-o8eVKdXr1KLqztkS8O0UCrPoTrIdeB0ZcDomIvNt_MtJ78IScxiCrtapHGuwTGRbIohgCSYwHTW-7mT2PE/s320/IMG_5300.jpg" width="289" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Due to my work, Martin Luther King Jr. Day is a paid holiday for me. Not so for Amber, as American public holidays generally don't apply to international school calendars. So at Shu-E's suggestion, the two of us used the opportunity to have a look at the 2024 Beijing Worker's Stadium New Year's Shopping Exhibition, taking place outside, you guessed it, the Beijing Worker's Stadium. In other words, it's a recently established temporary market set up in advance of the upcoming Lunar New Year holiday, which this year kicks off on February 9:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtWVDXNF0Dz5lrUaMcYl2kwZ8Qh10Q1ds_TVwgqMZy_XdvsTmvPNOFcBYOR9-N3vO1hDhOdTnWVQmr5y02AgRABZaQ0jv3EausnuSNdfkoF7_xg5Y6oePpOG5mZC4x3WAo9WVX3kHwfmqRcx2gZQ1HwJ0AOCixChrbhuzf3d0Vy_CjOF0P3YT0o3vRhXs/s3320/IMG_5302.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2239" data-original-width="3320" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtWVDXNF0Dz5lrUaMcYl2kwZ8Qh10Q1ds_TVwgqMZy_XdvsTmvPNOFcBYOR9-N3vO1hDhOdTnWVQmr5y02AgRABZaQ0jv3EausnuSNdfkoF7_xg5Y6oePpOG5mZC4x3WAo9WVX3kHwfmqRcx2gZQ1HwJ0AOCixChrbhuzf3d0Vy_CjOF0P3YT0o3vRhXs/s320/IMG_5302.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>As you might expect, there were a lot of snack foods for sale:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdt0Mn2lF5_jxh3e4b-CERoDRCO-Ofl4v6bmVPI_bcm3atngodr5OHXxb11terhg914mwfYxIsf09xMqkvtG1j_bJ1VWVS4sPzR0QMd84ELUfMSm6r0sdA2FHGD-Hp2F97qFAmPeprClHNQGlKhBrt8PE74Jq5PyqsjzDPm7tf3_YcxgGwDfI6y4EL9d4/s3699/IMG_5303.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3699" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdt0Mn2lF5_jxh3e4b-CERoDRCO-Ofl4v6bmVPI_bcm3atngodr5OHXxb11terhg914mwfYxIsf09xMqkvtG1j_bJ1VWVS4sPzR0QMd84ELUfMSm6r0sdA2FHGD-Hp2F97qFAmPeprClHNQGlKhBrt8PE74Jq5PyqsjzDPm7tf3_YcxgGwDfI6y4EL9d4/s320/IMG_5303.jpg" width="262" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ1BOR49xOrYl0uXLQa43ARvPtL8CUPkDXivD3p7Xe-idMbTcy9GisVnDCQLFrVF-aYWKB0Kbfj_QPUf1RlqQVLm4803U3ZvUuTdEKnOEb7URVFyB8Y0LJc3rFgnRS1WfH4coa1RiumIVD8pyHBKTK6JnbNwziNGkHyiMVQjuf61wwIP-BBUMKnDxz7Nc/s4032/IMG_5304.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ1BOR49xOrYl0uXLQa43ARvPtL8CUPkDXivD3p7Xe-idMbTcy9GisVnDCQLFrVF-aYWKB0Kbfj_QPUf1RlqQVLm4803U3ZvUuTdEKnOEb7URVFyB8Y0LJc3rFgnRS1WfH4coa1RiumIVD8pyHBKTK6JnbNwziNGkHyiMVQjuf61wwIP-BBUMKnDxz7Nc/s320/IMG_5304.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmAvCs4JJnZuz5-r3DunE05VaUpbLJx77HLgPQHOdKMxuRl6b8iW6KNgHzQnCJ58JkLxve4d6UBN42PvmcnFvsf0eN5_XOLH2OF8WoZbL35SXlhcpe_-b-FDKTN4XyAV6TY5vHzYWV_ICsbDRQ9pfOGwerGn3Du2GiKDxVr9k_OHf-PcU0REHOzeL13VM/s3846/IMG_5307.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3846" data-original-width="2864" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmAvCs4JJnZuz5-r3DunE05VaUpbLJx77HLgPQHOdKMxuRl6b8iW6KNgHzQnCJ58JkLxve4d6UBN42PvmcnFvsf0eN5_XOLH2OF8WoZbL35SXlhcpe_-b-FDKTN4XyAV6TY5vHzYWV_ICsbDRQ9pfOGwerGn3Du2GiKDxVr9k_OHf-PcU0REHOzeL13VM/s320/IMG_5307.jpg" width="238" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGI19KgHcpKiQ-17J7Ewy7xAIEiTgwGQQqlAQb2WmS-H1h05CWyAATDVz3HW56FS-h88WoJ8dyWqFcuqZzl3a4zKvhOj4Gr3hY8GzoiG8PAC6bSNdIz0mZ9braXJdo2O7rWFqyJ9OTCNhVqDsB9MckRDZxMjS7uyTqRiAbvclW9-Fc2jBk6QynWXpbaWU/s3950/IMG_5310.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2963" data-original-width="3950" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGI19KgHcpKiQ-17J7Ewy7xAIEiTgwGQQqlAQb2WmS-H1h05CWyAATDVz3HW56FS-h88WoJ8dyWqFcuqZzl3a4zKvhOj4Gr3hY8GzoiG8PAC6bSNdIz0mZ9braXJdo2O7rWFqyJ9OTCNhVqDsB9MckRDZxMjS7uyTqRiAbvclW9-Fc2jBk6QynWXpbaWU/s320/IMG_5310.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsT84_VzK_U8nbpoT0Kuor_HQacqbApSgBcgPju95egpS9WfAXqIWlXQjFmluAYmIdUfM0I845Jp-L0aFXL2xj9wgCjtOkFgnmEOr_abkI3FbKFzc8EOllwL0N8ZhQUDE1iJGFTbjKB7Lr3B5FgAOnh4LFjD8cCjlOID6eylwBcbYQ4wpEuDOHIN65LPY/s4032/IMG_5311.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsT84_VzK_U8nbpoT0Kuor_HQacqbApSgBcgPju95egpS9WfAXqIWlXQjFmluAYmIdUfM0I845Jp-L0aFXL2xj9wgCjtOkFgnmEOr_abkI3FbKFzc8EOllwL0N8ZhQUDE1iJGFTbjKB7Lr3B5FgAOnh4LFjD8cCjlOID6eylwBcbYQ4wpEuDOHIN65LPY/s320/IMG_5311.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>There were several international booths (many of them Russian), but our attention was diverted to a few stalls selling Taiwanese goodies, such as <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaoliang_liquor" target="_blank">Kaoliang liquor</a> 高粱酒, a drink so potent my lips went numb the first time I tried it (which coincided with the first time I met my future in-laws):</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCfnNOdR6FLzbKhwTfbwh-qeqtLqSpIRzVOhvVSonPL4SNzQilSNVphayBQIqml_DwCg4c4PjacjeLUVLmWk5DN5Dj55fS0G9SprG29OpiOurkAhFt1spzABk8qrRe2A14fMC800gXvVJaw0Lu0Op4dzs35FMgH_HmzdSklAda2EhMslsfozxNAP_BwTg/s3210/IMG_5313.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="3210" height="301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCfnNOdR6FLzbKhwTfbwh-qeqtLqSpIRzVOhvVSonPL4SNzQilSNVphayBQIqml_DwCg4c4PjacjeLUVLmWk5DN5Dj55fS0G9SprG29OpiOurkAhFt1spzABk8qrRe2A14fMC800gXvVJaw0Lu0Op4dzs35FMgH_HmzdSklAda2EhMslsfozxNAP_BwTg/s320/IMG_5313.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDS94BRTU1U1p_BKMLsq1-Rik3xFWDOW7F2bN0EOxK1G-MaWGTo7dZxEjd-g-6us67GhP4QNwF_J9A5_Mv3c7nfHow-5mA2KRO0asq2ywYYv1EAe5w9S2YCSRe6xnCeu_Oz_1lRZLOLShjogRm47xaQ1qhf5P06tZTIuVDrF457K3lxrHkyLtElZL8lq8/s3573/IMG_5314.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3573" data-original-width="2589" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDS94BRTU1U1p_BKMLsq1-Rik3xFWDOW7F2bN0EOxK1G-MaWGTo7dZxEjd-g-6us67GhP4QNwF_J9A5_Mv3c7nfHow-5mA2KRO0asq2ywYYv1EAe5w9S2YCSRe6xnCeu_Oz_1lRZLOLShjogRm47xaQ1qhf5P06tZTIuVDrF457K3lxrHkyLtElZL8lq8/s320/IMG_5314.jpg" width="232" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Shu-E doesn't like to be photographed:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4-0o_Box_vdpqYRfiBK3ckt7-EAoPCKeECQkvVd6-eJOCNvdcrZ2zjmBPbfBC7WsaZE30TvkZCnq33IW_qKxNIPa552ENj6QmJ0cP_9sFM1Ke8zVh_SjejCHy1QBV6YuNDIt3Y4_IV6vso9VCumpreY47nmIonwT9vykECo3_6HBp8ds3LEfrZc3y4DE/s3210/IMG_5316.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3210" data-original-width="2524" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4-0o_Box_vdpqYRfiBK3ckt7-EAoPCKeECQkvVd6-eJOCNvdcrZ2zjmBPbfBC7WsaZE30TvkZCnq33IW_qKxNIPa552ENj6QmJ0cP_9sFM1Ke8zVh_SjejCHy1QBV6YuNDIt3Y4_IV6vso9VCumpreY47nmIonwT9vykECo3_6HBp8ds3LEfrZc3y4DE/s320/IMG_5316.jpg" width="252" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The market was busy on a Monday morning, but I can only imagine what it's like on weekends:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinR29EuKyeVMOR5N0YXMsVEMQ4Ew11YREzRE-S22e0AAoAs2sl8m1G0zIGvdMJRafo6ynTsZuzJwYicSVUqEF7eH7v69YJQLXw4Y6Wk38QIFSaOK6P0Oig78RHT1bap6rMpaYp4BXgVG066CbcU3pQWxVejy8gpXtmQbg7WaLKboPgetFa_y4vuXthJrI/s3881/IMG_5317.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2601" data-original-width="3881" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinR29EuKyeVMOR5N0YXMsVEMQ4Ew11YREzRE-S22e0AAoAs2sl8m1G0zIGvdMJRafo6ynTsZuzJwYicSVUqEF7eH7v69YJQLXw4Y6Wk38QIFSaOK6P0Oig78RHT1bap6rMpaYp4BXgVG066CbcU3pQWxVejy8gpXtmQbg7WaLKboPgetFa_y4vuXthJrI/s320/IMG_5317.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Despite the globalist veneer, the majority of products for sale were Chinese regional delicacies, with my carnivorous wife favoring a lot of meat and seafood treats:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX4bEGwsfokrz2Zq3b18mx6xRzLbFgsZe24HMGoYYjjdnpGrbDrfAx6wKNSlTovzwpcUQKfm1KHNZYym6RdRFufL9ksYI0Yr0FlH7gO6xd5SwCexhTKNou0s6rOIsjaVFf7YJZW5tdfhvanWSJjEiDKY-9cSC4gtX85E0LC6Wirib-8oYyGq3Mmw25S8Q/s4032/IMG_5326.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX4bEGwsfokrz2Zq3b18mx6xRzLbFgsZe24HMGoYYjjdnpGrbDrfAx6wKNSlTovzwpcUQKfm1KHNZYym6RdRFufL9ksYI0Yr0FlH7gO6xd5SwCexhTKNou0s6rOIsjaVFf7YJZW5tdfhvanWSJjEiDKY-9cSC4gtX85E0LC6Wirib-8oYyGq3Mmw25S8Q/s320/IMG_5326.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXND8pMO6GxbnDg-Z8OSoZvYEcm0IH_0t3ulDgX8DmEk8QlQp8gcsAZiDQJRsA8qwikQZKy_VkB-p5Kn42U162eI3eTdSp6YwUW-EkPavNADpRXos17P-MXXfo8aBr_7Np-md75c1XCR0AvcCBHp884LICvcOL8vhOKRoM_IrW4zA62TTenu-tks1Op6Q/s4032/IMG_5327.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXND8pMO6GxbnDg-Z8OSoZvYEcm0IH_0t3ulDgX8DmEk8QlQp8gcsAZiDQJRsA8qwikQZKy_VkB-p5Kn42U162eI3eTdSp6YwUW-EkPavNADpRXos17P-MXXfo8aBr_7Np-md75c1XCR0AvcCBHp884LICvcOL8vhOKRoM_IrW4zA62TTenu-tks1Op6Q/s320/IMG_5327.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Sea cucumbers:</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqoJKkwB6IVtycO2IKqZeOS9JJ-ufhg5oR4iLWIecdHZcFkazbxAM1EXsttG6rSO38tWaSl4XNOpcmeolVl2fYafTZG0ZPR9a0Lhcl_6NYOWVQbkQUp388CE0uHenPlmxYd2qFsl1YMNx0Q104-8j0VZEuyazGSH1W7VQhX8BSJeGxRIsBGAj0mO8L534/s3451/IMG_5330.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2135" data-original-width="3451" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqoJKkwB6IVtycO2IKqZeOS9JJ-ufhg5oR4iLWIecdHZcFkazbxAM1EXsttG6rSO38tWaSl4XNOpcmeolVl2fYafTZG0ZPR9a0Lhcl_6NYOWVQbkQUp388CE0uHenPlmxYd2qFsl1YMNx0Q104-8j0VZEuyazGSH1W7VQhX8BSJeGxRIsBGAj0mO8L534/s320/IMG_5330.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdiN5sERdtCcFyv5WFnzY0lV4vjSpY5aKsFvRcCCmiWfT76FywGX-IXs5dVmUZI84lIKeusAjGZN-dfaxVRM_lsa2jgvl-BS98MhPWfs7f2g8BuchhvTOsrJqyI6YAn3FBc45e9x19R-tcSv7J69TnG84-FqLkpU7RUH9fuXmf1EaWE_xc8-rx6Xao3Rs/s3901/IMG_5334.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3901" data-original-width="2926" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdiN5sERdtCcFyv5WFnzY0lV4vjSpY5aKsFvRcCCmiWfT76FywGX-IXs5dVmUZI84lIKeusAjGZN-dfaxVRM_lsa2jgvl-BS98MhPWfs7f2g8BuchhvTOsrJqyI6YAn3FBc45e9x19R-tcSv7J69TnG84-FqLkpU7RUH9fuXmf1EaWE_xc8-rx6Xao3Rs/s320/IMG_5334.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSScUzG4aHcdGrei9wr6b0AsoiqmAA8mB0yh1oB7qFemU72j8DYJbk0W8lOap1YKcPG44CBPOaH8WjQ5PsuLbMDb93rVnQZtg78UwEOAUX4tkk_pXQHs6fdJ_0JyAi2G1olssKvMX9qQj13PkaHXaT5oQTS-NCv510P1GUBqu4QH2cx_mKX0cFhdbF-bg/s3435/IMG_5335.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2671" data-original-width="3435" height="249" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSScUzG4aHcdGrei9wr6b0AsoiqmAA8mB0yh1oB7qFemU72j8DYJbk0W8lOap1YKcPG44CBPOaH8WjQ5PsuLbMDb93rVnQZtg78UwEOAUX4tkk_pXQHs6fdJ_0JyAi2G1olssKvMX9qQj13PkaHXaT5oQTS-NCv510P1GUBqu4QH2cx_mKX0cFhdbF-bg/s320/IMG_5335.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Non-food items were also available for purchase:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivR7gOcbvjI3axFrBMdea4hpgLJPXoUjfQWmaZddl-FmsKCZ_mhY9fO747ZODiBWslVKIp8tPUC4LSlWL9N7OkKnE3mdrGtXELbZSvjtbAOcPQV2tbc8hi69CiY_anoAs2lo0fE70HuPXRVLmaDr5sXtR5WUGX58aNFmwDKmaaAN1GaY3dAv9nQwMZlmc/s3876/IMG_5336.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2907" data-original-width="3876" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivR7gOcbvjI3axFrBMdea4hpgLJPXoUjfQWmaZddl-FmsKCZ_mhY9fO747ZODiBWslVKIp8tPUC4LSlWL9N7OkKnE3mdrGtXELbZSvjtbAOcPQV2tbc8hi69CiY_anoAs2lo0fE70HuPXRVLmaDr5sXtR5WUGX58aNFmwDKmaaAN1GaY3dAv9nQwMZlmc/s320/IMG_5336.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH8iid7o1QeK3CpJvpzeGsSzF5WB8aA_bp4j8owBnV24XxUrIEC0cRn9kaaXxnXcy_OIEF8hN4HvdsOVLNrO_utfHJZEBE6VZRWhCwJ_S6r589PVj70K9y-AGXSeqDrUFDQqBGycoUfz6PwMhes4D-VFRZFYnyN6m5nyzTT1Hp8cq5vDSc93Eu5O8frdQ/s3821/IMG_5337.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2866" data-original-width="3821" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH8iid7o1QeK3CpJvpzeGsSzF5WB8aA_bp4j8owBnV24XxUrIEC0cRn9kaaXxnXcy_OIEF8hN4HvdsOVLNrO_utfHJZEBE6VZRWhCwJ_S6r589PVj70K9y-AGXSeqDrUFDQqBGycoUfz6PwMhes4D-VFRZFYnyN6m5nyzTT1Hp8cq5vDSc93Eu5O8frdQ/s320/IMG_5337.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz4WcZlc5K5pMROktUzfmqZF9kvNm2g83xwFVuAnIjir4cMZgZPnW_gnUYX-QHrD8UIv_5dqI-luFGBwkQkQnSPMNJbssZJ6V9ZA-WUxSV_JSOlgFKqPXGJFdZUr3m4z4Sm9u9OZLaGP1FKNGdwjlDbNY4TsaC4KcdTjNScWsxylghmUHQ1vfUE3PLcP8/s3591/IMG_5338.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="3591" height="269" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz4WcZlc5K5pMROktUzfmqZF9kvNm2g83xwFVuAnIjir4cMZgZPnW_gnUYX-QHrD8UIv_5dqI-luFGBwkQkQnSPMNJbssZJ6V9ZA-WUxSV_JSOlgFKqPXGJFdZUr3m4z4Sm9u9OZLaGP1FKNGdwjlDbNY4TsaC4KcdTjNScWsxylghmUHQ1vfUE3PLcP8/s320/IMG_5338.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Geopolitics, unfortunately, do not allow me to purchase Iranian carpets and rugs:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG1WCr25SwlJ5VvYHgyToBhlHh5a76DZtkq72Hv7E5CGbM6JDxNQgU-ZgdiJV3eulnmdRhouIUeNWg3clQFWaOUB7ovNAVtFwN-9ldr3AlwP3p48PPd0sSl-SffHwMnW_3tnoOmCcIWllLiYCtDtylItsandSzYsgjDsgPADqkj-pzODIGIXxDGtrY-JQ/s4032/IMG_5339.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG1WCr25SwlJ5VvYHgyToBhlHh5a76DZtkq72Hv7E5CGbM6JDxNQgU-ZgdiJV3eulnmdRhouIUeNWg3clQFWaOUB7ovNAVtFwN-9ldr3AlwP3p48PPd0sSl-SffHwMnW_3tnoOmCcIWllLiYCtDtylItsandSzYsgjDsgPADqkj-pzODIGIXxDGtrY-JQ/s320/IMG_5339.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW-s_TueC0UJ6AKcG0wfJu8DhihFrxpB5CbFW76rjERkPRIh-ipAZmbPLUTCzz-j5gwUwZxIXzaEefhVo4jS7n-KBxTtJmk6QsWnZeKJDtyuwIVtyp-FvQj4JprrAqpA3MCaHTlFqEIKatIl1p7PrKNRTA3E-xUNAyN98VByBMDKyzc5nvqnrxZwD1WTc/s4032/IMG_5340.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW-s_TueC0UJ6AKcG0wfJu8DhihFrxpB5CbFW76rjERkPRIh-ipAZmbPLUTCzz-j5gwUwZxIXzaEefhVo4jS7n-KBxTtJmk6QsWnZeKJDtyuwIVtyp-FvQj4JprrAqpA3MCaHTlFqEIKatIl1p7PrKNRTA3E-xUNAyN98VByBMDKyzc5nvqnrxZwD1WTc/s320/IMG_5340.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Even some goodies from Down Under were on the market:</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRknCKAvR0eImebrRRGXClbtALN0cdLJ-ngyerx-0WoqsIXcr2BZWKbFrpevWc3SU-E3g2_m-6Bxfy1Iyly1AXPVOTYRylTHDCOO3oGwPKctJlhJBnvuKN0xQtg25VjasoidjOkjjSQONxu5WDp2LIWTf4bGN1bubmVrsXJ3RfgxUBXEZySY09SVAeQGE/s4032/IMG_5342.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRknCKAvR0eImebrRRGXClbtALN0cdLJ-ngyerx-0WoqsIXcr2BZWKbFrpevWc3SU-E3g2_m-6Bxfy1Iyly1AXPVOTYRylTHDCOO3oGwPKctJlhJBnvuKN0xQtg25VjasoidjOkjjSQONxu5WDp2LIWTf4bGN1bubmVrsXJ3RfgxUBXEZySY09SVAeQGE/s320/IMG_5342.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwl4YM9QS58VUHcVAIxeg4GpStlJXhJPDrUyJzjQS7VtLqzweZJkHopAGxIhhqH9pE-08eGj-gLkE2vU7UiBIC-gsRrQ04GaMKcQDlKuSU6N2K6hn5SGVhrp2gxMqQ1c7zwsICwd-TsH79C4xy2BrXZhuxJYIaSQKHiBgH223gMkxRlCH8G5pPYl8R2fM/s3962/IMG_5343.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2231" data-original-width="3962" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwl4YM9QS58VUHcVAIxeg4GpStlJXhJPDrUyJzjQS7VtLqzweZJkHopAGxIhhqH9pE-08eGj-gLkE2vU7UiBIC-gsRrQ04GaMKcQDlKuSU6N2K6hn5SGVhrp2gxMqQ1c7zwsICwd-TsH79C4xy2BrXZhuxJYIaSQKHiBgH223gMkxRlCH8G5pPYl8R2fM/s320/IMG_5343.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4AkfSmjYKhXxVo9xDbYEd-QpxQ5av9Y_ZxUy_6QpggZZBr3VwQTMyBPYY9IupTHHc7Kjv1vdwvUY54gbxbwiaUvftTpI0i6egSDiY3QLNh7zZ0IGLSQBxtsCzkF_4N7QWaXBKvxlHQg0Fjq3BDUmlXwerDl7rna2gqVx5Is1dgQPa__lp96ES608OBQ8/s3349/IMG_5344.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3349" data-original-width="2868" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4AkfSmjYKhXxVo9xDbYEd-QpxQ5av9Y_ZxUy_6QpggZZBr3VwQTMyBPYY9IupTHHc7Kjv1vdwvUY54gbxbwiaUvftTpI0i6egSDiY3QLNh7zZ0IGLSQBxtsCzkF_4N7QWaXBKvxlHQg0Fjq3BDUmlXwerDl7rna2gqVx5Is1dgQPa__lp96ES608OBQ8/s320/IMG_5344.jpg" width="274" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXBfqBfotG1_QNNvWsYs059HoIS43-3qSPjAVLudNRe_j6g3M_ayM-XxlmRbdAmgVlnQDZ6JI6ybb6yfiu_aS4mSAa9wx9QEHBeRH07iD_29XenFZcoJVPYmMmNJ7jzpdshRJdlN0_LgT6hweO26z6meEAwwhI3s_TTfB-WJcYzv9w8JDpSRR6mXhngpM/s4032/IMG_5345.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXBfqBfotG1_QNNvWsYs059HoIS43-3qSPjAVLudNRe_j6g3M_ayM-XxlmRbdAmgVlnQDZ6JI6ybb6yfiu_aS4mSAa9wx9QEHBeRH07iD_29XenFZcoJVPYmMmNJ7jzpdshRJdlN0_LgT6hweO26z6meEAwwhI3s_TTfB-WJcYzv9w8JDpSRR6mXhngpM/s320/IMG_5345.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGOwAslkEQjYpGkU8QM2q0BagKvCmApmONT0sQWosYPLbQhYWjCUCzQrsE_QHuV1hoM9OJye5kDbSLuvy_bSvJvEe754t3JIL0fiDpFsaixhsozFnBVt_N4q_VtT-Dl5jlD9g7M7VGrB3R-EhIy2MtixzRWz9_BHLMiEELhcYL4G4CbUNXJyEr7PFtKIs/s3024/IMG_5347.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2744" data-original-width="3024" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGOwAslkEQjYpGkU8QM2q0BagKvCmApmONT0sQWosYPLbQhYWjCUCzQrsE_QHuV1hoM9OJye5kDbSLuvy_bSvJvEe754t3JIL0fiDpFsaixhsozFnBVt_N4q_VtT-Dl5jlD9g7M7VGrB3R-EhIy2MtixzRWz9_BHLMiEELhcYL4G4CbUNXJyEr7PFtKIs/s320/IMG_5347.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Beijing remains bitterly cold at times, with temperatures plunging below freezing every evening (and frequently staying there even during the daylight hours). Still, I did capture a nice sunrise one chilly morning while on my way to the office:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2_CzXSJ_XKiVX7qTLLsWCentmDD2OBasqgr5af6NLyQTBBGmagAiQ4Z4i9p6Nh1dF0j0tb_U5Si4CpEHfIG6l-eVAfBXVqVqjsYqmcVlujfclCLuFZKtIMCJC3L0WUKVzGLSiWYM2vqrGIgcNuH8S4kXFEGUNg_ZAtHzcjrWt5gxljnKDgNZij7SFjFs/s4032/IMG_5349.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2_CzXSJ_XKiVX7qTLLsWCentmDD2OBasqgr5af6NLyQTBBGmagAiQ4Z4i9p6Nh1dF0j0tb_U5Si4CpEHfIG6l-eVAfBXVqVqjsYqmcVlujfclCLuFZKtIMCJC3L0WUKVzGLSiWYM2vqrGIgcNuH8S4kXFEGUNg_ZAtHzcjrWt5gxljnKDgNZij7SFjFs/s320/IMG_5349.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The same week as MLK Day saw me (along with a few others from my section) flying down to the considerably warmer southern city of Guangzhou 广州 to take part in a workshop. Arriving late on a Wednesday afternoon, we were taken by locally-based colleagues to a dim sum restaurant for dinner:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdeiw0Pb8951uFurqz__DzHKENQpP5s2aXoieExKTrYUE005K5M08FcxC9xoY0OlMhip-bGsu3IYV04swICDNuuZ16VFoKVpigjEG4GbR_InGoWnUO6uGEMK5d3GtYBwqWeR9tgiCx8wc9S17JOdMzAJkHP9xarDPu6zHML6YjKLglf0DRdSIWwu2q1gI/s2267/IMG_5359.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2227" data-original-width="2267" height="314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdeiw0Pb8951uFurqz__DzHKENQpP5s2aXoieExKTrYUE005K5M08FcxC9xoY0OlMhip-bGsu3IYV04swICDNuuZ16VFoKVpigjEG4GbR_InGoWnUO6uGEMK5d3GtYBwqWeR9tgiCx8wc9S17JOdMzAJkHP9xarDPu6zHML6YjKLglf0DRdSIWwu2q1gI/s320/IMG_5359.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbjNMeaCQrZTfkEjz18NQ4nutVH6kXtfksC-9d1dC-bsyfCVPXPkdR2dsqiDmyT4kkCDZdkKZH3a1DxP-smPl4NE36NlosbturMP0MCuVyap-EzeSg5v31IaY01rIXMsrReQlQOrV2p20TicwwlCvZtNxQy4yGS-UYe5tKTi6alsXCrPhLnIcQLuwnUA4/s4032/IMG_5363.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbjNMeaCQrZTfkEjz18NQ4nutVH6kXtfksC-9d1dC-bsyfCVPXPkdR2dsqiDmyT4kkCDZdkKZH3a1DxP-smPl4NE36NlosbturMP0MCuVyap-EzeSg5v31IaY01rIXMsrReQlQOrV2p20TicwwlCvZtNxQy4yGS-UYe5tKTi6alsXCrPhLnIcQLuwnUA4/s320/IMG_5363.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6vHmPWJJvEyOvx5djqfDfr3UABBpCxYh9sblRI-ZK8pfpIpo1ab3Jp20MKu7V-v7kSNdmUHteFUtAu-u_l9k_IbFbbr2l_K6UZtWRUM08ToBLOXCMCQa4R-Gp5LZGMhqMdqUjW-A4DJ_uiLNjWOzumZrYMSqDa9b6JQ1Dlt4T89YTmdte5ujf_OhUHDE/s2908/IMG_5364.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2803" data-original-width="2908" height="308" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6vHmPWJJvEyOvx5djqfDfr3UABBpCxYh9sblRI-ZK8pfpIpo1ab3Jp20MKu7V-v7kSNdmUHteFUtAu-u_l9k_IbFbbr2l_K6UZtWRUM08ToBLOXCMCQa4R-Gp5LZGMhqMdqUjW-A4DJ_uiLNjWOzumZrYMSqDa9b6JQ1Dlt4T89YTmdte5ujf_OhUHDE/s320/IMG_5364.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhprxCEadJo16FDWKfRQvvAMmjJGqBH3FpdLWEhu9tL7OEA8pMrMyqDU5lWVaqMMM4P5dDMNuipvZDG1XPFWYotAWUntLUZ4B5K7PNl_9xhp1YHfQGg_hIoJ2DcEyx1-sPW-6yRuRp7eOociLVtN1a0JmPDv-WwM7lSu4DWuSbwFrni4WVes-iY4deO8lQ/s4032/IMG_5367.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhprxCEadJo16FDWKfRQvvAMmjJGqBH3FpdLWEhu9tL7OEA8pMrMyqDU5lWVaqMMM4P5dDMNuipvZDG1XPFWYotAWUntLUZ4B5K7PNl_9xhp1YHfQGg_hIoJ2DcEyx1-sPW-6yRuRp7eOociLVtN1a0JmPDv-WwM7lSu4DWuSbwFrni4WVes-iY4deO8lQ/s320/IMG_5367.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoiufj_jhOomyagPH957SC2i8VuJV0JMrvJudQnqRBhtL4-ndQuAx5l2LkjQDZ75fE-2p-srTpWsi4caMuAWNPt2cA3iiVzVbsBcfsI8WM2bJpNaXaNywAeLQE4RL1By1fYIC8ceSFIrRDbrgr3HT9domVAjR9lmLl-zp9XtrRu-0gL0ZWK6xWQ-O9VIU/s3336/IMG_5368.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2022" data-original-width="3336" height="194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoiufj_jhOomyagPH957SC2i8VuJV0JMrvJudQnqRBhtL4-ndQuAx5l2LkjQDZ75fE-2p-srTpWsi4caMuAWNPt2cA3iiVzVbsBcfsI8WM2bJpNaXaNywAeLQE4RL1By1fYIC8ceSFIrRDbrgr3HT9domVAjR9lmLl-zp9XtrRu-0gL0ZWK6xWQ-O9VIU/s320/IMG_5368.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1Wmh2oxZwMi0Txz9m-mB_H5AhKgbibtoidtQBASJdctnbeW5HbSWxbpjSA9yTcGnPOv5RQpNwUVheITO4ehFNMIfhV-eXD2KCAYH1lbnbQgB-h1FG19rz3oK18PtUF_X63qavZjiijHIX1ONHuxdGD05v4gw_gy97yACqf1hx25h4YxQYJIpuuBBOmTo/s3024/IMG_5369.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2985" data-original-width="3024" height="316" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1Wmh2oxZwMi0Txz9m-mB_H5AhKgbibtoidtQBASJdctnbeW5HbSWxbpjSA9yTcGnPOv5RQpNwUVheITO4ehFNMIfhV-eXD2KCAYH1lbnbQgB-h1FG19rz3oK18PtUF_X63qavZjiijHIX1ONHuxdGD05v4gw_gy97yACqf1hx25h4YxQYJIpuuBBOmTo/s320/IMG_5369.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Looking south to the Guangzhou New Television Tower, <i>aka </i><a href="https://www.cantontower.com/en/" target="_blank">Canton Tower</a>:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglOl4JB2H70WA3ROzHgiZkk717AXhFoidhpzzviqfnBRukqe9vgwt-CLFOn0hXNg07Tol84-DHTtpoWPZf2F_RDyfOTbVegZMroYnhlgx_TJzOUilOSuUXUIUJst0rwzpL6ZsykytUO3U3tc6pHywO8d9t3xjw0luV3lcjknvQpPrKO5ppRW8NMRdyleQ/s4032/IMG_5372.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglOl4JB2H70WA3ROzHgiZkk717AXhFoidhpzzviqfnBRukqe9vgwt-CLFOn0hXNg07Tol84-DHTtpoWPZf2F_RDyfOTbVegZMroYnhlgx_TJzOUilOSuUXUIUJst0rwzpL6ZsykytUO3U3tc6pHywO8d9t3xjw0luV3lcjknvQpPrKO5ppRW8NMRdyleQ/s320/IMG_5372.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The view that first night from my room on the 55th room of the <a href="https://www.hyatt.com/en-US/hotel/china/park-hyatt-guangzhou/guaph" target="_blank">Park Hyatt Guangzhou</a>, a luxury accommodation that I could only afford at the reimbursable U.S. government rate:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXr8_4r_fHaDCwW-xTnd2ovuKW0r5-S22gUE7ReTU5Ix9PY_uGQziGlLt9CerQe9Jf3_a7j4NvXzo5hYpyADnfQ1pgMrKSyg7doiw9Cic8F_dP6UYSsfWS7abNv8gg1no6tvwN89AKAVrLQTKyywj1ewKrPYpna_kNeQHWG6anFZ9og7-6qhw1WEQIE6I/s4032/IMG_5373.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXr8_4r_fHaDCwW-xTnd2ovuKW0r5-S22gUE7ReTU5Ix9PY_uGQziGlLt9CerQe9Jf3_a7j4NvXzo5hYpyADnfQ1pgMrKSyg7doiw9Cic8F_dP6UYSsfWS7abNv8gg1no6tvwN89AKAVrLQTKyywj1ewKrPYpna_kNeQHWG6anFZ9og7-6qhw1WEQIE6I/s320/IMG_5373.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Sunrise on Thursday morning:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYXXjyVn8AL7ETSfs3b8t6PSFO2il-FYhikUlXfUfxgoNJ-jcObMfwjnDRInpvRrvlqt2BtNR0wrQGqrQgVIrtVuJYrgrzF2Cnu_iUAJSxS2WL3b_LiAvi-4_C-5iY1G8l2D7-8Qtdc2bPZAv1yAmFu5Ndy0OSM9VVo7PwM0FERUfie4EDq03Z9Q7GKWU/s4032/IMG_5374.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYXXjyVn8AL7ETSfs3b8t6PSFO2il-FYhikUlXfUfxgoNJ-jcObMfwjnDRInpvRrvlqt2BtNR0wrQGqrQgVIrtVuJYrgrzF2Cnu_iUAJSxS2WL3b_LiAvi-4_C-5iY1G8l2D7-8Qtdc2bPZAv1yAmFu5Ndy0OSM9VVo7PwM0FERUfie4EDq03Z9Q7GKWU/s320/IMG_5374.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The view from the 65th-floor restaurant where breakfast was served:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRJ4tqYJhVqXHibCVAYsTlmMc2Ky78-Zu2BjRw0xMIS1ujOJM1kfpN0l9anYDihg-BsFcvJgsZKCIXEWWflMnn37gDKiX91ZsRUEH5xR1yDsMAWLOQ6ce3zv1xLaDgOP4SwS6Pdk9zUd_l3mXn0_JK0gohOdBgTf_8ZO1VxH-6fn6ZPghXTlnTZGphAeQ/s4032/IMG_5375.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRJ4tqYJhVqXHibCVAYsTlmMc2Ky78-Zu2BjRw0xMIS1ujOJM1kfpN0l9anYDihg-BsFcvJgsZKCIXEWWflMnn37gDKiX91ZsRUEH5xR1yDsMAWLOQ6ce3zv1xLaDgOP4SwS6Pdk9zUd_l3mXn0_JK0gohOdBgTf_8ZO1VxH-6fn6ZPghXTlnTZGphAeQ/s320/IMG_5375.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSqJnhm_bd7BiTe7RMRv3_rh3wmYQDuK5HSNaz9BZ_FyLeRLkg7AWmlr5Q4V-ehb_xe5umrnzZRKQ49VAPKSojdm-cTvIbdai6UxDe8-wQ1yJybWvJugYPyMaIhJJxa0ytn2Svg8JinLWWCjAVv1afNR63EHL0h_wu21UmD-Dh9THdo3oysdbupRA18Uo/s4032/IMG_5377.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSqJnhm_bd7BiTe7RMRv3_rh3wmYQDuK5HSNaz9BZ_FyLeRLkg7AWmlr5Q4V-ehb_xe5umrnzZRKQ49VAPKSojdm-cTvIbdai6UxDe8-wQ1yJybWvJugYPyMaIhJJxa0ytn2Svg8JinLWWCjAVv1afNR63EHL0h_wu21UmD-Dh9THdo3oysdbupRA18Uo/s320/IMG_5377.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN6-ZVCKJF17jGJfGhDVde7PuIV0ngx2a4O1dFxEsZfyjXrtyCzqsRGYqX2qrmSVMAwFQ7KmmH-MhSk_qTG-zmEfXnmIWIjY4pqofNq6h0MVnTLpWot_ogbEwWKXiORRBtcjAR9GDrN169m5lQugMi3fuNBL_78SnhbgBoZX9D9vGurjYjngMGpO9edoM/s3907/IMG_5379.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3907" data-original-width="2930" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN6-ZVCKJF17jGJfGhDVde7PuIV0ngx2a4O1dFxEsZfyjXrtyCzqsRGYqX2qrmSVMAwFQ7KmmH-MhSk_qTG-zmEfXnmIWIjY4pqofNq6h0MVnTLpWot_ogbEwWKXiORRBtcjAR9GDrN169m5lQugMi3fuNBL_78SnhbgBoZX9D9vGurjYjngMGpO9edoM/s320/IMG_5379.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>On our way to the <a href="https://china.usembassy-china.org.cn/embassy-consulates/guangzhou/" target="_blank">U.S. Consulate General Guangzhou</a>, where the workshop was held:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmOPUR3T-DHCBQALY4t9WCdEYGqD0POAsM1t968Iweh-Qarjmu3wbGF7GpK-v2N0fJ3JbGiYyVuyA5Y32doiLBQ6IOPFPk8IzKH5kizlaOtfK_vlHX04Wgah3Q7mxZQwKaPzsWIDSxsKmWT7o0MPkK787zGBtfwkYsha_dD8nUNjZlP9loXr0-wPq43y8/s4032/IMG_5381.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmOPUR3T-DHCBQALY4t9WCdEYGqD0POAsM1t968Iweh-Qarjmu3wbGF7GpK-v2N0fJ3JbGiYyVuyA5Y32doiLBQ6IOPFPk8IzKH5kizlaOtfK_vlHX04Wgah3Q7mxZQwKaPzsWIDSxsKmWT7o0MPkK787zGBtfwkYsha_dD8nUNjZlP9loXr0-wPq43y8/s320/IMG_5381.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The only place on the consulate grounds where photography was permitted:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyRrp_bSJh70YDR1ntkxAadGX_8LR4rmCoRawgfYQLGmFptHVl5X1e4i4hyphenhyphenV-cjE9jlA3VcCjnvn-6rLKceLkZnfSt_pU3xgfknmC86kfvio23xfFdopT82mkWySJ2cq7z3YZ6lLykUHAyVM_ef2RnZPrrjwRZedTXqKtTcMhEpC9DdWwJOHRGCPvrycg/s4032/IMG_5382.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyRrp_bSJh70YDR1ntkxAadGX_8LR4rmCoRawgfYQLGmFptHVl5X1e4i4hyphenhyphenV-cjE9jlA3VcCjnvn-6rLKceLkZnfSt_pU3xgfknmC86kfvio23xfFdopT82mkWySJ2cq7z3YZ6lLykUHAyVM_ef2RnZPrrjwRZedTXqKtTcMhEpC9DdWwJOHRGCPvrycg/s320/IMG_5382.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Freed at the end of the afternoon workshop session, I took a stroll around the area:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVB9mstctRMOKZPbZGcolztBF69x9rwYhyphenhyphen9bQ-_cb5D7nygDixrQHgUKlojm_kiCv1ROr4eKzdfiU10aQe0TW2dkxXkiZsiKKjqpcPSDXWSL-zLTpt21Swwv1Vuv6nvFG6uT1bJjAPP_BGUYFOsSahjHZOiTLA6gtJ3JzloPnZNWz4g7b393XuvgetR2k/s4032/IMG_5388.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVB9mstctRMOKZPbZGcolztBF69x9rwYhyphenhyphen9bQ-_cb5D7nygDixrQHgUKlojm_kiCv1ROr4eKzdfiU10aQe0TW2dkxXkiZsiKKjqpcPSDXWSL-zLTpt21Swwv1Vuv6nvFG6uT1bJjAPP_BGUYFOsSahjHZOiTLA6gtJ3JzloPnZNWz4g7b393XuvgetR2k/s320/IMG_5388.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-KNGalHE9PDOsAVcWKRtDItqDmIpQ2iLw2OggH9FCfoAlKXf2tkGq1IIS0yWacMWhr-OpeHV4kPKzfpkdk7NbMQd1dlsOWdh7mi7-Kjs2SMJ2_VsB-u-48k6ldhpWP1ckqIvXG444FIOqtHI1pUFS6I0EmlJvJSHjJ-vgDVa66RTRkG77XeF-8kfGhvg/s4032/IMG_5389.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-KNGalHE9PDOsAVcWKRtDItqDmIpQ2iLw2OggH9FCfoAlKXf2tkGq1IIS0yWacMWhr-OpeHV4kPKzfpkdk7NbMQd1dlsOWdh7mi7-Kjs2SMJ2_VsB-u-48k6ldhpWP1ckqIvXG444FIOqtHI1pUFS6I0EmlJvJSHjJ-vgDVa66RTRkG77XeF-8kfGhvg/s320/IMG_5389.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwbxUgvlyh8-UlqfE2Cwgp6coT0bsEXvlJlilstEtL3PF7NrzwnjyNo9a4S93wIuTDdlqBWFK1olT6rHm_Fjwn4MlJxbA0UnWdOL4HhdvWpbxaPP0wWXNsnYL39xCipPVvf2pIr5OLqKPT4zTwCjken67uw0asOaRXOpv6Xd1LTmfyQruOeQB-K6akoWg/s3971/IMG_5391.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2473" data-original-width="3971" height="199" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwbxUgvlyh8-UlqfE2Cwgp6coT0bsEXvlJlilstEtL3PF7NrzwnjyNo9a4S93wIuTDdlqBWFK1olT6rHm_Fjwn4MlJxbA0UnWdOL4HhdvWpbxaPP0wWXNsnYL39xCipPVvf2pIr5OLqKPT4zTwCjken67uw0asOaRXOpv6Xd1LTmfyQruOeQB-K6akoWg/s320/IMG_5391.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhynzCvRAH4AIoIkE9gdMClcsWi9dmS0h1Qvl9PznKBSXQHSNVYUYFP7WSaxqvittltUoUGeX7lWt2Q_PsB8IxfawpKhd8_dhEeyBszFByjEJ2NEoGP9Wqvg_tKa5jFDFmLpRjBQ83N1rhyphenhyphenTPcK53DBb_Vx2ORfxLJItAGuWW40XEdks9zJmvcqRmgt7Qs/s3527/IMG_5392.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="3527" height="274" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhynzCvRAH4AIoIkE9gdMClcsWi9dmS0h1Qvl9PznKBSXQHSNVYUYFP7WSaxqvittltUoUGeX7lWt2Q_PsB8IxfawpKhd8_dhEeyBszFByjEJ2NEoGP9Wqvg_tKa5jFDFmLpRjBQ83N1rhyphenhyphenTPcK53DBb_Vx2ORfxLJItAGuWW40XEdks9zJmvcqRmgt7Qs/s320/IMG_5392.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgURfemEp6_T-4shKHJjuVUxU8Ks7GfcSwCDg7BSCyL37yU64thxJe6Esr9lSOCQ2_ett7Dln_vFVbaUoGCPPhY_MgXl7tJabGRGv6x93tKIYsvZsUVcqm7U-37VW4BOjsmLq6afo736GUeaE3utTjOA_N4MHaNs9SFnvmJM2qL66PFEfXqoK7VRxRp-Fg/s4032/IMG_5394.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgURfemEp6_T-4shKHJjuVUxU8Ks7GfcSwCDg7BSCyL37yU64thxJe6Esr9lSOCQ2_ett7Dln_vFVbaUoGCPPhY_MgXl7tJabGRGv6x93tKIYsvZsUVcqm7U-37VW4BOjsmLq6afo736GUeaE3utTjOA_N4MHaNs9SFnvmJM2qL66PFEfXqoK7VRxRp-Fg/s320/IMG_5394.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The atrium inside the <a href="https://www.fourseasons.com/guangzhou/" target="_blank">Four Seasons Hotel</a>:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM7UZ7tIGNBrvdeCh4xHVr61lm4btDL3pH6gxcCIGeTOSfQyigR9123DJal5FoqjQbvcf9so1lqkY7I1VcmnReajIehC08v4dgn0zKXYosUjiWFO-3dZcut-rSb8yo71ej9yXyaIb4eVtl1xzdnuQhCAjBfh__ppPAJ7BZm63ZAqHZ85TwKtOWy1E0S7k/s4032/IMG_5395.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM7UZ7tIGNBrvdeCh4xHVr61lm4btDL3pH6gxcCIGeTOSfQyigR9123DJal5FoqjQbvcf9so1lqkY7I1VcmnReajIehC08v4dgn0zKXYosUjiWFO-3dZcut-rSb8yo71ej9yXyaIb4eVtl1xzdnuQhCAjBfh__ppPAJ7BZm63ZAqHZ85TwKtOWy1E0S7k/s320/IMG_5395.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The views from one of the upper-floor bars, where unfortunately we couldn't get a table:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWwr-UriUOFon_jvxJOjcgyzv3f21mGa9Ep7Tr4N0knTy50CE9TLWafZQNmEV3Hdfd7S0NWSUNnTbqK9vNphzOPzsrC0JabRWl7HuJxQV9brmJhyIO7srNuPLA1Tt7U4GyAuj5aSaupwGxDIOY07OLaEO-nNI8x21cyzvka0Tlk9dyNyPP4eqODkrLFZU/s4032/IMG_5398.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWwr-UriUOFon_jvxJOjcgyzv3f21mGa9Ep7Tr4N0knTy50CE9TLWafZQNmEV3Hdfd7S0NWSUNnTbqK9vNphzOPzsrC0JabRWl7HuJxQV9brmJhyIO7srNuPLA1Tt7U4GyAuj5aSaupwGxDIOY07OLaEO-nNI8x21cyzvka0Tlk9dyNyPP4eqODkrLFZU/s320/IMG_5398.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpWi_UMwaknfeZOrwczltE_Gj1gPCWwLbTND0sr9aOa1uNhr-0CBoYgwJ-fwBrsvw9jxnKQEFvH6LrK-UDbReHU-WkbdbifOD-BPbnQIn8ganOUl64FlfqJnAAt2-t1Y2TzA8jTFCXKyZPj-H7qxB6uxeoASXdj9pl1GlAeVNsJZcgFn_pxlJgd3cyp34/s4032/IMG_5401.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpWi_UMwaknfeZOrwczltE_Gj1gPCWwLbTND0sr9aOa1uNhr-0CBoYgwJ-fwBrsvw9jxnKQEFvH6LrK-UDbReHU-WkbdbifOD-BPbnQIn8ganOUl64FlfqJnAAt2-t1Y2TzA8jTFCXKyZPj-H7qxB6uxeoASXdj9pl1GlAeVNsJZcgFn_pxlJgd3cyp34/s320/IMG_5401.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>For Thursday's dinner our Guangzhou colleagues introduced us to Dishui Store, a vegetarian restaurant staffed by hearing-impaired servers. It's located inside the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guangzhou_Opera_House" target="_blank">Guangzhou Opera House</a> 广州大剧院, which was designed by <a href="https://www.zaha-hadid.com/architecture/guangzhou-opera-house/" target="_blank">Zaha Hadid</a>:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1qLj8H7oXeeg_TR9lfZbtjxJR-Rlk71r16d5qnPCuWgjesyLQ7IJtHnqICv1pIzfj7iVFo7javzje6e4fW9q-FJcW38u-dEOgsJmdO0eOzacbhG0YpYC85-4rQkCPd1Ff6qJ6450PBAnpeC1-YgfBiXL-SsY4YQxouqdaBsNulLlo4dYvUXk1GqyRHxU/s4032/IMG_5402.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1qLj8H7oXeeg_TR9lfZbtjxJR-Rlk71r16d5qnPCuWgjesyLQ7IJtHnqICv1pIzfj7iVFo7javzje6e4fW9q-FJcW38u-dEOgsJmdO0eOzacbhG0YpYC85-4rQkCPd1Ff6qJ6450PBAnpeC1-YgfBiXL-SsY4YQxouqdaBsNulLlo4dYvUXk1GqyRHxU/s320/IMG_5402.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>I'm not ready to give up consuming meat just yet, but the dishes at Dishui Store were very good:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiZ8yJSOULTQcZoewM3bJUdxmvozsVpThEpmNXFFUtX8hRIOAHctzvBzy8HN4FTM6_HB2K-s5XllRKUEemJLhcClEs4GBl0Uwpu_30riIfSak_61OhpuD_RKwvVayaOLxeVpbxxcGH9cF6GgWrTyI34YYGjWfygjbqLllRST7v9_VZGI2tziHOUrV84O0/s3222/IMG_5403.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3222" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiZ8yJSOULTQcZoewM3bJUdxmvozsVpThEpmNXFFUtX8hRIOAHctzvBzy8HN4FTM6_HB2K-s5XllRKUEemJLhcClEs4GBl0Uwpu_30riIfSak_61OhpuD_RKwvVayaOLxeVpbxxcGH9cF6GgWrTyI34YYGjWfygjbqLllRST7v9_VZGI2tziHOUrV84O0/s320/IMG_5403.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8CZ5XoRi7WsvUbyWvo6pfHNnTfEu9Xt5gveCsyibAyPBE1VXv8TK_AAf4bUe-A9QcCy88hdil9RMtPpB84BtBV99VSi2WXui2KdyD-sCd1vT0w3CJqcIJOzQsd818oFaq60PjiNIQijkzqolwZEC8mMTRO2qtD5PEXvUbyYDjfKzk85bDw_t-aJblM1w/s4032/IMG_5404.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8CZ5XoRi7WsvUbyWvo6pfHNnTfEu9Xt5gveCsyibAyPBE1VXv8TK_AAf4bUe-A9QcCy88hdil9RMtPpB84BtBV99VSi2WXui2KdyD-sCd1vT0w3CJqcIJOzQsd818oFaq60PjiNIQijkzqolwZEC8mMTRO2qtD5PEXvUbyYDjfKzk85bDw_t-aJblM1w/s320/IMG_5404.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc8gkI0svWud5Y0KpdWL6yGSSnss2kWUImFwjOFei-NxCJm8TMjY8UwWIPOqyXDUDJ2FPD0aW1h-PfOqQDeKJ8vm8dHplMiRucQ7UoMi-VAUtCXai_ifuiQzxSbBjd-jWEzukQzZB2HOsuXdKSxLqzSB4v4tgMzmOoTZG_1FOhNpvOn7vA9EsSv6seXHM/s4032/IMG_5406.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc8gkI0svWud5Y0KpdWL6yGSSnss2kWUImFwjOFei-NxCJm8TMjY8UwWIPOqyXDUDJ2FPD0aW1h-PfOqQDeKJ8vm8dHplMiRucQ7UoMi-VAUtCXai_ifuiQzxSbBjd-jWEzukQzZB2HOsuXdKSxLqzSB4v4tgMzmOoTZG_1FOhNpvOn7vA9EsSv6seXHM/s320/IMG_5406.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Following dinner and another unsuccessful attempt at upper-floor drinking, a couple of colleagues and myself went for a walk, taking in the ultra-modern architecture of central Guangzhou:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi10TKIbvgDg6qbGVlKh6_pWn3Jku548xsgalraHMnlAB6eeMkMn08f41479OgZDOWWAmlGTPL5EGbXoTnMjknR5XrT8v98ytm5hlkiRWcuq54bwrbJKb-ZAuHajGQ2g3ExFXvP-w_Ni5kVaYpRedx2ph-YyyxT6ns9-EUw5xE_SZyin9Ac-u_AJgEsO64/s3215/IMG_5409.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3215" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi10TKIbvgDg6qbGVlKh6_pWn3Jku548xsgalraHMnlAB6eeMkMn08f41479OgZDOWWAmlGTPL5EGbXoTnMjknR5XrT8v98ytm5hlkiRWcuq54bwrbJKb-ZAuHajGQ2g3ExFXvP-w_Ni5kVaYpRedx2ph-YyyxT6ns9-EUw5xE_SZyin9Ac-u_AJgEsO64/s320/IMG_5409.jpg" width="301" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdREMJ2F0B-V2UArzf9L_k_bVotYvUsBF-Za_A9exvDZ1Iz3bpFKGhP_FfygNh0CdcmNlGB1M03iMHyGH255Haj_cLp1hMDAkDRn_H0QfJvlu83SH0kmEpekZkcvBnxTXi_Q8AKmNTcLHdQyjowZzCHJHqsrEvv1S1oTBTTTOtn-b75k1yyE6mroVm45E/s4032/IMG_5410.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdREMJ2F0B-V2UArzf9L_k_bVotYvUsBF-Za_A9exvDZ1Iz3bpFKGhP_FfygNh0CdcmNlGB1M03iMHyGH255Haj_cLp1hMDAkDRn_H0QfJvlu83SH0kmEpekZkcvBnxTXi_Q8AKmNTcLHdQyjowZzCHJHqsrEvv1S1oTBTTTOtn-b75k1yyE6mroVm45E/s320/IMG_5410.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUKHTlpS5fcSpkV-okRsvwqiaUp_j6twUua56NwRSxyGeip3eO7BsvQvL2FzBdWuhre0jPyTd8SJ3kEv-Lz6oBJL612DY0Wgg6DptB28eA5UrE5WsJNFa4lb13Wv1_Njg8VdzBYMa7aeloaBU1GY4NEKg_9eglbXcj9_Nvdk2GUKG8R8N1uCJ__S-8bjg/s3756/IMG_5411.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2980" data-original-width="3756" height="254" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUKHTlpS5fcSpkV-okRsvwqiaUp_j6twUua56NwRSxyGeip3eO7BsvQvL2FzBdWuhre0jPyTd8SJ3kEv-Lz6oBJL612DY0Wgg6DptB28eA5UrE5WsJNFa4lb13Wv1_Njg8VdzBYMa7aeloaBU1GY4NEKg_9eglbXcj9_Nvdk2GUKG8R8N1uCJ__S-8bjg/s320/IMG_5411.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8lqk58iY1X2XynYBQmbiwej_DOPekoLqxCelLGrIqTXBEmoJ0Kz-7sLXI-LPP0K3r1k_XPpbfTU7nFfSRWUsO_bA-J0P_UZUTIXIWVc5p-u3eQFMFaO9AP3dWtC1ZIc9ya1kejk-TxHkkP235n1OG0tcGo2AyvRj06kqxzC1CxqnQ8uWS00o-kKDK_UQ/s4032/IMG_5412.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8lqk58iY1X2XynYBQmbiwej_DOPekoLqxCelLGrIqTXBEmoJ0Kz-7sLXI-LPP0K3r1k_XPpbfTU7nFfSRWUsO_bA-J0P_UZUTIXIWVc5p-u3eQFMFaO9AP3dWtC1ZIc9ya1kejk-TxHkkP235n1OG0tcGo2AyvRj06kqxzC1CxqnQ8uWS00o-kKDK_UQ/s320/IMG_5412.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS3fZotjD2k-4XFwExp6OGgW_xazaBKvYkXgbRKtgtb4eNKxUHm0of8wscVwYY5WtXZtYIpy4S2PvHjYtIZ4BWMiqpPIG_qzWtOQ_551c_ZhuyAI_KBe6UXmbKh91e0VWykphC8U_Pi8f8o15bb-7iaolOtSo0-t6hBFKqbM5-xvXN8XO227VaR7N1F_k/s3898/IMG_5413.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3898" data-original-width="2924" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS3fZotjD2k-4XFwExp6OGgW_xazaBKvYkXgbRKtgtb4eNKxUHm0of8wscVwYY5WtXZtYIpy4S2PvHjYtIZ4BWMiqpPIG_qzWtOQ_551c_ZhuyAI_KBe6UXmbKh91e0VWykphC8U_Pi8f8o15bb-7iaolOtSo0-t6hBFKqbM5-xvXN8XO227VaR7N1F_k/s320/IMG_5413.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Passing by a Japanese-style cat cafe:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTXMTUePDgLjzCA3_2JrLyAVK1yMBlyWIfT4ILv8AflfE-CMOBvwJ4l9IXOPaU3YAugzdTIhYOvL3F_6un-6eYHqBypACG_UOnSdZVdyBvDmLCos99Gh7Jje_Ui6ljPCWz3CRuskUhu3LcL4tcIyBksSVMmhcsMY0TiiWzHvvfcIoygTroWNWzvTcjloA/s4032/IMG_5414.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2496" data-original-width="4032" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTXMTUePDgLjzCA3_2JrLyAVK1yMBlyWIfT4ILv8AflfE-CMOBvwJ4l9IXOPaU3YAugzdTIhYOvL3F_6un-6eYHqBypACG_UOnSdZVdyBvDmLCos99Gh7Jje_Ui6ljPCWz3CRuskUhu3LcL4tcIyBksSVMmhcsMY0TiiWzHvvfcIoygTroWNWzvTcjloA/s320/IMG_5414.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>We ended up at an underground shopping arcade popular with Guangzhou's youthful consumers:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrLs4MLVR5DzHvKTpOnuVPd2N8EnG-qMHaORLaok4hBFxtJlicnDG6XcUcJubbIERJztZ8BlKVnAGISMtJuLQCz6noDNAJ12XA39vmm76fTPmZWKFgfnVlNVha1KncS75yPmK3y3b1RILRN3m1Z7mgrTiAebaOa-pKkmAv01XZeBEJK5rbiuriiyyv-CU/s4032/IMG_5418.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrLs4MLVR5DzHvKTpOnuVPd2N8EnG-qMHaORLaok4hBFxtJlicnDG6XcUcJubbIERJztZ8BlKVnAGISMtJuLQCz6noDNAJ12XA39vmm76fTPmZWKFgfnVlNVha1KncS75yPmK3y3b1RILRN3m1Z7mgrTiAebaOa-pKkmAv01XZeBEJK5rbiuriiyyv-CU/s320/IMG_5418.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG9FKD31xeYN77sSJrkPLa1r75wKj5JvPUqxa5YbY3VITb8781eXFXehzy1Ur3az9pBTI2bxTXK-9x0aneR61D9SX9WxfV96Jk6e6x83LQOqCEztlC-P2C0009vpdID7QIUTRgzYHTvOybm8l3iu-zXTOfCTE5fvrfsA59yIBF5q2p50_11gTBu5Za8ck/s4032/IMG_5421.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG9FKD31xeYN77sSJrkPLa1r75wKj5JvPUqxa5YbY3VITb8781eXFXehzy1Ur3az9pBTI2bxTXK-9x0aneR61D9SX9WxfV96Jk6e6x83LQOqCEztlC-P2C0009vpdID7QIUTRgzYHTvOybm8l3iu-zXTOfCTE5fvrfsA59yIBF5q2p50_11gTBu5Za8ck/s320/IMG_5421.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD6PsRhs3jnIZB3eeOkOKxpCDZnvFXXU-pvneVTy2kqBGrjQhKPNERhAM1rCDfeaEsYzQyvTw-bvNmmEsY2Kc9nJj6O6YHheJ2oYmXTT7lYHFVAch5PMAJqAoybLyEAJGGG-IkMQg5jkJ-wIPka86N_J-IiSxZZ2lhfKDPDiD1Tia_LjYVot-mlNzT9Mg/s4032/IMG_5422.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD6PsRhs3jnIZB3eeOkOKxpCDZnvFXXU-pvneVTy2kqBGrjQhKPNERhAM1rCDfeaEsYzQyvTw-bvNmmEsY2Kc9nJj6O6YHheJ2oYmXTT7lYHFVAch5PMAJqAoybLyEAJGGG-IkMQg5jkJ-wIPka86N_J-IiSxZZ2lhfKDPDiD1Tia_LjYVot-mlNzT9Mg/s320/IMG_5422.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgosRAkiLeZwPiVZ7pp7mDoDIovMueGydrDWt9FxFmqGzdI4ApUjP3QVd-h9bprOaDQmZcIYqICKVBT-bNpoJKAOSZxhTwQ9TK2PWcp4D3dSHo0PO5zdmQKeuE3zRYDZobaiCa3sZe04-IS3vXm1x5T3Kxe_MnQMnH_ZZ_Gb6gtqgvrVFQaYWie3-f9560/s4032/IMG_5424.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2632" data-original-width="4032" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgosRAkiLeZwPiVZ7pp7mDoDIovMueGydrDWt9FxFmqGzdI4ApUjP3QVd-h9bprOaDQmZcIYqICKVBT-bNpoJKAOSZxhTwQ9TK2PWcp4D3dSHo0PO5zdmQKeuE3zRYDZobaiCa3sZe04-IS3vXm1x5T3Kxe_MnQMnH_ZZ_Gb6gtqgvrVFQaYWie3-f9560/s320/IMG_5424.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The view on Friday morning from my room:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-TJ-2-j5j2x5bf54sEcwsTaaAVTT8nrUEZ8XBxJ1HLrZG-3A17ECakC9jvG58JUEWp0MDEzR8JuINbSi9ah_TXOiSflzcSSrcVEwCC0RJLvX7ayRnSuvVLW0qMx-_lSFxIn3x4KrPzcrKpWtpkk_5FlgTNs731kjr1rscQucIiRZxAGyI8P94GUI1aHM/s4032/IMG_5426.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-TJ-2-j5j2x5bf54sEcwsTaaAVTT8nrUEZ8XBxJ1HLrZG-3A17ECakC9jvG58JUEWp0MDEzR8JuINbSi9ah_TXOiSflzcSSrcVEwCC0RJLvX7ayRnSuvVLW0qMx-_lSFxIn3x4KrPzcrKpWtpkk_5FlgTNs731kjr1rscQucIiRZxAGyI8P94GUI1aHM/s320/IMG_5426.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgPnDILJuuPXEG7ujJVbpI-df2dLjjau1jEWva3XtreSYu3uEfY0WAX0JkmBz9EIyU_P_Ho7dF5QdkewpKi4TaZfF_Co2KZ7zA8y6KMJVdtSiULfAoeNbmpL1OaVkwE23j470DcwYacQZGYGOftFDgXjZQae682PxZ2xnw3gLeUXe4jH54MDwaHPl2r-8/s4032/IMG_5427.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgPnDILJuuPXEG7ujJVbpI-df2dLjjau1jEWva3XtreSYu3uEfY0WAX0JkmBz9EIyU_P_Ho7dF5QdkewpKi4TaZfF_Co2KZ7zA8y6KMJVdtSiULfAoeNbmpL1OaVkwE23j470DcwYacQZGYGOftFDgXjZQae682PxZ2xnw3gLeUXe4jH54MDwaHPl2r-8/s320/IMG_5427.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>A group photo at the completion of the workshop:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit8FqoVo83PMMEXDWbHH7YTEJQ-mzCaZQkQVoxpjCor_FIy_E_qdBiDHgXMvQaOTsR4R2LyhgEY2QzowQCCLZZGp4G7hSTzb6wSvRAWcdmJLPHPiuR8FAdBxt4lio075RraCsBZIs6U7dQP29fIZFDG5CECHiuOWeJsBplhMfgSKQ96V0i0tbKL_Fdt4M/s1702/9c479a256431a4417b34e8d4d40be9b8.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1276" data-original-width="1702" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit8FqoVo83PMMEXDWbHH7YTEJQ-mzCaZQkQVoxpjCor_FIy_E_qdBiDHgXMvQaOTsR4R2LyhgEY2QzowQCCLZZGp4G7hSTzb6wSvRAWcdmJLPHPiuR8FAdBxt4lio075RraCsBZIs6U7dQP29fIZFDG5CECHiuOWeJsBplhMfgSKQ96V0i0tbKL_Fdt4M/s320/9c479a256431a4417b34e8d4d40be9b8.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Another late afternoon pedestrian exploration of my surroundings:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgcsgtzQN2aiqxsxDbw6fhd-7gzGRAbqOti2muWjS9wyO8y-o1c5_12dBhFhjtiFs0RKxtSQuMnajQlyKaliFbwEc-Uz2wQnUupbkPh7lZfchPj9uxzGP1qXoIZB0-LtrZsNnCvh5pRftMgL3_aKrl-ye9Bd438w9vxQn0_uj3MKpyoS-OjnNQzpR7kiA/s4032/IMG_5429.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgcsgtzQN2aiqxsxDbw6fhd-7gzGRAbqOti2muWjS9wyO8y-o1c5_12dBhFhjtiFs0RKxtSQuMnajQlyKaliFbwEc-Uz2wQnUupbkPh7lZfchPj9uxzGP1qXoIZB0-LtrZsNnCvh5pRftMgL3_aKrl-ye9Bd438w9vxQn0_uj3MKpyoS-OjnNQzpR7kiA/s320/IMG_5429.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqbcijvhIo6FkQe4bx_UV4V3Jamf3rZleKzAf7nwUmxM71nNCJtPbzAh5hpYi4snm81TF-vLTVP5sRmeeXB3l1Ux6wPxwox5p5gDUFXj-eTJlOqyiDIX0QEA0CKhf7GWqLdDr0moMwOoFYi-HorIFKYt5ChD7MeP1Zc-wisf-xN_iQ_G1qwKk7npufvsk/s3415/IMG_5430.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2949" data-original-width="3415" height="276" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqbcijvhIo6FkQe4bx_UV4V3Jamf3rZleKzAf7nwUmxM71nNCJtPbzAh5hpYi4snm81TF-vLTVP5sRmeeXB3l1Ux6wPxwox5p5gDUFXj-eTJlOqyiDIX0QEA0CKhf7GWqLdDr0moMwOoFYi-HorIFKYt5ChD7MeP1Zc-wisf-xN_iQ_G1qwKk7npufvsk/s320/IMG_5430.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>I found myself at the 1200BookShop, "<a href="https://www.trip.com/moments/detail/guangzhou-152-119150817/" target="_blank">the coolest bookstore in Guangzhou</a>":</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzVVX5afxCYdGvP5BVJzGXeLwAwLef3yrEsJi6xsgiX_vpFrm7qN1UYPZXOpZVpjpRKro4Uzlq1blQlD7fBEaE2yaLH8iOZujTRVoVs9FOrdQYuFZYvEJyp6s82AJMSKY_hM5bMUGQODgP2V_RNw3ecVtkxI9qkU_H5eDFRdCF0I37eVGVKeG9rI32WQg/s4032/IMG_5431.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzVVX5afxCYdGvP5BVJzGXeLwAwLef3yrEsJi6xsgiX_vpFrm7qN1UYPZXOpZVpjpRKro4Uzlq1blQlD7fBEaE2yaLH8iOZujTRVoVs9FOrdQYuFZYvEJyp6s82AJMSKY_hM5bMUGQODgP2V_RNw3ecVtkxI9qkU_H5eDFRdCF0I37eVGVKeG9rI32WQg/s320/IMG_5431.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>I was disappointed at the lack of English-language titles, but I could appreciate the wannabe bohemian atmosphere. I assumed that Kafka would be banned, but you can least get a calendar with his image on it:</div><div> <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_maproLiLisAZfHGdIoRuwu7ZTZvt7fgM8mT0yOjukly_FQOBZzVWUzryeWwITS49uhtiEWIPz3Vs2HjwPrPg9hR4Ppah2l8ed2xNxlifys8MSuu4TbdQgQYuQ-h0Jwij-0qCBQJRho73vwzyp99Y3sHQ3bEnN70axxpORNWcj6WZwsJwe38VSPg0D24/s2823/IMG_5432.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2658" data-original-width="2823" height="301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_maproLiLisAZfHGdIoRuwu7ZTZvt7fgM8mT0yOjukly_FQOBZzVWUzryeWwITS49uhtiEWIPz3Vs2HjwPrPg9hR4Ppah2l8ed2xNxlifys8MSuu4TbdQgQYuQ-h0Jwij-0qCBQJRho73vwzyp99Y3sHQ3bEnN70axxpORNWcj6WZwsJwe38VSPg0D24/s320/IMG_5432.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Travel guides to Taiwan. The one on the far right asks us if we have ever been there:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-77T1kJiQRk5h1bvY1yI52w-efaEUD2_c5olj5xK9HqA8i-7PUyLuWhrej5BpmAiAImgNQUrFPxP-j1mmTmz-9QGKPjaXYDkKpuwyftVQ6eLzuDaeT6YnW5mKfeFVMbla73R8OZZm206p4eJj9sk1QYBxpRlTKpZHyWscHzQkMr4z1Ta3p2bwgk9nG_c/s4032/IMG_5435.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-77T1kJiQRk5h1bvY1yI52w-efaEUD2_c5olj5xK9HqA8i-7PUyLuWhrej5BpmAiAImgNQUrFPxP-j1mmTmz-9QGKPjaXYDkKpuwyftVQ6eLzuDaeT6YnW5mKfeFVMbla73R8OZZm206p4eJj9sk1QYBxpRlTKpZHyWscHzQkMr4z1Ta3p2bwgk9nG_c/s320/IMG_5435.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>A great place to people-watch, but how "bohemian" or "avant-garde" can a shop like this remain in Xi Jinping's China?:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAsRxdj7yP7Vawo4aXiP6XfdVE-1W5N7RPAecyz5ePzQN8cfBxwjd7aPSagQ1rzCa7bt0263YHvGuhi1w68Fojad2knZ4LKstE76B2mXZ7E69Hknwu3Lx431_k6Uw43I-ZgErsb4QzFycwNuO2K6Ft0Yriw-ZpIeOf16rzDxWnGXV0ztiwf2RJOlP6yVo/s4032/IMG_5437.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAsRxdj7yP7Vawo4aXiP6XfdVE-1W5N7RPAecyz5ePzQN8cfBxwjd7aPSagQ1rzCa7bt0263YHvGuhi1w68Fojad2knZ4LKstE76B2mXZ7E69Hknwu3Lx431_k6Uw43I-ZgErsb4QzFycwNuO2K6Ft0Yriw-ZpIeOf16rzDxWnGXV0ztiwf2RJOlP6yVo/s320/IMG_5437.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>I had dinner at an Italian-style restaurant located in an underground shopping mall:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAVKfbx6afi-Vodckzku6F9NXP1V9s7D3IDC1RnqjQr622qcBgk8oMGh9Cj70lV8lv4MzwOCxKXTFdyivVLJbpJEuLF36Ty9N4yNAct-5CDqSAB_b57Fu4uGukmsoGKPO2mdE65rZeHQarpk5xSaUjdZUTnrNAtU10jl_3NOB4tiFX-rFoqgXpJA3etII/s3537/IMG_5444.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2322" data-original-width="3537" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAVKfbx6afi-Vodckzku6F9NXP1V9s7D3IDC1RnqjQr622qcBgk8oMGh9Cj70lV8lv4MzwOCxKXTFdyivVLJbpJEuLF36Ty9N4yNAct-5CDqSAB_b57Fu4uGukmsoGKPO2mdE65rZeHQarpk5xSaUjdZUTnrNAtU10jl_3NOB4tiFX-rFoqgXpJA3etII/s320/IMG_5444.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>That night I went up to the 70th floor of my hotel to down some cocktails and enjoy the view. *70th floor? Seeing as the Park Hyatt building does not have any floors ending with the numeral <a href="https://thelorry.com/sg/blog/the-significance-of-numbers-in-chinese-culture-lucky-8-and-unlucky-4/#:~:text=Conversely%2C%20the%20number%204%20is,%E2%80%9C%E6%AD%BB%E2%80%9D%20(si)." target="_blank">"4"</a>, the actual story, while still vertigo-inducing, was not quite as high as advertised. Which serves as a metaphor for modern China:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTvo3-AxE7O6wUW00xnFExU17CDH_6-BHrAQOozNIFR_6kTOHcyGYaImfsKPIAyQ6fS-pp6P41gUtVP5v48GOK88UcjDrgyXlmxXv8-3B2a8iWnYO_ujs86nHPW-pa8VpWS-ROPjA_3AdMwTR5dZdiQrOBU6__v9JzdISknjaDfKrMRH19azoYiLvKhoQ/s4032/IMG_5445.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTvo3-AxE7O6wUW00xnFExU17CDH_6-BHrAQOozNIFR_6kTOHcyGYaImfsKPIAyQ6fS-pp6P41gUtVP5v48GOK88UcjDrgyXlmxXv8-3B2a8iWnYO_ujs86nHPW-pa8VpWS-ROPjA_3AdMwTR5dZdiQrOBU6__v9JzdISknjaDfKrMRH19azoYiLvKhoQ/s320/IMG_5445.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVBoywGop3ltOQonvmvaIp-iDxi__luiCD2sUKVLMxfHxEpQ3IQ5_9If2YhmdF7QhUFQYDFKdzJiz2JQezHmfbMpnQy6GIe0NHDsVedyvvR7tLnsVLvpj4Y9XENKo4kGB0oWFDJ0LCgJF9UvfwFS_i1bC12Fw1A0ZuqXNiri6WRT_eeiCzvYf866WMy_k/s4032/IMG_5446.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVBoywGop3ltOQonvmvaIp-iDxi__luiCD2sUKVLMxfHxEpQ3IQ5_9If2YhmdF7QhUFQYDFKdzJiz2JQezHmfbMpnQy6GIe0NHDsVedyvvR7tLnsVLvpj4Y9XENKo4kGB0oWFDJ0LCgJF9UvfwFS_i1bC12Fw1A0ZuqXNiri6WRT_eeiCzvYf866WMy_k/s320/IMG_5446.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0B0YrVUdC13tzXin0y4yiasPQ8BMV_woOz_rklP_quQL3bYC8XuJSZjdAdm12GIGpsNss_IDVy82y8xUu5z6G82BHMRVNfL6kDLzfnSJZyRv_lXNSPKTwRd3aY7GChMihl_bb7cWzbojhvpYguZ1vDWcERIdTJrKmvf_MBkdj6X1Y-XTPEMtDQekr3H0/s4032/IMG_5448.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2515" data-original-width="4032" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0B0YrVUdC13tzXin0y4yiasPQ8BMV_woOz_rklP_quQL3bYC8XuJSZjdAdm12GIGpsNss_IDVy82y8xUu5z6G82BHMRVNfL6kDLzfnSJZyRv_lXNSPKTwRd3aY7GChMihl_bb7cWzbojhvpYguZ1vDWcERIdTJrKmvf_MBkdj6X1Y-XTPEMtDQekr3H0/s320/IMG_5448.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5m6XC_aLY2ZWZIWiC1kxBoXSW9FfCQBg8kZdsr_FI06cPVnfvhDKf73-aLZ_W1PBG2wC6Qst1ANzzKHb2bXuIfyzl7GvTN5VuOYc0wUWi5Yr-D8_f5TJ0D7AN-m1OkkL85zsWHfn4KCZwfmyoLIh4e18U7oYkBXFf16cfLZyBwzCj4hNpYX8R19MMKlY/s3789/IMG_5450.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3789" data-original-width="2842" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5m6XC_aLY2ZWZIWiC1kxBoXSW9FfCQBg8kZdsr_FI06cPVnfvhDKf73-aLZ_W1PBG2wC6Qst1ANzzKHb2bXuIfyzl7GvTN5VuOYc0wUWi5Yr-D8_f5TJ0D7AN-m1OkkL85zsWHfn4KCZwfmyoLIh4e18U7oYkBXFf16cfLZyBwzCj4hNpYX8R19MMKlY/s320/IMG_5450.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Saturday morning breakfast:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVlmmK8UNNR5jUAdDz3KjEiNOhWXx1a2LrJEIh3ZryMitV0Vq8xHwNR5t8kSikpeSstRNs_yadpZyBPVnLGfPnbbIA9VSJIFED08vq4Jwai7F2ZTZ1FRVbJa4H4Lv-NDn6oy6kx3wTZwjTgV-GH0h3ILGf8a5DevaKcy3oWBrPpTl1v9Yg-w3lKmOCCJE/s3516/IMG_5454.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2365" data-original-width="3516" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVlmmK8UNNR5jUAdDz3KjEiNOhWXx1a2LrJEIh3ZryMitV0Vq8xHwNR5t8kSikpeSstRNs_yadpZyBPVnLGfPnbbIA9VSJIFED08vq4Jwai7F2ZTZ1FRVbJa4H4Lv-NDn6oy6kx3wTZwjTgV-GH0h3ILGf8a5DevaKcy3oWBrPpTl1v9Yg-w3lKmOCCJE/s320/IMG_5454.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>With time to kill before my afternoon flight to Beijing, I decided to do some further exploring. My initial idea was to cruise around on a shared bike, but it turned out Guangzhou isn't as cycle friendly as China's capital - not enough bike lanes, those that exist frequently end up on sidewalks with pedestrians, and too often you're required to use a pedestrian bridge instead of just cycling across an intersection. I eventually gave up, and relied instead on my feet to get around:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfgYvg-gMl-nmSzNFt28PpbVxLCcLlJ680fFBKIOhN5G1rtzvw0wdpuUt_uIE4mcj5QU3puA4kpAmLLqhxI66-2jPIaZrpkcZSFDujNtK2OUW52cYIXIXw0GYuB7efdmJsfzYs2igMH0fE3xSg7zg6fYbGEdLqEnWHie0SB7PO1CqS8P77ehsmDOPkeo0/s4032/IMG_5456.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2574" data-original-width="4032" height="204" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfgYvg-gMl-nmSzNFt28PpbVxLCcLlJ680fFBKIOhN5G1rtzvw0wdpuUt_uIE4mcj5QU3puA4kpAmLLqhxI66-2jPIaZrpkcZSFDujNtK2OUW52cYIXIXw0GYuB7efdmJsfzYs2igMH0fE3xSg7zg6fYbGEdLqEnWHie0SB7PO1CqS8P77ehsmDOPkeo0/s320/IMG_5456.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuA11Zh-ZqzRzehHst07cVA9QJdB0WrmWh51U-q_qCAGnZQcMP8mk70ntzPKesnBkaWF71uclOOQP4UqCNB4IhQUuVf9URdZayGjXLzMA82teVJX4xaJSYxRV6C2D83YsgCafIiJvQpKyXV3Z13Z7U_ud69Rz09se4qi-bt9ekx5XB_TIVMDcTYAv4D8Q/s4032/IMG_5457.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuA11Zh-ZqzRzehHst07cVA9QJdB0WrmWh51U-q_qCAGnZQcMP8mk70ntzPKesnBkaWF71uclOOQP4UqCNB4IhQUuVf9URdZayGjXLzMA82teVJX4xaJSYxRV6C2D83YsgCafIiJvQpKyXV3Z13Z7U_ud69Rz09se4qi-bt9ekx5XB_TIVMDcTYAv4D8Q/s320/IMG_5457.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Some of the more interesting statues in Hongcheng Park 宏城公园:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMC8MeMcaM_MP7Q9YxuvwBLLA33dWnHspx8vK7RisqHPuX1ZPsp69UwHpCR1325CqyRUNtJJh1KtsUogYgO3YQm8TIZAAgQ2KwWBNINH5NtiqJYncA4acoqvRZXRw-9LlRih2gyKZJ9hoIDW3Iw5FCGYZBelwyi4_oJQjk2TwLYrvzTU58XDGAIAN0BW4/s4032/IMG_5458.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMC8MeMcaM_MP7Q9YxuvwBLLA33dWnHspx8vK7RisqHPuX1ZPsp69UwHpCR1325CqyRUNtJJh1KtsUogYgO3YQm8TIZAAgQ2KwWBNINH5NtiqJYncA4acoqvRZXRw-9LlRih2gyKZJ9hoIDW3Iw5FCGYZBelwyi4_oJQjk2TwLYrvzTU58XDGAIAN0BW4/s320/IMG_5458.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlcrHyEhdQFPBRSV8IX6xGFLyLzKD7mflHbtmBrLEIRXGp5jeMFxS3HHn860_-Se33wOJRFCNma1eX6eFVa0lwkURTUvyD5K7QfHu4rei_xhTbpOVnAHGxZf55SIJnneS7abdCNX_Cnqw1M8pO4DDmtWWdlZOAY_6Babljj2hnM_8g1-7Mo7RuRg1eoB8/s4032/IMG_5460.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlcrHyEhdQFPBRSV8IX6xGFLyLzKD7mflHbtmBrLEIRXGp5jeMFxS3HHn860_-Se33wOJRFCNma1eX6eFVa0lwkURTUvyD5K7QfHu4rei_xhTbpOVnAHGxZf55SIJnneS7abdCNX_Cnqw1M8pO4DDmtWWdlZOAY_6Babljj2hnM_8g1-7Mo7RuRg1eoB8/s320/IMG_5460.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDbyzZLSad26Wjp2NVbRzIE4TXCQ16v5j3Ejur8-zWlkSiRY7p2EOHi0NxTzOz39x59ojNKIpZYKmVk64QorDOHKjHZ1rh23f_1k129O8LbjBlG1EWgodAwhB6XeX_bFvVGDQS9o8y_EYGS3MWWxGq-Jwk6JiOQvRjOyXdsx_IpSTMHimD5RBPB3MPPoQ/s4032/IMG_5461.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDbyzZLSad26Wjp2NVbRzIE4TXCQ16v5j3Ejur8-zWlkSiRY7p2EOHi0NxTzOz39x59ojNKIpZYKmVk64QorDOHKjHZ1rh23f_1k129O8LbjBlG1EWgodAwhB6XeX_bFvVGDQS9o8y_EYGS3MWWxGq-Jwk6JiOQvRjOyXdsx_IpSTMHimD5RBPB3MPPoQ/s320/IMG_5461.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The area was dominated by the Canton Tower:</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEVU8IHaMpce5srOnSxDZ55fqUTkSm5Zh6ugIuw6qgS8p-H7d6sH9wi6yx4RSchSijrV3bZSbxKNbEoJrWHztTLh31CgfSV60dopu9Srh_4NEBjRnM7T8qXq5defD49iHUcennmJg7HKh4nL0hMCqYMp5jGSMUcWcZPZ-3ozFIkrykdDA07bm3iWKjHAQ/s4032/IMG_5463.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEVU8IHaMpce5srOnSxDZ55fqUTkSm5Zh6ugIuw6qgS8p-H7d6sH9wi6yx4RSchSijrV3bZSbxKNbEoJrWHztTLh31CgfSV60dopu9Srh_4NEBjRnM7T8qXq5defD49iHUcennmJg7HKh4nL0hMCqYMp5jGSMUcWcZPZ-3ozFIkrykdDA07bm3iWKjHAQ/s320/IMG_5463.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr45I-TWwsaQEzedIVWobOsTfMNrt8Epr2RwrlB7XXxoj8UcWHZXylkVsNpxCAMHvSXHgjTVeYPueRHVBxKCCZe49kGpLB5TX0j89o35QU8lNfVBUzxBLcwMsx87IZvrfwzwHuQYPLMSYCEaRVLxHYdZJTv6fz9g6PQO8LHszxHgikisu1mV9eNOGjFgI/s4032/IMG_5467.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr45I-TWwsaQEzedIVWobOsTfMNrt8Epr2RwrlB7XXxoj8UcWHZXylkVsNpxCAMHvSXHgjTVeYPueRHVBxKCCZe49kGpLB5TX0j89o35QU8lNfVBUzxBLcwMsx87IZvrfwzwHuQYPLMSYCEaRVLxHYdZJTv6fz9g6PQO8LHszxHgikisu1mV9eNOGjFgI/s320/IMG_5467.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnAIPNKhPpUbaFvHWr6cfybu3gUA2fS2lyLbGZ6SM6SsJjb_1akCp-i3JG2uQP0J7IkTzoPE9TSPpQcq4arfo6eCMjWAp3zD64CWzPrNlWEfNitcmci_j9nakGK_BbNxbI5qJapgb7PpplqDRheoWKXiFNFaNnkSsy6UyQT86-qHqfeneTwNWmbqtC450/s3921/IMG_5469.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2941" data-original-width="3921" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnAIPNKhPpUbaFvHWr6cfybu3gUA2fS2lyLbGZ6SM6SsJjb_1akCp-i3JG2uQP0J7IkTzoPE9TSPpQcq4arfo6eCMjWAp3zD64CWzPrNlWEfNitcmci_j9nakGK_BbNxbI5qJapgb7PpplqDRheoWKXiFNFaNnkSsy6UyQT86-qHqfeneTwNWmbqtC450/s320/IMG_5469.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOPt3pBX_v7bNQYYk4SlLQIBtfyeSC7f7t3wtuumRTLg8nAYKHjo1zlTOCs4MvwuG7s-FewLgwBT_AkRSMlmm_8ipcSUVUAAdVWjcEGJI3B8KqV1deWODGzfcSSn2UcZbQZz3shlbxAc6A69cFvKB4Oc4VqkBC6QDYA4ZY_iLPHOLUAfr-yqu1x6WZAis/s3962/IMG_5470.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3962" data-original-width="2972" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOPt3pBX_v7bNQYYk4SlLQIBtfyeSC7f7t3wtuumRTLg8nAYKHjo1zlTOCs4MvwuG7s-FewLgwBT_AkRSMlmm_8ipcSUVUAAdVWjcEGJI3B8KqV1deWODGzfcSSn2UcZbQZz3shlbxAc6A69cFvKB4Oc4VqkBC6QDYA4ZY_iLPHOLUAfr-yqu1x6WZAis/s320/IMG_5470.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFfVvPMyGdZFVRJpniH7qZy2TVwN4N-_YScwfrujcZR87OAZx1RaZqs6vXeATMvTGbrhqiJwd-7Hi4tB2GeyNfbHRo1kPuDyHNkk8t0aVZxF-zldQNDSrfGYWdEao8V9f39qUkuLzZ-cgs_2-6OVCyT6CKtZP1D4WZJqXNN0AxCJzrhdLcNkkuflmIxYM/s2757/IMG_5471.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2757" data-original-width="2318" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFfVvPMyGdZFVRJpniH7qZy2TVwN4N-_YScwfrujcZR87OAZx1RaZqs6vXeATMvTGbrhqiJwd-7Hi4tB2GeyNfbHRo1kPuDyHNkk8t0aVZxF-zldQNDSrfGYWdEao8V9f39qUkuLzZ-cgs_2-6OVCyT6CKtZP1D4WZJqXNN0AxCJzrhdLcNkkuflmIxYM/s320/IMG_5471.jpg" width="269" /></a></div><div><br /></div><a href="https://www.trip.com/moments/detail/guangzhou-152-18373555/" target="_blank">Haixinsha Island</a> 海心沙岛 was the main site of the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2010_Asian_Games" target="_blank">2010 Asian Games</a>:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSPn0mAzUhU3_6Tb2PoPPwS5AGUNPR49jUG9k6M_AoYLe9whhJYBm114uVfD0UpIpFSWWp6W1Tlt1A5JgUMh3bdulzQ3OxOFpU85d_jD4eR_2NG4XLnjb4AZ6vaKZlBZeTxfVLHSDo7yqCpUgZzzbnK4WX_bUEYVVLVLEffsolahSwK-R54jDS2YmZOqk/s4032/IMG_5472.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSPn0mAzUhU3_6Tb2PoPPwS5AGUNPR49jUG9k6M_AoYLe9whhJYBm114uVfD0UpIpFSWWp6W1Tlt1A5JgUMh3bdulzQ3OxOFpU85d_jD4eR_2NG4XLnjb4AZ6vaKZlBZeTxfVLHSDo7yqCpUgZzzbnK4WX_bUEYVVLVLEffsolahSwK-R54jDS2YmZOqk/s320/IMG_5472.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">A popular photo op spot:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig2teXqF-KxGErgujyv-4akvDUnz8_dDmiCNYVKFXlw0UYbJF9NZ-zjysMgmJeRHrNOyqa2DGLvJ8fPu5jTIy7YElOhvX4Nag_amFLkcSeIyBvaoPtifTTtg5d_iuw3YtfcFPVD-k2yCLD8GFNbpc2V3JckAvIMmU1sJsUmlDk7PGttkF4pmKRlCa17Hs/s4032/IMG_5474.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig2teXqF-KxGErgujyv-4akvDUnz8_dDmiCNYVKFXlw0UYbJF9NZ-zjysMgmJeRHrNOyqa2DGLvJ8fPu5jTIy7YElOhvX4Nag_amFLkcSeIyBvaoPtifTTtg5d_iuw3YtfcFPVD-k2yCLD8GFNbpc2V3JckAvIMmU1sJsUmlDk7PGttkF4pmKRlCa17Hs/s320/IMG_5474.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJLQd9fZ-anwrUfQPytOPkaxhd7z2bKeiDcxQ9re30IDs0ljr-W8vv-LcGxXAdZEUxTpJHh16TXZ371Vd16v3RtDxj0dzggF3jsk9IvniikJdArIfVXu9eSN0vF6XqevteCSo-fEGx4oW3_zpMWgugwn_dpOZM_G0XEdTJOemqOQrfCsKfEpLrTg2-blE/s4032/IMG_5475.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2482" data-original-width="4032" height="197" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJLQd9fZ-anwrUfQPytOPkaxhd7z2bKeiDcxQ9re30IDs0ljr-W8vv-LcGxXAdZEUxTpJHh16TXZ371Vd16v3RtDxj0dzggF3jsk9IvniikJdArIfVXu9eSN0vF6XqevteCSo-fEGx4oW3_zpMWgugwn_dpOZM_G0XEdTJOemqOQrfCsKfEpLrTg2-blE/s320/IMG_5475.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxJXq9WdHqvVNTX-yNbkhd_mLb8-rjLAzvCjqhzdsFOYlz25wnmGbtFz6HLwAaeEkd82XKE0e4XLjLeJRAIhlvyyjWrmhMSzi71y4du95WqCFg4oCXY2bCQgugkUBzmXXvr7E0om7QB6sg8svyu2EJD6EPMcKtDdZcRVdaJcM54PgwbwCxGY8U7uVPSR0/s4032/IMG_5476.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxJXq9WdHqvVNTX-yNbkhd_mLb8-rjLAzvCjqhzdsFOYlz25wnmGbtFz6HLwAaeEkd82XKE0e4XLjLeJRAIhlvyyjWrmhMSzi71y4du95WqCFg4oCXY2bCQgugkUBzmXXvr7E0om7QB6sg8svyu2EJD6EPMcKtDdZcRVdaJcM54PgwbwCxGY8U7uVPSR0/s320/IMG_5476.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0W4-EabhAovg_Qq6fFrRzy-DSOSSBsIRIV-qauEMZPpIvwBo3Wa6TRE4DHwq2-69hVHcRLJlgQa62FleM4xL0HW4N2ZTNBCXf-lS858pdeEU-iGOryBkUGI1uV05eiWiBxDLpICyvrbrC_RuFosq4X9dBL8fSCvqcGq0IOfUFbmhnabo2NuvqVXPqXww/s3800/IMG_5478.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2232" data-original-width="3800" height="188" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0W4-EabhAovg_Qq6fFrRzy-DSOSSBsIRIV-qauEMZPpIvwBo3Wa6TRE4DHwq2-69hVHcRLJlgQa62FleM4xL0HW4N2ZTNBCXf-lS858pdeEU-iGOryBkUGI1uV05eiWiBxDLpICyvrbrC_RuFosq4X9dBL8fSCvqcGq0IOfUFbmhnabo2NuvqVXPqXww/s320/IMG_5478.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Walking by the Guangdong Museum 广东省博物馆, which <a href="https://kaminoge.blogspot.com/2015/03/canton.html" target="_blank">I had visited back in 2015</a>. Yes, this wasn't my first time in Guangzhou:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7MFupsx6TdQqSIYFOwT4j8vU5Vrs6U29pcidd7GNUi9c5OhNjKvoCW__cmZbLJU-YYhTZ4uLEMmutcgaAQ7j4JGzCxJveHF4cRVqlKk2nIfmwMk-ouuUjvmkUCl68G8sF1LXnJqM7khuH62nMA8Iq29guTsN1lcFFQCn_9VIeWq5zhjcGB_-rNEaDnPg/s4008/IMG_5479.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2116" data-original-width="4008" height="169" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7MFupsx6TdQqSIYFOwT4j8vU5Vrs6U29pcidd7GNUi9c5OhNjKvoCW__cmZbLJU-YYhTZ4uLEMmutcgaAQ7j4JGzCxJveHF4cRVqlKk2nIfmwMk-ouuUjvmkUCl68G8sF1LXnJqM7khuH62nMA8Iq29guTsN1lcFFQCn_9VIeWq5zhjcGB_-rNEaDnPg/s320/IMG_5479.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Lunch at the airport:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL_C6ttQJHjr1XXSPG6RB43KphrGw_7WWb7wkaXEaFHMIyvOx4bsyrC56pdaGEmf6sqyXfpKIWDwgiDVkXjCPK821aMamkN2dJVFqPo6hNPqh_uVnIVkyRzaZffAV93n7iUeH30nFsOUC5yr6yRtAESCSKlXclTzgh9T1uyguXdIyeib8Om_K5SoV5VzQ/s3814/IMG_5481.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="3814" height="254" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL_C6ttQJHjr1XXSPG6RB43KphrGw_7WWb7wkaXEaFHMIyvOx4bsyrC56pdaGEmf6sqyXfpKIWDwgiDVkXjCPK821aMamkN2dJVFqPo6hNPqh_uVnIVkyRzaZffAV93n7iUeH30nFsOUC5yr6yRtAESCSKlXclTzgh9T1uyguXdIyeib8Om_K5SoV5VzQ/s320/IMG_5481.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Alcoholism in the comfort of my home:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHbOd58dlurxFM2X-RKQPhoesU5nSDXr48Qd-MFuKQgUNPcgIlMtA68SwwNl5Mnbf_8q6AG3wd9IwKPQho17pFlxKCSQokRBOUtjz6jhZhtJtVRKiSwebK1XifQ_8d3LI4DEpYe7v4QYZe_jPGK3-NkeaJURKHKVP_Zq9zHQio5Lqd7PUvP1zlH3bwp9I/s3910/IMG_5551.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3910" data-original-width="2813" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHbOd58dlurxFM2X-RKQPhoesU5nSDXr48Qd-MFuKQgUNPcgIlMtA68SwwNl5Mnbf_8q6AG3wd9IwKPQho17pFlxKCSQokRBOUtjz6jhZhtJtVRKiSwebK1XifQ_8d3LI4DEpYe7v4QYZe_jPGK3-NkeaJURKHKVP_Zq9zHQio5Lqd7PUvP1zlH3bwp9I/s320/IMG_5551.jpg" width="230" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Feeding time for Timi:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dw5eQFTf9lHOOQysIXYxORJo9aX5wNBmlElAXjoWvZofA8ZGvvNwfBvqiuMyvyTg8GRBHlOH23YbiO7Zaa-mw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div><br /></div>Lunch at a nearby restaurant called Long Time Ago:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx89M960s7fiS_8oJMA8DvjPcmXDCE5FFkt06E5bClvYBvUFRF7wO8Q1TXrR6rf6qnjxZ8YeJbHuItoo_9ygFFyGVhdj4flrvg2B_MMwrWcrQ4wI8KmMt5LrxZgznnEUSdoJsHe9CnAMUogKIqnzzKzOiC4ORW8hGrkGLxtDc2pv1KwNnS8B-9PxHWE30/s3484/IMG_3262.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2810" data-original-width="3484" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx89M960s7fiS_8oJMA8DvjPcmXDCE5FFkt06E5bClvYBvUFRF7wO8Q1TXrR6rf6qnjxZ8YeJbHuItoo_9ygFFyGVhdj4flrvg2B_MMwrWcrQ4wI8KmMt5LrxZgznnEUSdoJsHe9CnAMUogKIqnzzKzOiC4ORW8hGrkGLxtDc2pv1KwNnS8B-9PxHWE30/s320/IMG_3262.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy2cX8YqtMV-MY79Bt7Gx4BB2cWlgBVhMjFb8LrlPX5rUo_XtKs9jBWS1TmAO9oNpKXo0AHcxeC9N_JoVDXbMGuM6wvEQSgr3no1Xmk7_UWgkhAnrwQBVa2Xgpmc8EMAbaTnafOi6u2lvj8rbPkD_M5Gf4_qh83QWh_nuhQfR8x7OlqJZvSnHi5plTI40/s3098/IMG_3263.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2461" data-original-width="3098" height="254" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy2cX8YqtMV-MY79Bt7Gx4BB2cWlgBVhMjFb8LrlPX5rUo_XtKs9jBWS1TmAO9oNpKXo0AHcxeC9N_JoVDXbMGuM6wvEQSgr3no1Xmk7_UWgkhAnrwQBVa2Xgpmc8EMAbaTnafOi6u2lvj8rbPkD_M5Gf4_qh83QWh_nuhQfR8x7OlqJZvSnHi5plTI40/s320/IMG_3263.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOK42peih6umvnmmELDp8iyfz7vPLbq-iTkVl_zmEWVMDiN4UBXA0wYdkuaOhNR1nUjq8IDumvwfmHDfIq-4ysGbm_ayn_N3jMtI0ZJE_uVjjcgWaZnunc7muMSHZfzdB2s99gC636jCzV4MPB1676oifZ1u89aF6nVUu2CxdG31kAMbVeJLb6jToYVmY/s3379/IMG_3265.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3379" data-original-width="2905" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOK42peih6umvnmmELDp8iyfz7vPLbq-iTkVl_zmEWVMDiN4UBXA0wYdkuaOhNR1nUjq8IDumvwfmHDfIq-4ysGbm_ayn_N3jMtI0ZJE_uVjjcgWaZnunc7muMSHZfzdB2s99gC636jCzV4MPB1676oifZ1u89aF6nVUu2CxdG31kAMbVeJLb6jToYVmY/s320/IMG_3265.jpg" width="275" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaa89lBExJ29AJAPzzoOhOsfwwrGyYWy3FsaotDHftkJ4OPb7MHnUGKHKGN0ugoPdA0CaZmc_5WdNXPTQpF691R6bCMdatFB65oNoPFLBRyuav8RiXghDxXfk-K2oqWy9Yz7shUxEt5ZoSMokNDAzwNDV6nYwM-nQl7cfSpAE2HnQjE-QgBBszUMPA-Ok/s3931/IMG_5559.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2092" data-original-width="3931" height="170" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaa89lBExJ29AJAPzzoOhOsfwwrGyYWy3FsaotDHftkJ4OPb7MHnUGKHKGN0ugoPdA0CaZmc_5WdNXPTQpF691R6bCMdatFB65oNoPFLBRyuav8RiXghDxXfk-K2oqWy9Yz7shUxEt5ZoSMokNDAzwNDV6nYwM-nQl7cfSpAE2HnQjE-QgBBszUMPA-Ok/s320/IMG_5559.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie0iRSUc2nYrvefJc9pQZAxDLwjN32mSNVK87qxorny3CgMJKDrT-Whb4HVUForZ3mepJC9rZ-Hg8T0tmtuR2oIXtKP76lPAkP-9Tv_Ynqf4hHz2Di73QsMHL-jCp9rjyKPOk7m1wyMTGF9O-NPkKJKbq3xkcx79uUWEFbnk55ZpuZKIcm_xjwLWDauK4/s3148/IMG_5561.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3148" data-original-width="2435" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie0iRSUc2nYrvefJc9pQZAxDLwjN32mSNVK87qxorny3CgMJKDrT-Whb4HVUForZ3mepJC9rZ-Hg8T0tmtuR2oIXtKP76lPAkP-9Tv_Ynqf4hHz2Di73QsMHL-jCp9rjyKPOk7m1wyMTGF9O-NPkKJKbq3xkcx79uUWEFbnk55ZpuZKIcm_xjwLWDauK4/s320/IMG_5561.jpg" width="248" /></a></div><div><br /></div>"Hokkaido Bread" and fried bananas:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ2KQUr-tTbHwPWWR3RV0fkwUpdI9sWFzOxAlMVBXLg0pIY_3_j5FNNMsEfY-I1jQ7eCZanXO9SfHIJ9zkYXUlRg8-8gqQ_BKRm-xtiUKhcn7nlMLSfWti_Km25vIHv3g-RsLiUIaQjOEB5fV4yFfGglQsPDz6O38INN7JWGW9xk4kwGPuLirg7rnmQnk/s3024/IMG_5562.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2542" data-original-width="3024" height="269" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ2KQUr-tTbHwPWWR3RV0fkwUpdI9sWFzOxAlMVBXLg0pIY_3_j5FNNMsEfY-I1jQ7eCZanXO9SfHIJ9zkYXUlRg8-8gqQ_BKRm-xtiUKhcn7nlMLSfWti_Km25vIHv3g-RsLiUIaQjOEB5fV4yFfGglQsPDz6O38INN7JWGW9xk4kwGPuLirg7rnmQnk/s320/IMG_5562.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYU9yfOX3jCp4wnIElNvRthoSOZ_DCJSRZ1LE32qcFUhh38v4TrmaI080Rp_5s23EvYpdK43LzbOYD8wHfc-7dEAPwNg-xNWmq6ZkzZSU94_mpgPe6AKR3waTsZtz-RCEvcExWBGvmT29IoMYScCq2HZxYu_MAglp72fgl4AhetPFbkp267WH87YJXnDY/s3687/IMG_5563.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3687" data-original-width="2805" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYU9yfOX3jCp4wnIElNvRthoSOZ_DCJSRZ1LE32qcFUhh38v4TrmaI080Rp_5s23EvYpdK43LzbOYD8wHfc-7dEAPwNg-xNWmq6ZkzZSU94_mpgPe6AKR3waTsZtz-RCEvcExWBGvmT29IoMYScCq2HZxYu_MAglp72fgl4AhetPFbkp267WH87YJXnDY/s320/IMG_5563.jpg" width="243" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Last weekend Shu-E suggested we drive out to the <a href="http://www.cnfm.org.cn/english/main_m001_en.htm" target="_blank">China National Film Museum</a>, "the largest professional cinema museum in the world":</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuf_2wE8wt5XgmTxMyq9vwREHNjE7RrLuCBYV8vLR8REj51q-re6l79vM5oBMpwvxpet9EMqhBL3h9UxMh0TutsRyAFkQEgsJXlJXEcmX9PX13uDJ0_9ZLk535Dq-y5Zydy9z6MIIVhI-QJMY6_OdidAmP6yq348AN_M5rpPyhrBqKipUmAtPxBovrsG0/s4004/IMG_3293.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3003" data-original-width="4004" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuf_2wE8wt5XgmTxMyq9vwREHNjE7RrLuCBYV8vLR8REj51q-re6l79vM5oBMpwvxpet9EMqhBL3h9UxMh0TutsRyAFkQEgsJXlJXEcmX9PX13uDJ0_9ZLk535Dq-y5Zydy9z6MIIVhI-QJMY6_OdidAmP6yq348AN_M5rpPyhrBqKipUmAtPxBovrsG0/s320/IMG_3293.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZyucvavnb8Z6JUDoIy5xdhSwvuftuMueSLDD4Yig1X2v9ypF_xg2MmwFdr0b46TaR8kQ4UH5xZfkbZ31rwSrOKI4gxYkhu3C12o8n3CWrBYmRWrYOYlNWX_-ObIE1F72FMnQbyvBIxvOfvYOnVGGq-WK4AxZ67PyAhpUALn0596mtuaFl6qQRI0EZ3MA/s3756/IMG_5573.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1996" data-original-width="3756" height="170" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZyucvavnb8Z6JUDoIy5xdhSwvuftuMueSLDD4Yig1X2v9ypF_xg2MmwFdr0b46TaR8kQ4UH5xZfkbZ31rwSrOKI4gxYkhu3C12o8n3CWrBYmRWrYOYlNWX_-ObIE1F72FMnQbyvBIxvOfvYOnVGGq-WK4AxZ67PyAhpUALn0596mtuaFl6qQRI0EZ3MA/s320/IMG_5573.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>How CGI works:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2_OfG9HmJgkYN8gkeO4An86J0ovT1NnYbqJkxnQQGe1xezlYhOeMGJyacvk64awisPIN6lTtD4LoaskKjzzUWkfplxTSYQx_H9y2ABbgms9PBLLZOSjqBrFMmK3km4tjcxlRahPjxw3mxOTGLHcqhoLujPym_gMw2isF8ho6iIl3J7JI1TltVrF8YqCw/s2716/IMG_5575.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1722" data-original-width="2716" height="203" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2_OfG9HmJgkYN8gkeO4An86J0ovT1NnYbqJkxnQQGe1xezlYhOeMGJyacvk64awisPIN6lTtD4LoaskKjzzUWkfplxTSYQx_H9y2ABbgms9PBLLZOSjqBrFMmK3km4tjcxlRahPjxw3mxOTGLHcqhoLujPym_gMw2isF8ho6iIl3J7JI1TltVrF8YqCw/s320/IMG_5575.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>This Chinese animated film bears more than a passing resemblance to a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Studio_Ghibli" target="_blank">Studio Ghibli</a> スタジオジブリ production, but Amber vociferously disagreed:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5bR_6G-uHS8r_GVhoKstfohxMzlR175scoZO0wvvNN3Xval4FStWIZFEsAX-QjiOQnt9xj3GsSWw9Mv-B-g06RN9TLHVop5rhEaFnjKau1rtdYkcdQojU0cm0I5x3vO3yUFUS3dARXi2QPFj0rYcIboi6bS-PT2qYXE4c4ctXl3gsFigps5_L5GCZ1TU/s3605/IMG_5579.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3605" data-original-width="2376" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5bR_6G-uHS8r_GVhoKstfohxMzlR175scoZO0wvvNN3Xval4FStWIZFEsAX-QjiOQnt9xj3GsSWw9Mv-B-g06RN9TLHVop5rhEaFnjKau1rtdYkcdQojU0cm0I5x3vO3yUFUS3dARXi2QPFj0rYcIboi6bS-PT2qYXE4c4ctXl3gsFigps5_L5GCZ1TU/s320/IMG_5579.jpg" width="211" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The centerpiece of the museum is a massive central atrium, featuring a giant movie screen with continually changing images. It turned out to be the reason my wife wanted to visit the museum:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzVqPzThW_Gn3WqxP4xvUFlgcQEh3F32afVl54oZQu8o4hNZQ0ko7BjpShUcrRmZigtT-I2xVc5e48AL1O8JbFoMzd0AxDZAoKWNMEvAqOWAjoWE-LgQnhExrJ8oa6nC2mluQybbkQBHo15Lb2QANDe0QULEQyHiAn1rG5Tb_e-LZFeTxOBXrv2Lx_iMU/s4032/IMG_5581.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzVqPzThW_Gn3WqxP4xvUFlgcQEh3F32afVl54oZQu8o4hNZQ0ko7BjpShUcrRmZigtT-I2xVc5e48AL1O8JbFoMzd0AxDZAoKWNMEvAqOWAjoWE-LgQnhExrJ8oa6nC2mluQybbkQBHo15Lb2QANDe0QULEQyHiAn1rG5Tb_e-LZFeTxOBXrv2Lx_iMU/s320/IMG_5581.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt3xCPRLtFE660FvPR5_l68BWmYCEw42sivbuvFiDf2QlwF-WMTVs9_Z3H9CzZ6WVIoF0cMSkjJl7iAwJIjR-iU1iSZ_d_AFR8alBrKq4XJqOvfSfTvA22162DEfLXhmN6XZZECp0BPtOo8-eaYJtoBB83LAkDfeHjb8Qz4FP5Mcpvjwaht4LnK0W1ptw/s4032/IMG_5583.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt3xCPRLtFE660FvPR5_l68BWmYCEw42sivbuvFiDf2QlwF-WMTVs9_Z3H9CzZ6WVIoF0cMSkjJl7iAwJIjR-iU1iSZ_d_AFR8alBrKq4XJqOvfSfTvA22162DEfLXhmN6XZZECp0BPtOo8-eaYJtoBB83LAkDfeHjb8Qz4FP5Mcpvjwaht4LnK0W1ptw/s320/IMG_5583.HEIC" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVU2lnsLaJ8Og-ja93gVacvEMEEWn8rAE6ClFr10Q9U8MBt1y3cI9FWs6EUI4x7v67QKZdCsX4qPNspUN5lKbxm5UrvyD3Bz4UKkKysOLp69pKzwaxJEMAXBWCBecbQc1RDtxc5r8w3ti7Mq78PJrkC7WbQdYoMS9pCMIkbpyYr9ivjc35S32laUe4uP8/s3851/IMG_5587.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3851" data-original-width="2888" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVU2lnsLaJ8Og-ja93gVacvEMEEWn8rAE6ClFr10Q9U8MBt1y3cI9FWs6EUI4x7v67QKZdCsX4qPNspUN5lKbxm5UrvyD3Bz4UKkKysOLp69pKzwaxJEMAXBWCBecbQc1RDtxc5r8w3ti7Mq78PJrkC7WbQdYoMS9pCMIkbpyYr9ivjc35S32laUe4uP8/s320/IMG_5587.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYPNYUAVLZNaTI-atgVKysKqD4z3NY6_K8wJ8qlYikaMyP37FTi5rqjNI3U8TQuRVEiS3EhaIqKji6Cx6KG41JHxggVGdtzWJQp7oFJAorZV3KvzPYo_2Bft0393sl4nyLaW8oF3wf5vKpywwbbkkZOLP5zRFs23wqIWD3D9AkVxnTVlm_OrAOcaJJCBc/s4032/IMG_5589.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYPNYUAVLZNaTI-atgVKysKqD4z3NY6_K8wJ8qlYikaMyP37FTi5rqjNI3U8TQuRVEiS3EhaIqKji6Cx6KG41JHxggVGdtzWJQp7oFJAorZV3KvzPYo_2Bft0393sl4nyLaW8oF3wf5vKpywwbbkkZOLP5zRFs23wqIWD3D9AkVxnTVlm_OrAOcaJJCBc/s320/IMG_5589.HEIC" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj083ER52bzOEtwfZq65ejt0M8cgqA-bww04ZS1-ZKj2335rXYUWvrimJl1Q6dERq1doD281jfZizLKSMCDUMSH0dqjoLdmolNi5nXv1AF8uEqQkD_AR8-eiRcnD4SBqoE6szqHBFfSei2aLqCM4RKY4s7YdaiWD15OE_fsOgXQlw3RSnmfjqh7UQECHzo/s3227/IMG_5590.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3227" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj083ER52bzOEtwfZq65ejt0M8cgqA-bww04ZS1-ZKj2335rXYUWvrimJl1Q6dERq1doD281jfZizLKSMCDUMSH0dqjoLdmolNi5nXv1AF8uEqQkD_AR8-eiRcnD4SBqoE6szqHBFfSei2aLqCM4RKY4s7YdaiWD15OE_fsOgXQlw3RSnmfjqh7UQECHzo/s320/IMG_5590.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlrMwVWFFGvmQRxEzxlsKNQ_WaWy9xUq2I2eIaiJ0alola07W0CP16cr0Y03qHYuarAll-K6crDGVss1feFolqYQRlVfMSVrC9QRK4eamyNfAgLv3JUKaxj4rdv3qDuJvuF-yOzNkIrVZbCvgoCg67OaIRPCV3LitGpUz86_4rdTBGAy-qMOV4J78RHBU/s3597/IMG_3270.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3597" data-original-width="3010" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlrMwVWFFGvmQRxEzxlsKNQ_WaWy9xUq2I2eIaiJ0alola07W0CP16cr0Y03qHYuarAll-K6crDGVss1feFolqYQRlVfMSVrC9QRK4eamyNfAgLv3JUKaxj4rdv3qDuJvuF-yOzNkIrVZbCvgoCg67OaIRPCV3LitGpUz86_4rdTBGAy-qMOV4J78RHBU/s320/IMG_3270.jpg" width="268" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-OyNS3zALWzkmPph2uTp2BHJXsAZ0Be8KxMt8-7a7fWAse7AHgxT_1rGzV1NLWcT_KaQUZhV3WrUnK61UByrpGgsUpIxE7O4FhhO_K-O8QCsWXxOOTJ8xYrR25hM9oWTt6oKhpcMade-PhySEtycfKqEjBMD9lgCmKquSotK05lJ0Yfc6RFmRx2LWHQg/s4032/IMG_3286.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-OyNS3zALWzkmPph2uTp2BHJXsAZ0Be8KxMt8-7a7fWAse7AHgxT_1rGzV1NLWcT_KaQUZhV3WrUnK61UByrpGgsUpIxE7O4FhhO_K-O8QCsWXxOOTJ8xYrR25hM9oWTt6oKhpcMade-PhySEtycfKqEjBMD9lgCmKquSotK05lJ0Yfc6RFmRx2LWHQg/s320/IMG_3286.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc3woTDZAajbf_3mJBr84yUAflb_EZb2QfJVQ8IjT2iq30CvTqn-qCJ9QPdPuBUxGAL9vbwpFlGnkg6Sk4K-9UnDv735b1FgVadQIyP0oeySXBklgM4v__5Tuji359wUqZ8ZXVoIxoklNF1fiSEWYg_NfgrfiHEs77IbV2UKxhNQkUROgcr0zRWxgdNBc/s4032/IMG_5591.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc3woTDZAajbf_3mJBr84yUAflb_EZb2QfJVQ8IjT2iq30CvTqn-qCJ9QPdPuBUxGAL9vbwpFlGnkg6Sk4K-9UnDv735b1FgVadQIyP0oeySXBklgM4v__5Tuji359wUqZ8ZXVoIxoklNF1fiSEWYg_NfgrfiHEs77IbV2UKxhNQkUROgcr0zRWxgdNBc/s320/IMG_5591.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>There are a staggering 20 exhibition halls in total, and somehow we managed to walk through all of them in the course of an afternoon. My daughter was most interested in the makeup effects:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2pBnDrUxt1NFWuFLcRgKtenToxzsSNI8V5Q5ZhGCRehkC_kYGfpVFoW2qMkSFqs5WmGiSLIVBo0QNK-CIG642138T9VLP_cf1Dhaak_K3BBiiVBz2_0HCWdqK9C5XgGHmRVqVtfm0jjeYW2vO1IUhqdISTdluFEh_yutabc_FO3IHzr8muviZtx_i91U/s3182/IMG_5594.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3182" data-original-width="2124" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2pBnDrUxt1NFWuFLcRgKtenToxzsSNI8V5Q5ZhGCRehkC_kYGfpVFoW2qMkSFqs5WmGiSLIVBo0QNK-CIG642138T9VLP_cf1Dhaak_K3BBiiVBz2_0HCWdqK9C5XgGHmRVqVtfm0jjeYW2vO1IUhqdISTdluFEh_yutabc_FO3IHzr8muviZtx_i91U/s320/IMG_5594.jpg" width="214" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGWh5OAk-WjTSo-bhotq1aedVjIPL41742V_wEotwQBn2bGEqm3UewrDSgp9WBcxS0L_LemHkIXlKNRRv0ZpMZ5WJLJ6snTNFlfunaKBnC_C6JHSZH-LFq1cqGvEXBJTctGI5ETq4jYp38WhS5SRrWvgmcL_1Z9dLN5TSxCzQk3az6TyQ7Ba1gvK1iM6c/s3995/IMG_5596.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3995" data-original-width="2996" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGWh5OAk-WjTSo-bhotq1aedVjIPL41742V_wEotwQBn2bGEqm3UewrDSgp9WBcxS0L_LemHkIXlKNRRv0ZpMZ5WJLJ6snTNFlfunaKBnC_C6JHSZH-LFq1cqGvEXBJTctGI5ETq4jYp38WhS5SRrWvgmcL_1Z9dLN5TSxCzQk3az6TyQ7Ba1gvK1iM6c/s320/IMG_5596.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI7rnRJPzAQLCRp-Aro-OXn4pUJq7MLoppDMUWxmSa3S3F0ZFcLyauqZV6aQzU3wQwf3KPncWhmhlNTeLxCYBYieYb68NE5ZDRlGUxqbz2B7O2_uH8moiyaUS2zaSjyUrUqnoF38xXsgsGkHw0c2bZ5l1R3A5vEiRTxB7ZypRONJMK11eE7FfzSFQ-cFs/s2399/IMG_5597.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1910" data-original-width="2399" height="255" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI7rnRJPzAQLCRp-Aro-OXn4pUJq7MLoppDMUWxmSa3S3F0ZFcLyauqZV6aQzU3wQwf3KPncWhmhlNTeLxCYBYieYb68NE5ZDRlGUxqbz2B7O2_uH8moiyaUS2zaSjyUrUqnoF38xXsgsGkHw0c2bZ5l1R3A5vEiRTxB7ZypRONJMK11eE7FfzSFQ-cFs/s320/IMG_5597.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKJyyV027FIsP6XvsDSYpk6omgB_-lDiMtJ2D2L4rBGCsJ5SvGH-9gu6HMKpt80KI9jKlT2TlPqePB-dBamIG-aGO1FLUVqpexNYIPdqDkhrAFIayysIVk0x2CAnScbTvs-ZzM4KIzxT3jKGQBPMqyGciZEzInWjMRpKMIdkLHOgU8VGgasJbEfpJL0uE/s3239/IMG_5599.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2956" data-original-width="3239" height="292" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKJyyV027FIsP6XvsDSYpk6omgB_-lDiMtJ2D2L4rBGCsJ5SvGH-9gu6HMKpt80KI9jKlT2TlPqePB-dBamIG-aGO1FLUVqpexNYIPdqDkhrAFIayysIVk0x2CAnScbTvs-ZzM4KIzxT3jKGQBPMqyGciZEzInWjMRpKMIdkLHOgU8VGgasJbEfpJL0uE/s320/IMG_5599.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQH24SMQZvpTfS_q9F_l1GEWamdhf77cmoPUycI0VX7C3XyZArNLkYoBA2N2B49MEh4ywSA984_Z5rgzSRoGqIR27fvNMFJmnv6e8xO92QtfXcNg0mi2nRJh1zSWSvG6KT0qWWqNm2jGMEEWY4aW-gcrT_3TzjIeEF-OoJjKRYJ2Uk3Y1EldXOPaLJrZg/s4032/IMG_5600.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQH24SMQZvpTfS_q9F_l1GEWamdhf77cmoPUycI0VX7C3XyZArNLkYoBA2N2B49MEh4ywSA984_Z5rgzSRoGqIR27fvNMFJmnv6e8xO92QtfXcNg0mi2nRJh1zSWSvG6KT0qWWqNm2jGMEEWY4aW-gcrT_3TzjIeEF-OoJjKRYJ2Uk3Y1EldXOPaLJrZg/s320/IMG_5600.HEIC" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>A heroic Chinese patriot surprising a Japanese soldier eating chicken in a train car. Since the Tiananmen Square protests and massacre, the Chinese government has emphasized "patriotic education" in an effort to ensure something like June 4 never happens again. One of the spinoffs of this has been an endless diet of TV dramas showing heroic Chinese soldiers (usually Communists but occasionally Nationalists) easily defeating the villainous Imperial Japanese Army 大日本帝国陸軍, who seem to be as effective a fighting force as the Imperial stormtroopers. I guess the history books showing the IJA still in control of all the main Chinese coastal population centers at the time the war ended were in error:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBIrnB0OYckDI-rV80nkncgy2X3vxC6fH246tOD1VBKuLlZ7ooYhch8lD35ZBYiq8domTX01xd5IvpZc8NwgyewG6IQHyK3K6se2dSJMSw9AbOePpkMxwzt8sowNQY-XKrwCHttfPlHI_rYO6L0y3xEBoeqi9hd25JzqVGA-Rv1S8PFu1542-7BzNM9EY/s4032/IMG_5602.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBIrnB0OYckDI-rV80nkncgy2X3vxC6fH246tOD1VBKuLlZ7ooYhch8lD35ZBYiq8domTX01xd5IvpZc8NwgyewG6IQHyK3K6se2dSJMSw9AbOePpkMxwzt8sowNQY-XKrwCHttfPlHI_rYO6L0y3xEBoeqi9hd25JzqVGA-Rv1S8PFu1542-7BzNM9EY/s320/IMG_5602.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9ZJAKCitg0_lHRFgoW0iYZwCuxxMEPDm7oKX0ryjTjTL31nBKV7eoe5U-Z4_7lczwZWvD13HcDxevnblBe7x60dvZHSEXNDHzS7C-bldN_5JweL8kNGXrBqhZz6JZ0vlSlGJZgo8o4SNcMU6eOh8CHt7iChnoRKm5-7Xiu3mnLFvZ6b2o8fqwy4vpwVc/s3345/IMG_5604.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3345" data-original-width="2940" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9ZJAKCitg0_lHRFgoW0iYZwCuxxMEPDm7oKX0ryjTjTL31nBKV7eoe5U-Z4_7lczwZWvD13HcDxevnblBe7x60dvZHSEXNDHzS7C-bldN_5JweL8kNGXrBqhZz6JZ0vlSlGJZgo8o4SNcMU6eOh8CHt7iChnoRKm5-7Xiu3mnLFvZ6b2o8fqwy4vpwVc/s320/IMG_5604.jpg" width="281" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyove1PJVvgEHH2cvxybc6ZU4hbTnl7zS-kePxdU2udV0a47ZHo72fs93OcabI0TZLj-EFaMexoQ3H8PTUF3qJ7MHsEHcIW8cDMItouK167cZrXfgC-2cA0waYYk1Qo1HPK1iKBe9l2KMgGH6JTrPMkiHnBgKXUuE5efgYQjKw4klCgSHVcUyZayaL7Ds/s3708/IMG_3282.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3708" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyove1PJVvgEHH2cvxybc6ZU4hbTnl7zS-kePxdU2udV0a47ZHo72fs93OcabI0TZLj-EFaMexoQ3H8PTUF3qJ7MHsEHcIW8cDMItouK167cZrXfgC-2cA0waYYk1Qo1HPK1iKBe9l2KMgGH6JTrPMkiHnBgKXUuE5efgYQjKw4klCgSHVcUyZayaL7Ds/s320/IMG_3282.jpg" width="261" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_PSOOCewM5p3-Dy3DyrKIveMP_jMIdsnWiWGNsP2PJD9mYpvDGKGCpUJqpK1LlF0Dehsj4vIHiLGGF-Bp8Z7sTjnM_Tbi9Pi_YvzxNv4uTWsVkk-phDNSRsCJo-EIQqW4oZHXjcaVc3TvCWslDVqPSIyp4s1WViNX4jKvvriJuooHHIfhYZKncPJDFQQ/s4032/IMG_5605.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_PSOOCewM5p3-Dy3DyrKIveMP_jMIdsnWiWGNsP2PJD9mYpvDGKGCpUJqpK1LlF0Dehsj4vIHiLGGF-Bp8Z7sTjnM_Tbi9Pi_YvzxNv4uTWsVkk-phDNSRsCJo-EIQqW4oZHXjcaVc3TvCWslDVqPSIyp4s1WViNX4jKvvriJuooHHIfhYZKncPJDFQQ/s320/IMG_5605.HEIC" width="320" /></a></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lover%27s_Grief_over_the_Yellow_River" target="_blank">Lover's Grief over the Yellow River</a></i>. No, I've never heard of it, either:</div></div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ4IBCXQwdrU9Lu6xN_786JGHxwoIlvoXSRf_npKuPQ1AttuiNff9zYpIWy7fqe43ChbjzRv9M_G1ZUi1350AuszyE_jHborl4BC9t_ArAk5-Gu8uN5IYzAE90oaeHE7thpCouiRC3c5NfucnaY1Pb5vBJD3fd4eaUCQ6NG681AHLwLNbKNTR5EBiNV9g/s3841/IMG_5608.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3841" data-original-width="2599" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ4IBCXQwdrU9Lu6xN_786JGHxwoIlvoXSRf_npKuPQ1AttuiNff9zYpIWy7fqe43ChbjzRv9M_G1ZUi1350AuszyE_jHborl4BC9t_ArAk5-Gu8uN5IYzAE90oaeHE7thpCouiRC3c5NfucnaY1Pb5vBJD3fd4eaUCQ6NG681AHLwLNbKNTR5EBiNV9g/s320/IMG_5608.jpg" width="217" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4Y6TDdSLV588uxWxNqv4OD2FcVQrEFMxojpq8-MGk85-E7l15Vm_0ARPCSIdB_O8qGTqR-6ewnWKok_iT0LKYahrWL7AblQpsNTLZ8ZGJiNvN0b0S8x8OuyjPFEvjWi0I0ZLVDI8AljhKOLMdl6OpfelpkXRcHav89sxGTLCjvqJpYBdDThf61WpPItw/s3575/IMG_5609.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2876" data-original-width="3575" height="257" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4Y6TDdSLV588uxWxNqv4OD2FcVQrEFMxojpq8-MGk85-E7l15Vm_0ARPCSIdB_O8qGTqR-6ewnWKok_iT0LKYahrWL7AblQpsNTLZ8ZGJiNvN0b0S8x8OuyjPFEvjWi0I0ZLVDI8AljhKOLMdl6OpfelpkXRcHav89sxGTLCjvqJpYBdDThf61WpPItw/s320/IMG_5609.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw9nKm629oHN8smafHVbCX95RRloSHpISInYcFHCx0PoWLwhuEb83DR22Z7jFw34gMzbBxH1tSIaAIgI4N0hD8EnzQ8J634tQOXht1FoVQ8CPcze3kTAOkiZsdPAU1iifEJXGD0ZxXvV3P4LVmSPq7Ulc9sDKVJwHF7wMHX3Fr78EoRmw0G7LhHShgQGM/s3732/IMG_5610.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2891" data-original-width="3732" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw9nKm629oHN8smafHVbCX95RRloSHpISInYcFHCx0PoWLwhuEb83DR22Z7jFw34gMzbBxH1tSIaAIgI4N0hD8EnzQ8J634tQOXht1FoVQ8CPcze3kTAOkiZsdPAU1iifEJXGD0ZxXvV3P4LVmSPq7Ulc9sDKVJwHF7wMHX3Fr78EoRmw0G7LhHShgQGM/s320/IMG_5610.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Bruce Lee:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqsShWm5NEq3xDOqp8zRVl3p86UVJwsdxOnqp1xnhKuOCljNVp22FxWIMV7V5Tg8kGxQfU8rMA4cpqpLIak9eTLO7AeE76tCyVYqoryLz4BxWlRyJZ-XMkmPgdRSwbaYiKzqOjm95euaz46RqwAKSMrJiiMX_EwAkUfXoPp61Ixf_BgB5BqXj6XJThFOo/s4032/IMG_5611.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqsShWm5NEq3xDOqp8zRVl3p86UVJwsdxOnqp1xnhKuOCljNVp22FxWIMV7V5Tg8kGxQfU8rMA4cpqpLIak9eTLO7AeE76tCyVYqoryLz4BxWlRyJZ-XMkmPgdRSwbaYiKzqOjm95euaz46RqwAKSMrJiiMX_EwAkUfXoPp61Ixf_BgB5BqXj6XJThFOo/s320/IMG_5611.HEIC" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Shu-E was amused by the exhibit hall on Taiwan, noting that very few movies released since the late 1980's (when Taiwan started to democratize) were featured:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPc-OadeLqYt6OKVtC__TQygnQwWuvD4-GEk5xe9veutLqLM4IcZQ01eKtfHEfKqWyGYYKuTvyNwWJTqiJKIVq1PbSQAvEDq4pyab3rHAX4W6_EX4RNp1PaXYW0SWtlieUr8XUhfESdizp44afDcfbzXUZ_BZc7kXzRzUzTVILgkqR7llYbp7QnXkmXTQ/s3746/IMG_5616.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3746" data-original-width="2682" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPc-OadeLqYt6OKVtC__TQygnQwWuvD4-GEk5xe9veutLqLM4IcZQ01eKtfHEfKqWyGYYKuTvyNwWJTqiJKIVq1PbSQAvEDq4pyab3rHAX4W6_EX4RNp1PaXYW0SWtlieUr8XUhfESdizp44afDcfbzXUZ_BZc7kXzRzUzTVILgkqR7llYbp7QnXkmXTQ/s320/IMG_5616.jpg" width="229" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMWLLtaFvtikeDuckKjsUmwy8ueYYjPpyjmMXsSWQGI9xdQl8UJK5ee8LqrbHGB_WOqzIZ9qbWqQtz_8F0kVBBZ_uczcHS7VPv4DdXBdHhM4y8gOLu5wrQg3wkwFR_yoEEC_oHltKHHsVQeeOz27SusdjN8TsE6VuD6WVtl5daARVHWzI-xX9GXwUW-FA/s3426/IMG_5617.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3426" data-original-width="2362" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMWLLtaFvtikeDuckKjsUmwy8ueYYjPpyjmMXsSWQGI9xdQl8UJK5ee8LqrbHGB_WOqzIZ9qbWqQtz_8F0kVBBZ_uczcHS7VPv4DdXBdHhM4y8gOLu5wrQg3wkwFR_yoEEC_oHltKHHsVQeeOz27SusdjN8TsE6VuD6WVtl5daARVHWzI-xX9GXwUW-FA/s320/IMG_5617.jpg" width="221" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0c1FlK_KprIiuhaia44rMRvDqU-nMrnJASwaWnIBm699E7LDJdGiB5PIGNeBUDLA4s_4NDXbLCkE0yUO9xU0-ficeg3V5dvpP58T6SflqXZ8P0Xtffai4rojBjPou6zcZ3nZPwuYIIt-0hte-EEgIzLEBbu-oFuO_9Kew9wHAIrCHgr5RGqnHOjm0fFM/s3950/IMG_5619.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2586" data-original-width="3950" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0c1FlK_KprIiuhaia44rMRvDqU-nMrnJASwaWnIBm699E7LDJdGiB5PIGNeBUDLA4s_4NDXbLCkE0yUO9xU0-ficeg3V5dvpP58T6SflqXZ8P0Xtffai4rojBjPou6zcZ3nZPwuYIIt-0hte-EEgIzLEBbu-oFuO_9Kew9wHAIrCHgr5RGqnHOjm0fFM/s320/IMG_5619.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLo5TPtB9DPtQwIKZXtK449NmFlS5tR_nz6atMsHVa1UNb4YYQff17GvJ78u36TDw5rCqmFx7fIQ9mo-Bqt8vtahucAUXaeEHZG0IWT8FDYworLQ06CP_xp9Gq7NjvMI4oMXxvDKcvau4_KsGFRQQdyOvGPeDYA1WrfbGcmOeakgUogRSmiui9xea7QpE/s3739/IMG_5624.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2363" data-original-width="3739" height="202" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLo5TPtB9DPtQwIKZXtK449NmFlS5tR_nz6atMsHVa1UNb4YYQff17GvJ78u36TDw5rCqmFx7fIQ9mo-Bqt8vtahucAUXaeEHZG0IWT8FDYworLQ06CP_xp9Gq7NjvMI4oMXxvDKcvau4_KsGFRQQdyOvGPeDYA1WrfbGcmOeakgUogRSmiui9xea7QpE/s320/IMG_5624.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Amber gets annoyed with things like this, but knows to hold her tongue. She would make a better diplomat than her father:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJOSO2vyTaHByOYuDyOFW6LqWlENdkWf7vhEeLbLNSkrlR3uriyacseZJ86dd2IGKKVV4Os2rPI9p6obQW3fvakK3E3PzX5kriExw2JL7osloUboQF3qvxCRIym6RDAoZAQTvLmtvCBEojrFthVZJALxdXO3MMg727JZ7nwkjF4PdOw5481jlQogcvP_Y/s2404/IMG_5625.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2404" data-original-width="2383" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJOSO2vyTaHByOYuDyOFW6LqWlENdkWf7vhEeLbLNSkrlR3uriyacseZJ86dd2IGKKVV4Os2rPI9p6obQW3fvakK3E3PzX5kriExw2JL7osloUboQF3qvxCRIym6RDAoZAQTvLmtvCBEojrFthVZJALxdXO3MMg727JZ7nwkjF4PdOw5481jlQogcvP_Y/s320/IMG_5625.jpg" width="317" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRj_gymWjfkxfSyCzCKWb9dzrCrGzKxjEenKAnP9PSBoUjRhLX5wsbGD5mAYLGLt5xxSfpbCc6doihTIOrKmy-e4c4BUz8Gwdw8tkeLgv9gUZsvsipKcn4Dx2w1noBMsbJbxC5Za1jc-O-iq9xzp3qaScwzVlEeKyBUh6gsgRo-LifJsk3I_vPMv5KL5w/s4032/IMG_5626.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRj_gymWjfkxfSyCzCKWb9dzrCrGzKxjEenKAnP9PSBoUjRhLX5wsbGD5mAYLGLt5xxSfpbCc6doihTIOrKmy-e4c4BUz8Gwdw8tkeLgv9gUZsvsipKcn4Dx2w1noBMsbJbxC5Za1jc-O-iq9xzp3qaScwzVlEeKyBUh6gsgRo-LifJsk3I_vPMv5KL5w/s320/IMG_5626.HEIC" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitA5a4NmGNkvYOA43IgGyt29ydrprGXE-BPKL3AOB_W13QJtYtJ19JbOMniPrDTapMacp6cYckj1fV9EioMfR0ivqq2g-0v5aSroh4k6SMc2jzZLo-7E_IC32AcZnqDAS-E2aWKnJKGd_vxdIv-QtadG7SnkPtgHDWJ6cRe6_EfpkwdhD91LMurE60tH8/s3099/IMG_5629.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3099" data-original-width="2457" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitA5a4NmGNkvYOA43IgGyt29ydrprGXE-BPKL3AOB_W13QJtYtJ19JbOMniPrDTapMacp6cYckj1fV9EioMfR0ivqq2g-0v5aSroh4k6SMc2jzZLo-7E_IC32AcZnqDAS-E2aWKnJKGd_vxdIv-QtadG7SnkPtgHDWJ6cRe6_EfpkwdhD91LMurE60tH8/s320/IMG_5629.jpg" width="254" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The first 40 seconds or so of a typical Mao-era Chinese production:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/bvRoaCz9dBM" width="320" youtube-src-id="bvRoaCz9dBM"></iframe></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh68l6Ha5MVWw9Tz3ND3QIMjbY5ptIY-lK3G023lYnQGmbDPcC3iwR71PB6gkZUN4fbw8mKHyFunLfj_CYztYFYuvVSJDo59tHYvc6S3ZCJKX2OIrAqRk8x5QuERTBktuuL_sR3WFuzSNI0tbwPCYn1N-OvXILd2DhEciC4uK2mOrxJ315mzVGdkqF9Lx8/s4032/IMG_5633.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh68l6Ha5MVWw9Tz3ND3QIMjbY5ptIY-lK3G023lYnQGmbDPcC3iwR71PB6gkZUN4fbw8mKHyFunLfj_CYztYFYuvVSJDo59tHYvc6S3ZCJKX2OIrAqRk8x5QuERTBktuuL_sR3WFuzSNI0tbwPCYn1N-OvXILd2DhEciC4uK2mOrxJ315mzVGdkqF9Lx8/s320/IMG_5633.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCoA4_-OrmCexODPoBKsoGaLoY05F15g-mWWQQj2IZbkTn6r18Jh93rQqnsYp6JLrEo1PMKKM_lt6mCrD6PlNe8Z2NVZr3XdqM3YqhzvcDt_jz7dMwxUN2COP81PTtACqMXR2uwRynsqfCNMa5n28BOfIRsoNnAx4QY0FgjGdpiMyl_fJ06P2iGsy_NGI/s2912/IMG_5635.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2212" data-original-width="2912" height="243" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCoA4_-OrmCexODPoBKsoGaLoY05F15g-mWWQQj2IZbkTn6r18Jh93rQqnsYp6JLrEo1PMKKM_lt6mCrD6PlNe8Z2NVZr3XdqM3YqhzvcDt_jz7dMwxUN2COP81PTtACqMXR2uwRynsqfCNMa5n28BOfIRsoNnAx4QY0FgjGdpiMyl_fJ06P2iGsy_NGI/s320/IMG_5635.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGWAhreyzLiVFQ7PiYGMNEz-aU0_lli7mY7iS_s_bnRI1WXwT-TEcgtpbqaT1ttGxPDKOXHmhDp2AE8kVhcOavjJ4pZ8q2r14pN6jmWQtpru6Py7huKHJ72CYBEnAnSOqOGRmwn8ko0QDk0l8Qj6VqU39KEjQ6h63d-cRwo9J0vwp_JmsmEdYT7bwPreM/s4032/IMG_5639.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGWAhreyzLiVFQ7PiYGMNEz-aU0_lli7mY7iS_s_bnRI1WXwT-TEcgtpbqaT1ttGxPDKOXHmhDp2AE8kVhcOavjJ4pZ8q2r14pN6jmWQtpru6Py7huKHJ72CYBEnAnSOqOGRmwn8ko0QDk0l8Qj6VqU39KEjQ6h63d-cRwo9J0vwp_JmsmEdYT7bwPreM/s320/IMG_5639.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>After the museum, we stopped off at a Taiwanese bar for dinner. Actually, my wife had assumed it was a restaurant, but it turned out to be something different. The food wasn't bad, however:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw4JJSppvvZSEcN-S8Q1C9ohl_kPOQnDLege6U4n8WgDXZCVtwb8vaui0L7vVxs2_pUBbvSvguoKzw06RELpYlFU0AMkuSLs8gQw03hd3HwJGrnDOPrf_3beRL6ceigcTRR-0gcN9Az8VJ4-Xg3vCw6XEj0Zc_BNv1XaqsIgRo2rP4CMqR8DEHouHYKzk/s3740/IMG_5649.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2329" data-original-width="3740" height="199" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw4JJSppvvZSEcN-S8Q1C9ohl_kPOQnDLege6U4n8WgDXZCVtwb8vaui0L7vVxs2_pUBbvSvguoKzw06RELpYlFU0AMkuSLs8gQw03hd3HwJGrnDOPrf_3beRL6ceigcTRR-0gcN9Az8VJ4-Xg3vCw6XEj0Zc_BNv1XaqsIgRo2rP4CMqR8DEHouHYKzk/s320/IMG_5649.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz69RcUYrt1JbkJ1yANKGYSt4AzXIVz0ItCsIMStzlasnVJ7K4N9xGUNRS4WWbfbrhl4Amr9meeYTV3W8HkS0l1-XcD9zuN0NAaPrKI50jjbHHIpgHtNpy2jc2TOdQA3M0e2yL9jc6mJpNo19HHF0mi73WV08xQQ2xyPid00-emM_Ta3-kTvlWVOx9Gbo/s4032/IMG_5650.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz69RcUYrt1JbkJ1yANKGYSt4AzXIVz0ItCsIMStzlasnVJ7K4N9xGUNRS4WWbfbrhl4Amr9meeYTV3W8HkS0l1-XcD9zuN0NAaPrKI50jjbHHIpgHtNpy2jc2TOdQA3M0e2yL9jc6mJpNo19HHF0mi73WV08xQQ2xyPid00-emM_Ta3-kTvlWVOx9Gbo/s320/IMG_5650.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy3DwlWfdJGDriccrrTucbPQgikOgtIBl1t9brp3ftoyDD3OlVR4XHovpRIZwuZYzO8Pnbd531l3WCmxQpuMaR6kYSkEsj6E6wiMMOUEHszcr-5GmomVmMjZcBhbqpQ6yECPBnq31A7wPXD1cao4QZ9U62PgscrSzPPhd7uZRzu0n03uoLRmqQblG_xqo/s4032/IMG_5651.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy3DwlWfdJGDriccrrTucbPQgikOgtIBl1t9brp3ftoyDD3OlVR4XHovpRIZwuZYzO8Pnbd531l3WCmxQpuMaR6kYSkEsj6E6wiMMOUEHszcr-5GmomVmMjZcBhbqpQ6yECPBnq31A7wPXD1cao4QZ9U62PgscrSzPPhd7uZRzu0n03uoLRmqQblG_xqo/s320/IMG_5651.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Following an appointment at a hospital due to heart-related issues, my wife and I had lunch at <a href="http://www.greatleapbrewing.com/" target="_blank">Great Leap Brewing</a>. If my heart is going to suddenly stop functioning one day, I'd like it to happen <i>after</i> I finish my drink:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc2fl1LZCLWZIiJ9XErV_bnA-AIUYqpVNSKRQeyunbA1Kn711Tlb1iXACJNVHHUkviDooSE3P8eRrFMyY7fT-oFI0nMA6fp5hYIZEMb_o-teYhSWMl-VaYma-AqKnYdtEVxi1pjTvKJU-VWJA4lVPDeoU7xFHXwPBCSE7B50lNiS105X6zocImKoBdkbI/s3853/IMG_5665.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3853" data-original-width="2890" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc2fl1LZCLWZIiJ9XErV_bnA-AIUYqpVNSKRQeyunbA1Kn711Tlb1iXACJNVHHUkviDooSE3P8eRrFMyY7fT-oFI0nMA6fp5hYIZEMb_o-teYhSWMl-VaYma-AqKnYdtEVxi1pjTvKJU-VWJA4lVPDeoU7xFHXwPBCSE7B50lNiS105X6zocImKoBdkbI/s320/IMG_5665.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Everybody's doin' the loco moco:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguxJY0ESdGNXk1bwxsWWpBaax9wo90nHu0c4D5prHTHrGj0BKletEjx8z9N1Mpw7j6h9A2AwVtwBf1fIgQMRt68DAjk3NvhPyFhmHJiM5UcesRiS_1-PWZDHYXyckXOKPBfcVM-EpL6fpLsCPQ57T4h3d6Jxv6QZ9DM9krwYRJ7AARSLppwqCxBa6z0i4/s3535/IMG_5666.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2688" data-original-width="3535" height="243" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguxJY0ESdGNXk1bwxsWWpBaax9wo90nHu0c4D5prHTHrGj0BKletEjx8z9N1Mpw7j6h9A2AwVtwBf1fIgQMRt68DAjk3NvhPyFhmHJiM5UcesRiS_1-PWZDHYXyckXOKPBfcVM-EpL6fpLsCPQ57T4h3d6Jxv6QZ9DM9krwYRJ7AARSLppwqCxBa6z0i4/s320/IMG_5666.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p>This has been a brief summary of some of the things that have occurred since our return from the Antipodes ("Post-Australia"). "Pre-Japan" refers to our plan to visit that country from next weekend, during the Lunar New Year holiday. Assuming we can actually make it there (a big "if" since my wife <a href="https://kaminoge.blogspot.com/2023/11/tianjin-not-tokyo.html" target="_blank">torpedoed my previous plans to go to Tōkyō 東京 last November by accidently taking my passport with her to Taiwan</a>), check back in a couple of weeks to see what went down in the Kantō region 関東地方.</p><p>Until then, here's wishing you an early 新年快樂 and a 恭喜發財! </p><p>The trailer for <i><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cape_No._7" target="_blank">Cape No. 7</a></i> 海角七號, a 2008 Taiwanese film that was most definitely not included in the Taiwan hall at the film museum. Why not? For one thing, much of the dialog is in Taiwanese, and not Mandarin. But mainly because it depicts Japanese people as flesh-and-blood human beings, and not as cartoonish evil characters to be killed off by red-blooded, motherland-loving Chinese patriots:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/5TaIUCyyiXI" width="320" youtube-src-id="5TaIUCyyiXI"></iframe></div><br /><p><br /></p></div>Kaminogehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07925637671913689331noreply@blogger.com0Park Hyatt, China, Guang Dong Sheng, Guang Zhou Shi, Tian He Qu, 华夏路16号 邮政编码: 51062023.1186094 113.321831-5.1916244361788451 78.165581 51.428843236178849 148.478081tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2497220891386919340.post-42348056354793782582024-01-29T19:55:00.027+08:002024-01-29T20:18:29.497+08:00Eleventh and twelfth days in a land down under <p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF8Fb-sIw_oetXI93anV3k23yoL6YsS4WL8JrJ7JOg0cbsc5WS55RWWqQfrqI2Qjp9eplSroarO6C0bldcc5ML7BjnwxwKnB-NTUH5hvv4YG7Gwx3DJ7NRBWE9pQnV_Lniv_RNF4IhAIEO99tgP6iCH8YivzssK8K9W9L7RG20Lbbcl0tch6mPcFwj6pg/s4032/IMG_5213.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF8Fb-sIw_oetXI93anV3k23yoL6YsS4WL8JrJ7JOg0cbsc5WS55RWWqQfrqI2Qjp9eplSroarO6C0bldcc5ML7BjnwxwKnB-NTUH5hvv4YG7Gwx3DJ7NRBWE9pQnV_Lniv_RNF4IhAIEO99tgP6iCH8YivzssK8K9W9L7RG20Lbbcl0tch6mPcFwj6pg/s320/IMG_5213.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><i><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Hunter Valley</i></div></i><p></p><p>As the hoary saying goes, all good things must come to an end, and our R&R trip to Australia was no exception. For our penultimate breakfast, the girl (younger one) and I walked down to <a href="https://www.thekiosknewcastlebeach.com.au/" target="_blank">The Kiosk</a>, a small cafe right on Newcastle Beach:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_kFIAn5aUSQc0woh1wAybQ7ysc8Iz0uy3nIheoxB76EPBpjD8VlgpO5xiMmNHJhGfXVRMBdIclSPrNgezZLqe-H31w7BJgUa2XvPKmcS4eL1DKrONayRE3-aiT3hRxtFF4MiR1IbdJcI2xG-HLz_u5cFNZcSZlodkiNxYljUZ_tbnbL3L2VnJPkcautY/s3814/IMG_5160.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3814" data-original-width="2985" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_kFIAn5aUSQc0woh1wAybQ7ysc8Iz0uy3nIheoxB76EPBpjD8VlgpO5xiMmNHJhGfXVRMBdIclSPrNgezZLqe-H31w7BJgUa2XvPKmcS4eL1DKrONayRE3-aiT3hRxtFF4MiR1IbdJcI2xG-HLz_u5cFNZcSZlodkiNxYljUZ_tbnbL3L2VnJPkcautY/s320/IMG_5160.jpg" width="250" /></a></div><div><br /></div>I had a toastie, though 24 days after the fact I can't recall which kind it was:<div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfdXAaTElROHf9G7NUb_EFPonoO5KBINuUE0_mLKjN9OeW8caM1JL6fKKRRVW3-N6598CE6ouL4lfNHjsEEug7VttGQpt0_SSsOAJsLi0f2Lhi1cmCwJKEZpBdAQ6UZ5Ox3JH_rH5nMIvT4vrNvHVvXeKXT-M0DCFpkm6qF3llh1gfRDIMYue2yKKjzOw/s4032/IMG_5161.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfdXAaTElROHf9G7NUb_EFPonoO5KBINuUE0_mLKjN9OeW8caM1JL6fKKRRVW3-N6598CE6ouL4lfNHjsEEug7VttGQpt0_SSsOAJsLi0f2Lhi1cmCwJKEZpBdAQ6UZ5Ox3JH_rH5nMIvT4vrNvHVvXeKXT-M0DCFpkm6qF3llh1gfRDIMYue2yKKjzOw/s320/IMG_5161.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Surfers, like golfers, don't care how blustery conditions can be:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_Run1xUT6a4hZ1csfVjGpgbGE3g72l17Ho1J9cdXperBq6LD2f15IzhVHnS7XEsl0JKprzud7QhVq9O-Gj4VkfGHFEnHeCBnCmHlC1mc_sl2P_xX1xQUWijMPXH7xsSMuSnvzsbI8_-DIyqwCOn_isXaWly2a5p0ywBdHaI5fPgZlC4ee43vxkVWVMRw/s4032/IMG_5163.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2333" data-original-width="4032" height="185" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_Run1xUT6a4hZ1csfVjGpgbGE3g72l17Ho1J9cdXperBq6LD2f15IzhVHnS7XEsl0JKprzud7QhVq9O-Gj4VkfGHFEnHeCBnCmHlC1mc_sl2P_xX1xQUWijMPXH7xsSMuSnvzsbI8_-DIyqwCOn_isXaWly2a5p0ywBdHaI5fPgZlC4ee43vxkVWVMRw/s320/IMG_5163.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzmnup4SaKkd34RVK1UZrrcX_CRSvOkzNSil2Mejll9OMKh-PrXeYY36AN6bg1spL6IUvPlcZUfDx1DTJUiB9ESJ1dZ07PZSN15ZOYQTfiPox_Que66YOujxe1vOY1qOCXWgYUxUYvUcfG_DO-M4HxW-NDZnWzbiD9dhxxbdiGZqUd2yPadSiXXapk6J0/s4032/IMG_5164.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzmnup4SaKkd34RVK1UZrrcX_CRSvOkzNSil2Mejll9OMKh-PrXeYY36AN6bg1spL6IUvPlcZUfDx1DTJUiB9ESJ1dZ07PZSN15ZOYQTfiPox_Que66YOujxe1vOY1qOCXWgYUxUYvUcfG_DO-M4HxW-NDZnWzbiD9dhxxbdiGZqUd2yPadSiXXapk6J0/s320/IMG_5164.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Posing by the <a href="https://www.newcastle.nsw.gov.au/explore/recreation/beaches-and-baths/ocean-baths" target="_blank">Newcastle Ocean Baths</a> following breakfast:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIOWx1XLlv96XKGb_Bb0w7vxRTL6Vp8HPEHzMLFPqBbGYWLgFi4ckrk2Pxk2r4SLhlQ8eUoEfl-uCgoOWR3z0A-HB3KCRZ4EFgEe2X78u-1QuASGDsEpq1Pf8tiZj7RdZud_Ie3swK38Dt_VgRYU8FP9Mi3ffOjHEEYytRHTzsUKjif3LAAghqZlpI3u4/s3977/IMG_5165.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2983" data-original-width="3977" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIOWx1XLlv96XKGb_Bb0w7vxRTL6Vp8HPEHzMLFPqBbGYWLgFi4ckrk2Pxk2r4SLhlQ8eUoEfl-uCgoOWR3z0A-HB3KCRZ4EFgEe2X78u-1QuASGDsEpq1Pf8tiZj7RdZud_Ie3swK38Dt_VgRYU8FP9Mi3ffOjHEEYytRHTzsUKjif3LAAghqZlpI3u4/s320/IMG_5165.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihUHbsEwe2dU3oYHwSr-GmNGRsMtR00XBFfPvxB7HMBDawPHhxv0TGwEDb4usHshSkp9Ph8f0kkJnJXsv8JqdNrjkbu5oSehAbpS0DgSa7ErXCoeZlWjhi7-_uUJICk_aPNFoy8aQi8XbTtkAEyzLW1TfMTl4Vf1o7AUh1k4fqwim3JjF7NczYOvX1oUo/s4032/IMG_5166.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihUHbsEwe2dU3oYHwSr-GmNGRsMtR00XBFfPvxB7HMBDawPHhxv0TGwEDb4usHshSkp9Ph8f0kkJnJXsv8JqdNrjkbu5oSehAbpS0DgSa7ErXCoeZlWjhi7-_uUJICk_aPNFoy8aQi8XbTtkAEyzLW1TfMTl4Vf1o7AUh1k4fqwim3JjF7NczYOvX1oUo/s320/IMG_5166.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>We learned a new Australian English word (I grew up calling those "cannonballs"):</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfT_5jIymkL22yeF-943UoYxEMJftJSbgnRZ4cGcmc-taa-gsP93s-1HHsDmOqzmdiZ8i79DxHUA2OReZ1sqBuXf00aCzQZ9PKmIdhW9lle9bAX4rec9gK8YY8bYXT20kiOjJpKYtRKzbSpE23j1cZO1iIYeBMQBea2Lor_0udaQyGhvsGNTHr-hN02RI/s3044/IMG_5167.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2631" data-original-width="3044" height="277" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfT_5jIymkL22yeF-943UoYxEMJftJSbgnRZ4cGcmc-taa-gsP93s-1HHsDmOqzmdiZ8i79DxHUA2OReZ1sqBuXf00aCzQZ9PKmIdhW9lle9bAX4rec9gK8YY8bYXT20kiOjJpKYtRKzbSpE23j1cZO1iIYeBMQBea2Lor_0udaQyGhvsGNTHr-hN02RI/s320/IMG_5167.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>We returned to our room at the <a href="https://alloggionewcastlebeach.com.au/" target="_blank">Alloggio Newcastle Beach Hotel</a> long enough for me to change into swimming duds. Despite the chilly conditions, I was determined not to repeat the <a href="https://kaminoge.blogspot.com/2024/01/tenth-day-in-land-down-under.html" target="_blank">mistiming of the previous day</a>. Amber came along to snap a couple of pics (for evidence) before returning to our room. I would end spending roughly an hour swimming in the saltwater pool:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNsDtPEtdTkiVcXLcWTTuJ8vbxHYwF-A0GKTcx4diGZxGoYzk6mwrAPztQdqx3eg6VgORyLx4olcp4wafxrwl8L2DHYVb9Y_MThwNeksN2-feWjyU5R-UzrKxjfCL1IT9WRsfYIuuzmVDzC_zkRwBeTsVeeRlCXaY1xs4nVkkwCtaIxrxwTDgzcaSQz6s/s1653/89e95456560b9b42ac5ab594777591b9.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="930" data-original-width="1653" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNsDtPEtdTkiVcXLcWTTuJ8vbxHYwF-A0GKTcx4diGZxGoYzk6mwrAPztQdqx3eg6VgORyLx4olcp4wafxrwl8L2DHYVb9Y_MThwNeksN2-feWjyU5R-UzrKxjfCL1IT9WRsfYIuuzmVDzC_zkRwBeTsVeeRlCXaY1xs4nVkkwCtaIxrxwTDgzcaSQz6s/s320/89e95456560b9b42ac5ab594777591b9.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN_-TQev44QEjM-8ZNCFAuAsA1jwY7kEjOJPhGutacUNwfA2Sj3EgUJqGpw2X3tA1es81nEWYFPToJ0Jx1QkQnN7clAdVmCXbtfJw3GriCgs3bOraDHp_PlWFiPkKJOtTtmYCHbE61hWwl9O4hmiF_L7LU_wuKsiXS5-HzhRViNj4AF5VIGzgeCXd6wRg/s1541/324439a7b4f80621f1232757c02ef1a8.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1088" data-original-width="1541" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN_-TQev44QEjM-8ZNCFAuAsA1jwY7kEjOJPhGutacUNwfA2Sj3EgUJqGpw2X3tA1es81nEWYFPToJ0Jx1QkQnN7clAdVmCXbtfJw3GriCgs3bOraDHp_PlWFiPkKJOtTtmYCHbE61hWwl9O4hmiF_L7LU_wuKsiXS5-HzhRViNj4AF5VIGzgeCXd6wRg/s320/324439a7b4f80621f1232757c02ef1a8.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Swim complete, I also returned to the room, and soon the three of us (my wife now included) were in the rented Toyota Corolla hybrid, and on our way to Hunter Valley, Australia's oldest <a href="https://winecompanion.com.au/articles/travel/top-10-wine-regions#:~:text=The%20Barossa%20Valley%20is%20one,grenache%2C%20cabernet%20sauvignon%20and%20shiraz." target="_blank">winery region</a>. First stop was the <a href="https://www.winecountry.com.au/plan-1/hunter-valley-visitor-information-centre" target="_blank">Visitor Information Centre</a>, where we had lunch in the attached cafe:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJEW5qQDA4iHbqnlw15TZ_b4pjbUTJk0KKP7EznVYjgbLgWtochitIcuypSBMSxso4brzozbR58CML28a_Oah5bmGHk_Ik5FsquASPhATtBJTsOyQtXWuYz0QZxh_yQ7pfF9a0HKt8cmtf_POo4gWRLOgY5nSsFjKnVoz-ErhE3fIAyUscdFiPG19gLtw/s3490/IMG_5174.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3490" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJEW5qQDA4iHbqnlw15TZ_b4pjbUTJk0KKP7EznVYjgbLgWtochitIcuypSBMSxso4brzozbR58CML28a_Oah5bmGHk_Ik5FsquASPhATtBJTsOyQtXWuYz0QZxh_yQ7pfF9a0HKt8cmtf_POo4gWRLOgY5nSsFjKnVoz-ErhE3fIAyUscdFiPG19gLtw/s320/IMG_5174.jpg" width="277" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIJu9OPrtxZaGLCtLNt1pVjLnnQpKc8r1aNgrZXmX53Zv25yxuFJ5IKVXbZAmcNmX1iXFeLYCDmiOvfNi0Df0fNSixvvjPebTHWFvDac7ujU2V5xdb_tHCJBRPErYA2V5MnlJhDeOZuVtUxSMh5bQmt_IRlmHXf2GNI83yC1lfnhHdlwakzCJP9FHd11s/s2899/IMG_5175.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2478" data-original-width="2899" height="274" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIJu9OPrtxZaGLCtLNt1pVjLnnQpKc8r1aNgrZXmX53Zv25yxuFJ5IKVXbZAmcNmX1iXFeLYCDmiOvfNi0Df0fNSixvvjPebTHWFvDac7ujU2V5xdb_tHCJBRPErYA2V5MnlJhDeOZuVtUxSMh5bQmt_IRlmHXf2GNI83yC1lfnhHdlwakzCJP9FHd11s/s320/IMG_5175.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Armed with a free map and some brochures, following lunch we drove to the <a href="https://www.hvchocolate.com.au/" target="_blank">Hunter Valley Chocolate Company</a> to sample (and purchase) some of the sweet treats:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1wonOjVhKyl2eovMmtaeyjbWLJYFLzAqOnU5nOnyT8rpVLYyGSUjgyVZZPRzAj6DzRbUsQE959sjZY6dhmaBN8Io5LLuxKnaS804tw6nVzmFYAPGSDCE5yKeXXTYwGJGVu4odXnsETBac0ltWQGssTUMwDQqCT4sVwCbcfIlh5z-V3Mexo30fs2GR9Ck/s3810/IMG_5177.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2857" data-original-width="3810" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1wonOjVhKyl2eovMmtaeyjbWLJYFLzAqOnU5nOnyT8rpVLYyGSUjgyVZZPRzAj6DzRbUsQE959sjZY6dhmaBN8Io5LLuxKnaS804tw6nVzmFYAPGSDCE5yKeXXTYwGJGVu4odXnsETBac0ltWQGssTUMwDQqCT4sVwCbcfIlh5z-V3Mexo30fs2GR9Ck/s320/IMG_5177.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Taking in the scenery behind the chocolate shop:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoDiqCcb9EHP15cn3Gv4Ib6tokVKUZYHkbpYnkXmM_2XeHZ2XF8wJnf2-5ahA-4zTOi4OMZvDbgB8o5bICeKX6v0Sf_Z7QocuZDRDpCALfWyZO1ou9djKODKchVhM3ezbvo7WwbyN7n3z2_4ShZsg6MCPASw_dcxxkiZe3c488FotgbPyutEVYhyphenhyphenEVF70/s4032/IMG_5180.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoDiqCcb9EHP15cn3Gv4Ib6tokVKUZYHkbpYnkXmM_2XeHZ2XF8wJnf2-5ahA-4zTOi4OMZvDbgB8o5bICeKX6v0Sf_Z7QocuZDRDpCALfWyZO1ou9djKODKchVhM3ezbvo7WwbyN7n3z2_4ShZsg6MCPASw_dcxxkiZe3c488FotgbPyutEVYhyphenhyphenEVF70/s320/IMG_5180.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqh8I7iuMY4hFQAHBS9LwEErL3Bqws0n94_EJeEl69sxKoKwADoFwtVoqd4-InRODBPnR8eCC68U8Sw-uc5GtJqAow9-EWZsVq9GW97z-LMnO8VyK-bcmH88rWgxgzKudaoYXfeaGQ7BWk8FuSONQUJ4dgCqyjdp1lP8D7RqSqc-R7GEPdoR0LFfwKiEg/s4032/IMG_5181.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqh8I7iuMY4hFQAHBS9LwEErL3Bqws0n94_EJeEl69sxKoKwADoFwtVoqd4-InRODBPnR8eCC68U8Sw-uc5GtJqAow9-EWZsVq9GW97z-LMnO8VyK-bcmH88rWgxgzKudaoYXfeaGQ7BWk8FuSONQUJ4dgCqyjdp1lP8D7RqSqc-R7GEPdoR0LFfwKiEg/s320/IMG_5181.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Next up was the <a href="https://www.smellycheese.net.au/" target="_blank">Hunter Valley Smelly Cheese Shop</a>, though we didn't end up buying anything there. Bloody tourists...:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEjk3VruwXRjIMqSggWgzGPlOhjQ6OuD3pqKCRCMLqZNbrhk5xENeHy54YaGcc1Jnhhp_vJdRtTcgtTVqy-PyEgJ_9zDaXg1k9wQpaTBzWgC7iTXP3QO6X6z8glcqa3XO9VdBUFlTN9gE0EVaWNhz0Y2aPy1kUltnAliIfMouV0o9wgrUKgS_qStN4rUM/s4032/IMG_5184.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEjk3VruwXRjIMqSggWgzGPlOhjQ6OuD3pqKCRCMLqZNbrhk5xENeHy54YaGcc1Jnhhp_vJdRtTcgtTVqy-PyEgJ_9zDaXg1k9wQpaTBzWgC7iTXP3QO6X6z8glcqa3XO9VdBUFlTN9gE0EVaWNhz0Y2aPy1kUltnAliIfMouV0o9wgrUKgS_qStN4rUM/s320/IMG_5184.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Neither Shu-E nor I are wine <strike>snobs</strike> aficionados, plus I was doing the driving (and our daughter was still under age), so only my wife did any wine tasting. The one winery we stopped at so she could partake was at <a href="https://shop.vindenwines.com.au/" target="_blank">Vinden Wines</a>:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYmRey2kdjIh496qFaxkoqpubBxc7yyuJWd1MFH9jzTW2q1xN2QLRzP3fmGduhwgny90cnaY5c7dSoMOQ5upBL3DbKsor0pMR5seQsHQbDOXh52j5vKlizLzMOMTHJbthYLo35_f_RmhhJURdKBesmvpluCgSsLS6qFjmZDcIdZXjXb7H_CkurpLi-V3s/s4032/IMG_5186.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYmRey2kdjIh496qFaxkoqpubBxc7yyuJWd1MFH9jzTW2q1xN2QLRzP3fmGduhwgny90cnaY5c7dSoMOQ5upBL3DbKsor0pMR5seQsHQbDOXh52j5vKlizLzMOMTHJbthYLo35_f_RmhhJURdKBesmvpluCgSsLS6qFjmZDcIdZXjXb7H_CkurpLi-V3s/s320/IMG_5186.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>While Shu-E tippled on this...:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiacUOFssrFH7vRfa-BBk6Cw2Gu4PZMA0aFnp0F1-ytIoer6mHqzXmsr0EpjlTXFA2vwvErRuL873gbMxQnqDYN5-T4b9kq4Kap6oqD7Lc5joo9e4nnsDIcmFC5gcAbyheqWm-mhbsZDUnry_omnF7hdba_LeegsWitymGcJmriYjAyOC6E6pyVrarhSJk/s3901/IMG_5188.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3901" data-original-width="2825" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiacUOFssrFH7vRfa-BBk6Cw2Gu4PZMA0aFnp0F1-ytIoer6mHqzXmsr0EpjlTXFA2vwvErRuL873gbMxQnqDYN5-T4b9kq4Kap6oqD7Lc5joo9e4nnsDIcmFC5gcAbyheqWm-mhbsZDUnry_omnF7hdba_LeegsWitymGcJmriYjAyOC6E6pyVrarhSJk/s320/IMG_5188.jpg" width="232" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQO7xs-sl-z9hClkKod24U1IZ5X_qgpkAE-QWofha9sZMN2SE2RD0U4P0PbI3JBzAspOnlGPExOr2lGp90bhRcOlrmekUlYsuLP8EEhjgqg-C163EQ0fSrEPMc6-EtJSJj1WlZs_umnUJnxUaFbpAFe6TNhqSUwsftZTkgi9eJNuTJJYqIN5nLgnyj12I/s3635/IMG_5189.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3635" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQO7xs-sl-z9hClkKod24U1IZ5X_qgpkAE-QWofha9sZMN2SE2RD0U4P0PbI3JBzAspOnlGPExOr2lGp90bhRcOlrmekUlYsuLP8EEhjgqg-C163EQ0fSrEPMc6-EtJSJj1WlZs_umnUJnxUaFbpAFe6TNhqSUwsftZTkgi9eJNuTJJYqIN5nLgnyj12I/s320/IMG_5189.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><div><br /></div>...Amber and I took a walk around the vineyard...:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_9TQa5TicGjVFHDi-nnMPlcyrAoVaLSxMb4wbAyLqVpBYPOqyzFWXPxspJVMiSCSn_aN_IT7BWnrlxjCEQPDS1CEXATvZiEmeDwTIrq3tdlZM_KGnFqWgNgPErHRGbVPSTLI3TDeLqNYLU8iNECvrijZ97wVdli16SDW9c9xVl6_1wwHCwzMXuMJaSh4/s4032/IMG_5191.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2341" data-original-width="4032" height="186" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_9TQa5TicGjVFHDi-nnMPlcyrAoVaLSxMb4wbAyLqVpBYPOqyzFWXPxspJVMiSCSn_aN_IT7BWnrlxjCEQPDS1CEXATvZiEmeDwTIrq3tdlZM_KGnFqWgNgPErHRGbVPSTLI3TDeLqNYLU8iNECvrijZ97wVdli16SDW9c9xVl6_1wwHCwzMXuMJaSh4/s320/IMG_5191.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>...where we encountered a wombat in the wild!:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQqTmHLUq9pIYUpSSa6biX1RNLnHyKl9S6qcwXt61y01GhzHFtUUsbJhtUn_tBgDozKgEGHr5Zyg5jsgRcglqUxoZE5iLvvTYPIIReT0_o8axV-vylVaml3-fhTYKzbyJmu7XJmE7Y-ebR3-6IpPkjMLl5Ytp3LE6efutdjeUlOYDygbTt3TRSu-rvPMk/s1518/2a152115e391aff999591e1752400265.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1518" data-original-width="1108" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQqTmHLUq9pIYUpSSa6biX1RNLnHyKl9S6qcwXt61y01GhzHFtUUsbJhtUn_tBgDozKgEGHr5Zyg5jsgRcglqUxoZE5iLvvTYPIIReT0_o8axV-vylVaml3-fhTYKzbyJmu7XJmE7Y-ebR3-6IpPkjMLl5Ytp3LE6efutdjeUlOYDygbTt3TRSu-rvPMk/s320/2a152115e391aff999591e1752400265.JPG" width="234" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwDxT-QACJnXxE14U7iWJusXt74nAcpoxISrTyd_Licd2KGfh_XW9kNypppeNnSSOY4r4Y81f61klJIqMKMVA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8ky0OdSF3rlrRxgKc6DH3dWITLVMZy2e2e5TISNJUJ2SRtdcI5ILGZrgqNUJVMqej7pLsx-z_3emY_FQYjLGgADuBz61C4Ei9QVRKehcxbkmcCRYkrvnOx_M8k8dUsbbCdxIMR3c8ekYIJ7jP7rH-Bp9dsMLLqxkT6a5UQjKQDQ6Nv7sxA_FSZK_5pG8/s3568/IMG_5195.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2611" data-original-width="3568" height="234" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8ky0OdSF3rlrRxgKc6DH3dWITLVMZy2e2e5TISNJUJ2SRtdcI5ILGZrgqNUJVMqej7pLsx-z_3emY_FQYjLGgADuBz61C4Ei9QVRKehcxbkmcCRYkrvnOx_M8k8dUsbbCdxIMR3c8ekYIJ7jP7rH-Bp9dsMLLqxkT6a5UQjKQDQ6Nv7sxA_FSZK_5pG8/s320/IMG_5195.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji8EQvh5BDlqtGjwZyA84CKttdd6RnEESsN_ohPrd2BCbfhrXHLNMuBOLB2hud5xpiu6tDEq0PFsCNI5PUbzB9kL_EuO9IWMIp9ADV7Ggv9FIOG-ramgWwd8yRU4tRDVS4q0TkDjl1hob-EyHaJjh16HA1M9g8sc6L2TXz5AL-aRMWJW6kt0BDNG3eK40/s4032/IMG_5201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1626" data-original-width="4032" height="129" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji8EQvh5BDlqtGjwZyA84CKttdd6RnEESsN_ohPrd2BCbfhrXHLNMuBOLB2hud5xpiu6tDEq0PFsCNI5PUbzB9kL_EuO9IWMIp9ADV7Ggv9FIOG-ramgWwd8yRU4tRDVS4q0TkDjl1hob-EyHaJjh16HA1M9g8sc6L2TXz5AL-aRMWJW6kt0BDNG3eK40/s320/IMG_5201.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The woman working in the wine tasting room told us later that wombats aren't a threat to the vines, in contrast to kangaroos, which are considered a serious pest. So serious that at a later stop we would hear gunshots that were presumably intended to drive away some 'roos (at least according to a conversation I overhead while the shots were being fired).</div><div><br /></div><div>A frequently seen sign that we passed several times while driving outside of Sydney were the ones warning of floods, sometime accompanied by poles indicating how high previous inundations had reached. The climates in Australia and California have much in common - both try hard to kill the residents in the form of bushfires (or brushfires, in California) and storms. At least Australia is tectonically the more stable of the two:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQABlDUK0d3Zf3BJkqVjukVOLbgGP7CcnIuLi19t0WK1CM_Gq8jJklAxi0ktdbep3u6U9evL4cKKTv97h5cce9aUAsq3lIBVM1u6o1MLfIYO_JDqM69M9-nty6WEGN8hosokMSKCfCjv0r9q5PQcr4xX7-58F-TOztqk9NGiD3DJkaYvvl-I2CREQqFtM/s3112/IMG_5202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3112" data-original-width="2575" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQABlDUK0d3Zf3BJkqVjukVOLbgGP7CcnIuLi19t0WK1CM_Gq8jJklAxi0ktdbep3u6U9evL4cKKTv97h5cce9aUAsq3lIBVM1u6o1MLfIYO_JDqM69M9-nty6WEGN8hosokMSKCfCjv0r9q5PQcr4xX7-58F-TOztqk9NGiD3DJkaYvvl-I2CREQqFtM/s320/IMG_5202.jpg" width="265" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8GF4SbCBc5mQZBbPN4qPOOLq6KumhGcdDHuH9It6rJqL1wELTR7lddRWK6hyphenhyphenAVPp8h8qIbzSkT47FZ0CfUjDA_mtr6iY3-wHB8qczdmhZKhFAyXXgKZ3g5_YUO_iqXimSSDFromngcPxy2NjnywunqDpAdihYYWm_jtgKOzAjpAg0jFl_TmeMn6-QqDk/s2227/IMG_5203.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1937" data-original-width="2227" height="278" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8GF4SbCBc5mQZBbPN4qPOOLq6KumhGcdDHuH9It6rJqL1wELTR7lddRWK6hyphenhyphenAVPp8h8qIbzSkT47FZ0CfUjDA_mtr6iY3-wHB8qczdmhZKhFAyXXgKZ3g5_YUO_iqXimSSDFromngcPxy2NjnywunqDpAdihYYWm_jtgKOzAjpAg0jFl_TmeMn6-QqDk/s320/IMG_5203.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>We arrived at the <a href="https://audreywilkinson.com.au/" target="_blank">Audrey Wilkinson Vineyard</a> too late in the afternoon to taste some wine, but we did have time to enjoy the scenery (and listen to the aforementioned gunshots):</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi68z48X9StkybPu8xOu9shEIFp4XpvhQSbB3bXLrhvvgHI8lyNdTeIZAzivauyop2_ElBs-KTsXfVv1tFVk0OcAfdP5bk0HVZYRYO9GLYcR7UM4eIvjid6942DSE3VTYbacMdVCEmflC4mmnrLu0JFq7jC9DmFO9rDC0vUlLBJe_YXnIof7oIpi6YND4/s4032/IMG_5205.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2100" data-original-width="4032" height="167" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi68z48X9StkybPu8xOu9shEIFp4XpvhQSbB3bXLrhvvgHI8lyNdTeIZAzivauyop2_ElBs-KTsXfVv1tFVk0OcAfdP5bk0HVZYRYO9GLYcR7UM4eIvjid6942DSE3VTYbacMdVCEmflC4mmnrLu0JFq7jC9DmFO9rDC0vUlLBJe_YXnIof7oIpi6YND4/s320/IMG_5205.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Note the snake warning:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEkLPKHqi1KO88InPf1TtULH4PBxqJCPzwq6M1vygaFO509-UoyuwpOkTTaGiTQeff5MPs_nOTxSGU5J-Jt2TsqCb1_pPi1LVqEEQPYsq1Ctzx91kvEiO4m8IjXvelEdcoXzAcGHm5Egv9k0DMMsFj-RnLTzyoO5FWBT5PWQcEZgEZfVVtM6Rz2zwIy7c/s4032/IMG_5207.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEkLPKHqi1KO88InPf1TtULH4PBxqJCPzwq6M1vygaFO509-UoyuwpOkTTaGiTQeff5MPs_nOTxSGU5J-Jt2TsqCb1_pPi1LVqEEQPYsq1Ctzx91kvEiO4m8IjXvelEdcoXzAcGHm5Egv9k0DMMsFj-RnLTzyoO5FWBT5PWQcEZgEZfVVtM6Rz2zwIy7c/s320/IMG_5207.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfoFw3nD2YO3DeTME5j8AimuumChJMnVVZyHc92ozEq2l_jRDJ3HjC0hd4N1aXSqAEZYRDpkf2dH-sdw1qvkncL8o81ZQgP7aP6nB1tMgRn7QBgqYcdTmYt__9ev14HEr2i5itrvIN_axhnZq5OMVbViVqVpcbVx0bVN6Z4jZWTmWp-AqdBYu209_cod4/s4032/IMG_5209.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfoFw3nD2YO3DeTME5j8AimuumChJMnVVZyHc92ozEq2l_jRDJ3HjC0hd4N1aXSqAEZYRDpkf2dH-sdw1qvkncL8o81ZQgP7aP6nB1tMgRn7QBgqYcdTmYt__9ev14HEr2i5itrvIN_axhnZq5OMVbViVqVpcbVx0bVN6Z4jZWTmWp-AqdBYu209_cod4/s320/IMG_5209.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSJpBlejb6H651RuH7x3ZcuCNuZjs1zG7OGjCeCk6IW9ZQtnQezrVORZ074fH16Mz6YbCkRSPDZtFSHrYiXivCIjp6ZFtGHrej7BUF1-JtccAsoCYeA5p0yXIk24ogstNBRh05RHOf6OnhEqq70TKkS-jMJSkUyrbVxZdZ18eyDmA6qeK87UuvXconMNo/s4032/IMG_5211.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSJpBlejb6H651RuH7x3ZcuCNuZjs1zG7OGjCeCk6IW9ZQtnQezrVORZ074fH16Mz6YbCkRSPDZtFSHrYiXivCIjp6ZFtGHrej7BUF1-JtccAsoCYeA5p0yXIk24ogstNBRh05RHOf6OnhEqq70TKkS-jMJSkUyrbVxZdZ18eyDmA6qeK87UuvXconMNo/s320/IMG_5211.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh64nQ89aiZPiIGICae58CtDnktZr21-uBPjZP1dNbe4YTRYEwNq8F0zMgkO3ccfYbKOT_L4QUR-n88L2NMXqI_E_lwNSaa0UBtUMGO4CuqdL2zuDrbPGWaYsjj2FU78ha6BfUFdVi1yipDuKQnsIaIv30Uq0VG-2CSCAjznmDnjE0DPmkdmuIouezrKuE/s4032/IMG_5214.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh64nQ89aiZPiIGICae58CtDnktZr21-uBPjZP1dNbe4YTRYEwNq8F0zMgkO3ccfYbKOT_L4QUR-n88L2NMXqI_E_lwNSaa0UBtUMGO4CuqdL2zuDrbPGWaYsjj2FU78ha6BfUFdVi1yipDuKQnsIaIv30Uq0VG-2CSCAjznmDnjE0DPmkdmuIouezrKuE/s320/IMG_5214.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPL-6UjtjoIHq2695SrNGIYoty8Qb-jgGNjs25v8LGsrdRQnIBao7qo9RQXDDe7sAHYKOA9RBmqHAF1XBmH438Qw0gQ_RjNv9uJksK6uHfGoOvOdd0NBVWdprpesYLvfco-AehjP8eYPVrIJat2QPoFa9vFkOHjoatWrcqXQAVMh4SDamHgH8XK-AYlps/s4032/IMG_5215.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPL-6UjtjoIHq2695SrNGIYoty8Qb-jgGNjs25v8LGsrdRQnIBao7qo9RQXDDe7sAHYKOA9RBmqHAF1XBmH438Qw0gQ_RjNv9uJksK6uHfGoOvOdd0NBVWdprpesYLvfco-AehjP8eYPVrIJat2QPoFa9vFkOHjoatWrcqXQAVMh4SDamHgH8XK-AYlps/s320/IMG_5215.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd9S9tLqr_I-K4g60R7ip13XMjU-SSlWW1WjOX0jJ7aO35ahFHd7-3OK-IgUSDiH4fa7TdhG5eGrvOtIryjHyMzI88C4SQiJ0CjqsSISsxMHM1YSZYAzNdqg0gcV8nXekh2JKNIqOkFedw2gdTwW3dcP3fIblUjU2opPEHUZKCQ7-U63_F4tqV6HIFwiI/s3977/IMG_5217.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2983" data-original-width="3977" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd9S9tLqr_I-K4g60R7ip13XMjU-SSlWW1WjOX0jJ7aO35ahFHd7-3OK-IgUSDiH4fa7TdhG5eGrvOtIryjHyMzI88C4SQiJ0CjqsSISsxMHM1YSZYAzNdqg0gcV8nXekh2JKNIqOkFedw2gdTwW3dcP3fIblUjU2opPEHUZKCQ7-U63_F4tqV6HIFwiI/s320/IMG_5217.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>We returned to Newcastle, and with the sun still up, had dinner at <a href="https://www.scottiesne.au/" target="_blank">Scottie's</a>, dining outside at a picnic table. I ordered the fried mussels, with a can of <a href="https://www.yullisbrews.com.au/brews" target="_blank">Yulli's Seabass Mediterranean Lager</a> with which to wash it all down:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUwrC5-hg4g7rqMUeoTjjj38NmSiqKe0AHSmXbbB0IObfve_89qwFn7YTYvpa_lYZjGTF_YFTraJuVyBxPodpWrPFSH0sm_-FG7zbeeEWtESFXZmyU-g_V2eyqIzEY5y6pY_1MShDPBdZpsPnnfY9E8TLrb97QGoIf1vuD8q9PFmnKdKmQx1bXTi2yTdY/s3904/IMG_5218.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3904" data-original-width="2928" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUwrC5-hg4g7rqMUeoTjjj38NmSiqKe0AHSmXbbB0IObfve_89qwFn7YTYvpa_lYZjGTF_YFTraJuVyBxPodpWrPFSH0sm_-FG7zbeeEWtESFXZmyU-g_V2eyqIzEY5y6pY_1MShDPBdZpsPnnfY9E8TLrb97QGoIf1vuD8q9PFmnKdKmQx1bXTi2yTdY/s320/IMG_5218.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCQJatNziuVD1RsEWmFALEUjqDWBn9qwvhq8KOgvbZIvJHrqzWftkAdUAdlrkACa_skRiaF-0ymyk6cdzla0nLmIpqaiB46a1WKPthubs0KXRGDO6bVv58MaN-uDH5TJKA81yE33K7JuJ0AeYEBxOeb50b1gS-KlZ6EeOtofkfmQM0JFsu8mKrOhrCPYc/s3832/IMG_5220.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3832" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCQJatNziuVD1RsEWmFALEUjqDWBn9qwvhq8KOgvbZIvJHrqzWftkAdUAdlrkACa_skRiaF-0ymyk6cdzla0nLmIpqaiB46a1WKPthubs0KXRGDO6bVv58MaN-uDH5TJKA81yE33K7JuJ0AeYEBxOeb50b1gS-KlZ6EeOtofkfmQM0JFsu8mKrOhrCPYc/s320/IMG_5220.jpg" width="253" /></a></div><div><br /></div>My wife, being averse to most things of a sweet taste, opted to spend the rest of the evening inside. The girl and I, however, needed our fixes, so we headed off to the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/eastendicecreamery/" target="_blank">East End Ice Creamery</a> for some dessert:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqTfzFCQCAIFO1WyRFRBXbweyMHMdvluwa2EMvDOAyUfqmmwPT89LmmmoBPWivccggkWLEqGB5O-2smp3YhnDsYrE4slXyO-TBOUXfMzspezJLh7CMGz3_qw0vNtMVZVa9hUwvtXaCuKeWeV5YzWbCrNFrPcvbiQntTddn2UPbvLnaDyT4zT-WDvbeWqo/s3665/IMG_5226.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3665" data-original-width="2749" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqTfzFCQCAIFO1WyRFRBXbweyMHMdvluwa2EMvDOAyUfqmmwPT89LmmmoBPWivccggkWLEqGB5O-2smp3YhnDsYrE4slXyO-TBOUXfMzspezJLh7CMGz3_qw0vNtMVZVa9hUwvtXaCuKeWeV5YzWbCrNFrPcvbiQntTddn2UPbvLnaDyT4zT-WDvbeWqo/s320/IMG_5226.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZO1IZHW4Zy451a9iFSclQquVB9KuHzMYqUHRKFtLk0y9XfELRhTI2E22t8l46IotHK8PirZvaXcN4jpqDNoYwZ9poNzu42Ut1hUQBw0EWGG8uFjbsDg0_UQBJNzOBWzmhu89SO1UcyJGKP4p_sL__ts2xZ3ZzREA84Vf3ZRPQEznh4_lvwIocq1g5LQU/s3424/IMG_5228.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3424" data-original-width="2616" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZO1IZHW4Zy451a9iFSclQquVB9KuHzMYqUHRKFtLk0y9XfELRhTI2E22t8l46IotHK8PirZvaXcN4jpqDNoYwZ9poNzu42Ut1hUQBw0EWGG8uFjbsDg0_UQBJNzOBWzmhu89SO1UcyJGKP4p_sL__ts2xZ3ZzREA84Vf3ZRPQEznh4_lvwIocq1g5LQU/s320/IMG_5228.jpg" width="244" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Afterward, we went for a walk, passing by the <a href="https://customshouse.net.au/" target="_blank">Customs House Hotel</a>, which operated as an Australian Customs office 1877-1989:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPrZr-XaBQoYkDzAhO4LUtMlgKQFD2kQRMSvLlSD4gLslj16dWmUiCtYMeD1vOSisN1C90C41U1-URmsS4QjtUODv7QGl-4J4wHip-7wkItk6ChVeNSkLGuu5gZuGPCDDV6jlXkioLhyxRhoHdvgJKwb5cmYBPUsRNsTN-njfnPX0WAIXYCqoomh0sl4Y/s3708/IMG_5229.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3708" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPrZr-XaBQoYkDzAhO4LUtMlgKQFD2kQRMSvLlSD4gLslj16dWmUiCtYMeD1vOSisN1C90C41U1-URmsS4QjtUODv7QGl-4J4wHip-7wkItk6ChVeNSkLGuu5gZuGPCDDV6jlXkioLhyxRhoHdvgJKwb5cmYBPUsRNsTN-njfnPX0WAIXYCqoomh0sl4Y/s320/IMG_5229.jpg" width="261" /></a></div><div><br /></div>We also had a look at the <a href="https://newcastlestation.com.au/" target="_blank">Old Newcastle Train Station</a>, now a shopping mall (though everything was closed by the time we strolled along):</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit09bTOvajYvUgx82nz6uCQ7ZMk66Qumd_f_VlvK2PSw82TV9_M9x_EGzMDzEKAejB3XUQHjuC5PLELP_ZVBDjTHKGWSux66l3ytBBxRMqUoW0awFYzt-8qjGikZQlCWlhyphenhyphenOZ_fT4L34gypUzipdjDV4rvKBFhuieN90JlLvm0p0JOn85aotZjox1B5Ws/s3769/IMG_5230.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2827" data-original-width="3769" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit09bTOvajYvUgx82nz6uCQ7ZMk66Qumd_f_VlvK2PSw82TV9_M9x_EGzMDzEKAejB3XUQHjuC5PLELP_ZVBDjTHKGWSux66l3ytBBxRMqUoW0awFYzt-8qjGikZQlCWlhyphenhyphenOZ_fT4L34gypUzipdjDV4rvKBFhuieN90JlLvm0p0JOn85aotZjox1B5Ws/s320/IMG_5230.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Exploring some of Newcastle's quieter streets:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEima3eUSVgXh2V-k9RkEBzBU5-wdi30_Re90iOEbDBTom2BzqbgMHI6KPuaf2274oZZZdtXI8Nt8uJb_0Xcea82QepHC16RzP1Yp4HydsvIuGl4pRLmp6sOP9mLUkAkxEDJQS_SFxBe-3GUlAxj9iC5O9AgT05RiNJBd3LhcjN1II1vWzIJjoP6_IsUyNs/s4032/IMG_5232.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEima3eUSVgXh2V-k9RkEBzBU5-wdi30_Re90iOEbDBTom2BzqbgMHI6KPuaf2274oZZZdtXI8Nt8uJb_0Xcea82QepHC16RzP1Yp4HydsvIuGl4pRLmp6sOP9mLUkAkxEDJQS_SFxBe-3GUlAxj9iC5O9AgT05RiNJBd3LhcjN1II1vWzIJjoP6_IsUyNs/s320/IMG_5232.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>We walked as far as Nobbys Lighthouse, where we watched a long cargo ship of some kind being pushed out to sea by a tugboat:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHgwnLXlmeDvUfqpIhKEkDbqyPqIcCRIGb4CjvHsWVKJB-IcWpEs7gsSnrXxhTkY7CPkqxQLqx4MzPhifBw-kOyfIQogORNGEtATkOiAh5LyQJARWbPa_TO3SunCwBT8LIVfSFNNqaLOQ_DkDKeeBCnbklr8Tu6JQ21Dg0MHavuNVU1piPIBxNEo8tdEw/s3989/IMG_5233.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2992" data-original-width="3989" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHgwnLXlmeDvUfqpIhKEkDbqyPqIcCRIGb4CjvHsWVKJB-IcWpEs7gsSnrXxhTkY7CPkqxQLqx4MzPhifBw-kOyfIQogORNGEtATkOiAh5LyQJARWbPa_TO3SunCwBT8LIVfSFNNqaLOQ_DkDKeeBCnbklr8Tu6JQ21Dg0MHavuNVU1piPIBxNEo8tdEw/s320/IMG_5233.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxNky_AxeNG2OvNOykTdfWRW-YvF7a9mgVyGGnFxbTbevbkALX3Vs-jK0HuC2TtsVs2AYxF6W2ruSsE8FRGyg' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVRmGywFBtJ8QZHggD9IZEA_oQ7aNlgk_GZnXaPe-zxN9R2In7GZIzQgUozarMpWiUYuU_dWsqcKSScc0-P-dc96E4NeADTOSbusSP81e_WqW8GHItkWzGrLDA5Jbv713XVyP_zyzomKORH1TMJsGK8gb0BInFZ2guw5t1H6_KyUmf93TKQJgGXUWP-yU/s3930/IMG_5236.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2947" data-original-width="3930" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVRmGywFBtJ8QZHggD9IZEA_oQ7aNlgk_GZnXaPe-zxN9R2In7GZIzQgUozarMpWiUYuU_dWsqcKSScc0-P-dc96E4NeADTOSbusSP81e_WqW8GHItkWzGrLDA5Jbv713XVyP_zyzomKORH1TMJsGK8gb0BInFZ2guw5t1H6_KyUmf93TKQJgGXUWP-yU/s320/IMG_5236.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Sharks - relegated to the second row on the warning sign:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNU7Q4i15ciTdZZsc5q2NDveMNe5IL3Oi4TN3cNfJ0f_TclZPlN0x6AVhZoJda0a1MCgEhDli8Pc4MnGbTpbmM5cK4k7ns9xvq3Vk1ZIFTTEC0lEz8ynh15ZUGzapyh3eW1EooRNfk5BX5K9-3I6gfaPpk1ZQsmzy_yswVRrjTbfs4K0jZ3hZJjSZzzoI/s3575/IMG_5238.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="3575" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNU7Q4i15ciTdZZsc5q2NDveMNe5IL3Oi4TN3cNfJ0f_TclZPlN0x6AVhZoJda0a1MCgEhDli8Pc4MnGbTpbmM5cK4k7ns9xvq3Vk1ZIFTTEC0lEz8ynh15ZUGzapyh3eW1EooRNfk5BX5K9-3I6gfaPpk1ZQsmzy_yswVRrjTbfs4K0jZ3hZJjSZzzoI/s320/IMG_5238.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><a href="https://johnboston.com.au/" target="_blank">My nightcap</a>:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRji0K-Us3NUZYoUMz1CqSwyRhGjU1hApDXdE3l-rhyf-vLE7fyYt8l1BOaIkr3kITUoQZ-tfwvvNZU1pvc1rIkT1No_pZ90KpWmavNOdED1UbWzfW1cq0Y7irCMaAzukCE6i5uzdXZGtvLDNr5ra0111gy_eN-biPmo-w5V0bOrDclP_WYreYl7Nw37A/s3936/IMG_5239.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3936" data-original-width="2952" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRji0K-Us3NUZYoUMz1CqSwyRhGjU1hApDXdE3l-rhyf-vLE7fyYt8l1BOaIkr3kITUoQZ-tfwvvNZU1pvc1rIkT1No_pZ90KpWmavNOdED1UbWzfW1cq0Y7irCMaAzukCE6i5uzdXZGtvLDNr5ra0111gy_eN-biPmo-w5V0bOrDclP_WYreYl7Nw37A/s320/IMG_5239.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Our final night in Newcastle (and in New South Wales, and in Australia) was rudely interrupted at 0345 by the fire alarm. We joined the other guests in calmly making our way outside from the second floor, and waiting for the fire brigade to give us the all-clear. That's Amber with her arms folded on the far right:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA1UXdoc3GW3YWM2DEkrhwueeqvK3IxQiTXCi_04oA86kFpJTOkiKoMFB1gvGninrvhqplEGu8LIDZF0gM1cRjn0KjqxG31PqyLY5-zZKeqpgZ7CiDBZiaZEXvDY8XlWqIVszdRLrVPREfM_xiIw2sKqcLcb3v7Wx8OcmUC9r8Q61r-XN8D3CCDwalCgg/s3853/IMG_5240.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2125" data-original-width="3853" height="176" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA1UXdoc3GW3YWM2DEkrhwueeqvK3IxQiTXCi_04oA86kFpJTOkiKoMFB1gvGninrvhqplEGu8LIDZF0gM1cRjn0KjqxG31PqyLY5-zZKeqpgZ7CiDBZiaZEXvDY8XlWqIVszdRLrVPREfM_xiIw2sKqcLcb3v7Wx8OcmUC9r8Q61r-XN8D3CCDwalCgg/s320/IMG_5240.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>We were soon allowed back inside, where I discovered that our room was literally next door to the emergency exit. We could have easily evacuated using that route instead of following everyone else, but didn't thanks to my glaring lack of situational awareness. Rumor had it the alarm went off due to someone having a smoke in a room on the floor above us. I wonder if they also had to pay an A$1766 ($300) fine as a result:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS_qEecqbpUfA8s859xdIR7jgq9OffCKy-ZCmi-zi3kYB0zLwDvgA9FM3M6lWHdte__Cq-voq2wZPhO_Fn5eyUlWUgzTMuODii8CHqjj3xEsoi2E9VDjQvm0v8ujRI-jLHqKd4mqG1qWu7U543LlbJg-62QWxYWuyNHgEWVJmK22qkKCcGmxTLu4EwwHY/s3383/IMG_5241.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2444" data-original-width="3383" height="231" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS_qEecqbpUfA8s859xdIR7jgq9OffCKy-ZCmi-zi3kYB0zLwDvgA9FM3M6lWHdte__Cq-voq2wZPhO_Fn5eyUlWUgzTMuODii8CHqjj3xEsoi2E9VDjQvm0v8ujRI-jLHqKd4mqG1qWu7U543LlbJg-62QWxYWuyNHgEWVJmK22qkKCcGmxTLu4EwwHY/s320/IMG_5241.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>That morning Amber and I went out for breakfast one final time, dining outside at <a href="https://www.moornewcastleeast.com/#moornewcastleeast" target="_blank">Moor Newcastle East</a>. I could've ordered the "Not Another Bloody Healthy Bowl", but I went instead with the "Croque Monsieur Toastie":</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivS0wrkG3yWOYE4J8FDx2Ln4FJSq0vXyK2aFj_SIerY7KlUHVBreIwVu174R6Y-sftvqg4PMal7eipf1KFxg91ezgEkPvLeLEq2vLIyqotCukhwIVeW27PQx2i37fN7UDqEBc4X0osXDVPennM4b9eY_pnmMfOu6XpcgjI5QrRhns-5kCnwoULktnNNII/s4032/IMG_5242.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivS0wrkG3yWOYE4J8FDx2Ln4FJSq0vXyK2aFj_SIerY7KlUHVBreIwVu174R6Y-sftvqg4PMal7eipf1KFxg91ezgEkPvLeLEq2vLIyqotCukhwIVeW27PQx2i37fN7UDqEBc4X0osXDVPennM4b9eY_pnmMfOu6XpcgjI5QrRhns-5kCnwoULktnNNII/s320/IMG_5242.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpQLSo-OrQ7UyGk2KGxJ7636lhmXky_3Eg3z21m1z13_pi4fOhm8Larg6BoBaDk4toJYQ03cnvP7mqtt3pzpuOXzMV583nmfp-sYjN1k4amUflRVTZlHKxNJAHuW8ASv8Ovt1Mc63lN6TE9XW9MI6Jnm67SKh914e3XCbcIT8E-5iYyvMJQm9wG2R0B3E/s3441/IMG_5243.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3441" data-original-width="2634" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpQLSo-OrQ7UyGk2KGxJ7636lhmXky_3Eg3z21m1z13_pi4fOhm8Larg6BoBaDk4toJYQ03cnvP7mqtt3pzpuOXzMV583nmfp-sYjN1k4amUflRVTZlHKxNJAHuW8ASv8Ovt1Mc63lN6TE9XW9MI6Jnm67SKh914e3XCbcIT8E-5iYyvMJQm9wG2R0B3E/s320/IMG_5243.jpg" width="245" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Following breakfast, we took one final stroll down to the seaside:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2dIHwx_GVFjjsHOhL-SUaYhGhmefJQUEiu1qIeiweJPL03u-4dnBVKbIFS26y3qRoyOZq2jLpx1e4NUVMwZTPZ3NvIpDICi9N5B_LYzRrrrsmzcdINovQinXka1irjZVeU20W7fY1dPS551tmlbCg8lrxVCT-3LG0FeaFHLjAC5VyVhGPzadilMowrB8/s3944/IMG_5245.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2606" data-original-width="3944" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2dIHwx_GVFjjsHOhL-SUaYhGhmefJQUEiu1qIeiweJPL03u-4dnBVKbIFS26y3qRoyOZq2jLpx1e4NUVMwZTPZ3NvIpDICi9N5B_LYzRrrrsmzcdINovQinXka1irjZVeU20W7fY1dPS551tmlbCg8lrxVCT-3LG0FeaFHLjAC5VyVhGPzadilMowrB8/s320/IMG_5245.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg04Sb1-yaCZT3PDNcTG5MEoKTlxXfX2vdOZxOy2-5nhnoE4uumd64DcnB26ADTfqt84HIRd_6D-LBAzEacR46D2PwkyDwGkZUNP8mCqEMTtN2H-dr8V1IBuYb2qeIgjyGxVYXD7KHQn57IGQOm-n6lC9eKH5djYdlzCF3JehuvyLYMpHED4W0XZhgqI7w/s3932/IMG_5249.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2949" data-original-width="3932" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg04Sb1-yaCZT3PDNcTG5MEoKTlxXfX2vdOZxOy2-5nhnoE4uumd64DcnB26ADTfqt84HIRd_6D-LBAzEacR46D2PwkyDwGkZUNP8mCqEMTtN2H-dr8V1IBuYb2qeIgjyGxVYXD7KHQn57IGQOm-n6lC9eKH5djYdlzCF3JehuvyLYMpHED4W0XZhgqI7w/s320/IMG_5249.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>I was envious of this cat, getting to enjoy life by the sea. Newcastle seemed to be the kind of spot where I would like to retire:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI5zMOhGIBMC4jX1iQ1unYzHOmsD0HzumlWKGztbhko3xlYBYjhs3fBsN4aO29AEar9OVilgAkOi_h4_gEl9OqOqL1j6FlAHFwhg4jqDLKTESI00DJJ-UoytpwDrzMMiYismBwS8OpjEDfQSn-gL8zGziOLPfVlk2Kdgp-sagPKGcnG32Nk_7xcIhWyKc/s4032/IMG_5251.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI5zMOhGIBMC4jX1iQ1unYzHOmsD0HzumlWKGztbhko3xlYBYjhs3fBsN4aO29AEar9OVilgAkOi_h4_gEl9OqOqL1j6FlAHFwhg4jqDLKTESI00DJJ-UoytpwDrzMMiYismBwS8OpjEDfQSn-gL8zGziOLPfVlk2Kdgp-sagPKGcnG32Nk_7xcIhWyKc/s320/IMG_5251.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The view from our hotel room as we checked out:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwAgeiRZ2Uwdyukda_EiOVf5Yuv4IgTe2h0FYdiosWjSUnN7QZJyYF_ydHOngVJXxnQ5fwFe0zC7QAz02su2_x9o1k6ZM7aGRPTRQ4SK2PKy99x2JbkH-VBdopAofP6QZ3KYeaInBYw2QPMdzXmOKBEYn6haKtJWd8y-JVKqG0ySG4XGdY7VeJMKs1LYE/s3927/IMG_5252.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2945" data-original-width="3927" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwAgeiRZ2Uwdyukda_EiOVf5Yuv4IgTe2h0FYdiosWjSUnN7QZJyYF_ydHOngVJXxnQ5fwFe0zC7QAz02su2_x9o1k6ZM7aGRPTRQ4SK2PKy99x2JbkH-VBdopAofP6QZ3KYeaInBYw2QPMdzXmOKBEYn6haKtJWd8y-JVKqG0ySG4XGdY7VeJMKs1LYE/s320/IMG_5252.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>I had made arrangements to return the car at the airport rather than from the Hertz office in Sydney's CBD, where I had initially picked up the vehicle. With time to kill before our evening flight back to Beijing 北京 (where it would be -11°C/12°F when we landed early on Sunday morning), we stopped off at a shopping mall. At one of the supermarkets there I purchased nine types of <a href="https://www.arnotts.com/brands/tim-tam" target="_blank">Tim Tams</a>, which would make me a very popular person when I returned to the office the following Tuesday. I passed on the vegemite (sorry Oz)...:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK8kfcyieFqdd4BqgLnma82sbpKdJHHolHwBu0Jp5HDvSx5kgDD1oO-92Oe_iwHj-Rtg5w70ArRjNbrBLiQM1VwcBasc_QzIxoOBuO4004OqfQMvR0sqzMs08MmdHXawZLKqHsyaGXZwlpln6qFLwSQnBrBerqblMi0cSRCuUhmqqDtmTQbw_9d9qBZug/s4032/IMG_5253.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2946" data-original-width="4032" height="234" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK8kfcyieFqdd4BqgLnma82sbpKdJHHolHwBu0Jp5HDvSx5kgDD1oO-92Oe_iwHj-Rtg5w70ArRjNbrBLiQM1VwcBasc_QzIxoOBuO4004OqfQMvR0sqzMs08MmdHXawZLKqHsyaGXZwlpln6qFLwSQnBrBerqblMi0cSRCuUhmqqDtmTQbw_9d9qBZug/s320/IMG_5253.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>and on the kangaroo meat, though not because of the taste of the latter. Remember, <a href="https://kaminoge.blogspot.com/2024/01/eighth-day-in-land-down-under.html" target="_blank">I had some on a pizza earlier</a>, and it was quite tasty (though my daughter found it a little gamey):</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRKDScw8U05Rl_UxET1_pFX0Z350HZdiWCCB1rey7r2T555XywMJQnZdA_6dCdyY5NhcT8Fq8SIy5NFG-6hyWhsvR7Wdc8VLpApKDtcNxcFpeEmITSDvw35U8F3Omm8X4N-ceY9GDASpJha6kGrgUmOk94wrdzvRxFiZ4G92djb-If9CPbRkd9y5uVllE/s4032/IMG_5254.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2208" data-original-width="4032" height="175" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRKDScw8U05Rl_UxET1_pFX0Z350HZdiWCCB1rey7r2T555XywMJQnZdA_6dCdyY5NhcT8Fq8SIy5NFG-6hyWhsvR7Wdc8VLpApKDtcNxcFpeEmITSDvw35U8F3Omm8X4N-ceY9GDASpJha6kGrgUmOk94wrdzvRxFiZ4G92djb-If9CPbRkd9y5uVllE/s320/IMG_5254.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>With plenty of time still remaining, we avoided the motorway after leaving the mall and tried following the coast down to a place called <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Budgewoi" target="_blank">Budgewoi</a>:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzgiIlzwCK6WC79Tvr_MjvoqijsUrTF2gYeomDwaItj2xxvafqSr8nJPNtubihzW9uJzuii2DgeerZ_hzGYuwFaXOs1kmX74QIDAZ0b0BEhVhkyeJ1C83s5ZXSQkCS8uuYizQ1oAOhNFVBDgZh5TLkCbZs2lgc9jYbDQHR4kK9rw2VbbS0C_wdeHppMRE/s3977/IMG_5256.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2983" data-original-width="3977" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzgiIlzwCK6WC79Tvr_MjvoqijsUrTF2gYeomDwaItj2xxvafqSr8nJPNtubihzW9uJzuii2DgeerZ_hzGYuwFaXOs1kmX74QIDAZ0b0BEhVhkyeJ1C83s5ZXSQkCS8uuYizQ1oAOhNFVBDgZh5TLkCbZs2lgc9jYbDQHR4kK9rw2VbbS0C_wdeHppMRE/s320/IMG_5256.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0KFe6Q8azpwgqBoACfi6Y3it6Ko8JVJzmWewLtyXvLpfMyFGir7NGZSMhnwg2fRmBrbp68GSRloYmZQrUr7Wsj9SUxmnHef0SWgjdxZyjsObN7EJaBM2yUy1J0demhQRaBIqBfQAP2TFGkuPv-mvS-K97zg0lwCbiDTgDdF9mxzKPQR6J6vPVVSh1MkY/s4032/IMG_5257.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2344" data-original-width="4032" height="186" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0KFe6Q8azpwgqBoACfi6Y3it6Ko8JVJzmWewLtyXvLpfMyFGir7NGZSMhnwg2fRmBrbp68GSRloYmZQrUr7Wsj9SUxmnHef0SWgjdxZyjsObN7EJaBM2yUy1J0demhQRaBIqBfQAP2TFGkuPv-mvS-K97zg0lwCbiDTgDdF9mxzKPQR6J6vPVVSh1MkY/s320/IMG_5257.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Budgewoi Lake:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmaxRy57MDpfwEKYnFfbkUUeLNifBiI2VX16nbx-xPipxm8Ucjo-oAQHlT5PDTwYR99FPdXEPVv1ovsIvdPsvIQXDa67Rj3MUkGDd_KDF7DPocWEA__4GZ5fb_WQ1mPtv79wvvgiC_5PbStpgc00X97d4rQfQGGVR_L8o5qiANXds3p3UeQI5umFLy_tk/s3088/IMG_5259.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2320" data-original-width="3088" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmaxRy57MDpfwEKYnFfbkUUeLNifBiI2VX16nbx-xPipxm8Ucjo-oAQHlT5PDTwYR99FPdXEPVv1ovsIvdPsvIQXDa67Rj3MUkGDd_KDF7DPocWEA__4GZ5fb_WQ1mPtv79wvvgiC_5PbStpgc00X97d4rQfQGGVR_L8o5qiANXds3p3UeQI5umFLy_tk/s320/IMG_5259.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>I had to get a photo of an Australian rules football field:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4gKgHsIjIXvWXA8yd3ZF9YYZ22Ev3B_yqUFXqRWDPly__5QXhyphenhyphenSG_Bn_21KGEzdQXqP17g7EGaoDIX6TEW-EWo0qUsyfIuvL_QO6HQWSdyTOfGu_HudJAHOEQcn5M2_k2uPLsqCIDUKJPqOF3RulT2c3CJoKclc8re9kdkgqZce4OwEMypt636-5SVJk/s4032/IMG_5262.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1965" data-original-width="4032" height="156" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4gKgHsIjIXvWXA8yd3ZF9YYZ22Ev3B_yqUFXqRWDPly__5QXhyphenhyphenSG_Bn_21KGEzdQXqP17g7EGaoDIX6TEW-EWo0qUsyfIuvL_QO6HQWSdyTOfGu_HudJAHOEQcn5M2_k2uPLsqCIDUKJPqOF3RulT2c3CJoKclc8re9kdkgqZce4OwEMypt636-5SVJk/s320/IMG_5262.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Our final lunch Down Under was at <a href="https://www.theswordfishco.com.au/" target="_blank">The Swordfish Co.</a>, located along Budgewoi Creek. I had to drive:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdfEqTd7bBuoL6qHZMty35YxVveYDf3jiBT9kZAfAi39SYqetnZeEOa6zKf1aI9OkoneLIl4hsm2HHzQksv1PhqyZlEsOX4TUUiiYmJHK1YRUdf7v9pxug99gCZx1oD0wQ2vMteLXHoGLjZWpYCP9bGDkTrkqtaDkXLB69g12iy9WGMRI2XxPIoclMNFM/s4032/IMG_5263.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdfEqTd7bBuoL6qHZMty35YxVveYDf3jiBT9kZAfAi39SYqetnZeEOa6zKf1aI9OkoneLIl4hsm2HHzQksv1PhqyZlEsOX4TUUiiYmJHK1YRUdf7v9pxug99gCZx1oD0wQ2vMteLXHoGLjZWpYCP9bGDkTrkqtaDkXLB69g12iy9WGMRI2XxPIoclMNFM/s320/IMG_5263.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div><a href="https://blog.windstarcruises.com/australian-food-to-try/#4" target="_blank">Barramundi</a>:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJXeD10EkJ5JRMOGKkq7TfkGbJw9JzfrZMeXYVn7_q88bz5-uPKmxf2FLJw-sz3_psKNna8x1OJzc4bIGoRQanUPsuBWG4lSF52_KGyVakByao9IvrVdJcF1dc1kXTmdoTY1pujW43zEPtipTOAIjy5Y_41s0rVBmbYCJv4ZgKAOKjD93XIaEc0OjQtpc/s3306/IMG_5264.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2229" data-original-width="3306" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJXeD10EkJ5JRMOGKkq7TfkGbJw9JzfrZMeXYVn7_q88bz5-uPKmxf2FLJw-sz3_psKNna8x1OJzc4bIGoRQanUPsuBWG4lSF52_KGyVakByao9IvrVdJcF1dc1kXTmdoTY1pujW43zEPtipTOAIjy5Y_41s0rVBmbYCJv4ZgKAOKjD93XIaEc0OjQtpc/s320/IMG_5264.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGXV6ojA7mGgvk5ax8aWE6BAEmKyGV71P7IOMOmxm9goKS_JAPA4O02q9NCNPj7laUTH_9TfQC617jzIrjX6jDBxr_NHrVb3yT6reONmwFbT_pdyz-WN5muhqr7vC4zdzZd47Ry8g6ohLpBgFDYmvSu5Ryvw_LTv3lhPdR3nQzdhUeUYeXzN1chVB8HsI/s3584/IMG_5268.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2928" data-original-width="3584" height="261" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGXV6ojA7mGgvk5ax8aWE6BAEmKyGV71P7IOMOmxm9goKS_JAPA4O02q9NCNPj7laUTH_9TfQC617jzIrjX6jDBxr_NHrVb3yT6reONmwFbT_pdyz-WN5muhqr7vC4zdzZd47Ry8g6ohLpBgFDYmvSu5Ryvw_LTv3lhPdR3nQzdhUeUYeXzN1chVB8HsI/s320/IMG_5268.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_298cxvtLzEcrF7uC0olB16vneIBqG-gdMu5I305fByHBb_DUV4w9j8TZtVOUC_5vVX88uA4IN3hJeBhGUr4-d_aa9OFDV_OgWk9wDWQb1RVUoljaIj9wgUdxg58HAB_bEIRarJ5FMVRlM22XMKkjgDvMNTvF9UhIvK1OGAxdvCj_DcgzxhyphenhyphenAykAR2c0/s4032/IMG_5270.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_298cxvtLzEcrF7uC0olB16vneIBqG-gdMu5I305fByHBb_DUV4w9j8TZtVOUC_5vVX88uA4IN3hJeBhGUr4-d_aa9OFDV_OgWk9wDWQb1RVUoljaIj9wgUdxg58HAB_bEIRarJ5FMVRlM22XMKkjgDvMNTvF9UhIvK1OGAxdvCj_DcgzxhyphenhyphenAykAR2c0/s320/IMG_5270.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Eventually, though, it was time to get a move on, and so we soon found ourselves back in Sydney, making our way through Saturday traffic to the airport. On the way I drove past this poster for an upcoming gig proving that the 1990's still live on:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_agy6FnW3onnDPYPSyHkT9ZFjp_DaksO39bTy_EYKWKdLcLcu41TDpKoV-F9N0k6tGBC2jddgwCye8x8IO3vcUnAiFCW7iQSLGIHqMxxnRWZjfl4JVthF0MaWD5EwNpVKSHNL4_DGlP1BEBzYeh9YF1QZBr0wo3GMMID-l85sgAAuPNwNAsHsliNt7g4/s2568/IMG_5271.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2564" data-original-width="2568" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_agy6FnW3onnDPYPSyHkT9ZFjp_DaksO39bTy_EYKWKdLcLcu41TDpKoV-F9N0k6tGBC2jddgwCye8x8IO3vcUnAiFCW7iQSLGIHqMxxnRWZjfl4JVthF0MaWD5EwNpVKSHNL4_DGlP1BEBzYeh9YF1QZBr0wo3GMMID-l85sgAAuPNwNAsHsliNt7g4/s320/IMG_5271.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>After dropping the car off, it was time to check in and then wait for our flight. I did so with the assistance of some <a href="https://www.steinlager.com/" target="_blank">Kiwi beer</a> and an <a href="https://blog.windstarcruises.com/australian-food-to-try/#8" target="_blank">Anzac biscuit</a>:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgshrisB8NMsB9qIYDlT94QYCjS8-gj3p5BYHzHLDh9k1ooyYB6NA82-EPGK-uXzTSZ1mIN9ei6nlGAuxR0Bhr0_QVm1vs95HtdDKHAUQZ8mGouY_XCFjuKzOTaMKs-FFtZHzIq2nTf9SRBAa0wXPT4ZZGZe2fI2Scw4nkeNJ9ekiksuPFubAGdrtsWzqk/s3775/IMG_5272.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3775" data-original-width="2907" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgshrisB8NMsB9qIYDlT94QYCjS8-gj3p5BYHzHLDh9k1ooyYB6NA82-EPGK-uXzTSZ1mIN9ei6nlGAuxR0Bhr0_QVm1vs95HtdDKHAUQZ8mGouY_XCFjuKzOTaMKs-FFtZHzIq2nTf9SRBAa0wXPT4ZZGZe2fI2Scw4nkeNJ9ekiksuPFubAGdrtsWzqk/s320/IMG_5272.jpg" width="246" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Finally! Some vegemite that I actually liked!:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYrJmwBf5RPTf3uFyPGrDHm89nxoPwjJZYq5ikk_Ov6MeNacqz7fE48H_JtIeXyx6Z0IMzHaAFapquxWHFTGK3p0OxzBCuBBikhbF9A2DaXkhoyO0g_kijL6YmyLQ6iD0OiABvcuoH3dN96jy14Bz37LRWnFVQCGGViTTThMCiD-8EjHmXC0UzG6aXCTo/s3192/unnamed.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2508" data-original-width="3192" height="251" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYrJmwBf5RPTf3uFyPGrDHm89nxoPwjJZYq5ikk_Ov6MeNacqz7fE48H_JtIeXyx6Z0IMzHaAFapquxWHFTGK3p0OxzBCuBBikhbF9A2DaXkhoyO0g_kijL6YmyLQ6iD0OiABvcuoH3dN96jy14Bz37LRWnFVQCGGViTTThMCiD-8EjHmXC0UzG6aXCTo/s320/unnamed.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Twelve days, eleven nights - six in Sydney, plus two in Katoomba, one in Bateau Bay and three in Newcastle - and yet we barely scratched the surface of what to see and do in New South Wales, let alone in Australia as a whole. Some of my shallow, less-than-brilliant observations of the region included:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>England, but with American-style scenery, and</li><li>England, but with better weather, and </li><li>South Africa, but without the crime</li></ul></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So, in other words, I haven't a clue as to what makes this nation so fascinating. But I did feel a comfortable combination of the strange yet simultaneously familiar. Would I like to go back? Yes, in the proverbial heartbeat, even if mine has been disconcertingly misfiring a lot recently. I have several friends and acquaintances scattered about the continent but didn't get a chance to meet up with any of them (though I did have a nice chat with Josh in Hobart via Facebook). So perhaps I could return, and get together with some of them, even if only briefly.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">With my daughter in the process of applying to colleges, I frequently jokingly suggest that she should think of studying at an Australian uni. That way, she could stay in the country after graduation, find a job, become a permanent resident and then arrange for Shu-E and I to retire there to a life of peaceful relaxation by the seaside.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Only I don't think I'm kidding.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Thank you for coming along on this series of blogposts. Signing off with "Darlinghurst Nights" by the Go-Betweens:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ouHhL2xva4k" width="320" youtube-src-id="ouHhL2xva4k"></iframe></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /><p><br /></p></div>Kaminogehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07925637671913689331noreply@blogger.com0Vinden Wines, 138 Gillards Rd, Pokolbin NSW 2320, Australia-32.76128 151.2970123-61.527303814879673 116.1407623 -3.9952561851203221 -173.5467377tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2497220891386919340.post-36380901785330868902024-01-26T22:50:00.002+08:002024-01-26T23:03:38.341+08:00Tenth day in a land down under<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVIuy64XaLI5cCUzn0xdOK4GUfa38gvn7oCjYyXuYOwUOlr0P3yo2mSAGQFwfMwRVDVxUQI9dws_KGBfhm_aXrw50wbMpLz9hInjkrwxoPUA3e6WwnQ4g67rhoFjXmLAoWFq9M4dS0_hhGPWXvgwh-KDcMISCSJOgXd5g8VEuIJ8pdi2NFUJMilsTAsnI/s3821/IMG_5126.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2682" data-original-width="3821" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVIuy64XaLI5cCUzn0xdOK4GUfa38gvn7oCjYyXuYOwUOlr0P3yo2mSAGQFwfMwRVDVxUQI9dws_KGBfhm_aXrw50wbMpLz9hInjkrwxoPUA3e6WwnQ4g67rhoFjXmLAoWFq9M4dS0_hhGPWXvgwh-KDcMISCSJOgXd5g8VEuIJ8pdi2NFUJMilsTAsnI/s320/IMG_5126.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><i><div style="text-align: center;"><i>At your service</i> </div></i><div><br /></div><div>Lesson learned, but not until next time...</div><div><br /></div><div>The weather on the fourth day of the year started out much like the third - very warm and sunny. An ideal day to spend at least a part of at the beach. Which is how things began as my daughter and I went out in search of breakfast (my wife doesn't usually bother with the most important meal of the day):</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPVzTplbwU172WpAGKDW7Rxf3tJ3pUXGyNHGXSaSDmdW5LiJ4PpzfqY9ik_H-T-4UwpWU6idy4yIVFSW49KfTfZR-UGcf0ld-SaC1h8wdBkzeLnh3FxofJr8ZL9xEWKAV6yi5YZfQujWo98I8m7KRmyc5QO2tPgMnHSWvUxaK1nl_wrnN3dHhMOqsX3sc/s4032/IMG_5078.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPVzTplbwU172WpAGKDW7Rxf3tJ3pUXGyNHGXSaSDmdW5LiJ4PpzfqY9ik_H-T-4UwpWU6idy4yIVFSW49KfTfZR-UGcf0ld-SaC1h8wdBkzeLnh3FxofJr8ZL9xEWKAV6yi5YZfQujWo98I8m7KRmyc5QO2tPgMnHSWvUxaK1nl_wrnN3dHhMOqsX3sc/s320/IMG_5078.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div>Australian self-confidence and national identity have been shaped in large part by the country's experiences on 20th-century battlefields:</div><div><br /></div><div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIfczBcuokKk_HfHtGzA_O7UT3vyRP-p-wyoKgrbJeHyph1yE7sZZiox-X6NnRidT7o2msRqmsBcnmtFDALTJfOxbEO-vwZfdFZUzrvkWekaOERyIm4_9QNflPlq9E6KKD6wPklVICNVK5wDrSpoyGgqdde4vpcqszCdEteMAhZpX_PogtLJBcI2KtdRE/s4032/IMG_5079.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIfczBcuokKk_HfHtGzA_O7UT3vyRP-p-wyoKgrbJeHyph1yE7sZZiox-X6NnRidT7o2msRqmsBcnmtFDALTJfOxbEO-vwZfdFZUzrvkWekaOERyIm4_9QNflPlq9E6KKD6wPklVICNVK5wDrSpoyGgqdde4vpcqszCdEteMAhZpX_PogtLJBcI2KtdRE/s320/IMG_5079.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Eating outside at the One Penny Black cafe on Newcastle's high street. Amber opted for the veggie brekky, while her father went for the meatier version (the "Monster Brekky"):</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIhTy_7CC5_OVamsJzeKtNokRAKyrEnQMii9yGuVws8TJTmDEH40SyR9zaRJngdKA6ZNZz3sxipDk9wvhOuKdtLuikOkZTs00oIIkxY8ZHNAi5gDhxx6ROV-XGj2xHW1Pkc5ZYf_G7vRe62tJ1nnYMlfVNlF32Q8qTjeGMyxfT-MkN5ehYAI6a6W9j3Ps/s4032/IMG_5080.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIhTy_7CC5_OVamsJzeKtNokRAKyrEnQMii9yGuVws8TJTmDEH40SyR9zaRJngdKA6ZNZz3sxipDk9wvhOuKdtLuikOkZTs00oIIkxY8ZHNAi5gDhxx6ROV-XGj2xHW1Pkc5ZYf_G7vRe62tJ1nnYMlfVNlF32Q8qTjeGMyxfT-MkN5ehYAI6a6W9j3Ps/s320/IMG_5080.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqHlV_sMjhiUgPwB49U5TPYofyC3D1PTrtE9KuugYz-x4HWi7MAqukHPYDQovz6ZYgNQ3gsxa89qcBqnjiZ0-vmvx-M1VJl64xmWulmm-3-le1LgKGtacR1TOXZT_hiIqosxsLf-u6hiFmhyphenhyphenKGbWzSDbKM8j6iFn9jd6FCFprO4Ol1xfpQWdgsg2i3-g8/s4032/IMG_5081.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqHlV_sMjhiUgPwB49U5TPYofyC3D1PTrtE9KuugYz-x4HWi7MAqukHPYDQovz6ZYgNQ3gsxa89qcBqnjiZ0-vmvx-M1VJl64xmWulmm-3-le1LgKGtacR1TOXZT_hiIqosxsLf-u6hiFmhyphenhyphenKGbWzSDbKM8j6iFn9jd6FCFprO4Ol1xfpQWdgsg2i3-g8/s320/IMG_5081.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Newcastle has some fine-looking old buildings, like the Tyrrell House (1921):</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq89Xt_uBNC2vleXcnX48SrUh33nbBJdIbyTxHazoWpUrMq7Ccr3BkQo6fWuh9Mcf2VoFqsHH4ThcXRVeWMK6DvItFs-cpQTY0PZqBVe_73hOYSpfR4UleKJaUyUpxPp1dTX6ZGcfe8k2Mw6Anhhh0Q-03Q9bOD6eSvIHL4T0ttncyxGIyvwYwI7NKmuw/s3870/IMG_5085.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2409" data-original-width="3870" height="199" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq89Xt_uBNC2vleXcnX48SrUh33nbBJdIbyTxHazoWpUrMq7Ccr3BkQo6fWuh9Mcf2VoFqsHH4ThcXRVeWMK6DvItFs-cpQTY0PZqBVe_73hOYSpfR4UleKJaUyUpxPp1dTX6ZGcfe8k2Mw6Anhhh0Q-03Q9bOD6eSvIHL4T0ttncyxGIyvwYwI7NKmuw/s320/IMG_5085.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>While we were having brekky, Shu-E went for a walk, and returned to our hotel with a small shell collection:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlJYY1kE6qmIJLKbgTypT_3CVZcwt8rZzVTOvFPjHwqBBR6m06d8V6r6plCAZeeZxOctVGpf-0jv_CP-EosPK9OnMPOH_lYlTm6d1bfd0d9zamRc0xqeFmdQ_B6lcHH1py5rV36psWvvtl3OhDc3Jf5e1EXj4e_MUmzQS2fgQx_ecUkM_IBzpqECPDy00/s4032/IMG_5086.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlJYY1kE6qmIJLKbgTypT_3CVZcwt8rZzVTOvFPjHwqBBR6m06d8V6r6plCAZeeZxOctVGpf-0jv_CP-EosPK9OnMPOH_lYlTm6d1bfd0d9zamRc0xqeFmdQ_B6lcHH1py5rV36psWvvtl3OhDc3Jf5e1EXj4e_MUmzQS2fgQx_ecUkM_IBzpqECPDy00/s320/IMG_5086.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>With the weather still looking promising, the decision was made (by me, mainly) to see some of the local sights, then spend the rest of the daylight hours on the beach. And so, with my wife choosing to stay in (she dislikes sunlight even more than breakfast), my daughter and I headed out. A reminder that in the Antipodes Christmas falls during summer:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoPrw3R4Nb43fHAiaV7bg-xHI3qS3151NcmUdNqJQLSlsQurbvNyxA-D1Ic8ipJCSIRn5mfQOPbz8jk3yB4PsrGfURlk2ln4IgV2l47iwlAYgqnGnZI0w27G2GYiUVeM9-n6uIV1JWC2_8-pHEklU6_nS2U74BMTvgnqx0K7CUhBLS-Wq_78nPEdXGZHQ/s4032/IMG_5090.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoPrw3R4Nb43fHAiaV7bg-xHI3qS3151NcmUdNqJQLSlsQurbvNyxA-D1Ic8ipJCSIRn5mfQOPbz8jk3yB4PsrGfURlk2ln4IgV2l47iwlAYgqnGnZI0w27G2GYiUVeM9-n6uIV1JWC2_8-pHEklU6_nS2U74BMTvgnqx0K7CUhBLS-Wq_78nPEdXGZHQ/s320/IMG_5090.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>I'm familiar with the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bombing_of_Darwin" target="_blank">Bombing of Darwin</a>, but until I came across this historical marker, I was unaware that Newcastle had been briefly shelled by a Japanese submarine in June 1942:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo4UurCGJ1yce7Ya6dxAANu2IRn1erN8LtvkB5rgnb8eRY7_MCzAbHuHFkK-zvuYLKkGQktWdHORSwfPCEi94B_nU4mKHp826VToYSTtSuSkM2Un9kex9BjEkJeatXQLUqx1gleV99txDAMeHEBpw4adtm84r1zkBSpdfBJL_jWriJyr9Wv6C0wECiFOw/s3977/IMG_5092.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2566" data-original-width="3977" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo4UurCGJ1yce7Ya6dxAANu2IRn1erN8LtvkB5rgnb8eRY7_MCzAbHuHFkK-zvuYLKkGQktWdHORSwfPCEi94B_nU4mKHp826VToYSTtSuSkM2Un9kex9BjEkJeatXQLUqx1gleV99txDAMeHEBpw4adtm84r1zkBSpdfBJL_jWriJyr9Wv6C0wECiFOw/s320/IMG_5092.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><a href="https://www.visitnewcastle.com.au/see-do/things-to-do/nobbys-lighthouse" target="_blank">Nobbys Lighthouse</a> is open to the public on Saturdays and Sundays. This day was a Thursday:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg36cyjwI5mHC_LvNwYZcaeJ3GntBilI3BYmr239-OtBYKybhyQtZBzjwSp13sfGxB4iwiJ79Ron4cy9sAiivVGha7AEVEyxHKE9NQgCfvqnjjP9cgq9wUGy0oMhjmSCRot0sgeuyUi85bmkHmF86C9_nDLwUDdCzuEUXqVt4cDj9xy650j3LU8T_3LNhw/s3324/IMG_5093.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2301" data-original-width="3324" height="222" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg36cyjwI5mHC_LvNwYZcaeJ3GntBilI3BYmr239-OtBYKybhyQtZBzjwSp13sfGxB4iwiJ79Ron4cy9sAiivVGha7AEVEyxHKE9NQgCfvqnjjP9cgq9wUGy0oMhjmSCRot0sgeuyUi85bmkHmF86C9_nDLwUDdCzuEUXqVt4cDj9xy650j3LU8T_3LNhw/s320/IMG_5093.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The two of us made our way past the lighthouse...:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_kFXKrJ4OPYH1CSZLx5Jxu5C3qh6mFscDcFQAW-bk8A7S7ro-evwG4JDQW9LCMslkXNkFHJKNm3cjsaaeZ3rGfhCnuQofXWL8JWzJFY3rE3jGKs2oSrVFGnZQ9HszqWZDioL_mhaa2_em12oOQzoLS8YBH_uRKbnOLwWi2Z7_Va_o92_q4A5z3qQcuT8/s4032/IMG_5094.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_kFXKrJ4OPYH1CSZLx5Jxu5C3qh6mFscDcFQAW-bk8A7S7ro-evwG4JDQW9LCMslkXNkFHJKNm3cjsaaeZ3rGfhCnuQofXWL8JWzJFY3rE3jGKs2oSrVFGnZQ9HszqWZDioL_mhaa2_em12oOQzoLS8YBH_uRKbnOLwWi2Z7_Va_o92_q4A5z3qQcuT8/s320/IMG_5094.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>...eventually reaching the end of the Newcastle Breakwater, built by convicts (who else?) between 1818 and 1846:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCjyPe8NGr0qxTIwlEUAvmm0qKDCR9dFGxMUwxlpF47aegIhummInQwXwAvP7ckPQBF8SGfHo7WxR-ToO6gMaihfrAYdvTwYCxm1D-eND7qDoStwOVbwigfdq7y7w7yVLbFxwSTLV9hS3Cpdugf9eFQWGfhZu5-5A9unMVBdn6Wb0duqyBeKt1l2u5JBs/s3942/IMG_5095.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2956" data-original-width="3942" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCjyPe8NGr0qxTIwlEUAvmm0qKDCR9dFGxMUwxlpF47aegIhummInQwXwAvP7ckPQBF8SGfHo7WxR-ToO6gMaihfrAYdvTwYCxm1D-eND7qDoStwOVbwigfdq7y7w7yVLbFxwSTLV9hS3Cpdugf9eFQWGfhZu5-5A9unMVBdn6Wb0duqyBeKt1l2u5JBs/s320/IMG_5095.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibYYnXHogqQEbtXu5z6_RJ3lJghWF82_C46tW-YlBEKUV9J6UupUw-772LWFzz4RPifH6OcA-irP2md-rOkgxLgbS-HpDEMq6LXeLaqW7jyLk9yttqXWNCQabsTQqe0CfMaaIyYrtqywAWGkxGmKk05L5isE1Cae_lhPLs7_quuyPfjlxviw_OcYU92-E/s3965/IMG_5097.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2974" data-original-width="3965" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibYYnXHogqQEbtXu5z6_RJ3lJghWF82_C46tW-YlBEKUV9J6UupUw-772LWFzz4RPifH6OcA-irP2md-rOkgxLgbS-HpDEMq6LXeLaqW7jyLk9yttqXWNCQabsTQqe0CfMaaIyYrtqywAWGkxGmKk05L5isE1Cae_lhPLs7_quuyPfjlxviw_OcYU92-E/s320/IMG_5097.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf1_xZdr8sKS0Xg2jUvd__RZjuum3p_w8y398WQFlamVeXeFYHv1zdJixT9SRQ0APagzDJjuGg7y1gNwSeiLh2Wwj1aUL9wMc173vu9mb7NTxMyrwCMx0IaDUdf9sQu6_XVwRx9pe8Dl1hcMmkd4oQqDNbbSLH9HuJrSPIUROXHm-Qnjagoeip1czENu4/s4032/IMG_5099.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf1_xZdr8sKS0Xg2jUvd__RZjuum3p_w8y398WQFlamVeXeFYHv1zdJixT9SRQ0APagzDJjuGg7y1gNwSeiLh2Wwj1aUL9wMc173vu9mb7NTxMyrwCMx0IaDUdf9sQu6_XVwRx9pe8Dl1hcMmkd4oQqDNbbSLH9HuJrSPIUROXHm-Qnjagoeip1czENu4/s320/IMG_5099.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU1Zp5_dt82d0LPOaD3Pj73hkmAfNk8e4REgE_iYw5vTpKyrWQDqhMcM9XKhjNywenB0MNDJdv91JOn6cUmp_Yrrq4Bf_2KhslSNdGkgoMICE02Dom8UTnyMe8SRpYKJqtVZv97jqXCO-PMgC13NmWO2vtqwqsgG7Jb7BpcZRqJttCobGTtvDRY6BfJXA/s3962/IMG_5101.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2737" data-original-width="3962" height="221" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU1Zp5_dt82d0LPOaD3Pj73hkmAfNk8e4REgE_iYw5vTpKyrWQDqhMcM9XKhjNywenB0MNDJdv91JOn6cUmp_Yrrq4Bf_2KhslSNdGkgoMICE02Dom8UTnyMe8SRpYKJqtVZv97jqXCO-PMgC13NmWO2vtqwqsgG7Jb7BpcZRqJttCobGTtvDRY6BfJXA/s320/IMG_5101.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf7PoaCvsm9zNoIz7BtdHAp6UoOoGbrjdl0p4u_cia60KnldrdptBMbe31N1xbwJXwMQ2wJM-lF4i65kQhszOIz1grRniGQFW0yUEy2n7wejD-XXKxz_HJ9weWLbR02Qn3528ND9tFRpUrnjzdFe2W3se9uOIK6F-cKDAel3_TivF7yMaLEnJ4RZ0YP4Q/s4032/IMG_5104.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2290" data-original-width="4032" height="182" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf7PoaCvsm9zNoIz7BtdHAp6UoOoGbrjdl0p4u_cia60KnldrdptBMbe31N1xbwJXwMQ2wJM-lF4i65kQhszOIz1grRniGQFW0yUEy2n7wejD-XXKxz_HJ9weWLbR02Qn3528ND9tFRpUrnjzdFe2W3se9uOIK6F-cKDAel3_TivF7yMaLEnJ4RZ0YP4Q/s320/IMG_5104.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2mxauj6dFOYbROldX2Am-W85OZaF800qkimbIZVquxrCRJnpPUk6h3KXr2dLWlc5rb8oXzg38crnRDOlxk5IQJRa4asvkf1BHKRWv6ng7wFWfnqJp8cVD1PD26T3-d6BwGqfHVezhcz9qzYsoiWj4hXSzdJS8tE3k2V7JXshBMNmXxh_9XGI_s1n7xnk/s4032/IMG_5105.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2mxauj6dFOYbROldX2Am-W85OZaF800qkimbIZVquxrCRJnpPUk6h3KXr2dLWlc5rb8oXzg38crnRDOlxk5IQJRa4asvkf1BHKRWv6ng7wFWfnqJp8cVD1PD26T3-d6BwGqfHVezhcz9qzYsoiWj4hXSzdJS8tE3k2V7JXshBMNmXxh_9XGI_s1n7xnk/s320/IMG_5105.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>We returned along the spit back to the mainland. <a href="https://www.fortscratchley.org.au/" target="_blank">Fort Scratchley</a> was built to protect Newcastle Harbor. During World War Two it returned fire on the Japanese submarine <i><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_submarine_I-21" target="_blank">I-21</a></i>, making it the only mainland Australian fort to see action. Amber and I took advantage of the free admission to have a look at the old barracks. It was here in the kitchen that I told my daughter I wanted to get a photo of her..."where you belong!". It's a pity I didn't take a picture of her initial shocked reaction, but the long burst of laughter that followed was worth the wisecrack:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpQAL4ZWctxn0HFUIDsU_oIuP2vVgjj8c0zwgK9TpljXQiXLJsbrkTS3UOUI4cUs4hliwoHk0RCLPRyIEfm9_mFoU-_tYc6o9J9ubjxXr4vtFNtksp9VFFoGOswq0pLpVu4kppNnt9jwaniJkdQlhlyKLkl8iQqCWdGn4EPuZ08MXNzCs-g8xPQxTkyyQ/s4032/IMG_5107.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpQAL4ZWctxn0HFUIDsU_oIuP2vVgjj8c0zwgK9TpljXQiXLJsbrkTS3UOUI4cUs4hliwoHk0RCLPRyIEfm9_mFoU-_tYc6o9J9ubjxXr4vtFNtksp9VFFoGOswq0pLpVu4kppNnt9jwaniJkdQlhlyKLkl8iQqCWdGn4EPuZ08MXNzCs-g8xPQxTkyyQ/s320/IMG_5107.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfVozK242sKgWTgNW8N-4YGPoZar71579CQaaKdE1QX1RF1bIYnL-u4LW55v65i-XIUK3dXQFNZ0JpgkOR527lUcZjzDrmPQbZGpvvDnQ3hCM74a2W8jS3NOlpVR9AgBaRV-h46y1Iska0fVu_arFeZ_Rai7Cgeu48zrsE_BOWmOUThndiyp_T_RhmgV4/s3895/IMG_5108.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3895" data-original-width="2922" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfVozK242sKgWTgNW8N-4YGPoZar71579CQaaKdE1QX1RF1bIYnL-u4LW55v65i-XIUK3dXQFNZ0JpgkOR527lUcZjzDrmPQbZGpvvDnQ3hCM74a2W8jS3NOlpVR9AgBaRV-h46y1Iska0fVu_arFeZ_Rai7Cgeu48zrsE_BOWmOUThndiyp_T_RhmgV4/s320/IMG_5108.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicvkFcn5Ufwhgq-dgF8L5UWvilZkkl_wDwix-xya2unjfWY31iCEq_CnjVddAB1j6ad95kdMuvM0Sd-hIFGqYNPPBG33f1GHq4sbHqQdVWPVuEEQ055YuXau5wNvX_xCeZCUZ72t1gfINgbMw1Wobrl5wCxcJJ8TgFkfQJfN4Dh82_h9RGh81SU7Tgurs/s3812/IMG_5109.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3812" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicvkFcn5Ufwhgq-dgF8L5UWvilZkkl_wDwix-xya2unjfWY31iCEq_CnjVddAB1j6ad95kdMuvM0Sd-hIFGqYNPPBG33f1GHq4sbHqQdVWPVuEEQ055YuXau5wNvX_xCeZCUZ72t1gfINgbMw1Wobrl5wCxcJJ8TgFkfQJfN4Dh82_h9RGh81SU7Tgurs/s320/IMG_5109.jpg" width="254" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh469WWM5-29SflFLhRRRRUXey4sEo69zdgcXkrZTC4eryQmwLzYvjr3nlcJ7iB0tGLEXmu3LPC14Xtn29OWmQhmyRAEi4PHS61uMLbc9cyf6sFzyQsWCKLn_rl5FFAEB3jbbQEVSlPH2SaRzEJnNoLZ_pUjTttFRA1VherFMkulK0x1Cx07RRvEqGm5kQ/s4032/IMG_5110.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh469WWM5-29SflFLhRRRRUXey4sEo69zdgcXkrZTC4eryQmwLzYvjr3nlcJ7iB0tGLEXmu3LPC14Xtn29OWmQhmyRAEi4PHS61uMLbc9cyf6sFzyQsWCKLn_rl5FFAEB3jbbQEVSlPH2SaRzEJnNoLZ_pUjTttFRA1VherFMkulK0x1Cx07RRvEqGm5kQ/s320/IMG_5110.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-8jjjif_ga4Xn6Y_N9WOP_7vkzlSTsXDufZmMBxIC_rLE4ECjhi_ERZ_0GC5GeXv7w1l-CiQ7xLAE57_eYfBvM87oAzTZVj_7QylX_WCt052wlZRcDc0QJgrUWGgkOEe1DpTCOojEO3vGM7OId7MJxr4Ni0rKxpe80HnzXicGA3QR7vUCzptk8k6jziE/s4032/IMG_5112.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-8jjjif_ga4Xn6Y_N9WOP_7vkzlSTsXDufZmMBxIC_rLE4ECjhi_ERZ_0GC5GeXv7w1l-CiQ7xLAE57_eYfBvM87oAzTZVj_7QylX_WCt052wlZRcDc0QJgrUWGgkOEe1DpTCOojEO3vGM7OId7MJxr4Ni0rKxpe80HnzXicGA3QR7vUCzptk8k6jziE/s320/IMG_5112.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPgVAX_t69ar2-Sphgj1QLEiVObei973eSwcjpwKx5r5yX_hEFB4fCgH4t2Sjopk7Bi9F23sUgVbjAeIvKt4HzsJLY7w9RkUSG901p3MfN55tAnLpl7v4vpysIcW-cHTI0UHzfc_OzLdLHmLyC4-JGsifGc65bugZa0xWEl32364xA86GStg7St5l1ym0/s4032/IMG_5113.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPgVAX_t69ar2-Sphgj1QLEiVObei973eSwcjpwKx5r5yX_hEFB4fCgH4t2Sjopk7Bi9F23sUgVbjAeIvKt4HzsJLY7w9RkUSG901p3MfN55tAnLpl7v4vpysIcW-cHTI0UHzfc_OzLdLHmLyC4-JGsifGc65bugZa0xWEl32364xA86GStg7St5l1ym0/s320/IMG_5113.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje-PaDludg7DweX9uXtxRGZjx7peyI4sHFKXJ0_atZSRQNqdv7CkvdZ3UklU2URNySJhB4xpMpQ0hsXzzSRVPBJloOLeIs7SKmhzaOAd70ivkArArwMt-D02MhFULNbMgMGNFfDsfs-EcVITqseBtM7ho-NWzQfOI4KiPpRNsORVIzW0xNokC2FuUf4xk/s3930/IMG_5114.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2691" data-original-width="3930" height="219" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje-PaDludg7DweX9uXtxRGZjx7peyI4sHFKXJ0_atZSRQNqdv7CkvdZ3UklU2URNySJhB4xpMpQ0hsXzzSRVPBJloOLeIs7SKmhzaOAd70ivkArArwMt-D02MhFULNbMgMGNFfDsfs-EcVITqseBtM7ho-NWzQfOI4KiPpRNsORVIzW0xNokC2FuUf4xk/s320/IMG_5114.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>It was Amber who first noticed the menu from 10 September 1939 featured "Berlin Soup" and "Hitler's Delight":</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjD0uudPrF9qiDW-vjMsU-QQBtUXW92Zk0PbQz64oTANfDdE1x5TxkNGMMaRAkEitBCioeX9U_R52e0vNT1G3c11DgH3HLBGnZB7phZ8b_Ow9Ngn6KLihTLX8cVq00Mchmx7R2r3cJwGwnlloQWYO2lxZV56CtUvCPiJZNzQzI5p7AgMDkU9yAXSkXwXE/s2782/IMG_5115.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2782" data-original-width="1961" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjD0uudPrF9qiDW-vjMsU-QQBtUXW92Zk0PbQz64oTANfDdE1x5TxkNGMMaRAkEitBCioeX9U_R52e0vNT1G3c11DgH3HLBGnZB7phZ8b_Ow9Ngn6KLihTLX8cVq00Mchmx7R2r3cJwGwnlloQWYO2lxZV56CtUvCPiJZNzQzI5p7AgMDkU9yAXSkXwXE/s320/IMG_5115.jpg" width="226" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJHXdLgUYauN-ZDARk0F48uwc2zG7uR0NnpMLhPHjMeuLXTG9qKDvjIjjJ6qUxYLReK15mrqC6yj2Ij5oo-yiSuc1I-RcXjfc3UH7yxmt_rJLy_d7kFz4UsI92Eo9UXtR0iZcnD6UhSdRm8ATlY9lPeaLjeu_I033mRUpdqd9mv5AWco6j_8mtuKonICA/s4032/IMG_5117.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJHXdLgUYauN-ZDARk0F48uwc2zG7uR0NnpMLhPHjMeuLXTG9qKDvjIjjJ6qUxYLReK15mrqC6yj2Ij5oo-yiSuc1I-RcXjfc3UH7yxmt_rJLy_d7kFz4UsI92Eo9UXtR0iZcnD6UhSdRm8ATlY9lPeaLjeu_I033mRUpdqd9mv5AWco6j_8mtuKonICA/s320/IMG_5117.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Looking out over the harbor:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiklc12n82kqOweLCT-1cs2J8WSGqJRVYHnWM1c47h0gVoo7WcoK_mqCm7CsDSWxa4qzmGTo3l4REmW7d0XeJIU6BXiWg6ydNxEnuKWu4FdnXlkbRHnJt5WzqCeGPZnBqIg9Di0WAnW_B9RVomRXDlZGwtusdePOu6tyRaBSCSUHK_1b6f01CmoMue5vaY/s3956/IMG_5118.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2967" data-original-width="3956" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiklc12n82kqOweLCT-1cs2J8WSGqJRVYHnWM1c47h0gVoo7WcoK_mqCm7CsDSWxa4qzmGTo3l4REmW7d0XeJIU6BXiWg6ydNxEnuKWu4FdnXlkbRHnJt5WzqCeGPZnBqIg9Di0WAnW_B9RVomRXDlZGwtusdePOu6tyRaBSCSUHK_1b6f01CmoMue5vaY/s320/IMG_5118.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgObqB2mJ6eZB4BriGdozp1pNbO-rjHStFd3oyAvXzusIhGdlrV7Qds9zBtx2qu6kkeW5ZECoRUE09kaZHsPuE91m98eR1AUOb1MtXrQs_gy1h6NtBayMJEhJq9PCgaEsZx4aEzAyYYZ3TZ_0mRDTuaRyEX9bmuDVkJBpDqL8Q3k8cHOgZikn1d9QyQagg/s4032/IMG_5119.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgObqB2mJ6eZB4BriGdozp1pNbO-rjHStFd3oyAvXzusIhGdlrV7Qds9zBtx2qu6kkeW5ZECoRUE09kaZHsPuE91m98eR1AUOb1MtXrQs_gy1h6NtBayMJEhJq9PCgaEsZx4aEzAyYYZ3TZ_0mRDTuaRyEX9bmuDVkJBpDqL8Q3k8cHOgZikn1d9QyQagg/s320/IMG_5119.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Looking toward Nobbys Head:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLXj_erkydg-HvTieH4gPiRIhRFYeLrEcGby2XElqBHK23EzNePAgUsXYNtw0gRRT0e6XFk7gX5UBPtpk1-go3WmLzeb9u6rzAFqc4aCq_zs8F4S6fXoAKhyphenhyphenaQ47Kh032zA5qp45QScRTfc2xzqFlAqUkpWBmk1zjCDGrLKUdqePkN04jTORvGoO1EYOU/s3977/IMG_5124.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2778" data-original-width="3977" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLXj_erkydg-HvTieH4gPiRIhRFYeLrEcGby2XElqBHK23EzNePAgUsXYNtw0gRRT0e6XFk7gX5UBPtpk1-go3WmLzeb9u6rzAFqc4aCq_zs8F4S6fXoAKhyphenhyphenaQ47Kh032zA5qp45QScRTfc2xzqFlAqUkpWBmk1zjCDGrLKUdqePkN04jTORvGoO1EYOU/s320/IMG_5124.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY_mhitONnwj6O8Su2ENmqf0D4KOlE6PwsZHr9Fpq6ZEZkvhWPPA8eKCi5Nw_0M4V3QXUtrm8NGXTbAAGH2wDsrhIvji6_78CLz8xY1KBeLvvxV5H0gJmFRAI5U47D6akAnzFCNqSnWEO1DqqTJs9RNEubESDbIcdHZ96ECX9253MW2b-ATw_2VEsr3EQ/s4001/IMG_5127.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3001" data-original-width="4001" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY_mhitONnwj6O8Su2ENmqf0D4KOlE6PwsZHr9Fpq6ZEZkvhWPPA8eKCi5Nw_0M4V3QXUtrm8NGXTbAAGH2wDsrhIvji6_78CLz8xY1KBeLvvxV5H0gJmFRAI5U47D6akAnzFCNqSnWEO1DqqTJs9RNEubESDbIcdHZ96ECX9253MW2b-ATw_2VEsr3EQ/s320/IMG_5127.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5TjsjgwLT4BGU3Ui3p7orZOVJDa4ER90OovRs1PALdgrdRcOvo4h3kARUm2P8sOUOoJgvGiCHfj3N_pdnID3lM35RRbiBmlelIvNO76UAS2ZCPPRVVj8Bilim83WbDV13CV2WHTR1TIkhD0_iTvH6m5_hPqSlENlalShOJt1H9KXnDbI9mhLjhnr5UdA/s3742/IMG_5129.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2491" data-original-width="3742" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5TjsjgwLT4BGU3Ui3p7orZOVJDa4ER90OovRs1PALdgrdRcOvo4h3kARUm2P8sOUOoJgvGiCHfj3N_pdnID3lM35RRbiBmlelIvNO76UAS2ZCPPRVVj8Bilim83WbDV13CV2WHTR1TIkhD0_iTvH6m5_hPqSlENlalShOJt1H9KXnDbI9mhLjhnr5UdA/s320/IMG_5129.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Facing the direction of the <a href="https://www.newcastle.nsw.gov.au/explore/recreation/beaches-and-baths/ocean-baths" target="_blank">Newcastle Ocean Baths</a>, which I was intending to relax in at some point later that day. Nature would have other ideas:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP5PSKOkOssUk2K8EdI0inoOHE06F-6Gt6pJQkwbX3iCaxSxZNQPKoSzFB4MT9DhJaOWDUUWcxAuB6pJEUUanmC-XsSUgp6_S33XMCNMIEz2zXG3dpW3BqUTQKMTwWpZhMvQpGonj8cS4Vo0exI-TRNLPaioPKHEY8TeWO52KEcVQYkCc8IEdqJlSMtKM/s4020/IMG_5131.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3015" data-original-width="4020" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP5PSKOkOssUk2K8EdI0inoOHE06F-6Gt6pJQkwbX3iCaxSxZNQPKoSzFB4MT9DhJaOWDUUWcxAuB6pJEUUanmC-XsSUgp6_S33XMCNMIEz2zXG3dpW3BqUTQKMTwWpZhMvQpGonj8cS4Vo0exI-TRNLPaioPKHEY8TeWO52KEcVQYkCc8IEdqJlSMtKM/s320/IMG_5131.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>What happens when Erwin Schrödinger visits Newcastle:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIfkyTB03XJpPbtvFcOonDG7kHYDpo700RE_-zGsCLJFoIKjrYQU5sbfTRQrtdLLMY3JhPei59dMY8MEx6B7OyIuiVXhfttYwfbb9d5Ppx7Ta3NXvmoewm8GdhYaUfLchk14Zp176AE-s4fWfIBaSBQiYf4uUSWYhEK6QotuOkV9UHekKxTQsxF2RpX_E/s3590/IMG_5132.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2152" data-original-width="3590" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIfkyTB03XJpPbtvFcOonDG7kHYDpo700RE_-zGsCLJFoIKjrYQU5sbfTRQrtdLLMY3JhPei59dMY8MEx6B7OyIuiVXhfttYwfbb9d5Ppx7Ta3NXvmoewm8GdhYaUfLchk14Zp176AE-s4fWfIBaSBQiYf4uUSWYhEK6QotuOkV9UHekKxTQsxF2RpX_E/s320/IMG_5132.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>It was lunchtime when we returned to our room at the <a href="https://www.alloggionewcastlebeach.com.au/" target="_blank">Newcastle Beach Hotel</a>. Shu-E was feeling the hunger pangs as well, so joined us as went out to the <a href="https://www.stickyricenewcastleeast.com.au/" target="_blank">Sticky Rice Thai Newcastle East</a>:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0LedCjDVwUCK8ytmxEcY5USR08gYX9IyGe3ZGnydiTDJvKwsmTQyJTGPAKP1gisa1AVjbA3-bDNwBo2GwJhszDMPDayrtIYKxs0zl9DBblzvlSlplMHiQuhk1ZquORoFaltpOepOcwAtDdCWDtZuUi1-TY3MalbXK3qpZe0Grkg-X6UxSo-dowIeXmWA/s4032/IMG_5134.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0LedCjDVwUCK8ytmxEcY5USR08gYX9IyGe3ZGnydiTDJvKwsmTQyJTGPAKP1gisa1AVjbA3-bDNwBo2GwJhszDMPDayrtIYKxs0zl9DBblzvlSlplMHiQuhk1ZquORoFaltpOepOcwAtDdCWDtZuUi1-TY3MalbXK3qpZe0Grkg-X6UxSo-dowIeXmWA/s320/IMG_5134.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-X-_Pz5OWQPY99sfhkGUXC1XU30NwB9b4uMEgIoNiAYNmSrZjEooUJ4GijpJWdMbYrUhTDY3_1mro0t3goz2pOD5O5bSQ5vktHymqicNcz0FnS0W-3lruH7Ui2lcMOA6JJF3_7IsMeX36w_xK8_PgjjyixIGZBwHSt8NaEjxEIIpeXzv_2OouqzxbqJs/s4032/IMG_5135.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-X-_Pz5OWQPY99sfhkGUXC1XU30NwB9b4uMEgIoNiAYNmSrZjEooUJ4GijpJWdMbYrUhTDY3_1mro0t3goz2pOD5O5bSQ5vktHymqicNcz0FnS0W-3lruH7Ui2lcMOA6JJF3_7IsMeX36w_xK8_PgjjyixIGZBwHSt8NaEjxEIIpeXzv_2OouqzxbqJs/s320/IMG_5135.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>After lunch the three of us took a stroll back into the center of town. Looking at this photo you can see the weather had started to change:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf4CBOSo0I9VWOqD-7WlTu1r-hoKnCp9WdyXYmuX0PKhAQEdAslh3w7qdMMU7eym4CuXu9F76Y6kh7phq_ZBgaI1i0nqFpdxP2oUcsF06V4lyO9X4jPexKoJGr7sbFMN0Vf1f6IEvS5_lxt8RRkbKX_vlMkbxeJx6haEp3lUnMUSkGHVwUKo5nEBDqW8k/s4032/IMG_5136.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2552" data-original-width="4032" height="203" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf4CBOSo0I9VWOqD-7WlTu1r-hoKnCp9WdyXYmuX0PKhAQEdAslh3w7qdMMU7eym4CuXu9F76Y6kh7phq_ZBgaI1i0nqFpdxP2oUcsF06V4lyO9X4jPexKoJGr7sbFMN0Vf1f6IEvS5_lxt8RRkbKX_vlMkbxeJx6haEp3lUnMUSkGHVwUKo5nEBDqW8k/s320/IMG_5136.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqqFt5JpF9jZBjOiZv5sMtbGi6wJ1CaY76I30ZJr8St2ZI6Dy7DcM8TUB0IPs9PAmLn7vX-_A8Vgx493bOQyK40m3rDoGaqqOKUiWa3n8Ce9eM8I2ZIifFC_B0heuqJhiNHMix3eqrCfkJf4n15yY9mIioNgm3AB8dcU6s0mq452s1-gJJXsFLe_r59B0/s4032/IMG_5137.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqqFt5JpF9jZBjOiZv5sMtbGi6wJ1CaY76I30ZJr8St2ZI6Dy7DcM8TUB0IPs9PAmLn7vX-_A8Vgx493bOQyK40m3rDoGaqqOKUiWa3n8Ce9eM8I2ZIifFC_B0heuqJhiNHMix3eqrCfkJf4n15yY9mIioNgm3AB8dcU6s0mq452s1-gJJXsFLe_r59B0/s320/IMG_5137.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>An example of something new being added onto something old:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVUQk9VezlTPLfzjfHOKgxdXpWVvZyrU0SicqAfI70mLiQsfTltm6e3CASH77IBj-Y2DQVusIWNsWfwexqQl3H2fSJD4lXJZqfkvP_T3NQMbQLMfT3t4ge1TmJASXtxgALY_xHVErvRGsyHxdhk5o9MTuWM-NUtgfvMxqHFiJ0SH1f3_VmBundylpPW3o/s4032/IMG_5140.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVUQk9VezlTPLfzjfHOKgxdXpWVvZyrU0SicqAfI70mLiQsfTltm6e3CASH77IBj-Y2DQVusIWNsWfwexqQl3H2fSJD4lXJZqfkvP_T3NQMbQLMfT3t4ge1TmJASXtxgALY_xHVErvRGsyHxdhk5o9MTuWM-NUtgfvMxqHFiJ0SH1f3_VmBundylpPW3o/s320/IMG_5140.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlIyXw2joDJRnLM-ePqT576vGGip-BXP0VYYsfQVBInkTPYyb3q08JiU0wTtWcCtG-GArk1mpq0M001kQMi3SYy59uIttZXHRlVRXB2VU7odzY1XiyBFXGacQn0kqtmOelPat6cbPasqKViPinutUOrHudBzAgBudtAOar1LUdv0sGeW1z-kyzAqweYIQ/s3325/IMG_5141.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3325" data-original-width="2364" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlIyXw2joDJRnLM-ePqT576vGGip-BXP0VYYsfQVBInkTPYyb3q08JiU0wTtWcCtG-GArk1mpq0M001kQMi3SYy59uIttZXHRlVRXB2VU7odzY1XiyBFXGacQn0kqtmOelPat6cbPasqKViPinutUOrHudBzAgBudtAOar1LUdv0sGeW1z-kyzAqweYIQ/s320/IMG_5141.jpg" width="228" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj07FRkFPCGhmlU5RjA41Cm1Kl2vx_mp4TdzS5xrMirm19Py9HOKHKhAiWl28wJKDHGiXOb8mGIJ2bpi8KmE7VM6C_ZHalJPxKO2o3GaeWyEmf08LK4HnNReQ8wj4IEuHEJwFUbhZSJWvWgn47oCS7OYXJqhegzZWGDohw4S-gfn84VZleSovSYTqPQptQ/s4032/IMG_5142.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj07FRkFPCGhmlU5RjA41Cm1Kl2vx_mp4TdzS5xrMirm19Py9HOKHKhAiWl28wJKDHGiXOb8mGIJ2bpi8KmE7VM6C_ZHalJPxKO2o3GaeWyEmf08LK4HnNReQ8wj4IEuHEJwFUbhZSJWvWgn47oCS7OYXJqhegzZWGDohw4S-gfn84VZleSovSYTqPQptQ/s320/IMG_5142.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>After doing some window shopping along the quiet Newcastle streets, my wife went back to the hotel to rest, leaving Amber and I to make the short hike uphill to visit the <a href="https://www.newcastlecathedral.org.au/" target="_blank">Christ Church Cathedral</a>, which dominates the Newcastle skyline:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE6KlRYtS07w6ptQugTwqzMboDZqFcJ9zY3zrw2Q9Hx5ZIezAx_EorEpkdnetjSvNKmlXiBGQ3dzKZIxurA9j3DCMvNjtCmiQZyDszUrSnNdbbMYS61N4BgjA1Rn6JSFkexeuTd1VaqWrI7DUZAeU8U5lQwN-WlRLre_18MKKf646W7QCzKIXvg6VEkos/s3913/IMG_5143.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3913" data-original-width="2934" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE6KlRYtS07w6ptQugTwqzMboDZqFcJ9zY3zrw2Q9Hx5ZIezAx_EorEpkdnetjSvNKmlXiBGQ3dzKZIxurA9j3DCMvNjtCmiQZyDszUrSnNdbbMYS61N4BgjA1Rn6JSFkexeuTd1VaqWrI7DUZAeU8U5lQwN-WlRLre_18MKKf646W7QCzKIXvg6VEkos/s320/IMG_5143.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJm2pAeE-EZRiCbfKr7OQT-cuWoLI-HC8nD0Y6q78DUyQEg4UC9nwVDRzqa1SGV1f05DR7kKPkWcGoDqjIye6VAm1W1EfMDikJ0xW5JDgjmvc4jjL6JCTyOb3raDET4QSECRJv9LcQqqsJIMt9oFRpIh4-SwozMUzwWrviaWNwAJxIwMtDq835Xo9PTZo/s3890/IMG_5144.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2918" data-original-width="3890" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJm2pAeE-EZRiCbfKr7OQT-cuWoLI-HC8nD0Y6q78DUyQEg4UC9nwVDRzqa1SGV1f05DR7kKPkWcGoDqjIye6VAm1W1EfMDikJ0xW5JDgjmvc4jjL6JCTyOb3raDET4QSECRJv9LcQqqsJIMt9oFRpIh4-SwozMUzwWrviaWNwAJxIwMtDq835Xo9PTZo/s320/IMG_5144.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUoCJDGtjsQjKFbPy-WEfDyta-XuUfoDWocxQeHo4FmrtXFjZ-QcA6Dcn_F0IdgIAtRdk1q6nzd0Pi-dI_KPFIUI8aRzvjV5Ygk6-lWk1BOSAFFE3IOjQKPvhiupzm9tKUAOqHG9oIUFVSUhfXKva9JZkb_EfcA6NLpMY29OI6Lbn_qdWHc0IEPaMvZb8/s3962/IMG_5145.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2206" data-original-width="3962" height="178" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUoCJDGtjsQjKFbPy-WEfDyta-XuUfoDWocxQeHo4FmrtXFjZ-QcA6Dcn_F0IdgIAtRdk1q6nzd0Pi-dI_KPFIUI8aRzvjV5Ygk6-lWk1BOSAFFE3IOjQKPvhiupzm9tKUAOqHG9oIUFVSUhfXKva9JZkb_EfcA6NLpMY29OI6Lbn_qdWHc0IEPaMvZb8/s320/IMG_5145.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCYvLxc5jXzErjWetrGydyMpHD9qurLWKpyZ8uGY9eoPFZ6WjO-Kn46hyx1YhNFVR3x3kVk5JB06P9x0wDuI7LRMAuHCX8H5qTTJlAR5A4QSozUizUxPIuS94wD-GUlFpjTMY1EzsprNF4elH-SdaRsb_9FcZsZzyD-CxagrPonU1IOLT1NLIuc60wYKU/s3848/IMG_5146.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3848" data-original-width="2886" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCYvLxc5jXzErjWetrGydyMpHD9qurLWKpyZ8uGY9eoPFZ6WjO-Kn46hyx1YhNFVR3x3kVk5JB06P9x0wDuI7LRMAuHCX8H5qTTJlAR5A4QSozUizUxPIuS94wD-GUlFpjTMY1EzsprNF4elH-SdaRsb_9FcZsZzyD-CxagrPonU1IOLT1NLIuc60wYKU/s320/IMG_5146.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWbDepWJU9dJpY3EBfv1ynrUfn-W-OKQDsfEFXNWX9fWTltwT9bkmg668rUdViIyuEhdEUVW4XbWyiQsphM0iBAkO8Zn-S8yMtnjrm0mzml8tLw4PaPi_8pw_jK6Nfaf_gm8EgzveRANLXWyZTsPwTyM0v1RW0HxkBXlU_-Dco9MgMC9mCw263_C_ZYF4/s3867/IMG_5148.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2900" data-original-width="3867" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWbDepWJU9dJpY3EBfv1ynrUfn-W-OKQDsfEFXNWX9fWTltwT9bkmg668rUdViIyuEhdEUVW4XbWyiQsphM0iBAkO8Zn-S8yMtnjrm0mzml8tLw4PaPi_8pw_jK6Nfaf_gm8EgzveRANLXWyZTsPwTyM0v1RW0HxkBXlU_-Dco9MgMC9mCw263_C_ZYF4/s320/IMG_5148.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJlmwO8U8aNJFamPtVsn1JeR9xQfbxG2eLB7EZvPh55Q8YcQbO-rJ1On6qlYdXfMXLUoBDK8Pn1EcSD6RLZSCIG3bP54TZbsIK0syHTyHS-lUPqjBj55OZJi8wFXF4rcmK2aHaUzQA6MdQ1lb05y-VX5ATpZ43h3pGUwXrqz6fx7jT-__OkBxsmOvI3Oo/s3884/IMG_5149.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2499" data-original-width="3884" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJlmwO8U8aNJFamPtVsn1JeR9xQfbxG2eLB7EZvPh55Q8YcQbO-rJ1On6qlYdXfMXLUoBDK8Pn1EcSD6RLZSCIG3bP54TZbsIK0syHTyHS-lUPqjBj55OZJi8wFXF4rcmK2aHaUzQA6MdQ1lb05y-VX5ATpZ43h3pGUwXrqz6fx7jT-__OkBxsmOvI3Oo/s320/IMG_5149.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizR9Mz66SKkjl4XxoNzIFdNuFQM0MUxdSwk5yqwzX3OHEPq9zOZOFwLNjMDh3UvNqnTZbouNDkEiG0TzhLvFjVkkB0xZBZuVEQI_RCJvJlV_8j5wss0N9otMMb8JoDTmiUWPmaejZAv0gy6TpxhVVxw2vFdyWvi7Rs34U6RyTleNcD61O5wFhD7Cu4dag/s4032/IMG_5150.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizR9Mz66SKkjl4XxoNzIFdNuFQM0MUxdSwk5yqwzX3OHEPq9zOZOFwLNjMDh3UvNqnTZbouNDkEiG0TzhLvFjVkkB0xZBZuVEQI_RCJvJlV_8j5wss0N9otMMb8JoDTmiUWPmaejZAv0gy6TpxhVVxw2vFdyWvi7Rs34U6RyTleNcD61O5wFhD7Cu4dag/s320/IMG_5150.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The sky had since changed from being sunny to the sun being obscured by clouds, with the occasional drizzle tossed in for effect. Ah, summer in New South Wales! Nonetheless, I was determined to get in a swim, but the (salt) water in the ocean bath would prove to be too chilly. Foiled! I knew I should've gone to the beach first, before going off to see the headland, the fort, cathedral et al. Lesson learned...I hope:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe5RIqvBTy5LzuOIk0sxD0HXeRFj62SabgeJS6v-wXu7-yDMTEL2LKrGNaHWlwv1ZsC0LTsKKf16gPVT1RqoO2rwTnymbdfDUpVJDL1oIzS8EAyON538y4Tvl0SSQzjzH2i-8Wd6V2ewFifCuf4XdUGvhGLaa7U4ufySr2PxinQc6GLiADIdaMWJXYPvg/s1666/94fab2064f275d7f951dd32378fd31e5.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1249" data-original-width="1666" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe5RIqvBTy5LzuOIk0sxD0HXeRFj62SabgeJS6v-wXu7-yDMTEL2LKrGNaHWlwv1ZsC0LTsKKf16gPVT1RqoO2rwTnymbdfDUpVJDL1oIzS8EAyON538y4Tvl0SSQzjzH2i-8Wd6V2ewFifCuf4XdUGvhGLaa7U4ufySr2PxinQc6GLiADIdaMWJXYPvg/s320/94fab2064f275d7f951dd32378fd31e5.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Shu-E was content to relax in our room with a bowl of instant noodles (her favorite source of nourishment), so it was just me and my daughter yet again for dinner:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtfjM-UN0Z5-kMnbIVEW0VrHKkKpqPjwgS-FcXb5XR8UUz6NWTFqqCTxyKu1k7paKi5PzkId6MPVOzFpUmiBqsA8v2y0MWxzELpVfWAKSWUXaEU52szfYi4VlgajOxhbAlyTLC0T0wUTHpZAMVDuC0FriY6VyWZT6ul708qt0do6vPbkGqPhq_8j2bnHM/s4032/IMG_5153.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2748" data-original-width="4032" height="218" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtfjM-UN0Z5-kMnbIVEW0VrHKkKpqPjwgS-FcXb5XR8UUz6NWTFqqCTxyKu1k7paKi5PzkId6MPVOzFpUmiBqsA8v2y0MWxzELpVfWAKSWUXaEU52szfYi4VlgajOxhbAlyTLC0T0wUTHpZAMVDuC0FriY6VyWZT6ul708qt0do6vPbkGqPhq_8j2bnHM/s320/IMG_5153.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>We ended up at a hipsterish kind of place, the name of which I neglected to note down. Thanks to this photo, I do recall enjoying a couple of <a href="https://www.shoutbrewing.com.au/home" target="_blank">Shout brews</a> (the girl had a mocktail - she was still three weeks away from conforming with Australia's drinking age):</div><div> <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXZWs_2W2FDDGsZP0U0CLvx3sk9L3I057pTxPCwnwKJYkooVxXXxOD_VaLZsbYt_xUfjl86Y9mdD5l8LWDmwGxcegKUvM8ChHuyUN_eIaTAXmZyfKtuo7BNeFLlvohq9R75GwHr8bqK1sXFSRRxS4vc7CHL_5K1UXUCWE40un0A363W1KUHMd1viXbEQU/s4032/IMG_5154.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXZWs_2W2FDDGsZP0U0CLvx3sk9L3I057pTxPCwnwKJYkooVxXXxOD_VaLZsbYt_xUfjl86Y9mdD5l8LWDmwGxcegKUvM8ChHuyUN_eIaTAXmZyfKtuo7BNeFLlvohq9R75GwHr8bqK1sXFSRRxS4vc7CHL_5K1UXUCWE40un0A363W1KUHMd1viXbEQU/s320/IMG_5154.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>She may have been on 17 at the time, but I'm glad I took her advice to share the one entree on the menu - it was almost too much for two!:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhECteHK4OdW-fqVLuG9MBEpY5zQbxr7vI8yLO5WiUpiGsiPq3dofA8DWuYZ2Ciqwe6a8SVd4yETbah8gBxAwO_BXmrLJynUO4N4xW0rpDy-2_g24JBIGvKRPjf4ysTBQAEQ9nfIa1VuTmbuqWywTakiBUYWsSijK02WFwqCQZYU3Qut8La7YocKzf4PZE/s3826/IMG_5155.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3826" data-original-width="2870" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhECteHK4OdW-fqVLuG9MBEpY5zQbxr7vI8yLO5WiUpiGsiPq3dofA8DWuYZ2Ciqwe6a8SVd4yETbah8gBxAwO_BXmrLJynUO4N4xW0rpDy-2_g24JBIGvKRPjf4ysTBQAEQ9nfIa1VuTmbuqWywTakiBUYWsSijK02WFwqCQZYU3Qut8La7YocKzf4PZE/s320/IMG_5155.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiddhv3fRGnmxRZoUXrR5cRS6mOCkuH0Lh0mgYq7c5ZfzLF_o4l_aroh-4zDQ6U682fCWgu1Rell9H-o5lsO7W7jrgX5HkK-I28ub_WtYZVbkNpORW8HyaRowXtMynD4rzMmomSwLiQejNdvcpOjeTAFoyZoMU9qeYgsTt9NKPl11btcP17qytrMxgqnFg/s3959/IMG_5157.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2969" data-original-width="3959" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiddhv3fRGnmxRZoUXrR5cRS6mOCkuH0Lh0mgYq7c5ZfzLF_o4l_aroh-4zDQ6U682fCWgu1Rell9H-o5lsO7W7jrgX5HkK-I28ub_WtYZVbkNpORW8HyaRowXtMynD4rzMmomSwLiQejNdvcpOjeTAFoyZoMU9qeYgsTt9NKPl11btcP17qytrMxgqnFg/s320/IMG_5157.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>After chatting for a while with our server, who as it turned out also hailed from northern California (Humboldt County in his case), we returned to the hotel and reunited with Shu-E. Despite not being able to swim, I still enjoyed our day out in Newcastle. In many respects it seems like an ideal spot to retire - good weather in summer (despite the semi-frequent rain), accessible beaches, fine restaurants and a relaxed lifestyle. Time to turn up the pressure on the girl to apply for a uni in the region...</div><div><br /></div><div>"God Drinks at the Sando" (1999), by <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Whitlams" target="_blank">the Whitlams</a>:</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/8UyHr77gAPk" width="320" youtube-src-id="8UyHr77gAPk"></iframe></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div> <br /><p><br /></p></div></div>Kaminogehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07925637671913689331noreply@blogger.com0nobbys Lighthouse, Newcastle East NSW 2300, Australia-32.9186739 151.7982888-61.228907736178847 116.6420388 -4.6084400638211562 -173.04546119999998tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2497220891386919340.post-85050418988809426002024-01-24T20:59:00.000+08:002024-01-24T20:59:05.303+08:00Ninth day in a land down under<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJZkbIHBoYnj3kEkGqCgwm95drXxhzvfl-RZ0mFigkTCuzj-d-uvl98uPUnesTCX_Rwiq59UsyTiX_3cn_Imq1E2vsLAZizNoZu62MEA43E4Lb_V8uWC4g6DTrGmHuY-MWDbe8ZAyQiUuaBOuCLl6sLTxlnK1pOUsQj76ATPadNsdd4q6nlGTAIwAInEw/s3425/IMG_5021.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2133" data-original-width="3425" height="199" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJZkbIHBoYnj3kEkGqCgwm95drXxhzvfl-RZ0mFigkTCuzj-d-uvl98uPUnesTCX_Rwiq59UsyTiX_3cn_Imq1E2vsLAZizNoZu62MEA43E4Lb_V8uWC4g6DTrGmHuY-MWDbe8ZAyQiUuaBOuCLl6sLTxlnK1pOUsQj76ATPadNsdd4q6nlGTAIwAInEw/s320/IMG_5021.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><i><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Elvis is still in the building</i></div></i><p></p><p>The day began with breakfast at our motel. Even though the <a href="https://www.bayhousemotel.com.au/en/" target="_blank">Bay House Motel</a> was by all appearances a typical-looking American-style motor inn, when we checked in the previous afternoon we were handed a breakfast menu and asked to make our selections. The following morning the food was brought on a tray to our room, and because the weather was so pleasant, we breakfasted outdoors at the picnic tables next to the parking lot. The Bay House Motel will never be mistaken for a Days Inn or Motel Six!:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDokCnAc6xmMrvCgZjUuqWuWgFu8SyFM64JFx-JfnK1zX9JWE888JBP5Wvmz0fvLozm6It6el9LiOChhb7K9Bs5DY-NReedI3_ltuJUo6NFl6uehYw3cjc565-oR1Z8pPpK3CnudLn1w1HyMgWIErYrJfiah3vj-wiWUa2Nx0DkkSzr6OTvJv6IfUp7Ws/s4032/IMG_4938.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="2992" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDokCnAc6xmMrvCgZjUuqWuWgFu8SyFM64JFx-JfnK1zX9JWE888JBP5Wvmz0fvLozm6It6el9LiOChhb7K9Bs5DY-NReedI3_ltuJUo6NFl6uehYw3cjc565-oR1Z8pPpK3CnudLn1w1HyMgWIErYrJfiah3vj-wiWUa2Nx0DkkSzr6OTvJv6IfUp7Ws/s320/IMG_4938.jpg" width="237" /></a></div><div><br /></div>This day would be the warmest by far on our New South Wales sojourn, with the temperature touching 30°C (86°F). An ideal day to spend some time on the beach; unfortunately, it seemed as if every other family in the region had the same idea. So many, in fact, that we couldn't find a parking space close to the water in <a href="https://www.visitnsw.com/destinations/central-coast/wyong-area/the-entrance" target="_blank">The Entrance</a>. Giving up on the plan, we instead opted to spend the day at the <a href="https://www.reptilepark.com.au/" target="_blank">Australian Reptile Park</a>, where we were first entertained by Ranger Mick, who displayed several examples of reptiles and spiders:<div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-FCIFwoylXtsEEi_Uei0vgPnVMHOK0Cw4sufJhctuzO_8jE7ZnggDypEDu8p7W7A2aYtsL6pPtWNaxP85cmjl0TdIaw7Qv4ufBz67E3LBgqxYja1D1sozQvF1G1RBNghS4q6Nu-LewVGffSn7SM6SM2laLQtpWxW51IE0Y7Lt0BPxWbeGnVIzI_BIHnA/s3707/IMG_4944.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2736" data-original-width="3707" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-FCIFwoylXtsEEi_Uei0vgPnVMHOK0Cw4sufJhctuzO_8jE7ZnggDypEDu8p7W7A2aYtsL6pPtWNaxP85cmjl0TdIaw7Qv4ufBz67E3LBgqxYja1D1sozQvF1G1RBNghS4q6Nu-LewVGffSn7SM6SM2laLQtpWxW51IE0Y7Lt0BPxWbeGnVIzI_BIHnA/s320/IMG_4944.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>After the show, it was time to look at the residents, like this pair of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lace_monitor" target="_blank">lace monitors</a> relaxing in the shade:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDLavIPYQxRHz0KwT4XwnHaCEdRsCv4rLYyvPg4h8siHZkdx6OTt34qsFhb7dKHpPkOyMcDUljrmkZN5AK27UuygdMbjup30ZlJU3PKNMQxpe4HVGtYdOXGGVc3kyxSv8tLJbtT7Ui31rwpcGMvnTFeIZnnOxf8172NZvrkHrHMT9T08WdjVnaRBUHucA/s3395/IMG_4945.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2106" data-original-width="3395" height="199" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDLavIPYQxRHz0KwT4XwnHaCEdRsCv4rLYyvPg4h8siHZkdx6OTt34qsFhb7dKHpPkOyMcDUljrmkZN5AK27UuygdMbjup30ZlJU3PKNMQxpe4HVGtYdOXGGVc3kyxSv8tLJbtT7Ui31rwpcGMvnTFeIZnnOxf8172NZvrkHrHMT9T08WdjVnaRBUHucA/s320/IMG_4945.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The entrance to the Komodo Dragon house was a tad over-the-top:</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs760mmFMRS0Wh5I09RoSJuhKT6kCTyyCicZnF3IyLO1QgCEKqQJaDsyqC0VkhbMMUbkwbekmrw33r9yiLN8DMGjPKnmEAItxT5DUIRKnWMKvDo-BCnqqBhOhd7Wk81osQyhzX47ndoJtHEMB4b5aikpHWxF2MOQzZ5QLzGYhTgO3eeY2zdrG1-mQD9Xg/s3968/IMG_4948.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2976" data-original-width="3968" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs760mmFMRS0Wh5I09RoSJuhKT6kCTyyCicZnF3IyLO1QgCEKqQJaDsyqC0VkhbMMUbkwbekmrw33r9yiLN8DMGjPKnmEAItxT5DUIRKnWMKvDo-BCnqqBhOhd7Wk81osQyhzX47ndoJtHEMB4b5aikpHWxF2MOQzZ5QLzGYhTgO3eeY2zdrG1-mQD9Xg/s320/IMG_4948.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglURY1gppLzXCp6yKGOK7As7yW302VTRKV0OefWZn0DyG6NINHA88us2R_530bh_QNhV2Y0osYG7rBGyIywiOQOY2z1DyR2PrLw39NftYvmeMUtwxN_U2pnyPWSCMTcpRIi9fY9JIohVJLE1eknLN_L4PEVO5EXk3lwIPuooeI240JFxjm50KUO6Wg0B4/s3938/IMG_4949.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2775" data-original-width="3938" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglURY1gppLzXCp6yKGOK7As7yW302VTRKV0OefWZn0DyG6NINHA88us2R_530bh_QNhV2Y0osYG7rBGyIywiOQOY2z1DyR2PrLw39NftYvmeMUtwxN_U2pnyPWSCMTcpRIi9fY9JIohVJLE1eknLN_L4PEVO5EXk3lwIPuooeI240JFxjm50KUO6Wg0B4/s320/IMG_4949.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>This <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yellow-footed_rock-wallaby" target="_blank">Yellow-footed rock-wallaby</a> was a bit reluctant to show itself:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh-SaIO4vdO2O2R3jFNM4Udcz8jRuJTe3-BwknyWhSVNnxz7Vy5Kc90Q6H7b7GmQTg82JAJXw3ktsF5N1PB-wYsrw-V2eQLMFIJZ-K6L8fCn1GjNHk-taCvfpSI9DZyLTO2OWb_9vTotXKGV9M4jK0fSVwESXovaJTAmLo3dctCcMo9Qp4JQ8GxIX7ZzQ/s1771/IMG_4952.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1494" data-original-width="1771" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh-SaIO4vdO2O2R3jFNM4Udcz8jRuJTe3-BwknyWhSVNnxz7Vy5Kc90Q6H7b7GmQTg82JAJXw3ktsF5N1PB-wYsrw-V2eQLMFIJZ-K6L8fCn1GjNHk-taCvfpSI9DZyLTO2OWb_9vTotXKGV9M4jK0fSVwESXovaJTAmLo3dctCcMo9Qp4JQ8GxIX7ZzQ/s320/IMG_4952.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyrZeKnDALp9bjQKf3SDCqaPVoHaIzhDUXMF37YBCrd6-rJN084zvkCfPrx4-zU_SU6jTR6nT45a3JTvdTSPjxuwjNqkAilEDe9rwFEd-9rjo1Z071rGsjvcDuh99NSo3t8dzF2GJw7kBdlnrW4axwLekyefxWbsMd4pC2qWUq3OmM1AyBO9Gc3JlLO1U/s3598/IMG_4953.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2570" data-original-width="3598" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyrZeKnDALp9bjQKf3SDCqaPVoHaIzhDUXMF37YBCrd6-rJN084zvkCfPrx4-zU_SU6jTR6nT45a3JTvdTSPjxuwjNqkAilEDe9rwFEd-9rjo1Z071rGsjvcDuh99NSo3t8dzF2GJw7kBdlnrW4axwLekyefxWbsMd4pC2qWUq3OmM1AyBO9Gc3JlLO1U/s320/IMG_4953.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">These <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grey-headed_flying_fox" target="_blank">grey-headed flying foxes</a> were just hanging around. Sorry for that...:</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwqcd-qja4aXyDS9UEZO6ZxEz5m_rcKUw3COtjwCqmTsM4yWx6g3gDD5ng6KXgj28x59rNlwcvd3KBHvTTYRRP_jYWoO7_lm-3gfTyx5TjJNCN_JmMqVvvYFkn5cvey_c22t7HT2JSiBDZnhXT5qEHhjoSndQrCR7V9vNiHDAgGj18xWjGk-7U37amS4U/s2190/IMG_4955.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1422" data-original-width="2190" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwqcd-qja4aXyDS9UEZO6ZxEz5m_rcKUw3COtjwCqmTsM4yWx6g3gDD5ng6KXgj28x59rNlwcvd3KBHvTTYRRP_jYWoO7_lm-3gfTyx5TjJNCN_JmMqVvvYFkn5cvey_c22t7HT2JSiBDZnhXT5qEHhjoSndQrCR7V9vNiHDAgGj18xWjGk-7U37amS4U/s320/IMG_4955.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">These lazy, stoned marsupials need no introduction. Keep moving, folks, nothing to see here:</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcbQo4PMd2Iu0FhItR6bOF2K7tmXBmjJQVPPJLTxUlwVmxSLareaFLrr4y7-29YHGdsCMJJELuYd-Xv6Mj9-UActM_ttqiBJNltrUa4ORSifrnfVfiXAnCph6-eys5LoVwmBIZetG_krV8M4qEFfXlSl78lcrIPZF2xVIzyTftk7pChldDu-iOsIUmbWc/s2174/IMG_4959.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2174" data-original-width="2074" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcbQo4PMd2Iu0FhItR6bOF2K7tmXBmjJQVPPJLTxUlwVmxSLareaFLrr4y7-29YHGdsCMJJELuYd-Xv6Mj9-UActM_ttqiBJNltrUa4ORSifrnfVfiXAnCph6-eys5LoVwmBIZetG_krV8M4qEFfXlSl78lcrIPZF2xVIzyTftk7pChldDu-iOsIUmbWc/s320/IMG_4959.jpg" width="305" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtNnr5AdaUQWt35z9HzuVwA0DvvHNZG-IXU_x9K0fYw1m4TNwi3mxneFok4ZZGTBvKBz664CHjZVbyGlf1kWLWg6T5Hg_7ndhDdyKHAOyPnQpo4nI3WjnV-Vw7dKQcHTAVEOIcG_bMkdjvR7iwN3Rx2P2kmESgEZ6ZH3o-dyTHtgqflfK7KrxR4hrakW8/s3160/IMG_4961.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2391" data-original-width="3160" height="242" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtNnr5AdaUQWt35z9HzuVwA0DvvHNZG-IXU_x9K0fYw1m4TNwi3mxneFok4ZZGTBvKBz664CHjZVbyGlf1kWLWg6T5Hg_7ndhDdyKHAOyPnQpo4nI3WjnV-Vw7dKQcHTAVEOIcG_bMkdjvR7iwN3Rx2P2kmESgEZ6ZH3o-dyTHtgqflfK7KrxR4hrakW8/s320/IMG_4961.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg72XPs7Z0cUbdM83drVbgb7yiQsCa-IsORDG6Rv6e59FUwbX-VDuQiWUn5oG-Iil4OWvm6izfoj0R337W6mhTQEhCLkOC3dtqD7Pmb-iKHvwqLCLQDidcOJgSdMjKhGX39H4t6wXkDyJ5u-woDbCq0mFUjgSjv38R6K2wn0JaHQfmDJFjBZaBV9nci9SQ/s2086/IMG_4965.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1426" data-original-width="2086" height="219" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg72XPs7Z0cUbdM83drVbgb7yiQsCa-IsORDG6Rv6e59FUwbX-VDuQiWUn5oG-Iil4OWvm6izfoj0R337W6mhTQEhCLkOC3dtqD7Pmb-iKHvwqLCLQDidcOJgSdMjKhGX39H4t6wXkDyJ5u-woDbCq0mFUjgSjv38R6K2wn0JaHQfmDJFjBZaBV9nci9SQ/s320/IMG_4965.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>We approached the pond where the American alligators are kept. They knew feeding time was imminent:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpXTZG-CIAGhpCZhqZ6_djbMQVreT4mgt_uSaJwlkPyvVU9x_gGoYIgdLRVdvCXzWnSudrMP5_1ErFnRyLKK9JnaRfKRV5YuVu-4baemFSvsVPlzIKdpiIo-ffIBYYNln961PStroalmBY3jvnReFcTBdRc1LZ4RqPaIPsJSVKIi6oFRTqPnl9Oy7-on0/s4032/IMG_4969.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpXTZG-CIAGhpCZhqZ6_djbMQVreT4mgt_uSaJwlkPyvVU9x_gGoYIgdLRVdvCXzWnSudrMP5_1ErFnRyLKK9JnaRfKRV5YuVu-4baemFSvsVPlzIKdpiIo-ffIBYYNln961PStroalmBY3jvnReFcTBdRc1LZ4RqPaIPsJSVKIi6oFRTqPnl9Oy7-on0/s320/IMG_4969.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg8ekt56Wd04ydFsXC3lNdmr7OhNazJlpR-ccZJUTxiEMCl8ZVx3pYW8ZUmzW5BlS_qm1ZzqOksGrb_1BRSWxz0nVAtKAi3JoNdH7XQvI_97UiUYAM4LOIsChnKuMMomXP4LI3iImhxZSi1w8gZY2sZdWIpppka0c6a4DhSVProUxvhfbouA2BS-9ljOY/s4032/IMG_4970.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg8ekt56Wd04ydFsXC3lNdmr7OhNazJlpR-ccZJUTxiEMCl8ZVx3pYW8ZUmzW5BlS_qm1ZzqOksGrb_1BRSWxz0nVAtKAi3JoNdH7XQvI_97UiUYAM4LOIsChnKuMMomXP4LI3iImhxZSi1w8gZY2sZdWIpppka0c6a4DhSVProUxvhfbouA2BS-9ljOY/s320/IMG_4970.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzadRGzjJikFwYNQKQYeuuF5XtVIMzlDKMHBOrcmjhfqpDDnC_O_bzis_nTfW3R2RQvN3EFYmFObZCugQlhQQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div><br /></div>A satiated gator returns to doing whatever these captive reptiles do when they're not eating:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5j_uDjs-deNOSR5GTxwwN5QO-CHuGNlawwDPeMEnVM9eSL-eE9RRv-ARp7g05d9q_qxfiP4h1I5CUtPuLCvuP__ghvXnB58gR4BqZTZ_81va8kaO5oXjKQIuLlEw-IoFUHjDM7anD2tHbbB9oQwCu_CzgWFHdElpm4ZJRRGS3WY0c7EZG5i44eyP-9XY/s4032/IMG_4976.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5j_uDjs-deNOSR5GTxwwN5QO-CHuGNlawwDPeMEnVM9eSL-eE9RRv-ARp7g05d9q_qxfiP4h1I5CUtPuLCvuP__ghvXnB58gR4BqZTZ_81va8kaO5oXjKQIuLlEw-IoFUHjDM7anD2tHbbB9oQwCu_CzgWFHdElpm4ZJRRGS3WY0c7EZG5i44eyP-9XY/s320/IMG_4976.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Our own lunchtime feast wasn't as exciting - nobody tossed our meat pies and chips into our gaping maws:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpwOLoXCkUwFTytIqpLzN3yusVhj2NIwMUsfo8LbWqy8H1jGbBqW0m6r4sNYXV6A9l3buy5X3LluFjG-4EJ9P6L8ePA1LEWQ-SvuBQ_o0DptEiwHZ4_P02UiyQIiIRP8WyM-vdwWcG5rZDaK17Uona7TWixgMFG1endV9UA2HAvxb6B-fQuf_Lqy77ljo/s4032/IMG_4978.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpwOLoXCkUwFTytIqpLzN3yusVhj2NIwMUsfo8LbWqy8H1jGbBqW0m6r4sNYXV6A9l3buy5X3LluFjG-4EJ9P6L8ePA1LEWQ-SvuBQ_o0DptEiwHZ4_P02UiyQIiIRP8WyM-vdwWcG5rZDaK17Uona7TWixgMFG1endV9UA2HAvxb6B-fQuf_Lqy77ljo/s320/IMG_4978.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The star of the Australian Reptile Park is Elvis, a massive saltwater crocodile that has been <a href="https://coastcommunitynews.com.au/central-coast/news/2023/10/huge-milestone-for-elvis/" target="_blank">residing at the park for more than 16 years</a>. The handler very carefully attempted to feed Elvis, but he appeared to be somewhat sluggish this day, apparently after having been overfed the day before in celebration of his <a href="https://www.reptilepark.com.au/elvis-the-crocodiles-birthday/" target="_blank">58th birthday</a>:</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguzmEAImKVnZH8lMPGBfcrHvoLwwL5-qGIc7GrnYSTYHJ-UBjP9z96w0WqqpwnKOYUtPzDewy0K1JTQS9fs48RApKXuAh5qrfjshQFimc3glYeJcmjgCAIH5fli9vCzpRskS2kbPXFFqIqEUE8S_yBj7DNXvcIRz6ZojXIIJlhLkQQY4pqn0u5XCFbr90/s3686/IMG_4984.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2036" data-original-width="3686" height="177" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguzmEAImKVnZH8lMPGBfcrHvoLwwL5-qGIc7GrnYSTYHJ-UBjP9z96w0WqqpwnKOYUtPzDewy0K1JTQS9fs48RApKXuAh5qrfjshQFimc3glYeJcmjgCAIH5fli9vCzpRskS2kbPXFFqIqEUE8S_yBj7DNXvcIRz6ZojXIIJlhLkQQY4pqn0u5XCFbr90/s320/IMG_4984.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrcqoeblCXNoclkulJgCvUKNAwmvlY_XX-_ZpY_3iATPU_Ng7l7sTTS1AV52uBqIgYQnZvVZ08jWwsGpFM6ZvI-ty8q3_VT8JltRst12y_Xqu2IfrpypMG9sUyxkGcy7hRF9eB_SSKweQx864UGUcauf_vGE7GRpOE08DcU-EmGBSNg6-3QLwmlAhOGRU/s2657/IMG_4987.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1621" data-original-width="2657" height="195" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrcqoeblCXNoclkulJgCvUKNAwmvlY_XX-_ZpY_3iATPU_Ng7l7sTTS1AV52uBqIgYQnZvVZ08jWwsGpFM6ZvI-ty8q3_VT8JltRst12y_Xqu2IfrpypMG9sUyxkGcy7hRF9eB_SSKweQx864UGUcauf_vGE7GRpOE08DcU-EmGBSNg6-3QLwmlAhOGRU/s320/IMG_4987.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>"Australia's Crankiest Croc":</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF56n4lZjWQGZIrtERdRNHkC0iG_pk-cYcaZtRNPURcW5tEZcsY6X_wGL8O8tbVRwwRiW4iElccbsDd1BTmM4RlcxjCQwDqTphL-3GXHrBs3EwH72ICuChKn1Dls_Uurcp0VkqQ5RMvgnqm0SPC6q1oXHpwkilSVcIY_Nff5V22Th6Tx2YsT38lVnoD-I/s3782/IMG_4990.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3782" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF56n4lZjWQGZIrtERdRNHkC0iG_pk-cYcaZtRNPURcW5tEZcsY6X_wGL8O8tbVRwwRiW4iElccbsDd1BTmM4RlcxjCQwDqTphL-3GXHrBs3EwH72ICuChKn1Dls_Uurcp0VkqQ5RMvgnqm0SPC6q1oXHpwkilSVcIY_Nff5V22Th6Tx2YsT38lVnoD-I/s320/IMG_4990.jpg" width="256" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwnIJB8_SJww7m0QgX7ZVrxmVeTBqs5-Y9StCNpdi7Gv6gW9yrYSAavnUVUJKlaaWUcOXnaAeVK0MAu7JFVZCSaXncGqY6NmVWqkpuw5y16bwgw18f3ZkAGK7enGihSWkJMGG6GgrU5R64nnk0MOeD-ZmX4HZj9EvXD2JEjnAVCsOywQwUjDOIdYFPEbQ/s4032/IMG_4993.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2594" data-original-width="4032" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwnIJB8_SJww7m0QgX7ZVrxmVeTBqs5-Y9StCNpdi7Gv6gW9yrYSAavnUVUJKlaaWUcOXnaAeVK0MAu7JFVZCSaXncGqY6NmVWqkpuw5y16bwgw18f3ZkAGK7enGihSWkJMGG6GgrU5R64nnk0MOeD-ZmX4HZj9EvXD2JEjnAVCsOywQwUjDOIdYFPEbQ/s320/IMG_4993.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>A <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quokka" target="_blank">quokka</a> and a pair of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Echidna" target="_blank">echidnas</a>:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrJBs4axyz3aUNqTQgr8np3rpVwuMgK_w9oCk_egNRzv8tejWvkiM-_n4Sqq7xXwt9y9ygZA_TcgQFq7AK8_NLGDyTCKHC2NCkcRu2AqJ1xjLVFjirL5PB_-9OFZOYXYMrUunAsOdC9FPYqyg8RjnpDuFcjmzqw7v4sJUPiTXROZGdOm1KWcUATvDElVo/s4032/IMG_4994.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrJBs4axyz3aUNqTQgr8np3rpVwuMgK_w9oCk_egNRzv8tejWvkiM-_n4Sqq7xXwt9y9ygZA_TcgQFq7AK8_NLGDyTCKHC2NCkcRu2AqJ1xjLVFjirL5PB_-9OFZOYXYMrUunAsOdC9FPYqyg8RjnpDuFcjmzqw7v4sJUPiTXROZGdOm1KWcUATvDElVo/s320/IMG_4994.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Our first sighting of a supposedly nocturnal <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tasmanian_devil" target="_blank">Tasmanian devil</a>:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKpB3LiWTTolQK_FcPl3bvO40OpvE6Q8XuM4zX4kApPU6b5vEhYchM9UsxJApwYC-lwjRV6JrdZb4LL__3cdnqeDq7qROWcipHE_gDJ2b-y_LWB4FWzVgH0YhtY5KP-rxQxHv9_Djo-is_urhDpQZ2V0lTaWTmA7W-AerIpDdg-G5Mi3A0o4kIF53poq8/s3428/IMG_4996.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1606" data-original-width="3428" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKpB3LiWTTolQK_FcPl3bvO40OpvE6Q8XuM4zX4kApPU6b5vEhYchM9UsxJApwYC-lwjRV6JrdZb4LL__3cdnqeDq7qROWcipHE_gDJ2b-y_LWB4FWzVgH0YhtY5KP-rxQxHv9_Djo-is_urhDpQZ2V0lTaWTmA7W-AerIpDdg-G5Mi3A0o4kIF53poq8/s320/IMG_4996.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Kangaroos have free range within the reptile park, and visitors can buy food to give to the marsupials. We did, but by the time my daughter went to feed some of them, they only gave a cursory nibble to the treats, having been stuffed to the gills by other visitors. They were receptive to the attention, however:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjiXe7866uHZgGoxn0UtngF2OYRO3dOqX1mVDOiAM_7_m0sktUGZvvMJO9rKRhsVWC4-0zL8_GN2twQmGmlUYdW7Z5hzXajLbc2J_YPC2n9SHUzm7seg6fcBMQ-MxGoZAP-r3RrasteLiuS2Ma8HVdT_4VKHnjUSATp8tS7g-1h2pQaL-Fnto0Sy_MLMY/s4032/IMG_4997.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjiXe7866uHZgGoxn0UtngF2OYRO3dOqX1mVDOiAM_7_m0sktUGZvvMJO9rKRhsVWC4-0zL8_GN2twQmGmlUYdW7Z5hzXajLbc2J_YPC2n9SHUzm7seg6fcBMQ-MxGoZAP-r3RrasteLiuS2Ma8HVdT_4VKHnjUSATp8tS7g-1h2pQaL-Fnto0Sy_MLMY/s320/IMG_4997.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE82eU_oVfsgaDsEOCRUE4nmti-Zaaoegyav6vod6TDxuHaKRd9Yk2A7NbgxBUTzQhfR3_JH-Nzn1EwofJH6aBhk4yUVMwmdDHI714X0biB61FHqbIEYAPlc3wzmUET6eKziNAiZuKy121GUVb-ojKNW1heG0x7mm6YYGjWholfMUkcZgg_7UlRLiolC8/s2995/IMG_5001.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1997" data-original-width="2995" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE82eU_oVfsgaDsEOCRUE4nmti-Zaaoegyav6vod6TDxuHaKRd9Yk2A7NbgxBUTzQhfR3_JH-Nzn1EwofJH6aBhk4yUVMwmdDHI714X0biB61FHqbIEYAPlc3wzmUET6eKziNAiZuKy121GUVb-ojKNW1heG0x7mm6YYGjWholfMUkcZgg_7UlRLiolC8/s320/IMG_5001.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2ucNCF4zSo2eOK2SUGm1bKBsYCVJH8anPw3LibpmuizpyQRk4UHbwbt2_VUDZlfpcgsbDQym052Q1SSsJ1M-FJwM9xE3Q5rgLB9vgZ18MdCOX9oUjCfq196sgHX3IaqF-9oOjgBSUwfR-1p7yexTvH2ftodJu8nxgZbrArq19Fm7UD8N69MpW4XMlXtw/s4032/IMG_5008.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2ucNCF4zSo2eOK2SUGm1bKBsYCVJH8anPw3LibpmuizpyQRk4UHbwbt2_VUDZlfpcgsbDQym052Q1SSsJ1M-FJwM9xE3Q5rgLB9vgZ18MdCOX9oUjCfq196sgHX3IaqF-9oOjgBSUwfR-1p7yexTvH2ftodJu8nxgZbrArq19Fm7UD8N69MpW4XMlXtw/s320/IMG_5008.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmliRHlKYxikAAMTiVVXEIK4RzPDqt13u1lKnBVLQm4D22o26iDD9k8HpUYj6-BOepc1tQNkF-TxTg99pNyJy3_Qb8NZqWiOA0B5SVFm3gjKsa6EQImG15x3XVdHkHLTSYnTYbjR8OIw4r_oeZCDtMbJOag3LWAtaHPXl6tVe1IX36nGD_2rK_aQe51Jk/s4032/IMG_5010.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmliRHlKYxikAAMTiVVXEIK4RzPDqt13u1lKnBVLQm4D22o26iDD9k8HpUYj6-BOepc1tQNkF-TxTg99pNyJy3_Qb8NZqWiOA0B5SVFm3gjKsa6EQImG15x3XVdHkHLTSYnTYbjR8OIw4r_oeZCDtMbJOag3LWAtaHPXl6tVe1IX36nGD_2rK_aQe51Jk/s320/IMG_5010.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>A woman standing next to me said she considered kangaroos to be pests, and that her family shoots them when they trespass on her property. I mentioned I had eaten one the previous day (<a href="https://kaminoge.blogspot.com/2024/01/eighth-day-in-land-down-under.html" target="_blank">in the form of a pizza topped with kangaroo meat</a>), at which point she slowly stepped away from me:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbsS0hmob7BfwGjPtIFSG3LZszs3MD5QLyIOMtzO6jncmrwJ7Y-6SJvhb5H0LZmecHQ_etT3evJFSKnGMYsIFB8AkUCErqP73fBR1kPLR0cs6gooqfYcbKeq-16RX4sT34MAOdnA_6SqCnrZta5Kks1AGfsXG2yl3iuKB28emgVKkxXw3kP-iuxTlgsUs/s1707/d3f0b3701430cbc80b7636833da50081.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1707" data-original-width="1280" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbsS0hmob7BfwGjPtIFSG3LZszs3MD5QLyIOMtzO6jncmrwJ7Y-6SJvhb5H0LZmecHQ_etT3evJFSKnGMYsIFB8AkUCErqP73fBR1kPLR0cs6gooqfYcbKeq-16RX4sT34MAOdnA_6SqCnrZta5Kks1AGfsXG2yl3iuKB28emgVKkxXw3kP-iuxTlgsUs/s320/d3f0b3701430cbc80b7636833da50081.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>This wombat refused to be seen, but it certainly could be heard:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dyp873Bzmy9d9Do-H6-Y6B3T4gKG2Vl3qBPz8tKfZnnsYxbOcm6sEBZkNSMWnFdA4VsPMZ5NTmRJMkZXPp66A' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div><br /></div>A dingo:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggL770deM468PrXiZpiVq0AyybaGYTsfI9zUCZCCQc2wd5QJWNBFzNRXQtk8DY68Zr8zCB_KnphX6j0xDht6XrOAcOnKKC7XRsons1tTmuyMbfUGWQtucradoL6kNfL-CEEczkftxCFuZbAajBQxIDLJ-k9E5SWkbMRq03b9TQvleZ0IF0ZgMz8VEkM30/s3340/IMG_5016.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2420" data-original-width="3340" height="232" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggL770deM468PrXiZpiVq0AyybaGYTsfI9zUCZCCQc2wd5QJWNBFzNRXQtk8DY68Zr8zCB_KnphX6j0xDht6XrOAcOnKKC7XRsons1tTmuyMbfUGWQtucradoL6kNfL-CEEczkftxCFuZbAajBQxIDLJ-k9E5SWkbMRq03b9TQvleZ0IF0ZgMz8VEkM30/s320/IMG_5016.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This lizard actually was not part of any of the exhibits. Instead, it was making its way outside Elvis' enclosure:</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQhuW425IH2FLWohHphcLaiu9To64L3rAAIVvxq9xhsOaRyeNCW08AIRP4xkjOBhsg8qS6GxmbGyqQabFZtUX25ohorSaMPWrNmNc0h5r8k_g8n5Bz4iQsUn_8QkkAim3d-WHMN2em636IXUJcymbCPDpv-2ESZl3j0vaa9-ZZkhx_tnJ6XzO-jsreKFg/s3487/IMG_5020.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2268" data-original-width="3487" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQhuW425IH2FLWohHphcLaiu9To64L3rAAIVvxq9xhsOaRyeNCW08AIRP4xkjOBhsg8qS6GxmbGyqQabFZtUX25ohorSaMPWrNmNc0h5r8k_g8n5Bz4iQsUn_8QkkAim3d-WHMN2em636IXUJcymbCPDpv-2ESZl3j0vaa9-ZZkhx_tnJ6XzO-jsreKFg/s320/IMG_5020.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtgTa9cZT-b3nvf_zSk2_DBY5ik5dWny5kE7lH4CQPaa276aMiAnSGTlesyRGZXi48sy_JSHm_b10LdwV0ES90bQQxRqBZ3cDcwM_uCNYdTqUfN4J4vxVFw-7DNFJv-o-twndd7FxT2Aoyjq1z65RADRYYfjECVUUPYvDDi_W5kSlRYjokb8JWAUNL_ik/s3809/IMG_5022.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2457" data-original-width="3809" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtgTa9cZT-b3nvf_zSk2_DBY5ik5dWny5kE7lH4CQPaa276aMiAnSGTlesyRGZXi48sy_JSHm_b10LdwV0ES90bQQxRqBZ3cDcwM_uCNYdTqUfN4J4vxVFw-7DNFJv-o-twndd7FxT2Aoyjq1z65RADRYYfjECVUUPYvDDi_W5kSlRYjokb8JWAUNL_ik/s320/IMG_5022.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Check this out!:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFi6GHAfTjQ7Khu_IdL2ecZUT1kTzby1R47yhCYrayiYStG1Vc02OpIrhpavNHUtqAkQozvW43vS1CWYEjsI8TC__zwh5htXhBVQUmdznDZM7-fzkwzRQNhVdZAj_UnP0T8FksqWo898IQ5MWZ6l5LaSeiKWsC6LGEOWZKPpPgQOlHsiugGT1CdVBSTrg/s4032/IMG_5023.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFi6GHAfTjQ7Khu_IdL2ecZUT1kTzby1R47yhCYrayiYStG1Vc02OpIrhpavNHUtqAkQozvW43vS1CWYEjsI8TC__zwh5htXhBVQUmdznDZM7-fzkwzRQNhVdZAj_UnP0T8FksqWo898IQ5MWZ6l5LaSeiKWsC6LGEOWZKPpPgQOlHsiugGT1CdVBSTrg/s320/IMG_5023.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>A <a href="https://www.thetarantulacollective.com/caresheets/brachypelma-boehmei" target="_blank">Mexican fireleg tarantula</a>:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjujqJF2qT4vKHwfqGDGuKN71_4hKw3xzrigfN00txEAyjHP_xJNfb3njK6FiUE5HlH7HWg06xq9il88yULNRBc9StAOY6wFgYIiITZk9VNTxjy174kdDkWDL_X8iuA8jqMCY2Cb8wXr1Wd6I9P1zPNwpk1Qc3g4_itbRgMcP4IJCub09mYQhRJVRLkTyw/s3255/IMG_5024.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2742" data-original-width="3255" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjujqJF2qT4vKHwfqGDGuKN71_4hKw3xzrigfN00txEAyjHP_xJNfb3njK6FiUE5HlH7HWg06xq9il88yULNRBc9StAOY6wFgYIiITZk9VNTxjy174kdDkWDL_X8iuA8jqMCY2Cb8wXr1Wd6I9P1zPNwpk1Qc3g4_itbRgMcP4IJCub09mYQhRJVRLkTyw/s320/IMG_5024.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">"What spider?":</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-p1gh7maN_pvawKj1SCrAjMmKT6r3zWpUkZLdGC3c3ZmZX-7crS5AFVjchHjviJaLdrzBgyBmzxl717eruHf4c_KrxijaonlIdXxKI1SKeO7MDe0VMllKGaWM6UEgnh9NCgH4U8UdlMDJkFDg7X0zNl6HLJbYRfCybWoAzB5VA-bxrqcY3T4jvjTc0bo/s4032/IMG_5028.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-p1gh7maN_pvawKj1SCrAjMmKT6r3zWpUkZLdGC3c3ZmZX-7crS5AFVjchHjviJaLdrzBgyBmzxl717eruHf4c_KrxijaonlIdXxKI1SKeO7MDe0VMllKGaWM6UEgnh9NCgH4U8UdlMDJkFDg7X0zNl6HLJbYRfCybWoAzB5VA-bxrqcY3T4jvjTc0bo/s320/IMG_5028.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>A <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perentie" target="_blank">perentie</a>:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyBw3g0e_N591Cf1r3zwcnWUvWblFryRj2WIKxOqoiUEuDF6mP9HbUS5Fq3YD_f9OwfWjcNxrKaRrWLr8BQ863pWmE1qxfHQTUoVffG3tLpQBhxIkwMNpAZDcMO3ahv5ldE1jr7W-nd9FrcylWOFsdOWulacg-MCfQeI5yRf2BmRDff3ZfyYFQ8w63iRI/s2863/IMG_5031.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2089" data-original-width="2863" height="233" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyBw3g0e_N591Cf1r3zwcnWUvWblFryRj2WIKxOqoiUEuDF6mP9HbUS5Fq3YD_f9OwfWjcNxrKaRrWLr8BQ863pWmE1qxfHQTUoVffG3tLpQBhxIkwMNpAZDcMO3ahv5ldE1jr7W-nd9FrcylWOFsdOWulacg-MCfQeI5yRf2BmRDff3ZfyYFQ8w63iRI/s320/IMG_5031.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>A <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fiji_crested_iguana" target="_blank">Fiji crested iguana</a>:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4D-5F1B11GpilgGSe3P1GRAcQbAqkaoHwJJ-lvQDSOU3GdaWTvvTpe28yK7btDjrL2uK16_9air1bvRkZG7ePrDv2jE3NhbIjkXy3Dv5BADlW-OdAYp6_i5sGLsW8_-n2lNAGuDhCYrs5_4bf26IC8jmuZ3-uZvIlm4cpVHTn_2GYWg6STjPEe8h4Xbs/s4032/IMG_5033.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4D-5F1B11GpilgGSe3P1GRAcQbAqkaoHwJJ-lvQDSOU3GdaWTvvTpe28yK7btDjrL2uK16_9air1bvRkZG7ePrDv2jE3NhbIjkXy3Dv5BADlW-OdAYp6_i5sGLsW8_-n2lNAGuDhCYrs5_4bf26IC8jmuZ3-uZvIlm4cpVHTn_2GYWg6STjPEe8h4Xbs/s320/IMG_5033.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Good timing - we arrived at the snake house just in time to watch the residents being fed live rodents. Those of you with <a href="https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/22519-ophidiophobia-fear-of-snakes" target="_blank">ophidiophobia</a> may want to scroll past the next three photos and one video, but remember that without snakes around, you would be complaining about all the vermin running about. Amber was fascinated by it all, as was I:</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR3p1DN3wvhgVy9E9zX7YIqPB4r4-f9DqQ_GbKtP126sJx9Bg2qXxLlfE90VgMSKThpBwUq54FDYuqmM_Ad3WrHGdbO9O8iXe2U-ETZ8Ufs9lw4r7d_RQB7Tl0Klb_U2J9D0Y5yyb6mQt9TkMKaaXFWG3BJO3jIU2yjykbDCyZYXS1UuRRcrXdgWGlL4w/s3059/IMG_5037.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2554" data-original-width="3059" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR3p1DN3wvhgVy9E9zX7YIqPB4r4-f9DqQ_GbKtP126sJx9Bg2qXxLlfE90VgMSKThpBwUq54FDYuqmM_Ad3WrHGdbO9O8iXe2U-ETZ8Ufs9lw4r7d_RQB7Tl0Klb_U2J9D0Y5yyb6mQt9TkMKaaXFWG3BJO3jIU2yjykbDCyZYXS1UuRRcrXdgWGlL4w/s320/IMG_5037.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-ktVmY_4jrK1k_RPFbx6delm-j3av0OhyfmjXndY78q4jawmZimfHAA6PQ3xsdZBmkApqiYcCsbDv5PK50HKY8Jgns2v-tP5IhAcZi7ny7K7LWYTxurK8Z_BGFfX_4Fq8CCoQBXOqtQ71sIrl6qImv0WGfHXRPcRlVP2Sv_e0BCotwGHRNOzD0BfwzX8/s3482/IMG_5041.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2540" data-original-width="3482" height="233" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-ktVmY_4jrK1k_RPFbx6delm-j3av0OhyfmjXndY78q4jawmZimfHAA6PQ3xsdZBmkApqiYcCsbDv5PK50HKY8Jgns2v-tP5IhAcZi7ny7K7LWYTxurK8Z_BGFfX_4Fq8CCoQBXOqtQ71sIrl6qImv0WGfHXRPcRlVP2Sv_e0BCotwGHRNOzD0BfwzX8/s320/IMG_5041.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF461S7SBnwTOkr9W0XhH534a4jts54mjAqulU3VemUnik4LUk8PGE6Lj55MZtyvm4afvF1MUn7FhCyZhtidKfzdSLhzXOoYx_NVqlV0pRcm2xGt_75nCMALCjJd3IINcqzA35zkjr2Grj5fU4EMX6JhmEk5NVzoeQjhY9WUWWSUMutczHgIC5m2_Jt18/s3836/IMG_5043.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3836" data-original-width="2967" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF461S7SBnwTOkr9W0XhH534a4jts54mjAqulU3VemUnik4LUk8PGE6Lj55MZtyvm4afvF1MUn7FhCyZhtidKfzdSLhzXOoYx_NVqlV0pRcm2xGt_75nCMALCjJd3IINcqzA35zkjr2Grj5fU4EMX6JhmEk5NVzoeQjhY9WUWWSUMutczHgIC5m2_Jt18/s320/IMG_5043.jpg" width="248" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/sr3TReWCNGE" width="320" youtube-src-id="sr3TReWCNGE"></iframe></div><div><br /></div>This <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Central_netted_dragon" target="_blank">central netted dragon</a> was just hangin':</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1pcu968Dsesl0s8OWvPPewahAvywOuAVia1dZmAXvi_zk8QoTg8bHYgrpzfnnd59KXImwWRNh5OKUFJJyNndby63GI-eJaY12bzvLUZNFpV89YOVZH_bu36FBW5VUwABWx-Yy6fdnAnvGx_XXFvEbyd0dJ3fMiN191AItYhGbbQ0gtnunCTwcAHXg4O4/s4032/IMG_5047.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1pcu968Dsesl0s8OWvPPewahAvywOuAVia1dZmAXvi_zk8QoTg8bHYgrpzfnnd59KXImwWRNh5OKUFJJyNndby63GI-eJaY12bzvLUZNFpV89YOVZH_bu36FBW5VUwABWx-Yy6fdnAnvGx_XXFvEbyd0dJ3fMiN191AItYhGbbQ0gtnunCTwcAHXg4O4/s320/IMG_5047.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Finally! I got to see an actual platypus in the flesh, the only reason for traveling 10½ hours and 8950 kilometers/5560 miles from Beijing to Australia. The <a href="https://www.britannica.com/animal/platypus" target="_blank">platypus</a> is proof that if there is a god, he/she/it was under the influence of <i>something</i> when it came time to create this beaver/duck/otter egg-laying monotreme:</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/vLiKj8I8LXQ" width="320" youtube-src-id="vLiKj8I8LXQ"></iframe></div><div><br /></div>Channeling my inner <a href="https://youtu.be/sYTIGXvc88Y?si=vG6BaU7I578-nJu-" target="_blank">Seinfeld</a> in the park's gift shop (watch this for the <a href="https://youtu.be/quC4cbpJeaU?si=UQDg8Qtr3Z62C3Iu" target="_blank">real story</a>):</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/haAad9h3-Eg" width="320" youtube-src-id="haAad9h3-Eg"></iframe></div><div><br /></div>I tried to stick to more scenic local roads on the drive to Newcastle, our next (and final) destination, though eventually we had to get on a motorway:<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYvzLETpD9DvWVaxzoo05pEoKfOV-fWEwgve0aDRFitEXfF90upTQYQD8VWqSR39UtHjbLVlGPjZvATDjIXichQ57o8ov3dT2ldEhex3A9_DG-tLY8WneovBaOLT-9utPtv-gqcpmCD2olpe9PtvGKJzX07XgcJzm4Vv3Jw_oOAXEAcCHwVeWm4-F_6WU/s3522/IMG_5057.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3522" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYvzLETpD9DvWVaxzoo05pEoKfOV-fWEwgve0aDRFitEXfF90upTQYQD8VWqSR39UtHjbLVlGPjZvATDjIXichQ57o8ov3dT2ldEhex3A9_DG-tLY8WneovBaOLT-9utPtv-gqcpmCD2olpe9PtvGKJzX07XgcJzm4Vv3Jw_oOAXEAcCHwVeWm4-F_6WU/s320/IMG_5057.jpg" width="275" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Oh, grow up!:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6tGfDI9AZo7NPjKd1z6gnzypJO5kZej4qxRfEDzqDgCQrLbxbCrCr2MDc91gemqHfwlQxkn7hm4MCHV5NR_G5Yx19goCKlpQf0b_1E-Qy8xc5z4ijCAMEzK0x3mQhhmgynseLtrbwfrPh8GRp7RUZrMH9UwBisH3dcestdav0XCnCDJhvUI7XEhZ8Qhg/s3629/IMG_5058.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2496" data-original-width="3629" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6tGfDI9AZo7NPjKd1z6gnzypJO5kZej4qxRfEDzqDgCQrLbxbCrCr2MDc91gemqHfwlQxkn7hm4MCHV5NR_G5Yx19goCKlpQf0b_1E-Qy8xc5z4ijCAMEzK0x3mQhhmgynseLtrbwfrPh8GRp7RUZrMH9UwBisH3dcestdav0XCnCDJhvUI7XEhZ8Qhg/s320/IMG_5058.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Checking in to the family room at the <a href="https://www.alloggionewcastlebeach.com.au/" target="_blank">Alloggio Newcastle Beach Hotel</a>. The platypus plushie was a gift to myself, and is currently greeting visitors to my office from its spot on my desk, next to my computer. The tag that came with it identifies it as a koala!:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg867r0ZS42u9EXHUeNJ0ud099a2L-3R_7tESDZBAd2T04hp3v_ODXGD7RgTX9mW-70ToDrNOy_SnR0Oc2W14-Z9SMsHoOkUbS6oTdiHihbKvibDqF4Aqq1k4o575qUe0_k9XEzoTfhZ5v4-2ZQZd__UMapITiRMt_oKlH7be4gFonQpTSY9iMueW2lJgQ/s3791/IMG_5059.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3791" data-original-width="2580" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg867r0ZS42u9EXHUeNJ0ud099a2L-3R_7tESDZBAd2T04hp3v_ODXGD7RgTX9mW-70ToDrNOy_SnR0Oc2W14-Z9SMsHoOkUbS6oTdiHihbKvibDqF4Aqq1k4o575qUe0_k9XEzoTfhZ5v4-2ZQZd__UMapITiRMt_oKlH7be4gFonQpTSY9iMueW2lJgQ/s320/IMG_5059.jpg" width="218" /></a></div><div><br /></div>My wife was feeling a little worn out from the warm weather (and all those reptiles), and so decided to rest up in our room, meaning it was just Amber and I who went out for dinner, at <a href="https://thefalconnewcastle.com.au/" target="_blank">the Falcon</a>:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYI0hp3K50Rz7MMAnmVIJRWP5SnCYLp_wvPhtwE2iMhd_RqDZRweZu0Z09nq0iXWfoFHJOWjeXIV4b3IAcjP4pIQazYdwLo_ckW_Aooew-EDjclwiHZTkrZ4N0EdDImmxrRGzYMmqM3mJ3Tt2g2EOv0ABTyAfVXUwoNTjXZw9cuAeooNu3dZnATa14Iko/s2882/IMG_5062.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2856" data-original-width="2882" height="317" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYI0hp3K50Rz7MMAnmVIJRWP5SnCYLp_wvPhtwE2iMhd_RqDZRweZu0Z09nq0iXWfoFHJOWjeXIV4b3IAcjP4pIQazYdwLo_ckW_Aooew-EDjclwiHZTkrZ4N0EdDImmxrRGzYMmqM3mJ3Tt2g2EOv0ABTyAfVXUwoNTjXZw9cuAeooNu3dZnATa14Iko/s320/IMG_5062.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivSScWTCtHUqR6uipNdr4d62aszLg5cOSiadfceL361n6B8c89GUR0t5cAcHpPsz6PoiPCbkhVwiDXkuDxlz68LJxWN3M04FCJ9ciNJSaWfTIco-nOmdCWUuNYK-Ackfi3bZvHeJQyS6zo-0PZrq92KDzyO4ixnZJOh-wbtwYm3OeSGzWNrbQi-9JYVUA/s4032/IMG_5063.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivSScWTCtHUqR6uipNdr4d62aszLg5cOSiadfceL361n6B8c89GUR0t5cAcHpPsz6PoiPCbkhVwiDXkuDxlz68LJxWN3M04FCJ9ciNJSaWfTIco-nOmdCWUuNYK-Ackfi3bZvHeJQyS6zo-0PZrq92KDzyO4ixnZJOh-wbtwYm3OeSGzWNrbQi-9JYVUA/s320/IMG_5063.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>I had that traditional Aussie favorite, fried chicken and waffles:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAQDHVHJetg7DfYL71rsp2PW3_28Ew_5hPiQJ9nvhHqe2lwhTR0ynIVjeZHq7-UL5bHOEf8eD98AHWMuRoJzs23NikMQwwtreXGksKEDHox_sWO3-ylVp3luJAkfm5jgZUbehr23m27ofxSAc9kNN3Ii9CvGFr-OJ8Ejp117hK6klepEn_gN17ngPFMHc/s3715/IMG_5064.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2463" data-original-width="3715" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAQDHVHJetg7DfYL71rsp2PW3_28Ew_5hPiQJ9nvhHqe2lwhTR0ynIVjeZHq7-UL5bHOEf8eD98AHWMuRoJzs23NikMQwwtreXGksKEDHox_sWO3-ylVp3luJAkfm5jgZUbehr23m27ofxSAc9kNN3Ii9CvGFr-OJ8Ejp117hK6klepEn_gN17ngPFMHc/s320/IMG_5064.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjylgQ9BXoKQJb5UCKw6FXE-GFSbhYt_xVASMlZCGPbmDBtHIAgbFZMJNPbFHLD0fTZxKxzwPeoKVQKK0MSEDLCkhLJt1k_CIEcI0Cr0xuBsN44TJqKQFOAsBNFYsGyvWIG7Hzrl7Chfa-LVzOmxunO2lR9H3TtvXM1GfjvngnY-B9v_l5HpQQnJVDMA5s/s3936/IMG_5065.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3936" data-original-width="2952" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjylgQ9BXoKQJb5UCKw6FXE-GFSbhYt_xVASMlZCGPbmDBtHIAgbFZMJNPbFHLD0fTZxKxzwPeoKVQKK0MSEDLCkhLJt1k_CIEcI0Cr0xuBsN44TJqKQFOAsBNFYsGyvWIG7Hzrl7Chfa-LVzOmxunO2lR9H3TtvXM1GfjvngnY-B9v_l5HpQQnJVDMA5s/s320/IMG_5065.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Afterward the two of us took a stroll over to the seaside, admiring the view as the sun set in the opposite direction:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6Lca616GwsoyYU169CLqokNaSuNQHvEVFC7DtzkdDCMPoYrxXws3jO5977eBRcDdoucOlEAW_KBip3_D2fJMnsBpt-sHBpF7iab1pfLcYQf6muCMh45EWKaf5059brxpADqSbm5QLoWLtc4xUvoRpppYLcHHJ6V-Re05JVvk4l6_rta2J4uToM7iP0bE/s4032/IMG_5066.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6Lca616GwsoyYU169CLqokNaSuNQHvEVFC7DtzkdDCMPoYrxXws3jO5977eBRcDdoucOlEAW_KBip3_D2fJMnsBpt-sHBpF7iab1pfLcYQf6muCMh45EWKaf5059brxpADqSbm5QLoWLtc4xUvoRpppYLcHHJ6V-Re05JVvk4l6_rta2J4uToM7iP0bE/s320/IMG_5066.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9P84H9yALYuaLzFADbm5LFKEv1LRMcmxTKstb0p9Jfxhg0pV-r5k8DDKmuVhtkYGuW8XKqzxIVyr17bN4YgPM7YFdl0wFhd9tVZhctUUl0ZhN5EA8VwSPwVkcyvIv89rl2piEvPBdzLXW1UoIMHd2h_UPVJxrTrNKbYEp53rj_1FWiSTTA9DELWLKwOM/s4032/IMG_5067.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9P84H9yALYuaLzFADbm5LFKEv1LRMcmxTKstb0p9Jfxhg0pV-r5k8DDKmuVhtkYGuW8XKqzxIVyr17bN4YgPM7YFdl0wFhd9tVZhctUUl0ZhN5EA8VwSPwVkcyvIv89rl2piEvPBdzLXW1UoIMHd2h_UPVJxrTrNKbYEp53rj_1FWiSTTA9DELWLKwOM/s320/IMG_5067.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitqJwg_DbAPoGQRqqp3C6Vp7tfklGPidWtYnFuoFsE01PIbnQbHNpW598Szb1MyXnmG9Cx000v9Z53eG0YKaOr9GaWTHQqpG8DzgeSQp0YecuiIFQEsvNtSKaxYN6nI2WKnBKsNwXyRc-TSqFkWE0-dkJyHkYHjj9H0ZBo_NZhUuIwbzZNWU-_1WHN2Aw/s4032/IMG_5068.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitqJwg_DbAPoGQRqqp3C6Vp7tfklGPidWtYnFuoFsE01PIbnQbHNpW598Szb1MyXnmG9Cx000v9Z53eG0YKaOr9GaWTHQqpG8DzgeSQp0YecuiIFQEsvNtSKaxYN6nI2WKnBKsNwXyRc-TSqFkWE0-dkJyHkYHjj9H0ZBo_NZhUuIwbzZNWU-_1WHN2Aw/s320/IMG_5068.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Having visited the <a href="https://kaminoge.blogspot.com/2024/01/days-one-and-two-in-land-down-under.html" target="_blank">Sydney Sea Life Aquarium</a>, the <a href="https://kaminoge.blogspot.com/2024/01/sixth-day-in-land-down-under.html" target="_blank">Taronga Zoo Sydne</a>y and, now, the Australian Reptile Park on this trip, I can confirm the accuracy of this book:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5c4RBMO69DxTSo2GjtnvAPUzu9t53Soa6X82hR2083EuFtshlhcEAzm0XvU92tU0_yKXzRhB7cwCIZZekNcM7NDjqBlbQyyJHsbLOsKN5ron_lN2U6ooc4d_n29K2U9FgW0Os85ikQdrsaSm_QRX-58DgGNR3bmkJkWkW-aiIqb-GgJVJ92R5TsKoX9c/s2048/Book.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1732" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5c4RBMO69DxTSo2GjtnvAPUzu9t53Soa6X82hR2083EuFtshlhcEAzm0XvU92tU0_yKXzRhB7cwCIZZekNcM7NDjqBlbQyyJHsbLOsKN5ron_lN2U6ooc4d_n29K2U9FgW0Os85ikQdrsaSm_QRX-58DgGNR3bmkJkWkW-aiIqb-GgJVJ92R5TsKoX9c/s320/Book.jpg" width="271" /></a></div><div><br /></div>"My Drug Buddy" by the Lemonheads, in which "Evan Dando gets wasted in Newtown":<div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/DCOKAYIBmng" width="320" youtube-src-id="DCOKAYIBmng"></iframe></div><br /><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /><div><br /></div></div></div>Kaminogehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07925637671913689331noreply@blogger.com1Australian Reptile Park, Pacific Hwy, Somersby NSW 2250, Australia-33.4184085 151.2782681-61.728642336178844 116.12201809999999 -5.1081746638211527 -173.5654819tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2497220891386919340.post-10427466546048616642024-01-22T21:40:00.001+08:002024-01-24T21:19:15.708+08:00Eighth day in a land down under<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwfIf9ZMittU4uO9aa4BimTur7xITvhdt0KZbVTFDdHe6peWNNacu539_sZ7xKFr-LsPAydx9-lS7GkJl6j_60nmscJjGPlJHFAZEotmi47ld1b1T_YCK_LGWgNjPiXAiqqTQmUDdl_2NPRYv1XP5LLNnchVXDYwEndpz2BAH6p72j2hwqFlmSZMtwzpI/s1706/c7490e8f9d06d6e077c040bcd62ce2f7.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1706" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwfIf9ZMittU4uO9aa4BimTur7xITvhdt0KZbVTFDdHe6peWNNacu539_sZ7xKFr-LsPAydx9-lS7GkJl6j_60nmscJjGPlJHFAZEotmi47ld1b1T_YCK_LGWgNjPiXAiqqTQmUDdl_2NPRYv1XP5LLNnchVXDYwEndpz2BAH6p72j2hwqFlmSZMtwzpI/s320/c7490e8f9d06d6e077c040bcd62ce2f7.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><i><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Echo Point on the second morning of 2024</i></div></i><p></p><p>The weather on the second day of the new year hinted at clearer possibilities compared to the previous day. So promising, in fact, that instead of hopping into the car and heading directly downtown to pick up some morning grub, my daughter and I drove instead first to <a href="https://www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/things-to-do/lookouts/echo-point-lookout-three-sisters" target="_blank">Echo Point</a>. At 0700 hours there were a lot fewer people compared to <a href="https://kaminoge.blogspot.com/2024/01/seventh-day-in-land-down-under.html" target="_blank">the previous afternoon</a>:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDXI4ZUJ5-amXdGPbF2UVYELTbJXqPonBGGirWvemW2uwYrbCEeTcB-R6QDmScZCElATUuchw4bdvKEXGhN3mJ21jcvx3E29HtWFCUkCmzT5lmB5XVSr7bK1QT9_OxPUCca9Xi8ta3SPtcDtoXgp5YK6Z9QzXSw_WPfVYLX7mc1ot3e2cHKDHRIA_Qsaw/s1706/99f6f3e08cb24d2c35731d2c7145a717.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1706" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDXI4ZUJ5-amXdGPbF2UVYELTbJXqPonBGGirWvemW2uwYrbCEeTcB-R6QDmScZCElATUuchw4bdvKEXGhN3mJ21jcvx3E29HtWFCUkCmzT5lmB5XVSr7bK1QT9_OxPUCca9Xi8ta3SPtcDtoXgp5YK6Z9QzXSw_WPfVYLX7mc1ot3e2cHKDHRIA_Qsaw/s320/99f6f3e08cb24d2c35731d2c7145a717.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Still, it being just after 7 a.m. might also explain why Amber was looking a bit less than enthused:<div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7wb9aLWGWkXwF6ViuRaW4RGOetlPNTDmasuihPofR3RousYUBXeDZbkYilbGmdPZBoOQ9uXtM0Tli-mjedgTBeRy-rcNzw6AeZW_pcJdMQ9I3NCndtqbpA4mci8fADQdG5bVa9C5iwMr5inuTKNNpUmYZ0JDHnyiaf5fyyqPifEwePaeYUgbf67N-sog/s1706/574e34c52f3c065c18217ac38db43fff.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1706" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7wb9aLWGWkXwF6ViuRaW4RGOetlPNTDmasuihPofR3RousYUBXeDZbkYilbGmdPZBoOQ9uXtM0Tli-mjedgTBeRy-rcNzw6AeZW_pcJdMQ9I3NCndtqbpA4mci8fADQdG5bVa9C5iwMr5inuTKNNpUmYZ0JDHnyiaf5fyyqPifEwePaeYUgbf67N-sog/s320/574e34c52f3c065c18217ac38db43fff.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Gazing in the direction of the Three Sisters:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtTjMKJMEI_7TFIIbGTOe-btW8zV28y1FABp2C7NbId4T1habwCfa8MWGbUVe-IQG05dhXt6HPzb0IRTast5q8QYlQOwLNfLXAv4nBPm5lbtC97Y_D5XKf_G5GtA8-jjJMXLXbTwA1JW_MKN07gs6Hbxz2r7OzNNVcIXG8KD-CWfaLs3ul9DLTapkmJGQ/s1706/f7efe75034973c764f15668d23016e94.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1706" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtTjMKJMEI_7TFIIbGTOe-btW8zV28y1FABp2C7NbId4T1habwCfa8MWGbUVe-IQG05dhXt6HPzb0IRTast5q8QYlQOwLNfLXAv4nBPm5lbtC97Y_D5XKf_G5GtA8-jjJMXLXbTwA1JW_MKN07gs6Hbxz2r7OzNNVcIXG8KD-CWfaLs3ul9DLTapkmJGQ/s320/f7efe75034973c764f15668d23016e94.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>It wasn't very long, however, before the mist began obscuring the valley floor below. At least we were in the right place at the right time, which is more than can be said for <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-01-04/nsw-tourists-lightning-blue-mountains-storm/103283892?utm_campaign=abc_news_web&utm_content=link&utm_medium=content_shared&utm_source=abc_news_web&fbclid=IwAR1gdgSOy449JPg4XU_gHMCNX2odyy1leIMkueAYlQJ1rq2Bwfjy8ri_Opc" target="_blank">these unlucky folks</a>:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8k1oQMfh81yPNSNg-FLqEj7N6Esfsebwmjeuf075zB-N5IT0BWCmOjicn6QLUdZc1KVI2r_DqDt09IOM0ieEeOZ2p8X6JGdZhl8hErHMecron4AD5NazJ1MXz59YaatL8dODcXBS0dw0ERR_9G8FKeO-RCRTdqP2_jHhKDWfqPrmkEdWwXZlZ-EC0hUY/s1706/17fd2b761ed4004e0aebdeda2e9cae00.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1706" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8k1oQMfh81yPNSNg-FLqEj7N6Esfsebwmjeuf075zB-N5IT0BWCmOjicn6QLUdZc1KVI2r_DqDt09IOM0ieEeOZ2p8X6JGdZhl8hErHMecron4AD5NazJ1MXz59YaatL8dODcXBS0dw0ERR_9G8FKeO-RCRTdqP2_jHhKDWfqPrmkEdWwXZlZ-EC0hUY/s320/17fd2b761ed4004e0aebdeda2e9cae00.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Downtown Katoomba early on a Tuesday morning. For breakfast we picked up some organic sweet treats from Hominy Bakery, and took them back to our room at the <a href="https://3explorers.com.au/" target="_blank">3 Explorers Motel</a>:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgVd0i3qdS_1tvnnoRu9I2_e3UCIU1p2gQbSV6PvesmlNeRh0lrYdFSszXUbzkLE48UWDDE8xOcLNBrvxTwNXnCIcQvnaz4mXfo_2q1jUsnqLHF-5XiLbVjitiYViN8FPh1mSQ5bCZVH8XG8Sz1_wYSQwSuYFbsflxZWqIpHG9CZbHfcLu4vGeLI4xBXI/s1271/29e74888de8f458c3a950e21a192967f.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1271" data-original-width="1256" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgVd0i3qdS_1tvnnoRu9I2_e3UCIU1p2gQbSV6PvesmlNeRh0lrYdFSszXUbzkLE48UWDDE8xOcLNBrvxTwNXnCIcQvnaz4mXfo_2q1jUsnqLHF-5XiLbVjitiYViN8FPh1mSQ5bCZVH8XG8Sz1_wYSQwSuYFbsflxZWqIpHG9CZbHfcLu4vGeLI4xBXI/s320/29e74888de8f458c3a950e21a192967f.JPG" width="316" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The previous evening Amber and I had gone after dark on the <a href="https://www.visitnsw.com/destinations/blue-mountains/katoomba-area/katoomba/attractions/katoomba-falls-reserve-night-lit-walk" target="_blank">Katoomba Falls Reserve Night-lit Walk</a>. The following morning my wife announced she wanted to have a look as well, so after check-out the three of us drove over to the reserve:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP33cHzTA2m2CNtOB73GcyOvzVzV6545iZOskK7r8qbbsX5ewdybEMaf3CfbFo_bzHuOD-UjUTP74u9yrKSbRPZ-Povb3x3Aj3TGlLM9Uth8SrFwuIKj8Y4Veufv_nYhc-iVYtKKWjDGjvP90gc8UTYkHMTfNw7mv0OpuG5DLicMDUkw5rpV43_uiLC8Y/s4032/IMG_4887.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP33cHzTA2m2CNtOB73GcyOvzVzV6545iZOskK7r8qbbsX5ewdybEMaf3CfbFo_bzHuOD-UjUTP74u9yrKSbRPZ-Povb3x3Aj3TGlLM9Uth8SrFwuIKj8Y4Veufv_nYhc-iVYtKKWjDGjvP90gc8UTYkHMTfNw7mv0OpuG5DLicMDUkw5rpV43_uiLC8Y/s320/IMG_4887.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfRaH7GMjI17H7KYeWmdExdTROVK-AeuK1Q6IDAXKluJKOiGAiddbtxkkEI5OEnNmvXmhA7Gcbgyt4fyU-_bvKp9nH7bAvO7unM-1fdo_S0tKqwJPSIqAGOBWVpHXVKpGjaWPAFx8QS_gbwkTIPim407dUQ6eQHoiKJTlaKgLLatLz9mNQTpx63fULBIw/s4032/IMG_4888.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfRaH7GMjI17H7KYeWmdExdTROVK-AeuK1Q6IDAXKluJKOiGAiddbtxkkEI5OEnNmvXmhA7Gcbgyt4fyU-_bvKp9nH7bAvO7unM-1fdo_S0tKqwJPSIqAGOBWVpHXVKpGjaWPAFx8QS_gbwkTIPim407dUQ6eQHoiKJTlaKgLLatLz9mNQTpx63fULBIw/s320/IMG_4888.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTtcojZnuqpi_a9i6kju0GFlDh8EGqz5MZGPYbjn3hs6fQSqDeGTt7VrefOdMeCvw8CIgX4UkG0G_FdLS4_-zKfs1OwUW5buEk9JjxK7m0K2DP022GKHnyhBINIDiflZ1tnZSeMzvMsVdNdADsfyTC1jSrQWlR6YivRQsMldj34bCGuoV75Fir0x0pYhQ/s4032/IMG_4889.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTtcojZnuqpi_a9i6kju0GFlDh8EGqz5MZGPYbjn3hs6fQSqDeGTt7VrefOdMeCvw8CIgX4UkG0G_FdLS4_-zKfs1OwUW5buEk9JjxK7m0K2DP022GKHnyhBINIDiflZ1tnZSeMzvMsVdNdADsfyTC1jSrQWlR6YivRQsMldj34bCGuoV75Fir0x0pYhQ/s320/IMG_4889.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2sQkHVF6bafqnHY9rozTNxbldyGYttkyxyHlrqfKFqUuiGYmU2rzoBdlYRrksOAzwBmIJeC_Orp2eakIRzKDInagkw5ZqHhhgndA_UFITgjHHIoXP1-XnbtAhXYxNTs2gl3dnauk9LFaombMzYR2KgumDLXHDaNiQKFV774a954nIqw8x4X2DnTdK_Nw/s4032/IMG_4890.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2sQkHVF6bafqnHY9rozTNxbldyGYttkyxyHlrqfKFqUuiGYmU2rzoBdlYRrksOAzwBmIJeC_Orp2eakIRzKDInagkw5ZqHhhgndA_UFITgjHHIoXP1-XnbtAhXYxNTs2gl3dnauk9LFaombMzYR2KgumDLXHDaNiQKFV774a954nIqw8x4X2DnTdK_Nw/s320/IMG_4890.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzyQLuaAoeKmID5o2-zZ0OBzy6OkQK_iY8SnlIBBdqqnyFJXpP23RsjDJQuSU1K-AviKbRSU41-dv_pWig71S0JtMF5ANjRPUZmDOLCCR5zOdOWmJl2mzC3SyO1TYke3FAS6ll1YIKs4L7QPQzmLO8bQMgGQ4HGuElYsNXgThWqYKnoMvLwiiMY4A4r2o/s4032/IMG_4891.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzyQLuaAoeKmID5o2-zZ0OBzy6OkQK_iY8SnlIBBdqqnyFJXpP23RsjDJQuSU1K-AviKbRSU41-dv_pWig71S0JtMF5ANjRPUZmDOLCCR5zOdOWmJl2mzC3SyO1TYke3FAS6ll1YIKs4L7QPQzmLO8bQMgGQ4HGuElYsNXgThWqYKnoMvLwiiMY4A4r2o/s320/IMG_4891.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzfP6J1Zzo_DxNBDA5-wGOm7Wpi4_K1O0w9axEURVudrWpRugt5s5yAUSLNNCHcg8FJT7597OVmmwSkJpkhXg' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div><br /></div>What must be one of the world's shortest <a href="https://www.scenicworld.com.au/experience/scenic-skyway" target="_blank">gondola rides</a> (720 meters/2362 feet) was already operating:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhROcE79ONlhC8SvDAjh8Z-oM23hEBIefMOduHX18-GfAOWexqotaNaM18Nc3qUony24Rj6lUAGZCgLAPJZXer2PVYrXS-e3UZkpko8tG_RQqjFa6n1VLezj3YOqMwvBPhOREWW30n6jFMRjpxoIitmviPX9l4THcQFbYqUM2ICCxNxjyPFi0umBAwLA48/s4032/IMG_4894.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhROcE79ONlhC8SvDAjh8Z-oM23hEBIefMOduHX18-GfAOWexqotaNaM18Nc3qUony24Rj6lUAGZCgLAPJZXer2PVYrXS-e3UZkpko8tG_RQqjFa6n1VLezj3YOqMwvBPhOREWW30n6jFMRjpxoIitmviPX9l4THcQFbYqUM2ICCxNxjyPFi0umBAwLA48/s320/IMG_4894.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>A crackle of cockatoos in flight:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmOHqw_DJMQ4sjktFV6BMVlKIrhk3gyCl6VcavtSs-aR_MagCbQCMCR4HHenzVscAh22BcmCi1bzFRmoVsW_BV3nfgjvwsssbuYMcCuBRQq4nhLgC0SUcru0gXCCtsTbeckVF6IJGIeiEo9rOZmyEiDg9ybLud4DyK2HKScceZWhLoDU-9d-K23UET5rc/s4032/IMG_4895.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmOHqw_DJMQ4sjktFV6BMVlKIrhk3gyCl6VcavtSs-aR_MagCbQCMCR4HHenzVscAh22BcmCi1bzFRmoVsW_BV3nfgjvwsssbuYMcCuBRQq4nhLgC0SUcru0gXCCtsTbeckVF6IJGIeiEo9rOZmyEiDg9ybLud4DyK2HKScceZWhLoDU-9d-K23UET5rc/s320/IMG_4895.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Katoomba_Falls" target="_blank">Katoomba Falls</a>:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTayXazQ0Vc4i_xUEcGJi0AJgTzYLsY9wmBlTN89MlWpEW-aB3t6Q3OX0E39Ijz9eD83hJS8dgqVQdJ1kMGdpn3aarmjbgja3Sil0zqonyubVoJ_iz5SOpYC1u-itKJkxrs63TxEdeSd1DQog4uf-BErrn-g8nwOcCiFhKjs-_84h2sjufVPjpdDNFgNo/s4032/IMG_4897.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTayXazQ0Vc4i_xUEcGJi0AJgTzYLsY9wmBlTN89MlWpEW-aB3t6Q3OX0E39Ijz9eD83hJS8dgqVQdJ1kMGdpn3aarmjbgja3Sil0zqonyubVoJ_iz5SOpYC1u-itKJkxrs63TxEdeSd1DQog4uf-BErrn-g8nwOcCiFhKjs-_84h2sjufVPjpdDNFgNo/s320/IMG_4897.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOXu5wKdXV9Yyqzt0vvF_Gx5jG4jX-Bn2viL5GQby488Bhe0-kynk142h9pU7hCeEoBFRvO6rNVsvFo7FWoofLLXp-ndxxpt4ej5NNrGC9XuexvSHvULq-s0gRAKVu-HYRCjqRZ37xGgMXpugBY6bIRFTvoEDcuKiv3FeUGY56bR3RX2RFNNYIdcki8VE/s4032/IMG_4899.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOXu5wKdXV9Yyqzt0vvF_Gx5jG4jX-Bn2viL5GQby488Bhe0-kynk142h9pU7hCeEoBFRvO6rNVsvFo7FWoofLLXp-ndxxpt4ej5NNrGC9XuexvSHvULq-s0gRAKVu-HYRCjqRZ37xGgMXpugBY6bIRFTvoEDcuKiv3FeUGY56bR3RX2RFNNYIdcki8VE/s320/IMG_4899.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The mist eventually caught up with us here, as well. I'm guessing the folks who forked over the Aussie dollars for the Scenic Skyway weren't seeing much from 270 meters/886 feet up:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAjsmNWknAN9KkVC0eB31kMG_MuAP1oyExlEWOwRsy0BT6T4fkM8WCaeG9NyWK2GC_TDoKzwfXJEzIicYsIbc8gc2oSGD7KD2mSFdgJzvfTV0tm-K3D63eANfSC2mC6SZVnqUMbOPQpxkgGnVeDgPEQQALmhZrEnxx-LUYiqHZvcViZYAuGbHoJviKNpM/s4032/IMG_4902.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAjsmNWknAN9KkVC0eB31kMG_MuAP1oyExlEWOwRsy0BT6T4fkM8WCaeG9NyWK2GC_TDoKzwfXJEzIicYsIbc8gc2oSGD7KD2mSFdgJzvfTV0tm-K3D63eANfSC2mC6SZVnqUMbOPQpxkgGnVeDgPEQQALmhZrEnxx-LUYiqHZvcViZYAuGbHoJviKNpM/s320/IMG_4902.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Leaving the reserve, we stopped for a mid-morning sweet fix at the <a href="http://www.bluemountainschocolate.com.au/" target="_blank">Blue Mountains Chocolate Company</a>:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_D2M3XNc7mrSQH_nAcMbGTg0cwVu2PpUFYBjwk6UMo0BG4m4KGOf-Epevny7RcqMmx9ykvIoagcmQ1GosYt1kiPH-K4EtumBoDCE4-K0uLmCkuAwbGWVvyk7sVWw9dwpytP4iMJ1pHpg-pxWd9OX086p27BUc2Rr9HY0EXnAfPMXAsQWnlmn0NbgZ3MI/s4032/IMG_4905.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_D2M3XNc7mrSQH_nAcMbGTg0cwVu2PpUFYBjwk6UMo0BG4m4KGOf-Epevny7RcqMmx9ykvIoagcmQ1GosYt1kiPH-K4EtumBoDCE4-K0uLmCkuAwbGWVvyk7sVWw9dwpytP4iMJ1pHpg-pxWd9OX086p27BUc2Rr9HY0EXnAfPMXAsQWnlmn0NbgZ3MI/s320/IMG_4905.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5LV63xy6lyzY-_GTbHD8U4sNl58eCgohXkJXrtMCKF-a7RDBpLIYRdYmQ0cQnBhcprXpkVCiVX1tF-sbQTUbn9fRm8NBWpjYq5YcWE1fZLmhcFgsfd4T5tqcDuLYg-BPPq1WXOp4p_R5TlpusEZKlnpFqtFtldaM7N6ni5qoQa7AFWh0MEWNw4ZLGzKA/s3968/IMG_4906.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3968" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5LV63xy6lyzY-_GTbHD8U4sNl58eCgohXkJXrtMCKF-a7RDBpLIYRdYmQ0cQnBhcprXpkVCiVX1tF-sbQTUbn9fRm8NBWpjYq5YcWE1fZLmhcFgsfd4T5tqcDuLYg-BPPq1WXOp4p_R5TlpusEZKlnpFqtFtldaM7N6ni5qoQa7AFWh0MEWNw4ZLGzKA/s320/IMG_4906.jpg" width="244" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJwwo3amLdy-ISE8JJJUxQC-xdiZSA5PoQi74peSmTtahKGiJVB16mvTe5OYgiOT48BkoJYBD7eSIke0qsb1WLxBOBRlqK86PWcMfI5FJtAZ7GwUqT4FQ_KdNu-tA4BXy78OH_BeXCtYYh9CdEDw9YnD0tMvqUu3nXdq5yRDBbvRivqyXfBqfmQ8J7qCA/s4032/IMG_4907.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJwwo3amLdy-ISE8JJJUxQC-xdiZSA5PoQi74peSmTtahKGiJVB16mvTe5OYgiOT48BkoJYBD7eSIke0qsb1WLxBOBRlqK86PWcMfI5FJtAZ7GwUqT4FQ_KdNu-tA4BXy78OH_BeXCtYYh9CdEDw9YnD0tMvqUu3nXdq5yRDBbvRivqyXfBqfmQ8J7qCA/s320/IMG_4907.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>For me, it was the scenery evoking <i>Twin Peaks </i>(and revealing my age) that will be the highlight of our short jaunt to the Blue Mountains. For my wife, it was the opportunity to do some browsing in the shops of central Katoomba that she will probably most recall. Though she might choose to suppress the memory of her husband discovering his inner Trotsky at a haberdashery (I ended purchasing a lighter colored version of this socialist cap):</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTq_ZaEdtX9zOaYt_oBrs8Pcl7wzvLymOEJfdR7nSCSWc5cdu5E7z3lmDBQuU7ZNieGNTrTRWhO178L_Pvo-EHOC4m9len9zCy-jOq8DakEgJVa2-Vt6x37BsRHFcawifnTdzCpRiPYDK9_jdLToPyLZMytCODzCHG1mibehRuc7oeNmA2mR_b2QolLOQ/s1486/b3e7b3e49b55099afdce4d6c910a1f89.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1486" data-original-width="1224" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTq_ZaEdtX9zOaYt_oBrs8Pcl7wzvLymOEJfdR7nSCSWc5cdu5E7z3lmDBQuU7ZNieGNTrTRWhO178L_Pvo-EHOC4m9len9zCy-jOq8DakEgJVa2-Vt6x37BsRHFcawifnTdzCpRiPYDK9_jdLToPyLZMytCODzCHG1mibehRuc7oeNmA2mR_b2QolLOQ/s320/b3e7b3e49b55099afdce4d6c910a1f89.JPG" width="264" /></a></div><div><br /></div>I came close to purchasing a cricket bat in an antique shop, but not this one. The asking price was AU$695 (US$460). Another customer said the cost was reasonable as the bat was signed, but by whom I had no idea:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIXN_mVZgMoZFQcdohoBHVbW7pWpFtDm3TDqSeWkv6ySeG71cSX0R9YFDhn-veo0-Yud8MfH8PEaf1twE0Mc_HsBxUvacQNHck7JkHmPJBVoggqzqT_1tTn8qg74T-rsfHbzFR-HVuuv_o6iR6sKL8Onf8O6vUZPxqhTymzLYVNHdawzt49MVywW0HFw8/s4032/IMG_4913.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIXN_mVZgMoZFQcdohoBHVbW7pWpFtDm3TDqSeWkv6ySeG71cSX0R9YFDhn-veo0-Yud8MfH8PEaf1twE0Mc_HsBxUvacQNHck7JkHmPJBVoggqzqT_1tTn8qg74T-rsfHbzFR-HVuuv_o6iR6sKL8Onf8O6vUZPxqhTymzLYVNHdawzt49MVywW0HFw8/s320/IMG_4913.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5ZYOh1gT7yJGi7ssyqBcXoyFxbyfP-uGEyVMLh22GEBNovMezXN6kipuIlhy9f5eK5hhb64NILs2r_L-tGVBggPNftZpTY9Ub7nCZuUthbanWpOMoDinH-9lIkS5Py0oJy0-oIMenzsIOH1nat5ys6mbqA8H6oQrAYC_BS79BgxBICzEQ1d_OJj-zjdA/s3876/IMG_4914.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3876" data-original-width="2907" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5ZYOh1gT7yJGi7ssyqBcXoyFxbyfP-uGEyVMLh22GEBNovMezXN6kipuIlhy9f5eK5hhb64NILs2r_L-tGVBggPNftZpTY9Ub7nCZuUthbanWpOMoDinH-9lIkS5Py0oJy0-oIMenzsIOH1nat5ys6mbqA8H6oQrAYC_BS79BgxBICzEQ1d_OJj-zjdA/s320/IMG_4914.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi94VBM8DjZ6sxIOOVLIha9-KL2vBxMhUH6LamvvUUFkBYH2xKzeQPlZoosZlmbqECAZwDEYqalwn38GLJsJEJBf8oL5b81dJL5gZCVEOxABI9CK0VYz6IpgzeQLRrDWj76mP6DHO5fZW1roQWeC4-iZvYke3XhXIlOT-WNWPbjMxV04BYn_SEPV4lFPjI/s4032/IMG_4915.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi94VBM8DjZ6sxIOOVLIha9-KL2vBxMhUH6LamvvUUFkBYH2xKzeQPlZoosZlmbqECAZwDEYqalwn38GLJsJEJBf8oL5b81dJL5gZCVEOxABI9CK0VYz6IpgzeQLRrDWj76mP6DHO5fZW1roQWeC4-iZvYke3XhXIlOT-WNWPbjMxV04BYn_SEPV4lFPjI/s320/IMG_4915.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8MjaMne-9xSjmjjjpZxikQRTWLda3HkzVZHIvNus0BIz9w3KwJjrw9FHFtem1KKaVUmcjOuIdNCFpMSLncYlrD_a5yL-BsPH6cRov830aGDscZKOiapaQjyrVpr3qYVyvzNNb-eHyXdM_GLfvogTLghR8y7D_b-6g9vuzqEZDAQ3zunYfxZ2GIfBYIHQ/s4032/IMG_4917.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8MjaMne-9xSjmjjjpZxikQRTWLda3HkzVZHIvNus0BIz9w3KwJjrw9FHFtem1KKaVUmcjOuIdNCFpMSLncYlrD_a5yL-BsPH6cRov830aGDscZKOiapaQjyrVpr3qYVyvzNNb-eHyXdM_GLfvogTLghR8y7D_b-6g9vuzqEZDAQ3zunYfxZ2GIfBYIHQ/s320/IMG_4917.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>For lunch we found an empty table at <a href="https://stationbar.com.au/" target="_blank">Station Bar & Woodfired Pizza</a>:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9ZJiz7xvz1eWtPx7Wd4sOhs0PazR-inWkHcRTR3MsDEh6ybuHrrgX67VUJO-bt7hJQdTeE5OwmH9vjBEQKYHIlzlqgJgG15avNP-4tktY5xdAqql4wc_afEp5yS1vy0IMJ1FxVzufSbndPmPDJP0pfEWfAUO-0VLkWgS0waNdHERYTPesdCRIXh-9LR8/s4032/IMG_4918.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9ZJiz7xvz1eWtPx7Wd4sOhs0PazR-inWkHcRTR3MsDEh6ybuHrrgX67VUJO-bt7hJQdTeE5OwmH9vjBEQKYHIlzlqgJgG15avNP-4tktY5xdAqql4wc_afEp5yS1vy0IMJ1FxVzufSbndPmPDJP0pfEWfAUO-0VLkWgS0waNdHERYTPesdCRIXh-9LR8/s320/IMG_4918.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The pizza I had was topped with kangaroo meat. Australia's iconic marsupial outnumbers Australians, so no guilt was felt:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-ePyY9-EaAbwpHipQtxd2AGvR32_dThjvSRV1FLn0juuD-GASRjggdUESBduIqGLTi2X_eqOmejgSaVpEQh3pAthQW_owTQl2nZc_k0BnriH0gOKgL78erpk6bleP_fA9gxRQXwuzP9ZKsvlYTdxIXzU3ZrFYvhVfnjrhW1ShpGK2qRCb8Ihmt7r0tI8/s4032/IMG_4919.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-ePyY9-EaAbwpHipQtxd2AGvR32_dThjvSRV1FLn0juuD-GASRjggdUESBduIqGLTi2X_eqOmejgSaVpEQh3pAthQW_owTQl2nZc_k0BnriH0gOKgL78erpk6bleP_fA9gxRQXwuzP9ZKsvlYTdxIXzU3ZrFYvhVfnjrhW1ShpGK2qRCb8Ihmt7r0tI8/s320/IMG_4919.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>While the girls continued their window shopping at another antique shop, I spent time in <a href="http://www.mrpickwick.com.au/" target="_blank">Mr. Pickwick's Fine Old Books</a>. Despite the many Aussie-themed tomes on the shelves, I couldn't locate a copy of <i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Fatal-Shore-Epic-Australias-Founding/dp/0394753666/ref=sr_1_1?crid=23OMZWYQ93REO&keywords=the+fatal+shore&qid=1705929618&s=books&sprefix=the+fatal+shore%2Cstripbooks%2C580&sr=1-1" target="_blank">The Fatal Shore</a></i> by Robert Hughes. Guess I'll have to purchase a new copy from Amazon, and thus ensure the author continues to receive royalties:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoadte1xRQVmrmeJR4qbIFfjjJla2n_0Zknq-kb91UIctX0gVZ7XbfTGaNxkutSBIXXMDZgAwYRfbLOwf3khWypuBQHcp8PAbhD9GXLCh3-vkwgm8QA3f6cMNXt8hEuyAj7asPqqOw2-_5XSoDhmJhofBEPuDD8DLEIf3fZUIS5QJDK0OtcdsJJk4BpU0/s4032/IMG_4921.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoadte1xRQVmrmeJR4qbIFfjjJla2n_0Zknq-kb91UIctX0gVZ7XbfTGaNxkutSBIXXMDZgAwYRfbLOwf3khWypuBQHcp8PAbhD9GXLCh3-vkwgm8QA3f6cMNXt8hEuyAj7asPqqOw2-_5XSoDhmJhofBEPuDD8DLEIf3fZUIS5QJDK0OtcdsJJk4BpU0/s320/IMG_4921.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5jdJvKGp4HFcSF-TGycuNDofVt7fPM8GWfa6R9DNrSipGv3rqr5lGbrNGEdjonVH0VceAzNg5uLOHW0MlokwxLjeTYZAo-Ncaysv_U2gLLYye2ooX1AQNToOdxEyyvFQSwCbpiGh4EaSOr26c5epY3RI6PCApiYCcs4bCgW1hPeJrITztKE9MGdzHkU0/s3785/IMG_4922.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2967" data-original-width="3785" height="251" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5jdJvKGp4HFcSF-TGycuNDofVt7fPM8GWfa6R9DNrSipGv3rqr5lGbrNGEdjonVH0VceAzNg5uLOHW0MlokwxLjeTYZAo-Ncaysv_U2gLLYye2ooX1AQNToOdxEyyvFQSwCbpiGh4EaSOr26c5epY3RI6PCApiYCcs4bCgW1hPeJrITztKE9MGdzHkU0/s320/IMG_4922.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD4ahiJXKpLgjKEQaLlp9aX-p6-Tx5tv862ZZYcHSw307DSypyYwy684xOJyxHs59HRcM99TN9BHMXg8O6yWKQtB1JYLF9eKkTfCNevjnzeKsdW0oer_0sh_R2OP4ooVqXYbDvG98jLEqSq7MknF2yAquVddIhemhH47TbMEkU9PxvlRDw8_jnCdA30K4/s4032/IMG_4925.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD4ahiJXKpLgjKEQaLlp9aX-p6-Tx5tv862ZZYcHSw307DSypyYwy684xOJyxHs59HRcM99TN9BHMXg8O6yWKQtB1JYLF9eKkTfCNevjnzeKsdW0oer_0sh_R2OP4ooVqXYbDvG98jLEqSq7MknF2yAquVddIhemhH47TbMEkU9PxvlRDw8_jnCdA30K4/s320/IMG_4925.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Eventually, the time came to leave Katoomba and the Blue Mountains, and head to the coast, and our evening's accommodation, the <a href="https://www.bayhousemotel.com.au/en/" target="_blank">Bay House Motel</a> in Bateau Bay. It turned out there wasn't much open in the way of dining-in in Bateau Bay, so we ended up getting some food to go:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWsGsOGGL9El2zlzpDr_qG6eiPs2dZKFVkenoOfbTAEXfJup4-svUQEv98c8Fgqgh1M7v2t0xeHjoOr5Nq5RZcb2AF0ngTNXAHuoKbLSZC8_bHcOVixbnK7MHHEgcOpP8rzGIaXPWHjIrZgEeq6OaEsIFfuLKojNHNU3dMVjnHaBP8xiQ0yI0KHqK__6o/s3549/IMG_4928.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="3549" height="273" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWsGsOGGL9El2zlzpDr_qG6eiPs2dZKFVkenoOfbTAEXfJup4-svUQEv98c8Fgqgh1M7v2t0xeHjoOr5Nq5RZcb2AF0ngTNXAHuoKbLSZC8_bHcOVixbnK7MHHEgcOpP8rzGIaXPWHjIrZgEeq6OaEsIFfuLKojNHNU3dMVjnHaBP8xiQ0yI0KHqK__6o/s320/IMG_4928.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Pay phones still exist in Australia because the government pays Telstra, Australia's largest mobile network, to do so. <a href="https://www.telstra.com.au/exchange/payphones-free-for-calls-australia" target="_blank">The calls are free</a>:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM0qI7ve5mZVrOE6aXncxqLkXAw8tE-4ZnzbxcrAoDvTGDsFt9ZrmalFSbuWpvKYePeWR9Rk79ZELDv3BOasQAVFWV9JNLn1ETgF8IzKoLQNULk0suAVLgC_mKl4w8Ju3PYRyi_pJwnConp2Z6_T9tZIfEQ5rUfsAM_RO9RS88jhJPT__irct_4v8rCc4/s3881/IMG_4929.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3881" data-original-width="2911" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM0qI7ve5mZVrOE6aXncxqLkXAw8tE-4ZnzbxcrAoDvTGDsFt9ZrmalFSbuWpvKYePeWR9Rk79ZELDv3BOasQAVFWV9JNLn1ETgF8IzKoLQNULk0suAVLgC_mKl4w8Ju3PYRyi_pJwnConp2Z6_T9tZIfEQ5rUfsAM_RO9RS88jhJPT__irct_4v8rCc4/s320/IMG_4929.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Dining al fresco at the motel:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHQcRB3-dKNV4MfX3nJP7BUF4u5lm1EcPv6TVEsZd6AyFduz8-aMFybICfplLEXlPKUZ_dIIZ99XWElKWpk1M7A-KM-GnVsipxMBjb_GIpO7rkJfa2Re4jmPI54W3CJdL1oMMQhVJCnLRDTc_Dtw4lrUNho8MY1cghgo8s7SqIRtThr8z1Gdz5kDAKPzs/s4032/IMG_4931.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHQcRB3-dKNV4MfX3nJP7BUF4u5lm1EcPv6TVEsZd6AyFduz8-aMFybICfplLEXlPKUZ_dIIZ99XWElKWpk1M7A-KM-GnVsipxMBjb_GIpO7rkJfa2Re4jmPI54W3CJdL1oMMQhVJCnLRDTc_Dtw4lrUNho8MY1cghgo8s7SqIRtThr8z1Gdz5kDAKPzs/s320/IMG_4931.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>After sunset we crossed the street to the Blue Lagoon Beach Resort, which has public access to the beach. But only until 1700 hours...:</div><div> <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_sDLYLH4ia5XmC_IoxOcZSlvf74d-6mzEUJJgmAS1zHOKtR4Il69i-J4Vst4PsSV7h2jbQX4wzDPKCb6fc0oZyN8DA6QFNeUaMPuea6SAGBrfa15mR4zhhAOkVRuV3NefVe9NkUeNWF-oWUHPxjgzEOojC3A7_m2W_MKFW97wU7EJx8AP82m7oS2TDxE/s2962/IMG_4933.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2225" data-original-width="2962" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_sDLYLH4ia5XmC_IoxOcZSlvf74d-6mzEUJJgmAS1zHOKtR4Il69i-J4Vst4PsSV7h2jbQX4wzDPKCb6fc0oZyN8DA6QFNeUaMPuea6SAGBrfa15mR4zhhAOkVRuV3NefVe9NkUeNWF-oWUHPxjgzEOojC3A7_m2W_MKFW97wU7EJx8AP82m7oS2TDxE/s320/IMG_4933.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiReJf0m_QR4QA_lRW8KO4CkUpoYWTM-Wu2uzvKH6BdS6DwGrw0cJnECbCTX7XLSqYSr1oBY0REu96cssS461BwWnoq3zMwc7Y8nM8EKjTC2cJ7DGxhBa9rzMo4bLbc3rBdpsJvef2elNtUsDRSmNa_kuKXfW_O5m5SzmbsYIU78TW_QrQU1j_MtQmB2eI/s3870/IMG_4934.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2903" data-original-width="3870" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiReJf0m_QR4QA_lRW8KO4CkUpoYWTM-Wu2uzvKH6BdS6DwGrw0cJnECbCTX7XLSqYSr1oBY0REu96cssS461BwWnoq3zMwc7Y8nM8EKjTC2cJ7DGxhBa9rzMo4bLbc3rBdpsJvef2elNtUsDRSmNa_kuKXfW_O5m5SzmbsYIU78TW_QrQU1j_MtQmB2eI/s320/IMG_4934.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMhvB2kOnoyGkRsQHeqYf_Cw8pS8GBTjdzAZ5-l0xs04w8cocbvZcpcj5VosbYMNFyDJNqtNDbC3pDeKWcZ6wtO1u5m6w5XWeoko1VUniOMvDUsfXR6gOeU3mB625CIWmeTqiv9M1WbMkvuhuPf5Ot5w7TdapI2WZJViMlh4_76k1P0tHEvOXOmEoMdKU/s4032/IMG_4935.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMhvB2kOnoyGkRsQHeqYf_Cw8pS8GBTjdzAZ5-l0xs04w8cocbvZcpcj5VosbYMNFyDJNqtNDbC3pDeKWcZ6wtO1u5m6w5XWeoko1VUniOMvDUsfXR6gOeU3mB625CIWmeTqiv9M1WbMkvuhuPf5Ot5w7TdapI2WZJViMlh4_76k1P0tHEvOXOmEoMdKU/s320/IMG_4935.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Shu-E ain't afraid of no ghosts:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6ZxvCyVEj0vawP77ER4TUTtyFofGjxc8-fYEoDtuYee1N5wwgzOoqCTzSaLWzjbs0U_uXCmq7FjhKQ3m5s2QywP3S8NiQBAkhSdmyV_k7H4NSfqNrhaGsFp-x05JYoweK-W9J9g5RTJCyXewhyD0Utn327feeUvGt0d_l6YPpsE5Ki8hkmKBA_F_ZsmM/s2121/5ca34396cd3b2417d8761f6ad20d0357.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1590" data-original-width="2121" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6ZxvCyVEj0vawP77ER4TUTtyFofGjxc8-fYEoDtuYee1N5wwgzOoqCTzSaLWzjbs0U_uXCmq7FjhKQ3m5s2QywP3S8NiQBAkhSdmyV_k7H4NSfqNrhaGsFp-x05JYoweK-W9J9g5RTJCyXewhyD0Utn327feeUvGt0d_l6YPpsE5Ki8hkmKBA_F_ZsmM/s320/5ca34396cd3b2417d8761f6ad20d0357.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Ending this entry with "Harbour Town", "a celebration of hedonistic Sydney nights"* from the Sydney synthpop band Icehouse:</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/kjHBEE6SoGs" width="320" youtube-src-id="kjHBEE6SoGs"></iframe></div><div><br /></div>*All Sydney-related musical selections come courtesy of Lonely Planet's Sydney guide<br /><div><br /><p><br /></p></div>Kaminogehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07925637671913689331noreply@blogger.com0Mr. Pickwick's Fine Old Books, 84 Katoomba St, Katoomba NSW 2780, Australia-33.7138988 150.3119193-62.024132636178848 115.1556693 -5.4036649638211571 -174.5318307tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2497220891386919340.post-11832134585602597062024-01-21T20:40:00.002+08:002024-01-21T20:40:50.503+08:00Welcome to the real world<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje2PuztWZwIj7uQORknGJLCHyarkDm9FT7h4f8M9rDnLpdvt3ytR6NVSLzNDprGOBWrZ9lc-qIyjphFZPQzfFsr21oneiRBMpzziorNMA_2cPzH4m4ID1FfGKQV670Zy2Ib-Kbi-Kew68fddwllkCO5tzpyaaaOLmYZV4jQxtIxRBsv7OrSacwBhtgrXc/s3853/IMG_3196.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2890" data-original-width="3853" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje2PuztWZwIj7uQORknGJLCHyarkDm9FT7h4f8M9rDnLpdvt3ytR6NVSLzNDprGOBWrZ9lc-qIyjphFZPQzfFsr21oneiRBMpzziorNMA_2cPzH4m4ID1FfGKQV670Zy2Ib-Kbi-Kew68fddwllkCO5tzpyaaaOLmYZV4jQxtIxRBsv7OrSacwBhtgrXc/s320/IMG_3196.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><i><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Not a certificate of adulthood, but the program of the entertainment for lunch</i></div></i><p></p><p>I interrupt this blog for an important news flash. As of this day my daughter is now a legal adult, having reached another in what I hope will be an ongoing series of positive milestones. To celebrate her 18th, my wife took charge of organizing the festivities, reserving a table for three for lunch at a restaurant called Gong Yan 宫宴, located in Beijing's 北京 Qianmen Street 前门大街:</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpTss-3q_Ijd4P9Q-OCuBQdN1nKsJF4fRXjGCh4kIg8njwsVy7Ja-J6lh-wB9i6YxYWYS2EFqsCET8UiDphPeVP9wFx-aPfQe5SYfI3WPXhNlEmy47XXKKqfNzzvtc3E85SO5CpUGKZC-2P8FKuEOIiFrnGtEyIKpgJGP2rC-BAb4ykqpLH7b33Y6qly4/s3498/IMG_5544.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2950" data-original-width="3498" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpTss-3q_Ijd4P9Q-OCuBQdN1nKsJF4fRXjGCh4kIg8njwsVy7Ja-J6lh-wB9i6YxYWYS2EFqsCET8UiDphPeVP9wFx-aPfQe5SYfI3WPXhNlEmy47XXKKqfNzzvtc3E85SO5CpUGKZC-2P8FKuEOIiFrnGtEyIKpgJGP2rC-BAb4ykqpLH7b33Y6qly4/s320/IMG_5544.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Being greeted as we step off the elevator:<div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4WNpn_jriQNWDVibkTLfykJkZtdX0yyMbj2JHHib_zPDZbEJWYlvbmuMOjA-PVy6XovHDyO3vYsrfzFl4ur4MlIHxkC7pitotM_ngvSuKHJXuFyrdjCWZ_3YnmiYViQ1D5XddtLCsZYLqqEVBfwz8MXavrRY4DgGV85IXSa0hff39i5SHmZtEIgoNdhY/s3395/IMG_5483.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2163" data-original-width="3395" height="204" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4WNpn_jriQNWDVibkTLfykJkZtdX0yyMbj2JHHib_zPDZbEJWYlvbmuMOjA-PVy6XovHDyO3vYsrfzFl4ur4MlIHxkC7pitotM_ngvSuKHJXuFyrdjCWZ_3YnmiYViQ1D5XddtLCsZYLqqEVBfwz8MXavrRY4DgGV85IXSa0hff39i5SHmZtEIgoNdhY/s320/IMG_5483.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The restaurant splashes out on a themed banquet that includes performances (very) loosely based on Chinese dynastic histories. What makes the experience a bit more immersive than most shows-with-food is that at Gong Yan the diners can choose to dress up for lunch. Amber looked most fetching in an outfit presumably meant to evoke a female member of the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Song_dynasty" target="_blank">Song dynasty</a> 宋朝 aristocracy:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK-k3e6ho4AjYz0pDJz-otIMmOHLFCH-QCjccLe7Oj_cVpOWKIVlQY5Wr4v3kqSiVXJYW4FTOVMW6ZHQmTJOwzSe0yRtdyoEZRAuuourRvNpccYf9Xpf53OUMBAOtlMLqUdKuP1Nt2zZ51GA1Vps_gYyWkMqUz_RurAasPZvJVTovvVc2d5eNoR6JuLN4/s3895/IMG_3159.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3895" data-original-width="2922" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK-k3e6ho4AjYz0pDJz-otIMmOHLFCH-QCjccLe7Oj_cVpOWKIVlQY5Wr4v3kqSiVXJYW4FTOVMW6ZHQmTJOwzSe0yRtdyoEZRAuuourRvNpccYf9Xpf53OUMBAOtlMLqUdKuP1Nt2zZ51GA1Vps_gYyWkMqUz_RurAasPZvJVTovvVc2d5eNoR6JuLN4/s320/IMG_3159.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD32jrFQZb82dzkL9PQjlrpxtyd1ppuE8j_GKmf_k_Dy0CctcKwyfuwR5SGQJX6CppFo02S6VNCRAW_WE_dTNkCyxjHsfO94PyHAx-yjmhNc2qLLPUALeR5LlYmo1pykA9p4vOzLh9gMEf8etfbQEIcitktoiJIIXppkLSrGkTIj2tUIZyqkCK0oc9vQ4/s4032/IMG_3165.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD32jrFQZb82dzkL9PQjlrpxtyd1ppuE8j_GKmf_k_Dy0CctcKwyfuwR5SGQJX6CppFo02S6VNCRAW_WE_dTNkCyxjHsfO94PyHAx-yjmhNc2qLLPUALeR5LlYmo1pykA9p4vOzLh9gMEf8etfbQEIcitktoiJIIXppkLSrGkTIj2tUIZyqkCK0oc9vQ4/s320/IMG_3165.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpid9uR2yMeXWAxOdpLlB2MopsDeLnw9Fniy5_c4Yb5BOBPnIP7XixPXy6RKtKIOt8AsQ7NMyhbn_8rr7usn1uyEgLKXBx5KFVDVvNC7Ns9FOLguXSs5kWB7qlRn_9B-nKps5dMHu-aG2xwCeiVx5IuARf1p4qc90xqC6DdBgJQkiltUDb5BHmjGMX1iI/s4032/IMG_3167.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpid9uR2yMeXWAxOdpLlB2MopsDeLnw9Fniy5_c4Yb5BOBPnIP7XixPXy6RKtKIOt8AsQ7NMyhbn_8rr7usn1uyEgLKXBx5KFVDVvNC7Ns9FOLguXSs5kWB7qlRn_9B-nKps5dMHu-aG2xwCeiVx5IuARf1p4qc90xqC6DdBgJQkiltUDb5BHmjGMX1iI/s320/IMG_3167.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfQuRj76elFqhPbuJkeEP9oGwit_t41MAGIL75xkkxetpy0PilaZLyiMaC1S-YwzPa5l3Zb4J9hG2htqYKW8m20MDIbIgFp4iAhQr7MM4ZQnc9ZnGaPtnZaZtZMqoa8fmUW5m8HeF1Gm3-xZULjBx8fp73auatwmMgLP3B5_vTQZp-83S-KlU2-PmCN7U/s3965/IMG_3170.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3965" data-original-width="2974" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfQuRj76elFqhPbuJkeEP9oGwit_t41MAGIL75xkkxetpy0PilaZLyiMaC1S-YwzPa5l3Zb4J9hG2htqYKW8m20MDIbIgFp4iAhQr7MM4ZQnc9ZnGaPtnZaZtZMqoa8fmUW5m8HeF1Gm3-xZULjBx8fp73auatwmMgLP3B5_vTQZp-83S-KlU2-PmCN7U/s320/IMG_3170.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM3cF9Y9YHR5huO85rOnXwngyFrzgjJqvrfKucpVmlDjw21WbqKHwzqmgFdVCjP029ZQUuimaYEE3HLtKUMPgqeazDelTiu1DY4dA2UnrYPlcOCEPllCWQX17ympZh6wNTwquKeZXFnyxf0sbIfG-9EtxHbYX5v9zTqxX3ti1nzkQ8Ht0jRY0cFRr1Nt4/s4032/IMG_5488.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM3cF9Y9YHR5huO85rOnXwngyFrzgjJqvrfKucpVmlDjw21WbqKHwzqmgFdVCjP029ZQUuimaYEE3HLtKUMPgqeazDelTiu1DY4dA2UnrYPlcOCEPllCWQX17ympZh6wNTwquKeZXFnyxf0sbIfG-9EtxHbYX5v9zTqxX3ti1nzkQ8Ht0jRY0cFRr1Nt4/s320/IMG_5488.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7LkmTb0PK9Gvwh-txS8pa0P47mqsy6Fw3dnq9uejxtqcrp3OBxtdJYQVmMv3X6eYSQWV6sRG6IKgKIM3Z7wr1bOg-D9HKM0370L1mjzZsN3ctKayI2SpXayHDoizlfArBXPE4tsbEXIZJw5QDB3VGSI8CSO8jNNBhQgJlTmGYFKtJ1GW_9_bF55yAcnE/s3810/IMG_3175.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3810" data-original-width="2857" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7LkmTb0PK9Gvwh-txS8pa0P47mqsy6Fw3dnq9uejxtqcrp3OBxtdJYQVmMv3X6eYSQWV6sRG6IKgKIM3Z7wr1bOg-D9HKM0370L1mjzZsN3ctKayI2SpXayHDoizlfArBXPE4tsbEXIZJw5QDB3VGSI8CSO8jNNBhQgJlTmGYFKtJ1GW_9_bF55yAcnE/s320/IMG_3175.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>As you can see, both Shu-E and I remained in modern-day dress. Many young female diners did, however, don the duds:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9wZeQE4HGKnqyEhQQgnh60i-5k4CfV1zWu4AhaHiIeMBt6T0BlzFg_C2QS7IsYl7dDuwRlhLpAfV_j2WvXv6MRulJJWGkeo0GqU006AbNL5WR6Jashx3_EmqO0lsKZRPWiyxMjYI0UDVp2-IKmhxkfoJRyJbsw5EHaPxKnUiaXWUZPiut3wR6iCYFuNQ/s3550/IMG_3182.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3550" data-original-width="2663" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9wZeQE4HGKnqyEhQQgnh60i-5k4CfV1zWu4AhaHiIeMBt6T0BlzFg_C2QS7IsYl7dDuwRlhLpAfV_j2WvXv6MRulJJWGkeo0GqU006AbNL5WR6Jashx3_EmqO0lsKZRPWiyxMjYI0UDVp2-IKmhxkfoJRyJbsw5EHaPxKnUiaXWUZPiut3wR6iCYFuNQ/s320/IMG_3182.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The food was quite good:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqcvTYYc5Jz0uWxJVW2dUnEzdACJP9Iz1Onnki1qgeQy5yx5vEQO4-Y1GXM3D9dzgtMT1pjXt3Tgnt4t2hn9kGKyk5sugSE-ScED2Ud3JcK5T4MsbCXW5M_k4hLFlvedtWt261-izQg1DgJshRnACzOICEYiE7JLjj7L6_bgxXv7F548RPTzkfGJjF5NM/s4032/IMG_5484.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2792" data-original-width="4032" height="222" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqcvTYYc5Jz0uWxJVW2dUnEzdACJP9Iz1Onnki1qgeQy5yx5vEQO4-Y1GXM3D9dzgtMT1pjXt3Tgnt4t2hn9kGKyk5sugSE-ScED2Ud3JcK5T4MsbCXW5M_k4hLFlvedtWt261-izQg1DgJshRnACzOICEYiE7JLjj7L6_bgxXv7F548RPTzkfGJjF5NM/s320/IMG_5484.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Waxberry sweets:</div><div> <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidV_osk3f_ft_AYR3S8qR29F_NkW7w1faR53tHuEPHc1CH59yaYt4VxRDqvLStZRAiqOaElsXVPXoqSmv1OtzRQHybXnuG1HCwpw4ouw3_coLDHTlOTpKVLimXlievvyzfYeUgK-BpPE48d7IUCRSMvhIEr0Yt8d8zLZ_0v3Mz78qhIvBgniNN4xHS9o0/s4032/IMG_5487.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidV_osk3f_ft_AYR3S8qR29F_NkW7w1faR53tHuEPHc1CH59yaYt4VxRDqvLStZRAiqOaElsXVPXoqSmv1OtzRQHybXnuG1HCwpw4ouw3_coLDHTlOTpKVLimXlievvyzfYeUgK-BpPE48d7IUCRSMvhIEr0Yt8d8zLZ_0v3Mz78qhIvBgniNN4xHS9o0/s320/IMG_5487.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Tofu soup:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisrSuPlRMLwnm9nmcVJ1tQRRoNdejwK07mn6K5vXa2dvXwZsr2VG4endVY527IlmOXx35h5Q3_L9ROilDq5KfMr8tAvW_09OK19tycLgWlMWpgTlH8-YkQYuxKk426b87BCx3i0s621fua2HMcaX_MwiTeSEbRCPrjLFq_3EZpH4D7rqTIN1psy8-OV08/s3024/IMG_5515.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2816" data-original-width="3024" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisrSuPlRMLwnm9nmcVJ1tQRRoNdejwK07mn6K5vXa2dvXwZsr2VG4endVY527IlmOXx35h5Q3_L9ROilDq5KfMr8tAvW_09OK19tycLgWlMWpgTlH8-YkQYuxKk426b87BCx3i0s621fua2HMcaX_MwiTeSEbRCPrjLFq_3EZpH4D7rqTIN1psy8-OV08/s320/IMG_5515.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Shrimp balls:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiONBNefkeMmokxAOxo1k6UH2sTol8KkI3LiVYDhyphenhyphenDZHsGzjVi8F6ej4rpW9snKQggEdeNvjlNAemwb1vixjUHGM41SVjvdKPWj9tx5_9Ts_DCjADIFWIOSKu4Pgdj-37G7Gbh9I_ECbuoht2prMyWcYNwAB_w7xd4ty7H6oaWfkPfLYCr2iyE_j_v_7bU/s3248/IMG_5518.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3248" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiONBNefkeMmokxAOxo1k6UH2sTol8KkI3LiVYDhyphenhyphenDZHsGzjVi8F6ej4rpW9snKQggEdeNvjlNAemwb1vixjUHGM41SVjvdKPWj9tx5_9Ts_DCjADIFWIOSKu4Pgdj-37G7Gbh9I_ECbuoht2prMyWcYNwAB_w7xd4ty7H6oaWfkPfLYCr2iyE_j_v_7bU/s320/IMG_5518.jpg" width="298" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Steamed wild yellow croaker:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9zbbfscEACOwYCPplif63vYhrHTT48wRfKEbp1RJzQAXC-iFyhuVUuTP2At4MMMwo9TBS9crmyiQtz2RBnG33T5PhMTqvXAgkMc-1M0PTnqkF_vDODodYIRlhkTl8Cum1_bU0bCvTTiCs6dka6Dk7lYmcgR4xu2s_OUlYPtWA5T5oQfUfPJVTXu4wxF0/s3600/IMG_5521.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3600" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9zbbfscEACOwYCPplif63vYhrHTT48wRfKEbp1RJzQAXC-iFyhuVUuTP2At4MMMwo9TBS9crmyiQtz2RBnG33T5PhMTqvXAgkMc-1M0PTnqkF_vDODodYIRlhkTl8Cum1_bU0bCvTTiCs6dka6Dk7lYmcgR4xu2s_OUlYPtWA5T5oQfUfPJVTXu4wxF0/s320/IMG_5521.jpg" width="269" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Braised pork tail (much tastier than it sounds). According to my wife, pig tails in Taiwan are a traditional birthday dish:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV5WsRfar1IoByIvV9_HNzZMAu8-d3ZbeCcrZsNNEGr8lb_0aAC7rIhlGW0Y4VHLZ_-O0fR3dSt8-S0bnlPEB_Un7KYhZD2d8Hr_hKCtsFN0frYalWXh3RrwY2DG3ZDCsCeq8dpw0Qg8_f0r-xzvpIL6v97MDu95XUdWqTZvNdmHya_XgGfCcctoNV9-U/s4032/IMG_5532.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV5WsRfar1IoByIvV9_HNzZMAu8-d3ZbeCcrZsNNEGr8lb_0aAC7rIhlGW0Y4VHLZ_-O0fR3dSt8-S0bnlPEB_Un7KYhZD2d8Hr_hKCtsFN0frYalWXh3RrwY2DG3ZDCsCeq8dpw0Qg8_f0r-xzvpIL6v97MDu95XUdWqTZvNdmHya_XgGfCcctoNV9-U/s320/IMG_5532.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>A sour soup stew:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcJcGxQmYlHqOfou0DNbMwQKlljL5ND6llv4cY4VSw1EsQhBSDjHMIBsOuK6Q2D575Kc5Fas2Um0IZ0_Z9IakVGrxok-raexKhmS1zV_ax4zvk7AsIG10l9RKGrMl4EAFoDgESGQ_ZfYXC7PN-FQY2CnlxPMi91rYlhX-bpDjjoOZvisCIZmFL4wB4KO4/s4032/IMG_5534.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcJcGxQmYlHqOfou0DNbMwQKlljL5ND6llv4cY4VSw1EsQhBSDjHMIBsOuK6Q2D575Kc5Fas2Um0IZ0_Z9IakVGrxok-raexKhmS1zV_ax4zvk7AsIG10l9RKGrMl4EAFoDgESGQ_ZfYXC7PN-FQY2CnlxPMi91rYlhX-bpDjjoOZvisCIZmFL4wB4KO4/s320/IMG_5534.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Noodle soup with shrimp roe, winter bamboo, bean sprouts, and garlic chives:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY31wyelFBXgFufVMqBRJib_lpF-ahaIm42poeeZf_xcZPaXL8g5GcU498xU0OxZh9FQJxgifkBKNge4iKEq3avU9pFdVE5qNfiSIg6FQul48vl0XQ0TYg_E626MEhVUXsPUeshgDm9UV_2ygCdttYf5BvJdMFt2ahsfItcR_cY4SI48mlUnIJGrE4qkI/s4032/IMG_5538.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY31wyelFBXgFufVMqBRJib_lpF-ahaIm42poeeZf_xcZPaXL8g5GcU498xU0OxZh9FQJxgifkBKNge4iKEq3avU9pFdVE5qNfiSIg6FQul48vl0XQ0TYg_E626MEhVUXsPUeshgDm9UV_2ygCdttYf5BvJdMFt2ahsfItcR_cY4SI48mlUnIJGrE4qkI/s320/IMG_5538.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Fruit yoghurt:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5-udcYOf5NANPM5AHFZqCMLfVRbPSxH_GLFYM3NPQuWo8V8RjOlXMD1YIbtMrB5ac-GoWFuFcmmg1JEj1OdETWItWQrNcphGaYdQPmhy4jzJzevjRX__qqX1qDpMzvTakZ9pabxMdMqSw3KuceNXBg9R1tKtdGtEbo4sYrkecK1kGWS5mSSAX8ehhfwk/s4032/IMG_5539.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5-udcYOf5NANPM5AHFZqCMLfVRbPSxH_GLFYM3NPQuWo8V8RjOlXMD1YIbtMrB5ac-GoWFuFcmmg1JEj1OdETWItWQrNcphGaYdQPmhy4jzJzevjRX__qqX1qDpMzvTakZ9pabxMdMqSw3KuceNXBg9R1tKtdGtEbo4sYrkecK1kGWS5mSSAX8ehhfwk/s320/IMG_5539.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The program for the lunchtime entertainment:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirMZ5Sc8Tva-9hH3PA57O_ycv6mCR38dvB9CofOmCvWKS9ntr-ytcrBH1ocdkL-BoO6Y6FwiDQJcaT1BQcHhbFy_h7zhzwaEFgUTT79VhKN4xuPBdkwdn3uQo4WTjPQJeIElhoGozROAMasMX_G1TyxE4huzykHdd8Z3TNsw8IIwcAazsoBbAXNoN9XMA/s3246/IMG_E5486.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1719" data-original-width="3246" height="169" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirMZ5Sc8Tva-9hH3PA57O_ycv6mCR38dvB9CofOmCvWKS9ntr-ytcrBH1ocdkL-BoO6Y6FwiDQJcaT1BQcHhbFy_h7zhzwaEFgUTT79VhKN4xuPBdkwdn3uQo4WTjPQJeIElhoGozROAMasMX_G1TyxE4huzykHdd8Z3TNsw8IIwcAazsoBbAXNoN9XMA/s320/IMG_E5486.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/cAX91RSJLOU" width="320" youtube-src-id="cAX91RSJLOU"></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV4wWqRiOu0Azb5IDLTjuM6XZnqpH_C384OKQM7xxyK26LnJZc5kk6qUiJlLvsKtDvhFaTMCBYM5QhQphjvsCu664qwzrGtG-guYhwOwAlhdB1gQ52L7u_AqFgI_SxJCNsHWjeu_TQABlTxMgsB9z5SMZzRuM1Hxn8YZ1PNpes3hFp6_zwgGyAjDViClU/s4007/IMG_5520.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3006" data-original-width="4007" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV4wWqRiOu0Azb5IDLTjuM6XZnqpH_C384OKQM7xxyK26LnJZc5kk6qUiJlLvsKtDvhFaTMCBYM5QhQphjvsCu664qwzrGtG-guYhwOwAlhdB1gQ52L7u_AqFgI_SxJCNsHWjeu_TQABlTxMgsB9z5SMZzRuM1Hxn8YZ1PNpes3hFp6_zwgGyAjDViClU/s320/IMG_5520.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuDNV2gMzoOI0Ixid145HLM42skyf31CPRF9Vq49M0no8qmAM-p5Ihl1cnkBVdV-bJBT_-u5XhnlKAFDKJhw2kyc2vcTQUeQYdoUTVR9i8r83eZ8VFGUY8GKNtmI44ZFTt0PAB4Jp7fsIUNdXhirjLezrumowEqzXaZInYXsOsiUmGeknJVhBerEOfoAw/s3944/IMG_5526.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1635" data-original-width="3944" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuDNV2gMzoOI0Ixid145HLM42skyf31CPRF9Vq49M0no8qmAM-p5Ihl1cnkBVdV-bJBT_-u5XhnlKAFDKJhw2kyc2vcTQUeQYdoUTVR9i8r83eZ8VFGUY8GKNtmI44ZFTt0PAB4Jp7fsIUNdXhirjLezrumowEqzXaZInYXsOsiUmGeknJVhBerEOfoAw/s320/IMG_5526.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie3LVRrfnhW9w865-FFaJHuklT0pm27AvRkS0iTk36WqHxY8KR7qNMw97LTVplhX8tbhWDufK0kwqAvsOpL49EvNY_4SLX8b2omyhH9PFLV_iz5Axvr04FNHcyRrjV-DW3OUV_sG8gcSxq87_c7jBVN3laPZAmWRFeawVNXcR6Asdp-5yPDXsqxCxkFKQ/s4032/IMG_5533.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie3LVRrfnhW9w865-FFaJHuklT0pm27AvRkS0iTk36WqHxY8KR7qNMw97LTVplhX8tbhWDufK0kwqAvsOpL49EvNY_4SLX8b2omyhH9PFLV_iz5Axvr04FNHcyRrjV-DW3OUV_sG8gcSxq87_c7jBVN3laPZAmWRFeawVNXcR6Asdp-5yPDXsqxCxkFKQ/s320/IMG_5533.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh22dtT_vJ1cV6MEWyB_zlyU8NwxFljaBRBFv7JqGf9hQTjoYM-2w9Z_-r6-lkyiaut6cAcLYzECkpSgF_C1TbPVLmG-Yt1sYU5p6LYZ4O0RPmlU_7s80nBPaP84go4sba9QUljmV0KfLE3xNJol4jruBdWpTHsn8XNa1ZOuIM-QaiSbOUDCRVt64lZ1s/s3843/IMG_5536.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1747" data-original-width="3843" height="145" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh22dtT_vJ1cV6MEWyB_zlyU8NwxFljaBRBFv7JqGf9hQTjoYM-2w9Z_-r6-lkyiaut6cAcLYzECkpSgF_C1TbPVLmG-Yt1sYU5p6LYZ4O0RPmlU_7s80nBPaP84go4sba9QUljmV0KfLE3xNJol4jruBdWpTHsn8XNa1ZOuIM-QaiSbOUDCRVt64lZ1s/s320/IMG_5536.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxl681ZVTJRC3LgDT-d_cQpo95wRggz50Ga-04qZCs_YdlVh5vZIOSksmMU_Z3NkSw4CECP5oT8ThWiXQbTgrkDLwL3NhdUKVnEafyXvG2A8qwoq9nI4Vt17NUiJ9MLffya2jq8nnChCtdJ2XX_1180NX5DOU12ktKMbz68TOsYqypTxSOx-_WgEf7hwM/s3780/IMG_5537.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1845" data-original-width="3780" height="156" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxl681ZVTJRC3LgDT-d_cQpo95wRggz50Ga-04qZCs_YdlVh5vZIOSksmMU_Z3NkSw4CECP5oT8ThWiXQbTgrkDLwL3NhdUKVnEafyXvG2A8qwoq9nI4Vt17NUiJ9MLffya2jq8nnChCtdJ2XX_1180NX5DOU12ktKMbz68TOsYqypTxSOx-_WgEf7hwM/s320/IMG_5537.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>At the end of the meal our daughter was given a birthday sweet treat to bring home with her:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIguV9cCkG4o_pvUiwQPWK4tOCVULgqfNcLuqDzSSbpUD-X49Ywz851QR6feH7KOReEa_xeOJLykHg_ewjpPDshcJiQ1iSvLo3wE2ZiP3EgTyiDg2I1OGyzyvumn2rv2RMo02CiDpO2t2DIViQWqQJwKllLwfSK0h6rZw2mVLmQOrAiMzxQPblcQzXEkA/s3690/IMG_5540.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3690" data-original-width="2878" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIguV9cCkG4o_pvUiwQPWK4tOCVULgqfNcLuqDzSSbpUD-X49Ywz851QR6feH7KOReEa_xeOJLykHg_ewjpPDshcJiQ1iSvLo3wE2ZiP3EgTyiDg2I1OGyzyvumn2rv2RMo02CiDpO2t2DIViQWqQJwKllLwfSK0h6rZw2mVLmQOrAiMzxQPblcQzXEkA/s320/IMG_5540.jpg" width="250" /></a></div><div><br /></div>She was also provided a bowl of <i>shoumian</i> 寿面, "birthday noodles" eaten to celebrate longevity. Sharp-eyed readers (at least those proficient in Chinese characters) might notice that the carrots form 生日快乐 - "Happy Birthday":</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNLiK4DC9xb0iEzYTujSawAf8Ahe-6lvnxMDMKYVKVYAJiU1CiYkgOjpcBuRKyNUEyMeUjd0IyGWBWLWQyj3s49QuhE4LfTDfSFcNTlvyRYob4NJpAbbm3D8LyLaAmJs1PTa7lVQgBZOKt5kJE66uXTwPEV-z-o-IlRMW5NElwbDaC10ipY758qT5tFF8/s3024/IMG_5541.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2955" data-original-width="3024" height="313" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNLiK4DC9xb0iEzYTujSawAf8Ahe-6lvnxMDMKYVKVYAJiU1CiYkgOjpcBuRKyNUEyMeUjd0IyGWBWLWQyj3s49QuhE4LfTDfSFcNTlvyRYob4NJpAbbm3D8LyLaAmJs1PTa7lVQgBZOKt5kJE66uXTwPEV-z-o-IlRMW5NElwbDaC10ipY758qT5tFF8/s320/IMG_5541.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE_FlQr9vFepT-795DiRiHJLIbrnDuy-cOfwDwV9mfvZbWEuA3h2nk-1V9dW-NBbC4CArpas25yzGO_XerPcgf7CvP3gvw5-9cFIALXvvWgZ_DKniwG4Tvy9tfU7vL1aUixiE8XW7HNJOZb-sQldrHEFNmGoJi1fo19jrKFuISdguPF8XqL1FC4lpIcRY/s4032/IMG_3227.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE_FlQr9vFepT-795DiRiHJLIbrnDuy-cOfwDwV9mfvZbWEuA3h2nk-1V9dW-NBbC4CArpas25yzGO_XerPcgf7CvP3gvw5-9cFIALXvvWgZ_DKniwG4Tvy9tfU7vL1aUixiE8XW7HNJOZb-sQldrHEFNmGoJi1fo19jrKFuISdguPF8XqL1FC4lpIcRY/s320/IMG_3227.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>I certainly hope Amber enjoyed today's experience. 2024 will be a momentous year for her as she waits to hear which university will accept her application. It's all but certain that she will leave the proverbial nest at the end of this summer, and start to make her way in the world away from the protective cocoon Shu-E and I spent 18 years spinning for her.</div><div><br /></div><div>It's going to be a difficult time...for me. I cried the day she was born, and I'll probably shed tears the day she leaves for uni. It's an expected stage in life, but not one to which I'm looking forward. And with the lifestyle I've chosen to live for myself and my family, it's most likely the physical gulf between us will be very wide, at least until I reach the mandatory retirement age, following which Shu-E and I look for a place to settle down. </div><div><br /></div><div>But that's for later, In the present, we will remain a family of three under one roof for the next half-year at least, so there's a preciousness to the time that remains. </div><div><br /></div><div>By the way, it's still chilly here in China's capital: -10°C/14°F when we left the house this morning, -5°C/23°F immediately following lunch when this photo was taken:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOpV6fQVhfWqiDDDdRrJivjKgD851Oj-6NFLgM3MZxfFFrLHzimis8DwWVzJcI5Y_S9IWxscpe9UX44X0hq4Unv1JAybAh64sBJadbYcjuOLhaJcPyjjm9dg5ZxGmPNP_V1_3HfH7GoW6d71xHfEOsWgNlMH9h6T0-ltNCsNMZqk_fjihcWwxmlvlX24w/s4032/IMG_5546.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="2538" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOpV6fQVhfWqiDDDdRrJivjKgD851Oj-6NFLgM3MZxfFFrLHzimis8DwWVzJcI5Y_S9IWxscpe9UX44X0hq4Unv1JAybAh64sBJadbYcjuOLhaJcPyjjm9dg5ZxGmPNP_V1_3HfH7GoW6d71xHfEOsWgNlMH9h6T0-ltNCsNMZqk_fjihcWwxmlvlX24w/s320/IMG_5546.jpg" width="201" /></a></div><br /></div><div>I now return you to our regularly scheduled blog posts... </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br />Kaminogehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07925637671913689331noreply@blogger.com1Qian Men Da Jie, Bei Jing Shi, China39.8935 116.3982511.583266163821158 81.242 68.203733836178856 151.55450000000002tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2497220891386919340.post-43784146804022048362024-01-16T20:35:00.002+08:002024-01-16T20:35:45.245+08:00Seventh day in a land down under<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTy09juBUAkv7Wp8CpJFPxFzUNef1g8PcLyPj1he4Yn1knypJkYIvTFV9hUAVuFQxAZE07bN51VY0vjheJXjDIveSuwk5Fwc7QOnYR_SbY79Q464i0X0uyWLzjxKHLrIEbqqdQeGyxHnraTscJ8E5TkisbizLq9BJ1OrnzCFEQty9Qh1CJR3JZBoaY1uM/s4032/IMG_4822.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTy09juBUAkv7Wp8CpJFPxFzUNef1g8PcLyPj1he4Yn1knypJkYIvTFV9hUAVuFQxAZE07bN51VY0vjheJXjDIveSuwk5Fwc7QOnYR_SbY79Q464i0X0uyWLzjxKHLrIEbqqdQeGyxHnraTscJ8E5TkisbizLq9BJ1OrnzCFEQty9Qh1CJR3JZBoaY1uM/s320/IMG_4822.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><i><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Echo Point, with the Three Sisters in the foreground</i></div></i><p></p><p>The first day of 2024 greeted us with a low cloud cover obscuring some of central Sydney's higher buildings:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdcGeLI3QeCtObKrqG1fN8bvVFD-1rwcXRdGO0QaHLTmT9hhYJ-lVYq4RZ-lcdWq2ioCk7FMEnFDXZhEXx5g8Y5OXYQ0kUQVULS8xGtJ5YpCGWfHX24T11KwqBXkoQIs_WJovtRGlNJ_Jk8Zt3Y9-EcFyA8a2s2T2pKd2kNilhIv_wx2s9NnLfoaQxkak/s3823/IMG_4775.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2868" data-original-width="3823" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdcGeLI3QeCtObKrqG1fN8bvVFD-1rwcXRdGO0QaHLTmT9hhYJ-lVYq4RZ-lcdWq2ioCk7FMEnFDXZhEXx5g8Y5OXYQ0kUQVULS8xGtJ5YpCGWfHX24T11KwqBXkoQIs_WJovtRGlNJ_Jk8Zt3Y9-EcFyA8a2s2T2pKd2kNilhIv_wx2s9NnLfoaQxkak/s320/IMG_4775.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>After six days in Australia's largest city, it was time to see a bit of what the immediate region had to offer. Renting a Toyota Corolla hybrid from Hertz, we (or I, to be more accurate) drove off in the rain toward the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_Mountains_(New_South_Wales)" target="_blank">Blue Mountains</a>. Driving on the left would not present a problem - I'd already rented right-hand drive vehicles in Japan, the Seychelles, South Africa, Thailand, and the United Kingdom in the past:<div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEZw6n5Fut_xH1IDYu49e7WgP3F79UELPa-9yZhG432mD5TCCoXJXe75JuGyfqB0rTZ4fuWQv6l5dBiJvC67zT4lI3S2VBcR2Y3s07bw5avgrF5bfXaJKHlUB75ikiDELLVSPXgE77olpig2p8XPylbruS94Hp0lXqs-b3_QIo18kTKfGOdEerDyOd0VA/s3335/IMG_4776.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3335" data-original-width="2859" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEZw6n5Fut_xH1IDYu49e7WgP3F79UELPa-9yZhG432mD5TCCoXJXe75JuGyfqB0rTZ4fuWQv6l5dBiJvC67zT4lI3S2VBcR2Y3s07bw5avgrF5bfXaJKHlUB75ikiDELLVSPXgE77olpig2p8XPylbruS94Hp0lXqs-b3_QIo18kTKfGOdEerDyOd0VA/s320/IMG_4776.jpg" width="274" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The biggest challenge would turn out to be New Year's Day itself. Come lunchtime, our dining options were extremely limited. It came down to a choice between a Subway outlet or an "American restaurant" called the <a href="https://www.thecheesesteakfactory.com.au/" target="_blank">Cheese Steak Factory</a>. I assumed the pair of cockatoos out front belonged to the shop's owner, until I remembered that here was Australia:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkxhE4EyqAlPvcxYICqvHK7bGgjhl0gR3_YCogM0UnoNjCuWpoRrphbUqywvBcHmnLPaXsn774poJXqSmdKCijxCJRA-nyjXHEx6fr4ISB9pnzZtrRANWpPFZconYwkYA-Cm8Dpey3nHmLYteuOEaBu55D-OuOPUpKqaxC6aMBG1i9kbhl5eEQPWCUiTM/s3724/IMG_4779.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3724" data-original-width="2793" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkxhE4EyqAlPvcxYICqvHK7bGgjhl0gR3_YCogM0UnoNjCuWpoRrphbUqywvBcHmnLPaXsn774poJXqSmdKCijxCJRA-nyjXHEx6fr4ISB9pnzZtrRANWpPFZconYwkYA-Cm8Dpey3nHmLYteuOEaBu55D-OuOPUpKqaxC6aMBG1i9kbhl5eEQPWCUiTM/s320/IMG_4779.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzqT3Q-WQHckCSnXuRGaL7v5w_27qomBk_bnGH135t4ch0TIpbffkhY1NSBSkUyMbOki7NaAMVscAjxcj4y3kd6mKKSoyU5s4PqmtSOEtpRfKX1HXKfh03Q1neIz48jOLD2vH1POgQ1arTy8C2KYu7bSRcIic5Mh9Y2eKwvISLi_QyqJQqdyR6HJpSllo/s4032/IMG_4780.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzqT3Q-WQHckCSnXuRGaL7v5w_27qomBk_bnGH135t4ch0TIpbffkhY1NSBSkUyMbOki7NaAMVscAjxcj4y3kd6mKKSoyU5s4PqmtSOEtpRfKX1HXKfh03Q1neIz48jOLD2vH1POgQ1arTy8C2KYu7bSRcIic5Mh9Y2eKwvISLi_QyqJQqdyR6HJpSllo/s320/IMG_4780.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>While waiting for our food I took the time to admire this hoodie, the product of <a href="https://www.mambo.cc/" target="_blank">one of Australia's most iconic designers</a>. "Oh gee, there goes Sydney, oh gee, Roozilla!":</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKpXL98g2_bcchFOOLgUzJCP_bRWb62_jxE2mFZVuDGmIKcw2XV7IJ9DIKkAdPZXD4SziTBI9f0h5F2tpKTM7b9VDNtHDXJUGWBbP2DbVbMVNxNcJab9Iz-fLVOimUKrbHNkYVMPHJeq73tWe-MsfwRcdpplhygdRVRyddcdyqmKOMdMLIizFBGeQG9x4/s3944/IMG_4782.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3944" data-original-width="2958" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKpXL98g2_bcchFOOLgUzJCP_bRWb62_jxE2mFZVuDGmIKcw2XV7IJ9DIKkAdPZXD4SziTBI9f0h5F2tpKTM7b9VDNtHDXJUGWBbP2DbVbMVNxNcJab9Iz-fLVOimUKrbHNkYVMPHJeq73tWe-MsfwRcdpplhygdRVRyddcdyqmKOMdMLIizFBGeQG9x4/s320/IMG_4782.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>"American restaurant" or not, I went with the Australian Cheesesteak:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS4vDk7a_XuMMeXTfO2L_ZJf1U9fjNsweWSM8yp2IvvXoWWkAzDW73vR9_7UvJdo1_WvenAbvfytD7hVqlz_dVHStmeOuo3acVBkLIpiDr_xc0k8UqfkeKoKetiyrYACfWbsh0BsLbEDTmCuc__qFQZ9JAhY0XgxRhbsrQX-dapEU1UzbXLdDV6vfLzRo/s4032/IMG_4783.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2473" data-original-width="4032" height="196" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS4vDk7a_XuMMeXTfO2L_ZJf1U9fjNsweWSM8yp2IvvXoWWkAzDW73vR9_7UvJdo1_WvenAbvfytD7hVqlz_dVHStmeOuo3acVBkLIpiDr_xc0k8UqfkeKoKetiyrYACfWbsh0BsLbEDTmCuc__qFQZ9JAhY0XgxRhbsrQX-dapEU1UzbXLdDV6vfLzRo/s320/IMG_4783.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Our first sightseeing stop of the new year was in the town of Leura, home of the Sublime Point lookout. The weather ensured the views wouldn't be as dramatic as the guidebook suggested, but it was still an impressive sight:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWTbr5l7MaikyM2fU-kEe-TIIadIManhMah0ECMksp9cX70esGUrw3EP0z_ZOMOa-lW48p5m4igQPNcewVmAGa_G6m2Gcj4CxORWvVlDHy2Ceab_5aVLpGWzYE1CRokvpKSPiSbgilNhlX1IQQcf5o3EXkvLrh2sF84Hx4lNW6EjnDxmOkcvKzUKCBal8/s3910/IMG_4786.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2932" data-original-width="3910" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWTbr5l7MaikyM2fU-kEe-TIIadIManhMah0ECMksp9cX70esGUrw3EP0z_ZOMOa-lW48p5m4igQPNcewVmAGa_G6m2Gcj4CxORWvVlDHy2Ceab_5aVLpGWzYE1CRokvpKSPiSbgilNhlX1IQQcf5o3EXkvLrh2sF84Hx4lNW6EjnDxmOkcvKzUKCBal8/s320/IMG_4786.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWXultDrQ_WGvw0NEsSozNEFefapSlWomtulkutqoFMbSsfABeUR6ZYSq7HowdQnPViNDcltpYtt9YMt5349awclasUM6KxrhXGDacU9qMhDoqSmd4o01n0A1fPUq8lHOQdmeCJoOt7hSld0tvvvX9EvdpRRArqi2wgcroPIVbt52mfE6Qbe4xu_KfpQg/s3944/IMG_4788.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2958" data-original-width="3944" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWXultDrQ_WGvw0NEsSozNEFefapSlWomtulkutqoFMbSsfABeUR6ZYSq7HowdQnPViNDcltpYtt9YMt5349awclasUM6KxrhXGDacU9qMhDoqSmd4o01n0A1fPUq8lHOQdmeCJoOt7hSld0tvvvX9EvdpRRArqi2wgcroPIVbt52mfE6Qbe4xu_KfpQg/s320/IMG_4788.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi6cb5-EMmp74qgQ8sVvjqaSWqQypghykiOnGQBcklE_76DlbJ-HFITaiIdEFSfMihF6RLat6YkYA9dtDNgGzKI5sTD3Bm6kIeVRtTGX7kPsZax2ToXIKjJ_iXXmEsp0moa3nTsfBuK10Gdr1HNEdC0fMZ2Y0_LtpaWJckNJwMxoJDZobyCEV6v2XcO30/s4032/IMG_4790.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi6cb5-EMmp74qgQ8sVvjqaSWqQypghykiOnGQBcklE_76DlbJ-HFITaiIdEFSfMihF6RLat6YkYA9dtDNgGzKI5sTD3Bm6kIeVRtTGX7kPsZax2ToXIKjJ_iXXmEsp0moa3nTsfBuK10Gdr1HNEdC0fMZ2Y0_LtpaWJckNJwMxoJDZobyCEV6v2XcO30/s320/IMG_4790.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/0XyRAOSYT8Q" width="320" youtube-src-id="0XyRAOSYT8Q"></iframe></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3J1KMU2B9bYcfdTLTJnYU2TqxBZqt69hhzd3WALa0fr6w8I93xd1p-TgBQjFxyuHdMpwmT-m5-MAGjlgdN_GY6x1njotMPV5EQfX7i1fL23kwd0Wa9ZLDusMzRxw07R4WzYL4Jr2YjX3qMhvyVo1ygbCQc-O2maHu5Cf0AfyOMBoh2-EEQ188vBRuIG8/s4032/IMG_4795.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3J1KMU2B9bYcfdTLTJnYU2TqxBZqt69hhzd3WALa0fr6w8I93xd1p-TgBQjFxyuHdMpwmT-m5-MAGjlgdN_GY6x1njotMPV5EQfX7i1fL23kwd0Wa9ZLDusMzRxw07R4WzYL4Jr2YjX3qMhvyVo1ygbCQc-O2maHu5Cf0AfyOMBoh2-EEQ188vBRuIG8/s320/IMG_4795.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The scenery wasn't European or North American, nor was it Asian. If anything, the vegetation reminded me of Africa, Ethiopia to be more specific. In the end, it would have to be described as, duh, "Australian":</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPikYI66GdOpdeFofXmpl1DJW0xg9wHnqTmRRxmuaIbu7XCU66l5AA3dR-oBwN4vDLmsyJstHRMbO0VjanesTjKkYeLzxnLEqRvgwQNrL7S7Grk1kblBJqd7Y1oO8iA7PZw9HMhz_CJRepAdoLlGbrRgMfjwYLGrVnu5U-VJd92QyZFjDhiQjdCRZybks/s4032/IMG_4796.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPikYI66GdOpdeFofXmpl1DJW0xg9wHnqTmRRxmuaIbu7XCU66l5AA3dR-oBwN4vDLmsyJstHRMbO0VjanesTjKkYeLzxnLEqRvgwQNrL7S7Grk1kblBJqd7Y1oO8iA7PZw9HMhz_CJRepAdoLlGbrRgMfjwYLGrVnu5U-VJd92QyZFjDhiQjdCRZybks/s320/IMG_4796.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7BpW-OPkMjpT2FnHbq0Ba_eLCbnkcfG8rz26lOXqbvyzT1CWQy4pBVy0I7v0HXYQFpI0ktD4AAUR0ohRkpRIS4imZki_i2X1wf935arXShV99SQMx-qDfsN9R4tToEFh81IXGrJyMDA0ckwOVDSEtdj9QGX4OWGVRncFehn3E_BbTu9mhGANEL5NSQxE/s4032/IMG_4797.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7BpW-OPkMjpT2FnHbq0Ba_eLCbnkcfG8rz26lOXqbvyzT1CWQy4pBVy0I7v0HXYQFpI0ktD4AAUR0ohRkpRIS4imZki_i2X1wf935arXShV99SQMx-qDfsN9R4tToEFh81IXGrJyMDA0ckwOVDSEtdj9QGX4OWGVRncFehn3E_BbTu9mhGANEL5NSQxE/s320/IMG_4797.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN4ethsurh5Gr5xzJ8u59ibvDXRv7kxdcTIX8TveH4qt9cKetvOeODrkO8iz0nxFaXAWy0-mhbQ5RrDkOr7zT1VXIuY-dFWR5-d5nzDiIZx8IpJWSWbFt14oSOfj7PlNK_zbDwMJ037WxYTq8p87ttm2sEVCy8PvAYDjJW98zDukzpQm4A89QQXzEHDsk/s4032/IMG_4798.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN4ethsurh5Gr5xzJ8u59ibvDXRv7kxdcTIX8TveH4qt9cKetvOeODrkO8iz0nxFaXAWy0-mhbQ5RrDkOr7zT1VXIuY-dFWR5-d5nzDiIZx8IpJWSWbFt14oSOfj7PlNK_zbDwMJ037WxYTq8p87ttm2sEVCy8PvAYDjJW98zDukzpQm4A89QQXzEHDsk/s320/IMG_4798.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjdf7uoX83mXim_UwnPfgT-c-qJjuUvgjhJ8-VzEkK7sN31RctibK9LZhGcVDeJcP92Td9FjLIp70HxeecexNUsl62fLlP1daFgo9Bw9oe5pKhmx3RNGPFWQp-TCvcUM0Hi0iLUJnTkrPQpvRXSampmu99tGphCbGOs1EZuu2X1BK3AJvVt-ePqOYN4zo/s3126/IMG_4802.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3126" data-original-width="2900" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjdf7uoX83mXim_UwnPfgT-c-qJjuUvgjhJ8-VzEkK7sN31RctibK9LZhGcVDeJcP92Td9FjLIp70HxeecexNUsl62fLlP1daFgo9Bw9oe5pKhmx3RNGPFWQp-TCvcUM0Hi0iLUJnTkrPQpvRXSampmu99tGphCbGOs1EZuu2X1BK3AJvVt-ePqOYN4zo/s320/IMG_4802.jpg" width="297" /></a></div><div><br /></div>"This land. This...Australia!":</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4PCEKQLS4WwHGZ1hKwSdQfOCcamjUQjAlbIz0FXnnnc3LMwjJ2NflGicAXuS3hs_UlPQvM-DMUA3iGhap6LvIuQQOmKVKXUexIbLMjN_9b7Rq8rvVlJU237sFt2mhmyNPj4eQTLwY_BHGz3tf3RbrO6FWTMHafivBIou8KQTn09HUGpv0MK2PL5o4E6Y/s4032/IMG_4805.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4PCEKQLS4WwHGZ1hKwSdQfOCcamjUQjAlbIz0FXnnnc3LMwjJ2NflGicAXuS3hs_UlPQvM-DMUA3iGhap6LvIuQQOmKVKXUexIbLMjN_9b7Rq8rvVlJU237sFt2mhmyNPj4eQTLwY_BHGz3tf3RbrO6FWTMHafivBIou8KQTn09HUGpv0MK2PL5o4E6Y/s320/IMG_4805.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>From Leury it was a short drive to Katoomba, the biggest settlement in the Blue Mountains. We checked in at the <a href="https://3explorers.com.au/" target="_blank">3 Explorers Motel</a>, our accommodation for the evening. It may have looked like a nondescript American roadside inn, but the room was surprisingly large, the bathroom came with a spa, and it was within walking distance of Echo Point and the Three Sisters (see below):</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1fnQrRYCG_vfo7wWabcMgity_MffE0RMqagUEp87gr0jlA1n-s1Y3z7uNXLR934llWzRkj1XF-Ic97O9xxnWfym8a-x28t-PX8GvpKKDNiugEn9a-bglKloARNC_ezoe5Z62_K1Ubx38D28QXKSHuUSrNpRy7Pzh6AWiWOGeBSz9YgZ8bNp5lMUBeRko/s4032/IMG_4806.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1fnQrRYCG_vfo7wWabcMgity_MffE0RMqagUEp87gr0jlA1n-s1Y3z7uNXLR934llWzRkj1XF-Ic97O9xxnWfym8a-x28t-PX8GvpKKDNiugEn9a-bglKloARNC_ezoe5Z62_K1Ubx38D28QXKSHuUSrNpRy7Pzh6AWiWOGeBSz9YgZ8bNp5lMUBeRko/s320/IMG_4806.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitJg88voh_1uJ9uyt7ZA_2tTbdlNh0Vu0sJeLr4UqpSbBa_8Jb7GyeTHS7kt3zyZ3tKelUl75-wKFaD0RRXjg_r2626qwASehtk9VTqVdo55cySa1uhyrvR2mokXx_FHNCeZiYh-cnJWBLKw9OYmcqiknHJ-kFFZUnaPWT3_2RCmXf9EmHmW5YFAQ6o-4/s3995/IMG_4807.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2996" data-original-width="3995" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitJg88voh_1uJ9uyt7ZA_2tTbdlNh0Vu0sJeLr4UqpSbBa_8Jb7GyeTHS7kt3zyZ3tKelUl75-wKFaD0RRXjg_r2626qwASehtk9VTqVdo55cySa1uhyrvR2mokXx_FHNCeZiYh-cnJWBLKw9OYmcqiknHJ-kFFZUnaPWT3_2RCmXf9EmHmW5YFAQ6o-4/s320/IMG_4807.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Our room occupied the ground floor on the left, with our car parked in front of the door. The <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1813_crossing_of_the_Blue_Mountains" target="_blank">story behind the name</a>:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIdBcBXwBWJeEdQTK9a_OlZTKa5mfGH_DR-eAQfp0xiKEgF8RXctYCZX_SV00LySZe4VgujKs2nRqGVw3dClJ5xv-YLDKtLYkmWOMGD4cg29Vr5bj-h3teuavIn9u0SrXWDjrglHAM0YS5g5Dl6zwtvHvd8ZP7lc2yXxH5TMt8KYhWX5EMB6qDbeoI1yk/s4032/IMG_4808.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIdBcBXwBWJeEdQTK9a_OlZTKa5mfGH_DR-eAQfp0xiKEgF8RXctYCZX_SV00LySZe4VgujKs2nRqGVw3dClJ5xv-YLDKtLYkmWOMGD4cg29Vr5bj-h3teuavIn9u0SrXWDjrglHAM0YS5g5Dl6zwtvHvd8ZP7lc2yXxH5TMt8KYhWX5EMB6qDbeoI1yk/s320/IMG_4808.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>As stated above, it was only a short walk to the <a href="https://www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/things-to-do/lookouts/echo-point-lookout-three-sisters" target="_blank">Echo Point</a> lookout. The view at first wasn't much better than that at Sublime Point, but the clouds would soon lift enough to justify the viewpoint as the area's most essential sight:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6zbe_xEpe1_Ur-eZjy9nxIBAisn5LEkGs3OPBvOCwk41F0KBoy0Zl4KdYnGHOhZU0hymhRCRyPti4G-dY4a8TVRgRiC7c1fPxzBuuXyJSKzUOscKhyphenhyphenlPkHv0ItNIZ3Vpyp5td0Pa6tEYswr4YRScmgnoMZjTKMGK5dLDLTaqIQKivBhCXEG1R-7WE8y4/s4032/IMG_4809.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6zbe_xEpe1_Ur-eZjy9nxIBAisn5LEkGs3OPBvOCwk41F0KBoy0Zl4KdYnGHOhZU0hymhRCRyPti4G-dY4a8TVRgRiC7c1fPxzBuuXyJSKzUOscKhyphenhyphenlPkHv0ItNIZ3Vpyp5td0Pa6tEYswr4YRScmgnoMZjTKMGK5dLDLTaqIQKivBhCXEG1R-7WE8y4/s320/IMG_4809.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD4K1J-X6DGwJuNUOimbY7TOKv8QvgsWPZAzLH2yhsiNFNw4OLOxi0-Nssq0UJ_3De_lBK3JnsWrhnbT9AXZ93lWSVUugxHiQ_5yLIh3MahCHouucxWDVsJ8YYQYUWZTsZk20OmqvnTqN44Xn_9-pAtNFs3g2QbOGoC07ZV0Cm1PlNrMWVBSmmBQzsF_w/s4032/IMG_4812.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD4K1J-X6DGwJuNUOimbY7TOKv8QvgsWPZAzLH2yhsiNFNw4OLOxi0-Nssq0UJ_3De_lBK3JnsWrhnbT9AXZ93lWSVUugxHiQ_5yLIh3MahCHouucxWDVsJ8YYQYUWZTsZk20OmqvnTqN44Xn_9-pAtNFs3g2QbOGoC07ZV0Cm1PlNrMWVBSmmBQzsF_w/s320/IMG_4812.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>There were a lot more visitors here than at Sublime Point. A lot more:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7529S6dBeLJbOOwwd0-iSrvM9leBzNrUqLKz9Ske3NjqnwX27GpG7Dr2OO_mglIJUWXeVLJDx5Xm9xpDNydOhKSpOzK39Vw7oQcFHJXyLz-EjkiaE3jOMleTFqa3kTz9-0spc5dGCLTMUjsSWGzsisIFDVW7sophNY4N-u1ovaqADwM9E169tA2xJY3E/s4032/IMG_4816.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7529S6dBeLJbOOwwd0-iSrvM9leBzNrUqLKz9Ske3NjqnwX27GpG7Dr2OO_mglIJUWXeVLJDx5Xm9xpDNydOhKSpOzK39Vw7oQcFHJXyLz-EjkiaE3jOMleTFqa3kTz9-0spc5dGCLTMUjsSWGzsisIFDVW7sophNY4N-u1ovaqADwM9E169tA2xJY3E/s320/IMG_4816.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The girls take in the Three Sisters landmark:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSL9XEJyMcjZrn1b4xA9h5B0lZ4zEouuNBB-XaMG-9ZRkzvj35ml2jzsEsLFA9o-oykYQwyinbyx6z1xjwsVvPRKtb1X496PA8fzr1f83J0P_ZZeODtPpDNqGs5KmO532uRv6BQ3r1p-pnj1rWi042N7CioqaCo3PdmaFc2S3fWtVNoFj_kunhNjs-Bpk/s4032/IMG_4818.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSL9XEJyMcjZrn1b4xA9h5B0lZ4zEouuNBB-XaMG-9ZRkzvj35ml2jzsEsLFA9o-oykYQwyinbyx6z1xjwsVvPRKtb1X496PA8fzr1f83J0P_ZZeODtPpDNqGs5KmO532uRv6BQ3r1p-pnj1rWi042N7CioqaCo3PdmaFc2S3fWtVNoFj_kunhNjs-Bpk/s320/IMG_4818.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc0prpqMcXdWXe_-C3ZxP0NWrrYFdeSQHeBGbtlzSrHksv4Mb4WopZZlsvv87Ha4YfeOrjP96qBSH23MAM203LyvQywj9HErrPGiE9jcDukCmIan34XlDCgasJXpH8_ilvWWxhslJEJne-Q3rh5yJd70LC-mZkSRXmjcFFuIdwplxJf_k3izb4xoN_IwU/s4032/IMG_4820.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc0prpqMcXdWXe_-C3ZxP0NWrrYFdeSQHeBGbtlzSrHksv4Mb4WopZZlsvv87Ha4YfeOrjP96qBSH23MAM203LyvQywj9HErrPGiE9jcDukCmIan34XlDCgasJXpH8_ilvWWxhslJEJne-Q3rh5yJd70LC-mZkSRXmjcFFuIdwplxJf_k3izb4xoN_IwU/s320/IMG_4820.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf17pAJ30fMGnLdrx_2ROchW1g3iJaGWrdUmrIfPQ5zaH7RYa4RWAtt5Ju9RuynTbU6_AsRasN6qUSQtV5LhpkxyUyyGUu0URBdOeWEe4rnckMxMvTF-mBZYthLUI0ef3jbEKvg-6KWTctWH0d-NC6_-gLSBwTw8I7NqZnReEL6RAar-urRjWC219Rdvs/s4032/IMG_4823.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf17pAJ30fMGnLdrx_2ROchW1g3iJaGWrdUmrIfPQ5zaH7RYa4RWAtt5Ju9RuynTbU6_AsRasN6qUSQtV5LhpkxyUyyGUu0URBdOeWEe4rnckMxMvTF-mBZYthLUI0ef3jbEKvg-6KWTctWH0d-NC6_-gLSBwTw8I7NqZnReEL6RAar-urRjWC219Rdvs/s320/IMG_4823.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxD48w9xPUEonQf7XhbewDUYDNZHT1TSTwL0Dnr8t3976Hfj8OVF57EBdxzq4JpYgWZXII0RHsJFF0gzRCMUiUjJ_XvfcL9l_25p4OIMww1LRCbuq5ftZiH1TpuS8ShHazlIQT104hQ2kUhAopvu92PkaWc-dK19shyphenhyphenDVacwDktU0rd5Ngt-nRsnWW0YI/s4032/IMG_4826.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxD48w9xPUEonQf7XhbewDUYDNZHT1TSTwL0Dnr8t3976Hfj8OVF57EBdxzq4JpYgWZXII0RHsJFF0gzRCMUiUjJ_XvfcL9l_25p4OIMww1LRCbuq5ftZiH1TpuS8ShHazlIQT104hQ2kUhAopvu92PkaWc-dK19shyphenhyphenDVacwDktU0rd5Ngt-nRsnWW0YI/s320/IMG_4826.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjV1NRuirGfR366AKlHp2-xODTFGG1hVEFTLhqspeldfoBej1WC_W_dOkpb2nnCPej8xmkoj0SwfGbcyE4zIeNjhSWpSYDviR85t7kvRdcA5Gs_LsxG_wOhs4W2IkcBoHwJQs85NkjJhZPRTmfZ0lcYB6Hjg-4zUp6Sqyb7mFUrag1y7h7shKdZBnH0yA/s4032/IMG_4827.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjV1NRuirGfR366AKlHp2-xODTFGG1hVEFTLhqspeldfoBej1WC_W_dOkpb2nnCPej8xmkoj0SwfGbcyE4zIeNjhSWpSYDviR85t7kvRdcA5Gs_LsxG_wOhs4W2IkcBoHwJQs85NkjJhZPRTmfZ0lcYB6Hjg-4zUp6Sqyb7mFUrag1y7h7shKdZBnH0yA/s320/IMG_4827.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv2ieXRERisPJbiNcKa8tym2M_AwISczw5pwSySaqnzbTmvNfPb2JCDmIq4AGRNgns7QhA456LPsku2RLtnL0sAvPFuUc5wSvdmwQVsuDEdh94Bfg5UbDYWE9YtQpD6NUadMteUJK5InuhddoNjcIGl_Whb7y7JCwBlS-wTeZLwu_wDvgbhqIDVCF06gw/s320/IMG_4831.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGedl9a7m5Xl9qL9LBzWR5YsoQdlK5rC44IQc5BIYf2XQ3CK4obm0W_VViP-X6o8uaZSba_46jtVpcPS8wrQFPxqN9dex2Rjzj4AEpf58rET4Wpq7zubkrV2GvhO1EwHWMcEdCobfjP9vQjM4xqldnIwus9PTnDV6flijV46vjqjj0ba9TtAWkMcdkAoA/s4032/IMG_4832.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGedl9a7m5Xl9qL9LBzWR5YsoQdlK5rC44IQc5BIYf2XQ3CK4obm0W_VViP-X6o8uaZSba_46jtVpcPS8wrQFPxqN9dex2Rjzj4AEpf58rET4Wpq7zubkrV2GvhO1EwHWMcEdCobfjP9vQjM4xqldnIwus9PTnDV6flijV46vjqjj0ba9TtAWkMcdkAoA/s320/IMG_4832.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKmrnX0C-hYZSUJb1eAVE6FWJfwnfSHWYi8wNPPeEZiXmkEnqNY5zt_speMa8NEEFy-hrHR5gTfn1n4kDL81rYAEDhgYTPhKt1zmEbZvuQVni2d5z6P-pgFrmUCblE4Kar5HJFtNt8OZHrQjDu_gEzJMkrwqsYKcz6BdT0r6jp4uadwEuxK8EXpyOKzg8/s4032/IMG_4833.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKmrnX0C-hYZSUJb1eAVE6FWJfwnfSHWYi8wNPPeEZiXmkEnqNY5zt_speMa8NEEFy-hrHR5gTfn1n4kDL81rYAEDhgYTPhKt1zmEbZvuQVni2d5z6P-pgFrmUCblE4Kar5HJFtNt8OZHrQjDu_gEzJMkrwqsYKcz6BdT0r6jp4uadwEuxK8EXpyOKzg8/s320/IMG_4833.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPYZM96kazcjj1RyMJNM9xkCLgIWd-ZDk6q3tlJm5XmMZI2yHRafL-WkTPlx_RocMurilaIgNrprmot6f6lpddpEz3hmkYaKEobqQV-MnCUd5SIyk72hl5EdxkSi48OE4h0O5zrble4V6t1etGTAgTTLPO2nUh9uu4NhRlx7QbeQ-CMvMxmYpgI5RIfjk/s4032/IMG_4837.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPYZM96kazcjj1RyMJNM9xkCLgIWd-ZDk6q3tlJm5XmMZI2yHRafL-WkTPlx_RocMurilaIgNrprmot6f6lpddpEz3hmkYaKEobqQV-MnCUd5SIyk72hl5EdxkSi48OE4h0O5zrble4V6t1etGTAgTTLPO2nUh9uu4NhRlx7QbeQ-CMvMxmYpgI5RIfjk/s320/IMG_4837.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>My daughter and I would take the short (500 meters/1640 feet) trail to the first sister:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6x6XW0dpI90QtpA7zx6VXYtucAhxEeZwQWiQ_ubSAw5Hfq5YfObpfnxPKD4TLsRpUJ-Gyp6zWMrSWEb_Nwj_C3BjD81Zz6Y1EA7ZpkBOS0Z37X4H-24yrLOB9TEZjV2ldj0XawuSPPSczOB3NiIf_VWZNUdj0t1M43yfvxFPpm98I09sgzbYQefB96xY/s4032/IMG_4838.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6x6XW0dpI90QtpA7zx6VXYtucAhxEeZwQWiQ_ubSAw5Hfq5YfObpfnxPKD4TLsRpUJ-Gyp6zWMrSWEb_Nwj_C3BjD81Zz6Y1EA7ZpkBOS0Z37X4H-24yrLOB9TEZjV2ldj0XawuSPPSczOB3NiIf_VWZNUdj0t1M43yfvxFPpm98I09sgzbYQefB96xY/s320/IMG_4838.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYhSby0_3XHD5BruNv9CbtaI-VJTX-1w_0JsbdwzwF_f3smnvO2FqNl0Qw4jN8qlNXRWh-5OL5kfv40-lyOTY3rd4h0qVlHLz8-Zu2tGQJu6L6XjuvewY856p0jucDr37k60WJFCwhIEAXMfovyzDAxWOnKpkWjwi86xhBKfUAPRvmds6O2iQz18fK4HA/s4032/IMG_4839.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYhSby0_3XHD5BruNv9CbtaI-VJTX-1w_0JsbdwzwF_f3smnvO2FqNl0Qw4jN8qlNXRWh-5OL5kfv40-lyOTY3rd4h0qVlHLz8-Zu2tGQJu6L6XjuvewY856p0jucDr37k60WJFCwhIEAXMfovyzDAxWOnKpkWjwi86xhBKfUAPRvmds6O2iQz18fK4HA/s320/IMG_4839.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The bridge leading to it was closed, presumably for safety reasons:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL3CZ7xKppmYerdtnWvdBsB-9NRSQyHqOViLqKWV4GqQ3zR0F4I-Dc769H2_2QE8VTiJN4nG9-oPeVQ3q1U9reTEl2jhoLMxyFBkE9CjV8C8I0GlMQKE6KcHnrh8p_m75UUWBj7Dyj07KhmcSlOiGjSIpAgg0uHVWJlNlFJh2NL8VgkhqK9kwZ8smUkg0/s4032/IMG_4841.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL3CZ7xKppmYerdtnWvdBsB-9NRSQyHqOViLqKWV4GqQ3zR0F4I-Dc769H2_2QE8VTiJN4nG9-oPeVQ3q1U9reTEl2jhoLMxyFBkE9CjV8C8I0GlMQKE6KcHnrh8p_m75UUWBj7Dyj07KhmcSlOiGjSIpAgg0uHVWJlNlFJh2NL8VgkhqK9kwZ8smUkg0/s320/IMG_4841.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDAyGnJEJBIDlSPiylqTGyhtBHDxiQ1vKQ1STRZXBI7RobHQF-f919flGff9KNZBmcRIpCxTh4OtM2KccZsq3y2LAH7EKyOuzZKjH_4yjYaFS_BvA6Lgln_sUHoVh0s85EWQF-Unv32Mtj_yrN6jeqPljvL1Kg8N3MB5ajBAL1VN4vbyNlE-Ksn9NzEOw/s1706/7a44c3c0233f008b8f90f8cbccef50b5.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1706" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDAyGnJEJBIDlSPiylqTGyhtBHDxiQ1vKQ1STRZXBI7RobHQF-f919flGff9KNZBmcRIpCxTh4OtM2KccZsq3y2LAH7EKyOuzZKjH_4yjYaFS_BvA6Lgln_sUHoVh0s85EWQF-Unv32Mtj_yrN6jeqPljvL1Kg8N3MB5ajBAL1VN4vbyNlE-Ksn9NzEOw/s320/7a44c3c0233f008b8f90f8cbccef50b5.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>We returned on foot to the motel, then drove into the center of town in search of dinner. With a lot of establishments closed for the holiday, in the end the choice came down to Thai or Tibetan. We went with the latter:<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3oaZ_qsqh2UmcW9sE0QQN9IdzejF4UlING_WWl9Rtfdd88zO_PA683tbD4stAqHkdGOix0rFNc5wLjVyVmP91PDP6gp3MIO-dKpZLN04aKFJct5ns2G1LZuKrSCXZ2zF5xarCMWZihjARGcL7gFzrcYgBy0-Meak1We0IoZo6o4rxZTCbZIGfMeV61CE/s4032/IMG_4847.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3oaZ_qsqh2UmcW9sE0QQN9IdzejF4UlING_WWl9Rtfdd88zO_PA683tbD4stAqHkdGOix0rFNc5wLjVyVmP91PDP6gp3MIO-dKpZLN04aKFJct5ns2G1LZuKrSCXZ2zF5xarCMWZihjARGcL7gFzrcYgBy0-Meak1We0IoZo6o4rxZTCbZIGfMeV61CE/s320/IMG_4847.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>I ordered the mixed <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Momo_(food)#:~:text=Momos%20are%20a%20type%20of,within%20many%20South%20Asian%20cuisines." target="_blank">momo</a> plate, steamed dumplings filled with beef, chicken, potatoes and vegetables, and served with chili and garlic sauces. All of these were washed down with a cup of Tibetan milk tea:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW7zcpsdN82ZrAShvuSaj1DsUS9YsEZAnANOquTMDfgmNghkyr3pYLTia58drQxRsNGwvaNNPhZpK_kFtkG5W_LsLhNYhyQKYgZznn91RlqygfKYTk4Q8IhOJ3pFyWWtjA4t4IFqyXo6LdJZ4HWyTJsMjoBCUQQdNML0YCHvGKL2iGmn5L1gpAlYjiUa4/s4032/IMG_4849.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW7zcpsdN82ZrAShvuSaj1DsUS9YsEZAnANOquTMDfgmNghkyr3pYLTia58drQxRsNGwvaNNPhZpK_kFtkG5W_LsLhNYhyQKYgZznn91RlqygfKYTk4Q8IhOJ3pFyWWtjA4t4IFqyXo6LdJZ4HWyTJsMjoBCUQQdNML0YCHvGKL2iGmn5L1gpAlYjiUa4/s320/IMG_4849.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Amber had earlier that day read online about the <a href="https://www.visitnsw.com/destinations/blue-mountains/katoomba-area/katoomba/attractions/katoomba-falls-reserve-night-lit-walk" target="_blank">Katoomba Falls Reserve Night-lit Walk</a>, and expressed an interest in doing it. With Shu-E opting to stay in and rest, the girl and I made the short drive to the reserve, arriving close to sunset:</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwuNBaa1mZJzMQgVLjL0QZCRV8wQfjRtz-gVm_7vn6JSu9FaAd8a2poUl4qRbt4FJIsktj4ROFvYeMh0zubL4PiTGV7uTOBrSyYzjilIY4m2fWy2yr715qPwga3jLh1Kk0jvMWroESV9r16DXFig7M15_JNut1mJHvuZYyE8AwYlVnOfdoT-5uN10DkTY/s4032/IMG_4851.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwuNBaa1mZJzMQgVLjL0QZCRV8wQfjRtz-gVm_7vn6JSu9FaAd8a2poUl4qRbt4FJIsktj4ROFvYeMh0zubL4PiTGV7uTOBrSyYzjilIY4m2fWy2yr715qPwga3jLh1Kk0jvMWroESV9r16DXFig7M15_JNut1mJHvuZYyE8AwYlVnOfdoT-5uN10DkTY/s320/IMG_4851.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>The walk wasn't a long one (only 1.3 kilometers/4265 feet in length), but it was suitably atmospheric in the gathering gloom:</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvmAeo9S_GgIi2mi3xwDfVRY60ipfUkSu9hFxJ4bTBDpvCN8ZicK1om8oX5_VgHfT0BFwhbiLSIWGJHa7UBm2q86b0p1gXEtlbGAOka8Q0T1XLiQuIomCL5my6Q94NC15YBrOymfX-mS-tzD0w5n0P2vl-x89TsdhcLV0KH4AZTcMYv19m0LNK62NlRok/s4032/IMG_4853.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvmAeo9S_GgIi2mi3xwDfVRY60ipfUkSu9hFxJ4bTBDpvCN8ZicK1om8oX5_VgHfT0BFwhbiLSIWGJHa7UBm2q86b0p1gXEtlbGAOka8Q0T1XLiQuIomCL5my6Q94NC15YBrOymfX-mS-tzD0w5n0P2vl-x89TsdhcLV0KH4AZTcMYv19m0LNK62NlRok/s320/IMG_4853.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKeyZEBSpi0ys6k4RsicVRTZ-AHrH5Zs8pGoZ5KBFhaxHfs_UVNC_esVS0zzH1sZvc_DMe-Gw4Qm7LBKaV59zkeLzE5x9u07uFhBM0-EgUSHF0axtlYEjTilyOV6dZxtM4VFs1mFQEUZo6h1SS3YSoPuhy9pYqT2dYih1XI66Xi5idohVNU2SRQMsS4fk/s4032/IMG_4857.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKeyZEBSpi0ys6k4RsicVRTZ-AHrH5Zs8pGoZ5KBFhaxHfs_UVNC_esVS0zzH1sZvc_DMe-Gw4Qm7LBKaV59zkeLzE5x9u07uFhBM0-EgUSHF0axtlYEjTilyOV6dZxtM4VFs1mFQEUZo6h1SS3YSoPuhy9pYqT2dYih1XI66Xi5idohVNU2SRQMsS4fk/s320/IMG_4857.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyL1lhA9-TqjWFlxTBH1nuzTzCbTzJB6KfXbaYy0ZXZ8NMZQeIakjAR0Sty6smqpnuYdVCrHw5KtjGuGgKGwKPI2-gqTc-22m4d1wNEFUQOHy2eLKZzzOJQNa3JnDKffAuYcRJtKdU_QZjqi0BxAb3EZB5-r5DtCDaIo02m-QLFq5JrodYFbT3U8zzfD8/s4032/IMG_4858.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyL1lhA9-TqjWFlxTBH1nuzTzCbTzJB6KfXbaYy0ZXZ8NMZQeIakjAR0Sty6smqpnuYdVCrHw5KtjGuGgKGwKPI2-gqTc-22m4d1wNEFUQOHy2eLKZzzOJQNa3JnDKffAuYcRJtKdU_QZjqi0BxAb3EZB5-r5DtCDaIo02m-QLFq5JrodYFbT3U8zzfD8/s320/IMG_4858.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The namesake of the reserve:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNqTzwwXuuBahXACRCBTx6KGhPryLkpSa0B2ginMdREv_pcofzNMhFchip0s9PuC6aMbYTBZPoWYvl-Gyh7lyt6v4P-78UcagKAS_621aA9Gjt0fOoprduNnINe1XHsaOF8G8XY66TWNmE2oIsfElQJcwz1fb1Ocw8v9mrWtWQiIbSS-ntDl3vK9zTeog/s4032/IMG_4863.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNqTzwwXuuBahXACRCBTx6KGhPryLkpSa0B2ginMdREv_pcofzNMhFchip0s9PuC6aMbYTBZPoWYvl-Gyh7lyt6v4P-78UcagKAS_621aA9Gjt0fOoprduNnINe1XHsaOF8G8XY66TWNmE2oIsfElQJcwz1fb1Ocw8v9mrWtWQiIbSS-ntDl3vK9zTeog/s320/IMG_4863.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzVAzntrLYBdyZ5ozCXjwNjwRfVjU6cgLstolKoExcP3GQI3ELs3C1vxCcDFMAkTwcTNJS4RmHbsWza2q9vvw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div><br /></div>Posing with Orphan Rock:<br /><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDE04jPV0TOuQjTdKA1lL_czuipcf3gqde6pofT3GlRJrq4HIKPg_vvKONG7Tf0epAykhMWo0BMcdyxXrTTp0EutnKycRwZCSk0eRgRIxf1JlXLKzQjRqaV1YKHDkXL_-RSDOrZKhqMSNqv9oDMWpMSKUA9w7vqgEkQYTt9nVlWX_zRj1k9WWiCIBLcDw/s4032/IMG_4869.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDE04jPV0TOuQjTdKA1lL_czuipcf3gqde6pofT3GlRJrq4HIKPg_vvKONG7Tf0epAykhMWo0BMcdyxXrTTp0EutnKycRwZCSk0eRgRIxf1JlXLKzQjRqaV1YKHDkXL_-RSDOrZKhqMSNqv9oDMWpMSKUA9w7vqgEkQYTt9nVlWX_zRj1k9WWiCIBLcDw/s320/IMG_4869.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The cable running in front of the rock would turn out to be for a gondola, as we would discover the following morning:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX18TuObNNydHv8pyPN2MUUCge6tA2PthcSvgwVxs0ST_q2fnbQyOq5ZPLa47jxUKExNQbc7U46h7z4MdwAv5-vYUlocByQBCSx4q-K6QQ48_SxVAvTPKjGf6GgiSqpeejcJRHOfx3yLvDN7a4RrqukGBqJROcrzoiS045fUi8ANrXCNwtXTSZvnA7UgM/s4032/IMG_4870.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX18TuObNNydHv8pyPN2MUUCge6tA2PthcSvgwVxs0ST_q2fnbQyOq5ZPLa47jxUKExNQbc7U46h7z4MdwAv5-vYUlocByQBCSx4q-K6QQ48_SxVAvTPKjGf6GgiSqpeejcJRHOfx3yLvDN7a4RrqukGBqJROcrzoiS045fUi8ANrXCNwtXTSZvnA7UgM/s320/IMG_4870.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9MXgB6rXfHVx9vdZWV-XKY7QwZ1AaHgJjxihnroQMwMIu6Q9w7g8eHYc6AAdBB3nksrJ5bORvFQm8zVd9nj5s686gpmqfkaHtjNoiGX3OMFWypc9bVrNHAkB5ZT5QdAEiHpAl5Wljx_C9WTXfvvGf0Gxh1QMcCQHbsb1upYzj8-MHeWArvfbss7ZBdRY/s4032/IMG_4871.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9MXgB6rXfHVx9vdZWV-XKY7QwZ1AaHgJjxihnroQMwMIu6Q9w7g8eHYc6AAdBB3nksrJ5bORvFQm8zVd9nj5s686gpmqfkaHtjNoiGX3OMFWypc9bVrNHAkB5ZT5QdAEiHpAl5Wljx_C9WTXfvvGf0Gxh1QMcCQHbsb1upYzj8-MHeWArvfbss7ZBdRY/s320/IMG_4871.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Presumably we were hearing some kind of Australian cicada, but whatever it was, quiet it wasn't:<br /><div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/eFmSfypBOzw" width="320" youtube-src-id="eFmSfypBOzw"></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Once the darkness had set in, the floodlights turned on, amping up the atmosphere considerably:<br /><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6g0r78vlsbF5PwHiW-Xz_Zd09KbYKQQkFmrv8KI13zGyt46jBEhmbixjTO19RrnnBg9aDbybQ5hMmZK2_5sFBMA_Tz43jYL9dhE51mGmXLx_q35fMbyOqQc7E9BcurdP1j5NmlI31lb77Cca1SCTg6us0arZuMxNGAxgnBx90X_g7mDg3VKY6Dx2yJGU/s4032/IMG_4873.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6g0r78vlsbF5PwHiW-Xz_Zd09KbYKQQkFmrv8KI13zGyt46jBEhmbixjTO19RrnnBg9aDbybQ5hMmZK2_5sFBMA_Tz43jYL9dhE51mGmXLx_q35fMbyOqQc7E9BcurdP1j5NmlI31lb77Cca1SCTg6us0arZuMxNGAxgnBx90X_g7mDg3VKY6Dx2yJGU/s320/IMG_4873.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/qyEIaju8qCw" width="320" youtube-src-id="qyEIaju8qCw"></iframe></div><div><br /></div>I'm not sure what she was photographing:<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYejxuK_nCxkDtjqfp1_1Mzkb064c2mIbaIOAnBy0pNolhKSG5jn4yz00ZHbx6iPkF_sz9IaZ9-Yh9Lb4Y-eNuzxqVoJ0CGPcss3tm7fm1yIQxnPCve3C0SHwECZhc4q1TKReuJkFPz5xQKF7nta3-yWSsaCZTzKAkUzKgZioqj6CzhV6L10B3iy9TRps/s4032/IMG_4876.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYejxuK_nCxkDtjqfp1_1Mzkb064c2mIbaIOAnBy0pNolhKSG5jn4yz00ZHbx6iPkF_sz9IaZ9-Yh9Lb4Y-eNuzxqVoJ0CGPcss3tm7fm1yIQxnPCve3C0SHwECZhc4q1TKReuJkFPz5xQKF7nta3-yWSsaCZTzKAkUzKgZioqj6CzhV6L10B3iy9TRps/s320/IMG_4876.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Back in the motel, and celebrating a successful start to the new year with a <a href="https://www.jamesboag.com.au/beers/" target="_blank">Tasmanian brew</a>:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZducUD2txbSfClOVi0ukffzcdaHjMUFLM-nE2EXma7Qfb5n1om-NOeeDsxU06M8PqG-aAU1sl4YmHVFyH53j1lA1l6xpQCVt7aMFHsLNkFLJSyP7zjxSrP_1-p0pA5ojMbJ6m1N4LaE7l7MvxCW61t5iPJSJkBj86mwjuxahXGJ4pMfzpsLOuFg8siL4/s3942/IMG_4877.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3942" data-original-width="2445" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZducUD2txbSfClOVi0ukffzcdaHjMUFLM-nE2EXma7Qfb5n1om-NOeeDsxU06M8PqG-aAU1sl4YmHVFyH53j1lA1l6xpQCVt7aMFHsLNkFLJSyP7zjxSrP_1-p0pA5ojMbJ6m1N4LaE7l7MvxCW61t5iPJSJkBj86mwjuxahXGJ4pMfzpsLOuFg8siL4/s320/IMG_4877.jpg" width="198" /></a></div><div><br /></div>"Incident on South Dowling", by <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Kelly_(Australian_musician)" target="_blank">Paul Kelly</a>:<div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/PeayBdf3lUk" width="320" youtube-src-id="PeayBdf3lUk"></iframe></div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /></div></div></div>Kaminogehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07925637671913689331noreply@blogger.com0Katoomba NSW 2780, Australia-33.7124469 150.3117701-62.022680736178849 115.15552009999999 -5.4022130638211578 -174.5319799tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2497220891386919340.post-50881340198510646942024-01-14T20:10:00.003+08:002024-01-15T09:34:17.341+08:00Sixth day in a land down under <p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ1lo-7sfcgKacSq2SlXOjaCRq2x-0-20YlOuGoVT6Y2JnK_BqiaLpilg-DE9jMwNSeKGHlkTvfaaYB1d4vzP5o7Nu_kmnKX5RjVZYc7ljITjSx4MLMscw0yKKEK1jvYZhGQvxOBUy6U4rfngsp84b7h_IjpfCJO5LgwobZ7fPkJbXWR4QjWKWkUc-MpM/s4032/IMG_4750.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ1lo-7sfcgKacSq2SlXOjaCRq2x-0-20YlOuGoVT6Y2JnK_BqiaLpilg-DE9jMwNSeKGHlkTvfaaYB1d4vzP5o7Nu_kmnKX5RjVZYc7ljITjSx4MLMscw0yKKEK1jvYZhGQvxOBUy6U4rfngsp84b7h_IjpfCJO5LgwobZ7fPkJbXWR4QjWKWkUc-MpM/s320/IMG_4750.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><i><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Looking across the harbor from Taronga Zoo to the Circular Quay</i></div></i><p></p><p>Critters - Australia is known for 'em. 30 million years or so of separation from other continents have left the country with a very unique set of flora and fauna, from kangaroos, koalas, wombats and saltwater crocodiles to deadly snakes and spiders. At the same time, Australia is one of the most urbanized countries on the planet, with something like 90% of its 26 million population living in just 0.2% of the land area (and with 87% residing within 50 kilometers/30 miles of a coast). We had no plans on visiting any national parks or venturing into the Outback on this trip, but at the same time we wanted to see some of Oz's unique wildlife. Armed with the knowledge our chances of spotting mobs of kangaroos hopping through the streets of Sydney were virtually nil, that left just one option - the <a href="https://www.taronga.org.au/sydney-zoo" target="_blank">Taronga Zoo Sydney</a>. And so, on the last day of 2023, we returned to the Circular Quay for the 12-mintue ride aboard the ferry to the zoo:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUOHFQ_5aU3V_o9IyGipESbcdjXE-PE8i5Vmss4vMfOccwOHyZJRUwKK6k4uOqc9O3j2kSD3rQLffmN8c44js9-HPR4oUyB6iI2tyFKksaLb5pouW6KjqgSZI4ZM8qGG45gJxhO_Rhg5bB4-EJ87mS8wIEhu0z98RzBRz2qfYaMUfyV2nmMkwGKnZBkdw/s4032/IMG_4629.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1910" data-original-width="4032" height="152" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUOHFQ_5aU3V_o9IyGipESbcdjXE-PE8i5Vmss4vMfOccwOHyZJRUwKK6k4uOqc9O3j2kSD3rQLffmN8c44js9-HPR4oUyB6iI2tyFKksaLb5pouW6KjqgSZI4ZM8qGG45gJxhO_Rhg5bB4-EJ87mS8wIEhu0z98RzBRz2qfYaMUfyV2nmMkwGKnZBkdw/s320/IMG_4629.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT_RJrOisv-xbFpyH2wOmy0b-vJTCMbgDP8MVBKWP4eYFYEBj2TjaQGSHCQQGp30eP8N1KEVCBzEUSQSo02OCVcyY6T_piLdO3Rg2OVDEMvVcQr2X9e2MaIgYYYPpmaZWqXvIrm40QBjllCVlH0KZ7XCYA4bQYK7UmjeBQYkU13MCZmWGNDdvPpxY1jeo/s3878/IMG_4630.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2909" data-original-width="3878" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT_RJrOisv-xbFpyH2wOmy0b-vJTCMbgDP8MVBKWP4eYFYEBj2TjaQGSHCQQGp30eP8N1KEVCBzEUSQSo02OCVcyY6T_piLdO3Rg2OVDEMvVcQr2X9e2MaIgYYYPpmaZWqXvIrm40QBjllCVlH0KZ7XCYA4bQYK7UmjeBQYkU13MCZmWGNDdvPpxY1jeo/s320/IMG_4630.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwPnNevKJ0__QyKpAzG6HM3EG05DAyRg8dFYT9yZJVICH6XW2xIm67p0YD9lC395Pnn_mCf43DAKni9HqI2G0w9TDOElkmIDpX7U_6bBNYutcMhTbCMLjgmrud9wTOaKgom_L-P91WAy09BCRqIlIHP4pyK689l-WVph2u4YK9Ypt8DgAeZY0iG-_GC0s/s3484/IMG_4632.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2355" data-original-width="3484" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwPnNevKJ0__QyKpAzG6HM3EG05DAyRg8dFYT9yZJVICH6XW2xIm67p0YD9lC395Pnn_mCf43DAKni9HqI2G0w9TDOElkmIDpX7U_6bBNYutcMhTbCMLjgmrud9wTOaKgom_L-P91WAy09BCRqIlIHP4pyK689l-WVph2u4YK9Ypt8DgAeZY0iG-_GC0s/s320/IMG_4632.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0bbjmhLX-d_xQCUlMDl4o22MVu39KNsgxjbRtIluzYHrhxslHVJjqMZFOKp9ygZ6Ijll0Hei4WvCJBcUaEhOeQoXZhu_BtHXd-h-unYELlCWLJmnu_UkhejFZdcuWgEYmFLb64lW3DKiDeIAPg17S6hF6GahKZaCHfaUUf-3B9Se4tMXEZPdoLURcuWc/s3582/IMG_4634.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2686" data-original-width="3582" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0bbjmhLX-d_xQCUlMDl4o22MVu39KNsgxjbRtIluzYHrhxslHVJjqMZFOKp9ygZ6Ijll0Hei4WvCJBcUaEhOeQoXZhu_BtHXd-h-unYELlCWLJmnu_UkhejFZdcuWgEYmFLb64lW3DKiDeIAPg17S6hF6GahKZaCHfaUUf-3B9Se4tMXEZPdoLURcuWc/s320/IMG_4634.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzzRmx9wVXCawG7AqqeCSEtclf62B9egYnmN1yd5Rzl20H3WU4RcSzSbZN2VJog2JUw51JnA4_edZ6K6FbWOP78H2x_PqRIJwLOx7kZjY0KrACdL9Q6xsFsBIsUob9nadAs8hImTKHRgw65xIkgbhJ5kFyak9YiUJdfsQ_hbcK1DZBTvCRmROZFDvajsQ/s4032/IMG_4635.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzzRmx9wVXCawG7AqqeCSEtclf62B9egYnmN1yd5Rzl20H3WU4RcSzSbZN2VJog2JUw51JnA4_edZ6K6FbWOP78H2x_PqRIJwLOx7kZjY0KrACdL9Q6xsFsBIsUob9nadAs8hImTKHRgw65xIkgbhJ5kFyak9YiUJdfsQ_hbcK1DZBTvCRmROZFDvajsQ/s320/IMG_4635.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Eat my wake! The weather on New Year's Eve wasn't as nice as <a href="https://kaminoge.blogspot.com/2024/01/fifth-day-in-land-down-under.html" target="_blank">the day before</a>:<div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5szotrTnhDwDWficlFZpHxDxTtBIxziKF4UTS5NGKx7Na4lyTM8jEZrYq-YsEZ8il0hsGKJbB6S_p4mdjR0qZxocnLH-0gf3mwQdW45eiKC4ZQb3zpQpuQhVMPW9j7h7Fvtbu3vSQf7FDpGbpMUa_B1u_CGbzKoXwaClUaQKzutoijZv81QIP1ruu_Ok/s3944/IMG_4637.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2157" data-original-width="3944" height="175" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5szotrTnhDwDWficlFZpHxDxTtBIxziKF4UTS5NGKx7Na4lyTM8jEZrYq-YsEZ8il0hsGKJbB6S_p4mdjR0qZxocnLH-0gf3mwQdW45eiKC4ZQb3zpQpuQhVMPW9j7h7Fvtbu3vSQf7FDpGbpMUa_B1u_CGbzKoXwaClUaQKzutoijZv81QIP1ruu_Ok/s320/IMG_4637.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi769nn1FwlS3KgsHWv9lEERkPLlA3vJa6si33ZaNAdEV7YmvOKPRJ-GRJTDh-mRVMzP1Ced_x68R8bk5eLHDt91dZ-ZYb_xxF509l27SdKO9G36bm_rwZ2RCDrZuM_wEexjqJBi65Dx9ygGSNbWtkQJZJ1FCDmPmBSSzTZm7F0znIy141V4JGH4f8LXE/s3942/IMG_4639.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1507" data-original-width="3942" height="122" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi769nn1FwlS3KgsHWv9lEERkPLlA3vJa6si33ZaNAdEV7YmvOKPRJ-GRJTDh-mRVMzP1Ced_x68R8bk5eLHDt91dZ-ZYb_xxF509l27SdKO9G36bm_rwZ2RCDrZuM_wEexjqJBi65Dx9ygGSNbWtkQJZJ1FCDmPmBSSzTZm7F0znIy141V4JGH4f8LXE/s320/IMG_4639.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Upon disembarking we took the shuttle to the zoo's entrance, secured our tickets and immediately made haste to where the native animals were waiting to be photographed. And shot with cameras they were:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheixzks5sfmQ32GhylNPt6I2iEuCQbg2iz1b4QwtSoIYtTVyByj9Dr7NrvAJ659FUYkuTLnuQKTx016QtNhyUWWJirJm-iWeYWoG2WTD3LoFZtU6-xuwK8yS08hxluafgBMKpGliqoJaALv06IpfRf6H9lus2CLjrXzwUHySqWaSCcm84hDibI2Q05dqc/s3208/IMG_4641.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1898" data-original-width="3208" height="189" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheixzks5sfmQ32GhylNPt6I2iEuCQbg2iz1b4QwtSoIYtTVyByj9Dr7NrvAJ659FUYkuTLnuQKTx016QtNhyUWWJirJm-iWeYWoG2WTD3LoFZtU6-xuwK8yS08hxluafgBMKpGliqoJaALv06IpfRf6H9lus2CLjrXzwUHySqWaSCcm84hDibI2Q05dqc/s320/IMG_4641.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBieyhWr80ofxAniCopS24YjxgkkW6owbugLsbjlrhTWZ1k65NsDpTxa0Pj2KIIUa8QUmpWczogTj6mBXWmuPPfY9NHdAwwThXVokjAEIJNskXik3dXsni4jzRaBw3TemD6_z65dguXW7D9hkf_wNpLyooBVDus13tlgBSgu8oqMFKngfcmMrVsaaxeoI/s3713/IMG_4644.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1585" data-original-width="3713" height="137" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBieyhWr80ofxAniCopS24YjxgkkW6owbugLsbjlrhTWZ1k65NsDpTxa0Pj2KIIUa8QUmpWczogTj6mBXWmuPPfY9NHdAwwThXVokjAEIJNskXik3dXsni4jzRaBw3TemD6_z65dguXW7D9hkf_wNpLyooBVDus13tlgBSgu8oqMFKngfcmMrVsaaxeoI/s320/IMG_4644.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIY8TlBBk-EK-5fDPAyQwCUFOdxqH2x4fFMUW_Kj0OKP6HAi2kKus-_U7BjyVHRNeyMvU5fScQln8qWwGfN2D3DttlXcSJC4YUAC_Q-16N5kDC99a2s9jQxlwBGmn8VV9CcHvnZ_sGd2nGepIrYdcIVN08ZxpTuVPJhdIOicCkoLD-H08uumehv79cZVY/s3488/IMG_4645.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3488" data-original-width="2922" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIY8TlBBk-EK-5fDPAyQwCUFOdxqH2x4fFMUW_Kj0OKP6HAi2kKus-_U7BjyVHRNeyMvU5fScQln8qWwGfN2D3DttlXcSJC4YUAC_Q-16N5kDC99a2s9jQxlwBGmn8VV9CcHvnZ_sGd2nGepIrYdcIVN08ZxpTuVPJhdIOicCkoLD-H08uumehv79cZVY/s320/IMG_4645.jpg" width="268" /></a></div><div><br /></div>My wife sets up the perfect picture:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt-wqIxdGz9cwbq1xKAWZkdKctO2lNK2xog8cwcSWGf7TXgc9NZOjKrJ1brcgfzRJ9B1zgcwZ07PijadpXZgyD_pDtyBpWQGGhUgy3XjweHhu8Us5GKZW7nRF-nzKZy9aSAd8wIjwxxUdmxD1yESTe7BXpKYZ9jiW8Wpn8XYjNspdOpFJb0dUg_pQ4-dc/s4032/IMG_4649.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt-wqIxdGz9cwbq1xKAWZkdKctO2lNK2xog8cwcSWGf7TXgc9NZOjKrJ1brcgfzRJ9B1zgcwZ07PijadpXZgyD_pDtyBpWQGGhUgy3XjweHhu8Us5GKZW7nRF-nzKZy9aSAd8wIjwxxUdmxD1yESTe7BXpKYZ9jiW8Wpn8XYjNspdOpFJb0dUg_pQ4-dc/s320/IMG_4649.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>It's difficult to imagine an animal lazier than our Siamese cat, Timi, but he would meet his match with the koalas, who sleep up to 20 hours a day in a stoned stupor. Bloody marsupials...:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqYaZxo4pien6A7-LtGIvjZAvXwCfX5L5x0s45NVzWFkx-MuYI6_4Xvjn-6vJbQQdd9MEs56qKwL6s8hAPfvDcjxGWILzJf37WoweYgudvvTslstql1IBbto3aP4b6fZWNxqcNypnwOB50ELHWNSqfmTtDK0ZS2pwyrRMHOKwDgo-paqAPfu19bUfnR4U/s2968/IMG_4650.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2968" data-original-width="2791" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqYaZxo4pien6A7-LtGIvjZAvXwCfX5L5x0s45NVzWFkx-MuYI6_4Xvjn-6vJbQQdd9MEs56qKwL6s8hAPfvDcjxGWILzJf37WoweYgudvvTslstql1IBbto3aP4b6fZWNxqcNypnwOB50ELHWNSqfmTtDK0ZS2pwyrRMHOKwDgo-paqAPfu19bUfnR4U/s320/IMG_4650.jpg" width="301" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCluRuVbxJvE4FfppbpkRMm76KdGdT-W1paXiOjnkedd7ZvMKb2hQu6ou3Ofue3iOPndWD60VceW8I44NJZ6QXQln-L4_xyal6sSWJD85yBvpCvV9yKPn4SJV8EcxJ3D5y0Ew4pWCivDTiGzQtngmtX-h7abKGfwDzD1aFvEco0lBWRa5CpyiQ4W0XAO4/s2409/IMG_4651.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2069" data-original-width="2409" height="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCluRuVbxJvE4FfppbpkRMm76KdGdT-W1paXiOjnkedd7ZvMKb2hQu6ou3Ofue3iOPndWD60VceW8I44NJZ6QXQln-L4_xyal6sSWJD85yBvpCvV9yKPn4SJV8EcxJ3D5y0Ew4pWCivDTiGzQtngmtX-h7abKGfwDzD1aFvEco0lBWRa5CpyiQ4W0XAO4/s320/IMG_4651.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>That didn't stop young women from seeking that ideal shot:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ79q5U5suqCLNVOfeNwwNPpEM2yUOw3Bx83ttZETSoURFwkH6wQuVHy538can2JrO5ghWniimt4ka5VFtV7PYiNGqIOJkOcbBb5Ax1ViLGSNOTeXrF_53c-pHbjChs51U_IM5HoEaF0AHF3LIPBupq_mMkrJR1YsTPOCe0jD9feqp1kAaIhcNNvKR8EQ/s4032/IMG_4653.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ79q5U5suqCLNVOfeNwwNPpEM2yUOw3Bx83ttZETSoURFwkH6wQuVHy538can2JrO5ghWniimt4ka5VFtV7PYiNGqIOJkOcbBb5Ax1ViLGSNOTeXrF_53c-pHbjChs51U_IM5HoEaF0AHF3LIPBupq_mMkrJR1YsTPOCe0jD9feqp1kAaIhcNNvKR8EQ/s320/IMG_4653.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Maybe the dingo ate your baby:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_nPFaU9ctlzsMWYp5VAQ6WLgE9iKKccaDcBY-gBkZy0fu3n2IK6U54tOL-8dXmpDD6FciREflUc9Re5zAqvc9pvGy_Q8OVBAz2nNKgaOybxDLPfnmmJbC6Yh-cbHsq-kvAXTUGOifwJ-dyHTNkd5_emDZGC04IZIBnYMttEi0xbTaJD_wlk9iU0j6Ht8/s3530/IMG_4656.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2647" data-original-width="3530" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_nPFaU9ctlzsMWYp5VAQ6WLgE9iKKccaDcBY-gBkZy0fu3n2IK6U54tOL-8dXmpDD6FciREflUc9Re5zAqvc9pvGy_Q8OVBAz2nNKgaOybxDLPfnmmJbC6Yh-cbHsq-kvAXTUGOifwJ-dyHTNkd5_emDZGC04IZIBnYMttEi0xbTaJD_wlk9iU0j6Ht8/s320/IMG_4656.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>This pool promised sights of my favorite Down Under creature, the platypus, but all I could glimpse was this turtle:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS-7KONpq6P0fBOcopNhiFnTsffq4TyuAAgtl0yJRlbpVkBHZiYwo5GJ1JQ1x-MS17DhEgigcI780v5Iq5tMM3Y3VudcP5LEDO0klt86Z44Y8Auj2u7kkzuybLUi5q93lAWIT2wFdRtD9Gtdqf2SPa83u74ixkHKYfTdCpO-GAGbqPaLuTlnk3B2n1OZA/s3620/IMG_4658.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2474" data-original-width="3620" height="219" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS-7KONpq6P0fBOcopNhiFnTsffq4TyuAAgtl0yJRlbpVkBHZiYwo5GJ1JQ1x-MS17DhEgigcI780v5Iq5tMM3Y3VudcP5LEDO0klt86Z44Y8Auj2u7kkzuybLUi5q93lAWIT2wFdRtD9Gtdqf2SPa83u74ixkHKYfTdCpO-GAGbqPaLuTlnk3B2n1OZA/s320/IMG_4658.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSwhBv34o7g66ngq50xqGrd4J2Zsn8bQuMkDWIp4JUQMQHGxQfrsdK37Yci4ia_TYN1VN18g2uCN37K-6nAQn2wnpsI1MAG-H6UCkv7AeqG2vJdGmK1BG0J06FmILZ6KK90RJcBPQqUhy5-b-6flS69Rlgj-bg_FNWIbnvo9AC2sa76_mh1cHhyTIMUyQ/s3724/IMG_4660.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2793" data-original-width="3724" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSwhBv34o7g66ngq50xqGrd4J2Zsn8bQuMkDWIp4JUQMQHGxQfrsdK37Yci4ia_TYN1VN18g2uCN37K-6nAQn2wnpsI1MAG-H6UCkv7AeqG2vJdGmK1BG0J06FmILZ6KK90RJcBPQqUhy5-b-6flS69Rlgj-bg_FNWIbnvo9AC2sa76_mh1cHhyTIMUyQ/s320/IMG_4660.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcwi4IZcZiMw4tKj__K55UoOHHvc0vG2-qMWy-VO6jG6P8ONk6sz7RgdhaiV4y9bdWDY9F_KbAQs7rAOEZUxgSQduwMc47dDYEmjBtOI_z2Le8h7f2cvoVHEfYGfp6A0X2oqYVJhdBVgj6mrdJRmN95WxlnoKO_7p98PElxPHhpcUlNEIApmVBGa9e2-U/s2393/IMG_4662.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1234" data-original-width="2393" height="165" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcwi4IZcZiMw4tKj__K55UoOHHvc0vG2-qMWy-VO6jG6P8ONk6sz7RgdhaiV4y9bdWDY9F_KbAQs7rAOEZUxgSQduwMc47dDYEmjBtOI_z2Le8h7f2cvoVHEfYGfp6A0X2oqYVJhdBVgj6mrdJRmN95WxlnoKO_7p98PElxPHhpcUlNEIApmVBGa9e2-U/s320/IMG_4662.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>It wasn't all fauna:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyHcgBbFm7Qb52Pdp2cXL9aqcu0WZi2VvX7aqD93b37Z9sE4VFW_rpUndUPAq_it9qAz7UD4Df5A76Zwy92wAXiAQucpe2RzPIU8hPyrGOQQPK-iiE5La-1KeEuQxtMuSgmK1Ak8OkbhLOEzbp3Fbc4FU5gwbo6ieqeUPAjk7J_HSGVYMHVoCPa1vCQx8/s4032/IMG_4663.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyHcgBbFm7Qb52Pdp2cXL9aqcu0WZi2VvX7aqD93b37Z9sE4VFW_rpUndUPAq_it9qAz7UD4Df5A76Zwy92wAXiAQucpe2RzPIU8hPyrGOQQPK-iiE5La-1KeEuQxtMuSgmK1Ak8OkbhLOEzbp3Fbc4FU5gwbo6ieqeUPAjk7J_HSGVYMHVoCPa1vCQx8/s320/IMG_4663.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWKvAkURu5aMiezU4eeI_OFtzC8Hld7W8uEvGMsi2SpBnmNn-lbOXWPKSNLDkmY8fFBVlEsjHrsR8JTy5eWojjPA6RkjF-9_qSiYh6uJDGE_GtJzXEs-zbLMRqKf8ZaamqlDwivQ-oq7RvXW-QQ2wTebF5ZUO8pvhvaP2cY_ozauLh4F_ZY4ibJKKRZgg/s3386/IMG_4664.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3386" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWKvAkURu5aMiezU4eeI_OFtzC8Hld7W8uEvGMsi2SpBnmNn-lbOXWPKSNLDkmY8fFBVlEsjHrsR8JTy5eWojjPA6RkjF-9_qSiYh6uJDGE_GtJzXEs-zbLMRqKf8ZaamqlDwivQ-oq7RvXW-QQ2wTebF5ZUO8pvhvaP2cY_ozauLh4F_ZY4ibJKKRZgg/s320/IMG_4664.jpg" width="286" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-VsvgGeYakaLkQebNIu7RZ18txdKJPq51UVP3keB6dImR8xQsfvSdUpKYJnRiOeW9HFqTHt7QK7iQyi9KBvWn8a_DIJKaWeEnnVTWLI_iHDpKPmwYKVZPBWvO0iP6cMMFXrWSU921RfKqWLINkSkocDNc5ptcUezJ5zulUicsgrQBJN-pVbFTN7hIAbc/s3429/IMG_4665.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3429" data-original-width="2417" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-VsvgGeYakaLkQebNIu7RZ18txdKJPq51UVP3keB6dImR8xQsfvSdUpKYJnRiOeW9HFqTHt7QK7iQyi9KBvWn8a_DIJKaWeEnnVTWLI_iHDpKPmwYKVZPBWvO0iP6cMMFXrWSU921RfKqWLINkSkocDNc5ptcUezJ5zulUicsgrQBJN-pVbFTN7hIAbc/s320/IMG_4665.jpg" width="226" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs5P0K2pRCnLbgomwCi4FyR7roZA4WObAZMgfLeiSlI3LMoUNOTgk7fwGs_kt2OTDY57Recq-yyt8_sNxou48eotN3Miy96IXA_NsQ8-Iyd52Y1L_gbP4yWD1OONgJmLRyNCBa1IiUrYOpdA3jtMCBonNKI7Ss0rt04CmMYfvJdXB0JHBeYfjo79EwScs/s3590/IMG_4667.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2490" data-original-width="3590" height="222" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs5P0K2pRCnLbgomwCi4FyR7roZA4WObAZMgfLeiSlI3LMoUNOTgk7fwGs_kt2OTDY57Recq-yyt8_sNxou48eotN3Miy96IXA_NsQ8-Iyd52Y1L_gbP4yWD1OONgJmLRyNCBa1IiUrYOpdA3jtMCBonNKI7Ss0rt04CmMYfvJdXB0JHBeYfjo79EwScs/s320/IMG_4667.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVx_JP95oL72wLKpVUjnjWVRq5sRPdln7B8JgQM264Fp63OZjjtk21i7XdECGBau3QnjrG3Ap1fbLAmzgKfl0aQQRSUnuJTS_byaQDT8tM1Re1WtUvC22teER4abrwpvPrtCUnYXgaLII7aDDMLkssdG2L6vxex0cAPdj9mdEObVu6KOXY1saLK7MRrdw/s4032/IMG_4668.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVx_JP95oL72wLKpVUjnjWVRq5sRPdln7B8JgQM264Fp63OZjjtk21i7XdECGBau3QnjrG3Ap1fbLAmzgKfl0aQQRSUnuJTS_byaQDT8tM1Re1WtUvC22teER4abrwpvPrtCUnYXgaLII7aDDMLkssdG2L6vxex0cAPdj9mdEObVu6KOXY1saLK7MRrdw/s320/IMG_4668.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNmOpV_LRKajRP5k5p_1Cn0enGS3_BoSQ96BJ0S1M8Yx3unzFqNnTsdLSqLdMiC0xWbqc38NLqpDm77qvRd5uxG8wtPbOwF99Lz3Hv1kTcgTfRn8l1gMpihdReDmlhBkyzbwW0uPqZX_Tp9L_mf60F70DpogaX22whZd6HnxrNyJSo6OfHi3BbGTpBYWc/s3148/IMG_4669.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2043" data-original-width="3148" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNmOpV_LRKajRP5k5p_1Cn0enGS3_BoSQ96BJ0S1M8Yx3unzFqNnTsdLSqLdMiC0xWbqc38NLqpDm77qvRd5uxG8wtPbOwF99Lz3Hv1kTcgTfRn8l1gMpihdReDmlhBkyzbwW0uPqZX_Tp9L_mf60F70DpogaX22whZd6HnxrNyJSo6OfHi3BbGTpBYWc/s320/IMG_4669.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>In addition to platypuses, the zoo allegedly also had Tasmanian Devils, but we couldn't see any examples, either. At least the Looney Tunes controversy was addressed by the signage:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPPDEY2bjAgUFsqIyUHdNGjCI8aJNDWTk5ex0YXV9wv-ooJgvQ34kar4vnRLwyEveWhJD3v2yrAWWPR96cXEFg0IvUSt6sJ4vxlAL_4mUzfoyOHKa0akxGytbA2JmqNXJN0hAo2ih_fNi2vjYmjPEZWsVfXYuhPLs4g_Rm_WUOyddL9o1tM3pHIj1iHuA/s3548/IMG_4673.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2200" data-original-width="3548" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPPDEY2bjAgUFsqIyUHdNGjCI8aJNDWTk5ex0YXV9wv-ooJgvQ34kar4vnRLwyEveWhJD3v2yrAWWPR96cXEFg0IvUSt6sJ4vxlAL_4mUzfoyOHKa0akxGytbA2JmqNXJN0hAo2ih_fNi2vjYmjPEZWsVfXYuhPLs4g_Rm_WUOyddL9o1tM3pHIj1iHuA/s320/IMG_4673.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/tRE52ZUJ0gc" width="320" youtube-src-id="tRE52ZUJ0gc"></iframe></div></div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIu9SqeUt8GblR6ClRaFa4jh2CwK9Ev1QQ9qs4oTpfDzEprPkflDId7JZIcCZo89CS1oVG08bz3WOnZNORO_mRXerJR0jFcfH479-ouLTCO4tCYahF1fZqku-SGjg3zSj_Q8W6-fflMutDlPk5R_4sAl3Wlgxvg2GoGjRzGEABDD_02NsrzG26ID7p74c/s3715/IMG_4677.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2594" data-original-width="3715" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIu9SqeUt8GblR6ClRaFa4jh2CwK9Ev1QQ9qs4oTpfDzEprPkflDId7JZIcCZo89CS1oVG08bz3WOnZNORO_mRXerJR0jFcfH479-ouLTCO4tCYahF1fZqku-SGjg3zSj_Q8W6-fflMutDlPk5R_4sAl3Wlgxvg2GoGjRzGEABDD_02NsrzG26ID7p74c/s320/IMG_4677.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The zoo's denizens are rewarded with some prime real estate, enjoying some of the best views of Sydney Harbour:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCo_j_ULPdCv7Ge6lOw-Pli0le8TBNdh9zUbzEBvNKzOtm_ObNBut1so9KOpr5WE2gzjCIHczMJ3UzM2bSxM6UniWZ08xHsz6GPZmq8Ij3iqnG73n6VQAAmwNYfQzFptAkWvoluVnrRMiI83B7TuxMbDEYqAC9yMhAWzoCeZwA3MJMLyjGExNo3nHQRWA/s3959/IMG_4678.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2181" data-original-width="3959" height="176" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCo_j_ULPdCv7Ge6lOw-Pli0le8TBNdh9zUbzEBvNKzOtm_ObNBut1so9KOpr5WE2gzjCIHczMJ3UzM2bSxM6UniWZ08xHsz6GPZmq8Ij3iqnG73n6VQAAmwNYfQzFptAkWvoluVnrRMiI83B7TuxMbDEYqAC9yMhAWzoCeZwA3MJMLyjGExNo3nHQRWA/s320/IMG_4678.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>A Huntsman spider:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE5HzAUjpqhcGoESy5NlPcmIpCWbR_bu9mFD735t9PF8yHmzHqF-bYKwCAlyCfZS_YddkiJgkNL_DxInoe-qOo-mE0hjhohWfPC9Hb3tw1unw11Sa9SP5AIuIQtFrSyCOOiiAFOib-kZ9lMjFQPqOFUmoNog95igIvoDgkal_KxA3C1n_XO6Lfh60VYn8/s2574/IMG_4679.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2536" data-original-width="2574" height="315" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE5HzAUjpqhcGoESy5NlPcmIpCWbR_bu9mFD735t9PF8yHmzHqF-bYKwCAlyCfZS_YddkiJgkNL_DxInoe-qOo-mE0hjhohWfPC9Hb3tw1unw11Sa9SP5AIuIQtFrSyCOOiiAFOib-kZ9lMjFQPqOFUmoNog95igIvoDgkal_KxA3C1n_XO6Lfh60VYn8/s320/IMG_4679.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7MIhrZHjwphmFxYr61bwY7BGNX1xYSkMmAlmfdo_CY8N6b5DFgwMUN9KNO2LshTOae-SKqUDR4917JuBlFffTpyNXp9xkeaERSZin7paXjNObPBegRDhRBnavDIAmdL-FudZdpL633TA1D15_odFDtwRq8soR8tRfCkUnm3lkeYrTB2wIyLHi-iLK62k/s2241/IMG_4680.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2241" data-original-width="1876" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7MIhrZHjwphmFxYr61bwY7BGNX1xYSkMmAlmfdo_CY8N6b5DFgwMUN9KNO2LshTOae-SKqUDR4917JuBlFffTpyNXp9xkeaERSZin7paXjNObPBegRDhRBnavDIAmdL-FudZdpL633TA1D15_odFDtwRq8soR8tRfCkUnm3lkeYrTB2wIyLHi-iLK62k/s320/IMG_4680.jpg" width="268" /></a></div><div><br /></div>You Red-bellied Black Snake! Which sounds like an insult from an old Western...:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2EdQDrg7GQmaz63C4j7Dwa-GDgEsDwfr1mRmVHTIU8DNcbqiWzAzqbw0nE5QauMRmTG97nuj7EOk9IrQFOeH1Ckjn7kCyN69RJmOTgXoktAgyBkh7-MzQB5gEFzZRBd787XhZ6Xn-vedEdLD_85CJXTDwHoQ2aZulhOJHU6l1uDzyHoeneEvy9tHLqVw/s3307/IMG_4683.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1829" data-original-width="3307" height="177" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2EdQDrg7GQmaz63C4j7Dwa-GDgEsDwfr1mRmVHTIU8DNcbqiWzAzqbw0nE5QauMRmTG97nuj7EOk9IrQFOeH1Ckjn7kCyN69RJmOTgXoktAgyBkh7-MzQB5gEFzZRBd787XhZ6Xn-vedEdLD_85CJXTDwHoQ2aZulhOJHU6l1uDzyHoeneEvy9tHLqVw/s320/IMG_4683.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ7LN39p5D0zYljglOjCcMRK2hNbu9XAiwO8X-4WFBJtvV_ITLBv5eo4EMm9syyRd95pg-rHTWicsQpkyjQD1ZUwDhmuMxBLodW492eZ4tq_FmzjjT-j-CDus48RCLl0sDIwQuIONATiPZ7hczAhs2LdS1AGobaELr-S74CcRpw8qVnEmaDwG38cMWENM/s3774/IMG_4684.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1817" data-original-width="3774" height="154" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ7LN39p5D0zYljglOjCcMRK2hNbu9XAiwO8X-4WFBJtvV_ITLBv5eo4EMm9syyRd95pg-rHTWicsQpkyjQD1ZUwDhmuMxBLodW492eZ4tq_FmzjjT-j-CDus48RCLl0sDIwQuIONATiPZ7hczAhs2LdS1AGobaELr-S74CcRpw8qVnEmaDwG38cMWENM/s320/IMG_4684.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihD4zFe6G5_jCNMX-eQRd1ViDLveYAN1MqllDZPki0CpN6CFDbv-fOXYoRS3kaNy4-UM6g_7innvY9j378_z7is7fS1l3cw9SZ_nxRhtZ5I4gne7RQE0dh3eHVuyC4c8H_p94KQJHc6ANhPITCeq3zXZ_P1H2p08ORdcEfzz3T8zJORy8itOCHhgN7shs/s4032/IMG_4685.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihD4zFe6G5_jCNMX-eQRd1ViDLveYAN1MqllDZPki0CpN6CFDbv-fOXYoRS3kaNy4-UM6g_7innvY9j378_z7is7fS1l3cw9SZ_nxRhtZ5I4gne7RQE0dh3eHVuyC4c8H_p94KQJHc6ANhPITCeq3zXZ_P1H2p08ORdcEfzz3T8zJORy8itOCHhgN7shs/s320/IMG_4685.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipSed6GGjMevT1QjqWo7MHcEIwGW47W9pHesP4GiNdlMhjNwZRuXNFKNTCUxHmsECJeTrQMwpTk_TsY_YtAc3W0cbeA_gx-Zj1KKSpmpkvQe6gIDEDC7W_FkrMwPQLfYQqGmW5ilvkuJcBYduumZJu9jnMtBhjQJupw-4lm3Z7VFCYBx-qq7IXVnXMRpI/s3171/IMG_4686.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2007" data-original-width="3171" height="203" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipSed6GGjMevT1QjqWo7MHcEIwGW47W9pHesP4GiNdlMhjNwZRuXNFKNTCUxHmsECJeTrQMwpTk_TsY_YtAc3W0cbeA_gx-Zj1KKSpmpkvQe6gIDEDC7W_FkrMwPQLfYQqGmW5ilvkuJcBYduumZJu9jnMtBhjQJupw-4lm3Z7VFCYBx-qq7IXVnXMRpI/s320/IMG_4686.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Not all the animals at the zoo were confined. This pair of Australian White Ibises flew in to enjoy the misfortune of their caged-up avian counterparts:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRCovcpnYT7u2S_QIfP9jkiZU8rYELWKwPpBUoNKx1stFwimLR2Kpoe63C0xBeRdUHDpYSlQDnAg0ZtjgUS5R-Ch62BJSELtjqXH8a3UWWSPu-75k0rcL6NFmlpvTv8F9817VHNydxM90pvyBUF9HHBoern9E_KIPeq-FqTK9W78pC6488ZfpdakckmYo/s4010/IMG_4687.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1792" data-original-width="4010" height="143" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRCovcpnYT7u2S_QIfP9jkiZU8rYELWKwPpBUoNKx1stFwimLR2Kpoe63C0xBeRdUHDpYSlQDnAg0ZtjgUS5R-Ch62BJSELtjqXH8a3UWWSPu-75k0rcL6NFmlpvTv8F9817VHNydxM90pvyBUF9HHBoern9E_KIPeq-FqTK9W78pC6488ZfpdakckmYo/s320/IMG_4687.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>A sign inside a mock-up of an old farm (see further down):</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM-QtTV6-LDpAu8B4XTFSAUtLcH-53W2RaTyhKDyWgJorAfXBusfBecjtfgsB_6UnD_iOOPZMmn4I4NfpNbWb5nSpVWPcOxQkO6YMjao-iajBflzG38oR_XYMP53Ru-E18a8tZgSlZOr0JQiq6mHKNsh3TwjnrbU2yN3Q_9LoJVl_wDrZI3x4QdOwi6Uc/s3675/IMG_4688.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3675" data-original-width="2485" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM-QtTV6-LDpAu8B4XTFSAUtLcH-53W2RaTyhKDyWgJorAfXBusfBecjtfgsB_6UnD_iOOPZMmn4I4NfpNbWb5nSpVWPcOxQkO6YMjao-iajBflzG38oR_XYMP53Ru-E18a8tZgSlZOr0JQiq6mHKNsh3TwjnrbU2yN3Q_9LoJVl_wDrZI3x4QdOwi6Uc/s320/IMG_4688.jpg" width="216" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2yAvOhMZXb3FNguG_uPbSdB6a_lR6WssmhOWjx8M5JnQudluphF8GdrZU80BcsNZuM3GEW_-vy60V1gesAfa_ZTUh9enwyO5_zu2HgCyledrYDlVuZzeElYjhRXnJ0J2Gy0jLG0x7PZ9PI4uljtEZohGntwnSANg1eJyDX8FlcneZyyn5iR9KkETAZKk/s4032/IMG_4689.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2yAvOhMZXb3FNguG_uPbSdB6a_lR6WssmhOWjx8M5JnQudluphF8GdrZU80BcsNZuM3GEW_-vy60V1gesAfa_ZTUh9enwyO5_zu2HgCyledrYDlVuZzeElYjhRXnJ0J2Gy0jLG0x7PZ9PI4uljtEZohGntwnSANg1eJyDX8FlcneZyyn5iR9KkETAZKk/s320/IMG_4689.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1FpN62N5vNN2rU2-_ciC7N3pZgFCOJZ2VbnKaf5rm59j0fYLW8-1xGgGsY0sXKBtnBSHWtDniLbXe_6UdAtwmiJFFE2CDMhy_nJmy0ePlRGx_n5kf2D4pjpMPjKuDF66Jve9_4Unotj_HEUUubckCXYJTNQXNVfoPPK5p6pNm4eSS8gYzy5A-RH7GbjQ/s2985/IMG_4691.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2344" data-original-width="2985" height="251" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1FpN62N5vNN2rU2-_ciC7N3pZgFCOJZ2VbnKaf5rm59j0fYLW8-1xGgGsY0sXKBtnBSHWtDniLbXe_6UdAtwmiJFFE2CDMhy_nJmy0ePlRGx_n5kf2D4pjpMPjKuDF66Jve9_4Unotj_HEUUubckCXYJTNQXNVfoPPK5p6pNm4eSS8gYzy5A-RH7GbjQ/s320/IMG_4691.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2rAd0zFFR-rDyOb4uszSul6hUXWEOZVW5Fx7L4y87PftaEqNNprYbs1Zt6jHW6M6LDneGOuaD-iqh6eFsvntKVLyFEa3U6tB8mmM3o5SLCKTPiERT_Dmyx3qAeSBg-v6K5KQKoOopEcVASOgc2E6aXpOIKlc60phomr4v5MsqnZFSt9lkhLFZ3x5J-wg/s2955/IMG_4692.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2349" data-original-width="2955" height="254" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2rAd0zFFR-rDyOb4uszSul6hUXWEOZVW5Fx7L4y87PftaEqNNprYbs1Zt6jHW6M6LDneGOuaD-iqh6eFsvntKVLyFEa3U6tB8mmM3o5SLCKTPiERT_Dmyx3qAeSBg-v6K5KQKoOopEcVASOgc2E6aXpOIKlc60phomr4v5MsqnZFSt9lkhLFZ3x5J-wg/s320/IMG_4692.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Why were there guns in the zoo?:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCH3YdEmoi1jO0tDqzKh2bBI_DjXO53MVPPJA4_Eu1_XORXsgwRBtlKaikNHKIzlHMUYfl6y-MLH-TMe26b6gVh2xTsQaJijE8ur8-oQezv-bMdCFB8gL75AZ3fGMRlSfkdpN9DnOhnS2kdJusmj-ojDo0fdULmn5-5sqnYsyElbRq2N713ruGEI0GNFQ/s4032/IMG_4693.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCH3YdEmoi1jO0tDqzKh2bBI_DjXO53MVPPJA4_Eu1_XORXsgwRBtlKaikNHKIzlHMUYfl6y-MLH-TMe26b6gVh2xTsQaJijE8ur8-oQezv-bMdCFB8gL75AZ3fGMRlSfkdpN9DnOhnS2kdJusmj-ojDo0fdULmn5-5sqnYsyElbRq2N713ruGEI0GNFQ/s320/IMG_4693.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1qj1vsHEHlS_VEBZXfe90fC8L-NszRFTp_J4zsZNg2I2Y8S9U1Qd7LIeGWw7EA149Efm3CU1vUjgsVI3hDJUOnxCHR2TDQdaTFJNtS4zuCXsHRVF6fFkgGLLvwXcyP82tYRkaWQpuv6xqeB1eSfKHQDn_YMqrh2V_CCBJXMkSFJD-QRz-Mmu59PVmLDA/s2990/IMG_4694.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2182" data-original-width="2990" height="234" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1qj1vsHEHlS_VEBZXfe90fC8L-NszRFTp_J4zsZNg2I2Y8S9U1Qd7LIeGWw7EA149Efm3CU1vUjgsVI3hDJUOnxCHR2TDQdaTFJNtS4zuCXsHRVF6fFkgGLLvwXcyP82tYRkaWQpuv6xqeB1eSfKHQDn_YMqrh2V_CCBJXMkSFJD-QRz-Mmu59PVmLDA/s320/IMG_4694.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUmqzTWcIy8799FvQ8HGASuF-SrkWRjQ9-PPKSo7vEeeMdo_tvhshiU5abYJ9GARq-wSl91RwuB14BMI6jZdvEn_Hj5Y1XeOP3YO93P37Lfxj823SHtG2cn1zA9kDNoeho1uYY3HfpnFnVsk8K5ducjHM288Jf9mEMJ7srCmEH2orCIYOO-qHjgtGtIdw/s2455/IMG_4695.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2028" data-original-width="2455" height="264" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUmqzTWcIy8799FvQ8HGASuF-SrkWRjQ9-PPKSo7vEeeMdo_tvhshiU5abYJ9GARq-wSl91RwuB14BMI6jZdvEn_Hj5Y1XeOP3YO93P37Lfxj823SHtG2cn1zA9kDNoeho1uYY3HfpnFnVsk8K5ducjHM288Jf9mEMJ7srCmEH2orCIYOO-qHjgtGtIdw/s320/IMG_4695.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Our view from the cafe where we had lunch:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhZVTMKMY7hOEzcGt7R4JfrldkflMWMvrwVqgHyK6bnTMqVmccgicvKBejs1MNcbDUBP-WYd_pc7b6FRkgec8TZYhe5GkviodrHDtlAf-2bH9AFUjrqAxvRx995kNDwltGO7R3AQHQ72kH8kGQA_edffjZR3KYPkpqhWpzdX6lzGXRrqex7dUZa2so6Gw/s4032/IMG_4699.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2374" data-original-width="4032" height="188" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhZVTMKMY7hOEzcGt7R4JfrldkflMWMvrwVqgHyK6bnTMqVmccgicvKBejs1MNcbDUBP-WYd_pc7b6FRkgec8TZYhe5GkviodrHDtlAf-2bH9AFUjrqAxvRx995kNDwltGO7R3AQHQ72kH8kGQA_edffjZR3KYPkpqhWpzdX6lzGXRrqex7dUZa2so6Gw/s320/IMG_4699.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The fisherman's choice. I was hooked (see above):</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZe6Z44_ptJvX4mqqDTSk5gsveAgPxF61yIEIAbYfURBo19xTYRYYkfbU3g_a2BRKxxI07tua7n08UZbaEUhHfrdMYkcyijMf2z4EolXWuqgSKcPrIml-OwQb4j1xdP7zQODnRqhLkZRaJ-YNPE7CMWGC6QkhvsVVOcwO1aF48tewJoaegpfEtnMvsJBQ/s3641/IMG_4701.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3641" data-original-width="2848" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZe6Z44_ptJvX4mqqDTSk5gsveAgPxF61yIEIAbYfURBo19xTYRYYkfbU3g_a2BRKxxI07tua7n08UZbaEUhHfrdMYkcyijMf2z4EolXWuqgSKcPrIml-OwQb4j1xdP7zQODnRqhLkZRaJ-YNPE7CMWGC6QkhvsVVOcwO1aF48tewJoaegpfEtnMvsJBQ/s320/IMG_4701.jpg" width="250" /></a></div><div><br /></div>My daughter and I both ordered fish tacos, though Amber passed on the <a href="https://www.tooheys.com.au/our-beers/" target="_blank">Tooheys</a>:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7czk6TFrJHzprz9gPO2MfKLbbQiBLPqbGzv5DCGh2apEJ8b6ZVXm84MQFB9nDxGjasnGmiFfkLar8Z6_LOKYUnnMJQYSfYaVrYn_CnCW5I0TnZtaERVRy5uFTWSejpEs__CIiFj_XUk-k_aOZzdj0j5WjjPJcyckwenFR0oxIhcFcMybz3rdfGmbYqSU/s3441/IMG_4703.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2880" data-original-width="3441" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7czk6TFrJHzprz9gPO2MfKLbbQiBLPqbGzv5DCGh2apEJ8b6ZVXm84MQFB9nDxGjasnGmiFfkLar8Z6_LOKYUnnMJQYSfYaVrYn_CnCW5I0TnZtaERVRy5uFTWSejpEs__CIiFj_XUk-k_aOZzdj0j5WjjPJcyckwenFR0oxIhcFcMybz3rdfGmbYqSU/s320/IMG_4703.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Trying to get a decent photo in the exhibit on nocturnal animals was quite the challenge:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3QqbFJ_DByF4e08LsXJSdUO-vqniA556uAnfZcbwJuqWbnLOGY89rlEHe_5MdPoTg_jiiIBYcnOhYXzYHZRzg6qWc4YMpecBVaCuldw2eyuqfb8gzmqkUz1-Pv1FXsCdGN7HKGHFArJ4mB2DlQXTOzku-H2mpa4izOkWSluOQpKkOp_MGZzwWSGCwwT8/s4032/IMG_4709.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3QqbFJ_DByF4e08LsXJSdUO-vqniA556uAnfZcbwJuqWbnLOGY89rlEHe_5MdPoTg_jiiIBYcnOhYXzYHZRzg6qWc4YMpecBVaCuldw2eyuqfb8gzmqkUz1-Pv1FXsCdGN7HKGHFArJ4mB2DlQXTOzku-H2mpa4izOkWSluOQpKkOp_MGZzwWSGCwwT8/s320/IMG_4709.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_xpNOzawTeztZIPZ6FX9P2r1r34FnsHEg163YT0t9Sdmh0pcA51z010dV7VGDBjIBzYscD2fqcH1FbWOsKq1COfGIdYKvQJpUv3JLc-8La5HVtrNXRBfuUL9M_jZp1dzP8yyKfHei00AIOxhtIBGmx2tpkkLYUgyfFXHrHZ8p6Azz9W-3shM6tDQ66ok/s3901/IMG_4711.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2926" data-original-width="3901" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_xpNOzawTeztZIPZ6FX9P2r1r34FnsHEg163YT0t9Sdmh0pcA51z010dV7VGDBjIBzYscD2fqcH1FbWOsKq1COfGIdYKvQJpUv3JLc-8La5HVtrNXRBfuUL9M_jZp1dzP8yyKfHei00AIOxhtIBGmx2tpkkLYUgyfFXHrHZ8p6Azz9W-3shM6tDQ66ok/s320/IMG_4711.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiO4lw0QgqoruHwNdoQYSXW29cBysZeW5kNnKUcQvQrFG8RyV-0LPn0ejFIP4nsdxWBOnBN5fJlN-Jx06VFd56sLg_wlePXdF-3I9GG-7RoLno4pyZe-HEbdisBIEZcrZGD8AGNFzD6JbR9KEKd8bIoFkUZeCwvALcU4vhWMd46QnX_7KU0yyKDcE7GFc/s3980/IMG_4712.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2847" data-original-width="3980" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiO4lw0QgqoruHwNdoQYSXW29cBysZeW5kNnKUcQvQrFG8RyV-0LPn0ejFIP4nsdxWBOnBN5fJlN-Jx06VFd56sLg_wlePXdF-3I9GG-7RoLno4pyZe-HEbdisBIEZcrZGD8AGNFzD6JbR9KEKd8bIoFkUZeCwvALcU4vhWMd46QnX_7KU0yyKDcE7GFc/s320/IMG_4712.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>One can only imagine what a condo with this view would cost. The price of owning an "affordable" home in Australia, as in many other places, is reaching ridiculously astronomical levels, at least according to this <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-67723760" target="_blank">BBC article</a>:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0Rrilgfgml_adVQlmrWcQ6R-88Pc0PmA6pGVVnK3Saivo1oSwvfgEnBz4OBFm4Z5SKLND-jXeIyP8igOKwhtZl-csihygcyMFrL882OuUkNXe36qTflY9FVGO5ADgbUoedOXK6_KwPDv9v4jJ3GQapcW-QqLf-dyiqTkvKAqTPch6pW0rh3Kf6VbKE1w/s3947/IMG_4713.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2668" data-original-width="3947" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0Rrilgfgml_adVQlmrWcQ6R-88Pc0PmA6pGVVnK3Saivo1oSwvfgEnBz4OBFm4Z5SKLND-jXeIyP8igOKwhtZl-csihygcyMFrL882OuUkNXe36qTflY9FVGO5ADgbUoedOXK6_KwPDv9v4jJ3GQapcW-QqLf-dyiqTkvKAqTPch6pW0rh3Kf6VbKE1w/s320/IMG_4713.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Along with the platypus, the echidna is the only living mammal that lays eggs:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBU4KovKAztZMgVQD49g0CAm8I7rT8kHnY3lXu409110QDwtY8ze8a8eZFvjZFMxbulqycfVPwGUcMzfn__0GJ-RQaHvOChTnyA2CHpYEOoQ_pDrmjF6R20LDXzBQRD_z2JM9wm-gHrOZfP-KfwjC6pCRdgSyLOUFlQfh8M2uFeBCKbaB_kA6W_cFVVrQ/s2505/IMG_4714.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2505" data-original-width="2335" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBU4KovKAztZMgVQD49g0CAm8I7rT8kHnY3lXu409110QDwtY8ze8a8eZFvjZFMxbulqycfVPwGUcMzfn__0GJ-RQaHvOChTnyA2CHpYEOoQ_pDrmjF6R20LDXzBQRD_z2JM9wm-gHrOZfP-KfwjC6pCRdgSyLOUFlQfh8M2uFeBCKbaB_kA6W_cFVVrQ/s320/IMG_4714.jpg" width="298" /></a></div><div><br /></div>A magnificent looking Rhinoceros Iguana:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8UBGlokQYnIsQLafLLbM5qg6RhJLM0IQS9-vdinwbqNQPMTGlslQ0tMJS36XBNZCd6yB8lqq-o5zwSfB5OKR4CJ7zNVXFw6GjGHmnaBVbm5n92rmDkfcQ2P49tuEPZgB2lpMoRYTGQcuYuLgV7TypQredfdIUOheEWrsKdTRURn5zXBss_WHRr_Ec0GI/s4032/IMG_4715.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2681" data-original-width="4032" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8UBGlokQYnIsQLafLLbM5qg6RhJLM0IQS9-vdinwbqNQPMTGlslQ0tMJS36XBNZCd6yB8lqq-o5zwSfB5OKR4CJ7zNVXFw6GjGHmnaBVbm5n92rmDkfcQ2P49tuEPZgB2lpMoRYTGQcuYuLgV7TypQredfdIUOheEWrsKdTRURn5zXBss_WHRr_Ec0GI/s320/IMG_4715.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I've never been cursed with that Christian-derived dread of snakes. I find them to be beautiful and fascinating:</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguHF6xW1LTPcK70ZI2lGv-Q8k7bJRZH_pn_QWatHYzJMBiaJgB3vRQ9UG8ZC3ChMrH_dMuOJr6oIrOAsPOJRjF83seq_h7x-XNznQc-P3QCGeeDUzi1Wu_fN74tuekvZELXC2xOGpyw7if1XuwFOi8TsO1VUKMkjQMjsEgaNqNKFnFbcgHq58QKd-9NFI/s3512/IMG_4717.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1718" data-original-width="3512" height="157" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguHF6xW1LTPcK70ZI2lGv-Q8k7bJRZH_pn_QWatHYzJMBiaJgB3vRQ9UG8ZC3ChMrH_dMuOJr6oIrOAsPOJRjF83seq_h7x-XNznQc-P3QCGeeDUzi1Wu_fN74tuekvZELXC2xOGpyw7if1XuwFOi8TsO1VUKMkjQMjsEgaNqNKFnFbcgHq58QKd-9NFI/s320/IMG_4717.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMj9ndxEWVj8qMNPXEn1ZKRkRDIrBfi-9XwjxgBDju1GwPUgC_PKhE7z82dmLuABzBJsR0v54tQRUkPijFkw1TFX3KTKLfccNGJCTDaW1nEfJcArzZRolSVyKXUNrab15Fi5aGupQLAm7sIwKu5DvNoIYWrLlBXafe5-4q5Ufwb4_UeVcc__VlvJra0hw/s3365/IMG_4719.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2099" data-original-width="3365" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMj9ndxEWVj8qMNPXEn1ZKRkRDIrBfi-9XwjxgBDju1GwPUgC_PKhE7z82dmLuABzBJsR0v54tQRUkPijFkw1TFX3KTKLfccNGJCTDaW1nEfJcArzZRolSVyKXUNrab15Fi5aGupQLAm7sIwKu5DvNoIYWrLlBXafe5-4q5Ufwb4_UeVcc__VlvJra0hw/s320/IMG_4719.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>This Merten's Water Monitor was the most chill creature we encountered during our day at the zoo:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5YTC9pU96naxLrHx_UPZddxCixF1qUDJYKQr38JMTlwkmvupRSROkX2y0rHZWHlV_4D6Bgp8DP5AINYC4krcaf-0NP2tqTBLkXnT-9IJVXI7oUpAJsHeyHO3ODJkbQzKxVPylHVlXNN_BdGMtMYLtIpdIBpitWajF9RR1bJwBYxM_5VB_n_XfLlvDuzU/s3296/IMG_4721.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1994" data-original-width="3296" height="194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5YTC9pU96naxLrHx_UPZddxCixF1qUDJYKQr38JMTlwkmvupRSROkX2y0rHZWHlV_4D6Bgp8DP5AINYC4krcaf-0NP2tqTBLkXnT-9IJVXI7oUpAJsHeyHO3ODJkbQzKxVPylHVlXNN_BdGMtMYLtIpdIBpitWajF9RR1bJwBYxM_5VB_n_XfLlvDuzU/s320/IMG_4721.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkkcEG6TiodY7m0GTTkXpqGz5CWmPwBv_d_UTYYa5vVlx3_XjutIsNBS8Uzn-C2ZVOcJ7fZDqQ2scC9dshrYLZd6d_BYfrD_VvPTIU_KZLI6epKRhri2tVOs7tcfsfGgFsVwLLI3FYof7wdtrAMp8B8OTlwQvFd4xF34K4cC860Ga9ToIj1XvsPBA68eo/s3560/IMG_4723.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2293" data-original-width="3560" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkkcEG6TiodY7m0GTTkXpqGz5CWmPwBv_d_UTYYa5vVlx3_XjutIsNBS8Uzn-C2ZVOcJ7fZDqQ2scC9dshrYLZd6d_BYfrD_VvPTIU_KZLI6epKRhri2tVOs7tcfsfGgFsVwLLI3FYof7wdtrAMp8B8OTlwQvFd4xF34K4cC860Ga9ToIj1XvsPBA68eo/s320/IMG_4723.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqbTILUdaxoI0FFtrYQyJv2O8yK7DXUpUb7KYBgyol81XsYvPEreLVR5K89lErzkCOVh3tAHIDag6YDzPTrdrHRZZu-PEMDAE6rU02SrP61kKWrr9OftyKyWkxiygsGuXxU7Z1qu3nwcW6WEeoSMv8Qqt1jSh22xQhXfTz1bNslC0QnLJTz-i51H-r43E/s3736/IMG_4724.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1430" data-original-width="3736" height="122" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqbTILUdaxoI0FFtrYQyJv2O8yK7DXUpUb7KYBgyol81XsYvPEreLVR5K89lErzkCOVh3tAHIDag6YDzPTrdrHRZZu-PEMDAE6rU02SrP61kKWrr9OftyKyWkxiygsGuXxU7Z1qu3nwcW6WEeoSMv8Qqt1jSh22xQhXfTz1bNslC0QnLJTz-i51H-r43E/s320/IMG_4724.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Shu-E is one of those with a fear of serpents. Giraffes, on the other hand...:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilzP-QQ4gaGEMaJWExkiCnOaYDSoVS8Ay-8K-KcPYdYtRVqqZbBH1R4OrfYMx_PdSp40mySQw6M_5TZjB8SpUkmsyydZ-rB-hpB9LUzeYJJfXWEOfS8nnEf666-TXaMoFYTd7p0xY1Yir3pxXIfe-6_QdlnJvyYiEcwMUUfurRgfO4SSCU3HsEFGoOB-M/s3989/IMG_4725.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2992" data-original-width="3989" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilzP-QQ4gaGEMaJWExkiCnOaYDSoVS8Ay-8K-KcPYdYtRVqqZbBH1R4OrfYMx_PdSp40mySQw6M_5TZjB8SpUkmsyydZ-rB-hpB9LUzeYJJfXWEOfS8nnEf666-TXaMoFYTd7p0xY1Yir3pxXIfe-6_QdlnJvyYiEcwMUUfurRgfO4SSCU3HsEFGoOB-M/s320/IMG_4725.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIyQo0HigEwfCTxy3e9X_wmdXWUdui5KSp1Bp3bz_q4Bu_ISllIZd4lU3WfpihMiDpA0CwShJAvv19b-hahyphenhyphenLIe10Mrqjp72bDCKRRIxcK7VIUpmHUaLfst27hLvF_RGgOJnSu130Xia5k8PX_6UTBjdQKTCFfXwO4tVTq3cllLrbXHVY-K2XFRQG47v8/s4032/IMG_4726.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIyQo0HigEwfCTxy3e9X_wmdXWUdui5KSp1Bp3bz_q4Bu_ISllIZd4lU3WfpihMiDpA0CwShJAvv19b-hahyphenhyphenLIe10Mrqjp72bDCKRRIxcK7VIUpmHUaLfst27hLvF_RGgOJnSu130Xia5k8PX_6UTBjdQKTCFfXwO4tVTq3cllLrbXHVY-K2XFRQG47v8/s320/IMG_4726.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>A chimpanzee waits for a light drizzle to stop so it can return outdoors:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXc91dFcawd3YWsKNg4VMRjhZoZ2xBCh0eUKdXrDyyMV4JPZ1xM8CnwNt6Glqm1RfsIiGsUWIfiyJmbHhiy0ikJrHXXbbIcdcq2Kix3iyYTZp4W-Jo-yuJtncNNq2rSFWtHqoa9IZYaeZNlvm5lHhZR64UYDFvCm7-rlAtipzviVu9a2wVYEc1Qk2o2kc/s2314/IMG_4728.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2314" data-original-width="1962" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXc91dFcawd3YWsKNg4VMRjhZoZ2xBCh0eUKdXrDyyMV4JPZ1xM8CnwNt6Glqm1RfsIiGsUWIfiyJmbHhiy0ikJrHXXbbIcdcq2Kix3iyYTZp4W-Jo-yuJtncNNq2rSFWtHqoa9IZYaeZNlvm5lHhZR64UYDFvCm7-rlAtipzviVu9a2wVYEc1Qk2o2kc/s320/IMG_4728.jpg" width="271" /></a></div><div><br /></div>This zookeeper using Vegemite to paint an image on glass was probably the most Australian thing we saw at the zoo that day:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikPC9e27p9gLr539RXZkwhyCmL_sT5TXW4Lwg1w9vcWLKNfuJJinzafk4q4oJILAnYjMf7_ksQvVwF55U4erk1kkjM0cheSIO9hwnKd4AFGj2uzGYpgQkOBZAfSupqzF1vPDvobGggOoMQHhpStD0I_yvn3CuAXfnvuZ1G1nphDJaxhi2u7qzZzf4W_zg/s4032/IMG_4730.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikPC9e27p9gLr539RXZkwhyCmL_sT5TXW4Lwg1w9vcWLKNfuJJinzafk4q4oJILAnYjMf7_ksQvVwF55U4erk1kkjM0cheSIO9hwnKd4AFGj2uzGYpgQkOBZAfSupqzF1vPDvobGggOoMQHhpStD0I_yvn3CuAXfnvuZ1G1nphDJaxhi2u7qzZzf4W_zg/s320/IMG_4730.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The tiger enclosure was made to look like an Indonesian village, complete with free-roaming chickens and Japanese soft drinks:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1D1_THZBne8BKUVl8czEzCpQuwhAZ-hyu5QVUn-xYvM-HXQkPZ0e-feApS7s2hH6W_7aAPpqP4O73hejkBXIdxj0zHlF_AgsWO-imZNUQW3lUbZ8kTJTEMTnSk5ryBcpdeaiLInWftHuGpDf-PEByCGKkrz3WlB6Wo8p9Mbrx-4cDIBpWnBlZ-TxW9bI/s4032/IMG_4731.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1D1_THZBne8BKUVl8czEzCpQuwhAZ-hyu5QVUn-xYvM-HXQkPZ0e-feApS7s2hH6W_7aAPpqP4O73hejkBXIdxj0zHlF_AgsWO-imZNUQW3lUbZ8kTJTEMTnSk5ryBcpdeaiLInWftHuGpDf-PEByCGKkrz3WlB6Wo8p9Mbrx-4cDIBpWnBlZ-TxW9bI/s320/IMG_4731.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwuf8X1RCs2Yav1BAinbFhEnVqaiHQTnDxeCrcCE8sD708w2niR4KzgdsA0FcKWcFt8kxYPe5HmtgODnbJBWX1wjaaJcgZb4PIGKZ6jqIcOOLnf_5DWGJf1ptqZCoZ-1vF_03asG9oks9Z51-O0khBSJfLK4MVkOjNzW4xSCc-e1gJoq-neFcX17HhoDM/s2935/IMG_4733.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2243" data-original-width="2935" height="245" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwuf8X1RCs2Yav1BAinbFhEnVqaiHQTnDxeCrcCE8sD708w2niR4KzgdsA0FcKWcFt8kxYPe5HmtgODnbJBWX1wjaaJcgZb4PIGKZ6jqIcOOLnf_5DWGJf1ptqZCoZ-1vF_03asG9oks9Z51-O0khBSJfLK4MVkOjNzW4xSCc-e1gJoq-neFcX17HhoDM/s320/IMG_4733.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzzkl-5-6IRyWqqEFPEY86kUoI0huJEkrzRgD53oHeNGiXiSopQkHmesUkM5GjnEn9olK6QSPRe3dz2oHJPnNDf1raODf88kY0p8drE9RlMgpyGKsvCrXuOgGWUWIXSkHMxpRmljfUsO0Kro2H6JOLGRSOX4Z3COEb-xA4jk8P64B0xwQnKOygAM_34Gc/s2842/IMG_4738.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2179" data-original-width="2842" height="245" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzzkl-5-6IRyWqqEFPEY86kUoI0huJEkrzRgD53oHeNGiXiSopQkHmesUkM5GjnEn9olK6QSPRe3dz2oHJPnNDf1raODf88kY0p8drE9RlMgpyGKsvCrXuOgGWUWIXSkHMxpRmljfUsO0Kro2H6JOLGRSOX4Z3COEb-xA4jk8P64B0xwQnKOygAM_34Gc/s320/IMG_4738.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2lP29nI49uSp9n5vIypNxKz4tTORZE1uKqQ_xm2Ih6n1JqIDaEHt6mh1QugHuYWh1eW0vy5DVLP1UtXw3fNWEp_8KtI8MDn3n077hwIBILKvO-ERZzYCnzSZHn82XJ-0jBjMpWaM4p_8LQSOhlWJ29A7bwa3YiT7oZMZqNWIjIgFxsKLaeysoWO4C0w4/s1132/d1a30c1789a1d4d4465c4f7d5a5b5a90.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1132" data-original-width="1118" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2lP29nI49uSp9n5vIypNxKz4tTORZE1uKqQ_xm2Ih6n1JqIDaEHt6mh1QugHuYWh1eW0vy5DVLP1UtXw3fNWEp_8KtI8MDn3n077hwIBILKvO-ERZzYCnzSZHn82XJ-0jBjMpWaM4p_8LQSOhlWJ29A7bwa3YiT7oZMZqNWIjIgFxsKLaeysoWO4C0w4/s320/d1a30c1789a1d4d4465c4f7d5a5b5a90.JPG" width="316" /></a></div><div><br /></div>x<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4uRKqn-EW-VVbY0o0HFPDAgkGoY3NWKtFbzHc7kQpz7X6M7Yhc1My2GYo62OiUA3-3YID1WBvAqwQL_cURIfGb6AkOxtKEEHTSe2NReCfE7tQgPO6j4yJxWZp31SP8mSYN54jSETwME4xsez_7F1rqM5LClmmxgHlj8u6L2_5YlZ5IYOF1_gJ9HSoF_g/s3075/IMG_4739.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2225" data-original-width="3075" height="232" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4uRKqn-EW-VVbY0o0HFPDAgkGoY3NWKtFbzHc7kQpz7X6M7Yhc1My2GYo62OiUA3-3YID1WBvAqwQL_cURIfGb6AkOxtKEEHTSe2NReCfE7tQgPO6j4yJxWZp31SP8mSYN54jSETwME4xsez_7F1rqM5LClmmxgHlj8u6L2_5YlZ5IYOF1_gJ9HSoF_g/s320/IMG_4739.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD-o-I4mZHZU2lJb9vJwDWM245HsuQavka1e-8xOv38NpP10AU8dp-een9kIwJEqHHKnmlgtlMMeSY5ITiaKEo5dNLH__BzkI2cwlFnsO5GVCHTYb0topHsDWMnst-BRJFg5JHA-PcSYCAe4Fe16iiPBUzSQ77SUiQefPsPSXmbGK7Aeb_bGwsnqz8U28/s3282/IMG_4740.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3282" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD-o-I4mZHZU2lJb9vJwDWM245HsuQavka1e-8xOv38NpP10AU8dp-een9kIwJEqHHKnmlgtlMMeSY5ITiaKEo5dNLH__BzkI2cwlFnsO5GVCHTYb0topHsDWMnst-BRJFg5JHA-PcSYCAe4Fe16iiPBUzSQ77SUiQefPsPSXmbGK7Aeb_bGwsnqz8U28/s320/IMG_4740.jpg" width="295" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The binturong is described as having a face like a cat and a body like a bear, but this specimen wouldn't stir enough to let us see for ourselves:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMrf4x4DABiOjm8fJtVdvmkmT62IW-brE0cCQR8Z7fs9MJ70VO4Jp0UHMo-dXMFls6gdN6xLrIGkwsS6YUhywhkWLATCj5K-HhMuRMAvoxkGaLjHkrn5Cxef7I8z5Cx9zzFisE-4yHQuBHbtWqVSk_V_44EJsWYK-l-UxeE7DUkIoO5pkplXKz84NKD_o/s3040/IMG_4742.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3040" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMrf4x4DABiOjm8fJtVdvmkmT62IW-brE0cCQR8Z7fs9MJ70VO4Jp0UHMo-dXMFls6gdN6xLrIGkwsS6YUhywhkWLATCj5K-HhMuRMAvoxkGaLjHkrn5Cxef7I8z5Cx9zzFisE-4yHQuBHbtWqVSk_V_44EJsWYK-l-UxeE7DUkIoO5pkplXKz84NKD_o/s320/IMG_4742.jpg" width="318" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUM9BIdNdGY26UApgWhzQZArwQRnRkuFltwu_KRuk4fOInHMMv_5Ieukn0zxbHuaU7AnKMGgQjNFr9v3CwtyYb2i77a_M2vPe9ljYgdTyfSQewWqvytuSZV286GHGDHrOFpWoZd-43X0ull9SbsPhmcWF4lp8BaKNA0-d8UPyNFcpNahymwOYY81FW1bQ/s1706/4986f1200015a70242f5035a6ed07abd.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1706" data-original-width="1280" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUM9BIdNdGY26UApgWhzQZArwQRnRkuFltwu_KRuk4fOInHMMv_5Ieukn0zxbHuaU7AnKMGgQjNFr9v3CwtyYb2i77a_M2vPe9ljYgdTyfSQewWqvytuSZV286GHGDHrOFpWoZd-43X0ull9SbsPhmcWF4lp8BaKNA0-d8UPyNFcpNahymwOYY81FW1bQ/s320/4986f1200015a70242f5035a6ed07abd.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The harbor was beginning to fill up with small boats looking to find an advantageous spot to view the evening's fireworks festivities:<br /><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRo2f2RTGvC9H5F-YUzDrwfQNL_mGRZo6X47eFGtyE9Oe5ATlO4LXIjg9iQysARYj5FOFTBpEREjmMXNuO1VMI4ZOOBPLmfVL0uh0nZQV943yPa13NBoxH8mAF8HeSrqTYPlsx_PpLYqo68oTSXEBxsFGXmjY30zSf3nR6mGKTz4YaysDYnqVAwaY5WHI/s3770/IMG_4746.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2828" data-original-width="3770" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRo2f2RTGvC9H5F-YUzDrwfQNL_mGRZo6X47eFGtyE9Oe5ATlO4LXIjg9iQysARYj5FOFTBpEREjmMXNuO1VMI4ZOOBPLmfVL0uh0nZQV943yPa13NBoxH8mAF8HeSrqTYPlsx_PpLYqo68oTSXEBxsFGXmjY30zSf3nR6mGKTz4YaysDYnqVAwaY5WHI/s320/IMG_4746.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr7W_bN5_g5qbTX8sru9Ccr7PKlj5NFSykMa2JwhMd9T7j2PaHYqfeAMXSvxi5G2TcOoBR23Q9inYgDY3ljDsny5XdTDmwY-wWaXa0b-wpbiriAg5mLfleNpz5UrpJipokeXQ79Xzjrm5kKz1FTaTHQk83mGy6YkFfkvgoXBgy9kcGPqq-tu6E_wVkVrc/s4032/IMG_4749.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr7W_bN5_g5qbTX8sru9Ccr7PKlj5NFSykMa2JwhMd9T7j2PaHYqfeAMXSvxi5G2TcOoBR23Q9inYgDY3ljDsny5XdTDmwY-wWaXa0b-wpbiriAg5mLfleNpz5UrpJipokeXQ79Xzjrm5kKz1FTaTHQk83mGy6YkFfkvgoXBgy9kcGPqq-tu6E_wVkVrc/s320/IMG_4749.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimFymtgRAXKYltafIzejW1KFi47ZRpuDOc4fRUfQrsoC0QeKvyP9YyStyUn0lzHuH0hvcIOPqdHqyGgBhsRln6jjvBdkZfnPtp0SlD0pNvMZpEJz2UAjOZ7pJTblz56VsiUsGJeE4kXKpunDV-e1g9OeKdMOBk_CF3rt1Mml6fAU3Xl1we2DjHQHTipK4/s3065/IMG_4751.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2609" data-original-width="3065" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimFymtgRAXKYltafIzejW1KFi47ZRpuDOc4fRUfQrsoC0QeKvyP9YyStyUn0lzHuH0hvcIOPqdHqyGgBhsRln6jjvBdkZfnPtp0SlD0pNvMZpEJz2UAjOZ7pJTblz56VsiUsGJeE4kXKpunDV-e1g9OeKdMOBk_CF3rt1Mml6fAU3Xl1we2DjHQHTipK4/s320/IMG_4751.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>We caught one of the last ferries of the day back to the Circular Quay:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHFPm3G44fCB0zQVl2QTo25soN5KuD5XlBWb_lfR7UUdkpdDSAoLi7OOU3pC5XcLRi3KJNzsVL3reOpSbFzbYAbmLUqL0v4i-OY0FUvRXxiXDYle4PkG6VgJZka06xSYhCFtiwInRIGJgV4h8DLzA9LL7DJ4LcUMJ5jrB4ZwmpdFC8NkolnYVrfQSGVPA/s4032/IMG_4752.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHFPm3G44fCB0zQVl2QTo25soN5KuD5XlBWb_lfR7UUdkpdDSAoLi7OOU3pC5XcLRi3KJNzsVL3reOpSbFzbYAbmLUqL0v4i-OY0FUvRXxiXDYle4PkG6VgJZka06xSYhCFtiwInRIGJgV4h8DLzA9LL7DJ4LcUMJ5jrB4ZwmpdFC8NkolnYVrfQSGVPA/s320/IMG_4752.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJY-7R6s2z7YexqVdqZQBmd77Esexv6yELw0ZNjbn0TQeYYmdhO3qPGDNKpp4xquhcrQBJGFicv4wCpTF2iCeJ00vJz7sMH7FY-GPV1EG8Ojg2hO_oKMuGcYPHoJX598U5NaazaUV6SKdYmojidvRHnHiHU0H2Ff14hmu7H4YxKwnK0G1CZVIjc5djuSU/s3088/IMG_4754.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2320" data-original-width="3088" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJY-7R6s2z7YexqVdqZQBmd77Esexv6yELw0ZNjbn0TQeYYmdhO3qPGDNKpp4xquhcrQBJGFicv4wCpTF2iCeJ00vJz7sMH7FY-GPV1EG8Ojg2hO_oKMuGcYPHoJX598U5NaazaUV6SKdYmojidvRHnHiHU0H2Ff14hmu7H4YxKwnK0G1CZVIjc5djuSU/s320/IMG_4754.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMUPDcxJTVTR8NO3m_4R7YMFWI5l5Wz1voWBWNpaOlTpNVm4ADp5oRqQ6-oblB7jX25gfDTE-YUDUIF2qLKBV2YvoI_GH85Ny8IlaBPh5mGkbIfrj7nk2qwxY5fXMB1FDjllaQ4Ri_j70FBHgWOIgwQY_gwazGXecOaahGQW8rFharUjrhhZ76xHh8mrA/s3956/IMG_4755.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1436" data-original-width="3956" height="116" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMUPDcxJTVTR8NO3m_4R7YMFWI5l5Wz1voWBWNpaOlTpNVm4ADp5oRqQ6-oblB7jX25gfDTE-YUDUIF2qLKBV2YvoI_GH85Ny8IlaBPh5mGkbIfrj7nk2qwxY5fXMB1FDjllaQ4Ri_j70FBHgWOIgwQY_gwazGXecOaahGQW8rFharUjrhhZ76xHh8mrA/s320/IMG_4755.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4GfP_i0u7hWRlX5jXdsWebN0fkQxwj-aSBoCgnEm9Ntt1lNHPLKk5api31a6hnEAzikuOroR-IZyqraUXKDk6aakhspq_sudKGDSMkT2l_h5dHRuaBtwgYYKFv0hVwGx4LPlIce8ToRIgokpQI6MGGocaWkaA792uKrYfvTpaeyhuyac1rqd9OHr-aWI/s4032/IMG_4756.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4GfP_i0u7hWRlX5jXdsWebN0fkQxwj-aSBoCgnEm9Ntt1lNHPLKk5api31a6hnEAzikuOroR-IZyqraUXKDk6aakhspq_sudKGDSMkT2l_h5dHRuaBtwgYYKFv0hVwGx4LPlIce8ToRIgokpQI6MGGocaWkaA792uKrYfvTpaeyhuyac1rqd9OHr-aWI/s320/IMG_4756.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3IPmQOnLeYDbVM2JTXRTHGRZpxlXJeB-psn9ipwwUwfPVJ7SZGykJfITxOANWw2se0L_gnJUUmyr6VAxSiXv5EcMyX7raYQ5QhDHa2rqYsk3rhVqaA-eGSJa-snxz2wNp0JwDtdoMsfVJuOUQ5xNl-cvapoqK_llICwIXnV_VPwctzmikTER25rIog5o/s3786/IMG_4758.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2194" data-original-width="3786" height="185" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3IPmQOnLeYDbVM2JTXRTHGRZpxlXJeB-psn9ipwwUwfPVJ7SZGykJfITxOANWw2se0L_gnJUUmyr6VAxSiXv5EcMyX7raYQ5QhDHa2rqYsk3rhVqaA-eGSJa-snxz2wNp0JwDtdoMsfVJuOUQ5xNl-cvapoqK_llICwIXnV_VPwctzmikTER25rIog5o/s320/IMG_4758.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs2kIs9JpfAGEwgVtDefeBkMCuKAlD2L-2nnLABgpIqPY1KxOQ8HJ8vl6-vnwb3P1YiRs61h0KQIx-pJ5G7iBudrF_uhS05K27BsdGOO3StEf_Tt07o-2ii5ISgnofnYzj4NTkyukGZnifFr_dOF2H1ddxmdNnXlX0yh3zqdXvpP-7s4kwzc8MQtgbDTA/s2360/cc7e07d7c08e14715a1341f4ed88a733.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1770" data-original-width="2360" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs2kIs9JpfAGEwgVtDefeBkMCuKAlD2L-2nnLABgpIqPY1KxOQ8HJ8vl6-vnwb3P1YiRs61h0KQIx-pJ5G7iBudrF_uhS05K27BsdGOO3StEf_Tt07o-2ii5ISgnofnYzj4NTkyukGZnifFr_dOF2H1ddxmdNnXlX0yh3zqdXvpP-7s4kwzc8MQtgbDTA/s320/cc7e07d7c08e14715a1341f4ed88a733.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEM1FIoFHhYEC7vSVbiTAFCgFplqkKlHOa9fyQ8J0ueMveZ-7pDf1S8pHHmuV-xl4xee7ziBG-th93ofu4_UKApnBEtcXXU3GyzyHl-J9wPv86zWkvi_mRg5l4_TFppfUlRypKoQrKV9CsNZIwUNffe39BXEJuyJaVMCJedza6etkhTLsZSasvO2JX5Ug/s1430/673d0ef7d3fe1ea9095441c026c5a041.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1206" data-original-width="1430" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEM1FIoFHhYEC7vSVbiTAFCgFplqkKlHOa9fyQ8J0ueMveZ-7pDf1S8pHHmuV-xl4xee7ziBG-th93ofu4_UKApnBEtcXXU3GyzyHl-J9wPv86zWkvi_mRg5l4_TFppfUlRypKoQrKV9CsNZIwUNffe39BXEJuyJaVMCJedza6etkhTLsZSasvO2JX5Ug/s320/673d0ef7d3fe1ea9095441c026c5a041.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>By the time we reached the opposite side of the harbor from the zoo, crowd control measures were already in place. Over a million people were expected to view the fireworks along the waterfront, with many having camped out hours in advance. The three of us instead took the train back to Museum Station. While my wife returned to our hotel, Amber and I picked up a sushi platter from a conveyor belt sushi restaurant, and brought it back to our room:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBUpuQQze8kRFaK2jJgMcss5LVHw44N0G6HPPXPbVvaV8rTjN7gUBvWqBih17Gap2kBMzHxLurFvjCN7-qgEeb5lLM4qFkgmczQi4B7N1ZOfasJ20bEIUXL9t1y7b4gK5CZIxE3k85bm5FzRX-6pQ4YyJB8abatV59S7zOedPLX1o7FO6-yfr1S1U6w_M/s4032/IMG_4764.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBUpuQQze8kRFaK2jJgMcss5LVHw44N0G6HPPXPbVvaV8rTjN7gUBvWqBih17Gap2kBMzHxLurFvjCN7-qgEeb5lLM4qFkgmczQi4B7N1ZOfasJ20bEIUXL9t1y7b4gK5CZIxE3k85bm5FzRX-6pQ4YyJB8abatV59S7zOedPLX1o7FO6-yfr1S1U6w_M/s320/IMG_4764.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Relaxing in our room, and watching live broadcasts of the New Year's Eve preparations while enjoying dinner:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5SsYzOsBCQgx6XlMZ_pLnzEwEdGc-FPS43HxIt5C2KxXSpsZnDulM6kjj7bl8PoR4JU_1MOBOELBiB-0lG7QslRLB5zE9mNvdCsgyNCQBZ_TKyMLaT2J471OybnF6YLl83TnW0dF7CNyQcje5PC_EhyU93b60nbJ_KQW9z7uMZiAsrosdzR5o5vfVcL0/s3471/IMG_4765.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2235" data-original-width="3471" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5SsYzOsBCQgx6XlMZ_pLnzEwEdGc-FPS43HxIt5C2KxXSpsZnDulM6kjj7bl8PoR4JU_1MOBOELBiB-0lG7QslRLB5zE9mNvdCsgyNCQBZ_TKyMLaT2J471OybnF6YLl83TnW0dF7CNyQcje5PC_EhyU93b60nbJ_KQW9z7uMZiAsrosdzR5o5vfVcL0/s320/IMG_4765.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjKD7JWMPanwPBJxUINeTUoytmhck4N6ha0FK7ms7m4vkies5nI5FpTb2RAwOyu0zikzi_uY0ex85mUhXuEn1Kc_ZPCj_xvx2pFKmZXLQOpNyS03MJrgPQFGFlAMVhShbUFkimpIUf4vxTWdIf-iC-t6CudfeEFI1wO3Hen1uoXahJ7kEKsZ90dRuDpIw/s3137/IMG_4766.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3137" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjKD7JWMPanwPBJxUINeTUoytmhck4N6ha0FK7ms7m4vkies5nI5FpTb2RAwOyu0zikzi_uY0ex85mUhXuEn1Kc_ZPCj_xvx2pFKmZXLQOpNyS03MJrgPQFGFlAMVhShbUFkimpIUf4vxTWdIf-iC-t6CudfeEFI1wO3Hen1uoXahJ7kEKsZ90dRuDpIw/s320/IMG_4766.jpg" width="308" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Shu-E was feeling tired after a long day at the zoo and just wanted some rest, so she elected not to go out with Amber and me after dinner. The two of us walked down to Darling Harbour to see a fireworks show scheduled to start at 2100 hours. With all the detours and road closures in effect, we barely made it in time to see the start of the pyrotechnics: </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/tD8HgX8ldt8" width="320" youtube-src-id="tD8HgX8ldt8"></iframe></div><div><br /></div>At the conclusion of the display. The main event, of course, would be taking place three hours later:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMfrb6DJ5RaCZ351bTWZ-YFkQ1CcrUjo-C2LaqkowZS_pkLwCix8fUWDoZu3Tmzk11__QkMxwCIK0rx6oZO9DgYoBWmbC6Izdvify1wOFi02A8vt2kLUq1z63k5zIKCFNyZ9WipC0lkDzLiH2WaW5lDDhZ9sFblI41EWOp6hbWB8LdhdHee8BZmxwGzvs/s2695/IMG_4768.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2695" data-original-width="2233" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMfrb6DJ5RaCZ351bTWZ-YFkQ1CcrUjo-C2LaqkowZS_pkLwCix8fUWDoZu3Tmzk11__QkMxwCIK0rx6oZO9DgYoBWmbC6Izdvify1wOFi02A8vt2kLUq1z63k5zIKCFNyZ9WipC0lkDzLiH2WaW5lDDhZ9sFblI41EWOp6hbWB8LdhdHee8BZmxwGzvs/s320/IMG_4768.jpg" width="265" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Our room on the 21st floor of <a href="https://sydneyboulevard.com.au/" target="_blank">The Sydney Boulevard Hotel</a> faced the opposite direction, so we wouldn't be able to see the festivities. But we could certainly hear the explosions, loudly and clearly, as we watched in real time on the room TV. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Zqp49Dg4r-w" width="320" youtube-src-id="Zqp49Dg4r-w"></iframe></div><br /><div>Looking out the window, I discovered I could glimpse the reflections of some of the fireworks on the glass facade of a high-rise building just down the road. But I was largely content with seeing the 15-minute presentation on TV:</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-SYivJQz4Hi7-NH_9EUaxJr1ykpY2P07x60FvlnTQuos5MIeUhAQ6DJfqvHoGDFiZ-qenAqyPgvg-hbXw7x72HFGUia9EYxccBVAc4HmMUrHC1dw5_6wVouS74hjUvmGKDLay0hjP43_jZN_IALyrSw2H7PW6uhfqFEJK7n2s7W0JtBse2pRarCHum5w/s3704/IMG_4770.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2375" data-original-width="3704" height="205" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-SYivJQz4Hi7-NH_9EUaxJr1ykpY2P07x60FvlnTQuos5MIeUhAQ6DJfqvHoGDFiZ-qenAqyPgvg-hbXw7x72HFGUia9EYxccBVAc4HmMUrHC1dw5_6wVouS74hjUvmGKDLay0hjP43_jZN_IALyrSw2H7PW6uhfqFEJK7n2s7W0JtBse2pRarCHum5w/s320/IMG_4770.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibm8yCGzlMK363CEvtJvqaH_dEaINA9LhhAwCVFlAdmYRiWibsQspkwby2PTTTbBGNGvi1Mfx4N9pJiR0SJ5pYRypBqqe1d06jmech8PPka2ms2xdvCu9AlY_WDq0Jt3FeG9_IFrLvzOpcS0ogZSrSjDVWoYyq-Bp4-E2FDWlz-ne-2G8lGBtwp2sV1Ew/s3570/IMG_4771.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2275" data-original-width="3570" height="204" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibm8yCGzlMK363CEvtJvqaH_dEaINA9LhhAwCVFlAdmYRiWibsQspkwby2PTTTbBGNGvi1Mfx4N9pJiR0SJ5pYRypBqqe1d06jmech8PPka2ms2xdvCu9AlY_WDq0Jt3FeG9_IFrLvzOpcS0ogZSrSjDVWoYyq-Bp4-E2FDWlz-ne-2G8lGBtwp2sV1Ew/s320/IMG_4771.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>Here's a video of the entire spectacular. Happy New Year!:</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/gW8O0MkdzTg" width="320" youtube-src-id="gW8O0MkdzTg"></iframe></div><br /><div>Though it isn't the first city to see in the new year (that would probably be Auckland, New Zealand), Sydney in recent years has striven to be (as <a href="https://edition.cnn.com/travel/sydney-australia-new-years-eve-capital-intl-hnk/index.html" target="_blank">this article</a> describes it) "the New Year's Eve capital of the world"! Pretty bloody impressive, if you ask me!</div><div><br /></div><div>This post's Sydney-related song comes from the Melbourne band <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australian_Crawl" target="_blank">Australian Crawl</a>: <br /><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/JIrUqsB-0vw" width="320" youtube-src-id="JIrUqsB-0vw"></iframe></div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXR82_9CFk4MVRvqhrfOtc_x1tc77G6Y1NzdWtf_JoaxSvpTPypzmrBCL2SLYt0QfvDuZSi02SbTYfqL_oFVElcjUjks5zjJLdjSqOVPO3g0BKKwEUYmbX2Y-tlmUPH0HjuBcL-_jjq-LebUSZd565pdStdROFvXmBjyY1u2t9Ge4QkjlmwWg87Dk4MUU/s1795/415023745_760107552827349_898018908161635794_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1795" data-original-width="1440" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXR82_9CFk4MVRvqhrfOtc_x1tc77G6Y1NzdWtf_JoaxSvpTPypzmrBCL2SLYt0QfvDuZSi02SbTYfqL_oFVElcjUjks5zjJLdjSqOVPO3g0BKKwEUYmbX2Y-tlmUPH0HjuBcL-_jjq-LebUSZd565pdStdROFvXmBjyY1u2t9Ge4QkjlmwWg87Dk4MUU/s320/415023745_760107552827349_898018908161635794_n.jpg" width="257" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /></div></div>Kaminogehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07925637671913689331noreply@blogger.com0Taronga Zoo, Bradleys Head Rd, Mosman NSW 2088, Australia-33.8435473 151.2413418-62.153781136178843 116.08509179999999 -5.5333134638211519 -173.6024082tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2497220891386919340.post-17397910202129269772024-01-12T21:49:00.003+08:002024-01-12T22:10:37.711+08:00Fifth day in a land down under<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDzwV6MZSD_mjZyKnB81qCrmPU9jzFb-IQFmZ5KNGYe8ZKtKjTvhBgDASHttxr0DxQmbamqC-iN70HZsxm3XLB4lwZ2MOKzsRJbh5TovLllNgSXNDoi1PAvq3J2d3F4VEN-08qy2eFsWratVtjnkN1Mqo9byoQ0uy40kOUbvqBkh_NaJOyv-c7aV_ahK8/s4032/IMG_4546.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDzwV6MZSD_mjZyKnB81qCrmPU9jzFb-IQFmZ5KNGYe8ZKtKjTvhBgDASHttxr0DxQmbamqC-iN70HZsxm3XLB4lwZ2MOKzsRJbh5TovLllNgSXNDoi1PAvq3J2d3F4VEN-08qy2eFsWratVtjnkN1Mqo9byoQ0uy40kOUbvqBkh_NaJOyv-c7aV_ahK8/s320/IMG_4546.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><i><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Sydney Harbour Bridge</i> </div></i><p></p><p>Sometimes, gambles do pay off.</p><p>We had waited since arriving in Sydney on Boxing Day for just the right time to visit the city's iconic harbor, and thus see for ourselves what all the fuss was about. Five days into our trip, the weather gods rewarded us for our patience. On the eve of New Year's Eve, this is the scene that greeted us from our hotel room window:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLPD2prHF9Ykrve1dWJVUld0NVBfsImV-8aTpDbfwrWQFI83W7cj1hC0WrIe8EOZyJsLHY1SBBh2AYim4vDrXaMeSJp_-O172DbvuBUZFbIcylWzPWJFIlZP0LVplriAHS-HU4BAWthWsP6UDkYFfz1BchNsb8Ko6tQaLfa420c4AlLLq1I4WTZRaITdQ/s4032/IMG_4506.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLPD2prHF9Ykrve1dWJVUld0NVBfsImV-8aTpDbfwrWQFI83W7cj1hC0WrIe8EOZyJsLHY1SBBh2AYim4vDrXaMeSJp_-O172DbvuBUZFbIcylWzPWJFIlZP0LVplriAHS-HU4BAWthWsP6UDkYFfz1BchNsb8Ko6tQaLfa420c4AlLLq1I4WTZRaITdQ/s320/IMG_4506.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>It was a short bus ride down to the waterfront, and immediately we headed toward the famed <a href="https://www.dcceew.gov.au/parks-heritage/heritage/places/national/sydney-harbour-bridge" target="_blank">Sydney Harbour Bridge</a>:<div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjYOoAvvyPIl-ZMZrZ12aeHoywccotFaNPWzyt8Lfp-O9nP-E3RTzU5LSyzL_bGqGREcr8N6-JsorRICNi7U7qWontKDcRFGv5zCMCiUuXGs_svbOrHREyBOs1jnDyehBnHsg4V3vVZjAqAUYhtn3pLz-HGjlTeo3huiQ8CrzGICUWO3xCZ3qs1n_lAWg/s4032/IMG_4507.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjYOoAvvyPIl-ZMZrZ12aeHoywccotFaNPWzyt8Lfp-O9nP-E3RTzU5LSyzL_bGqGREcr8N6-JsorRICNi7U7qWontKDcRFGv5zCMCiUuXGs_svbOrHREyBOs1jnDyehBnHsg4V3vVZjAqAUYhtn3pLz-HGjlTeo3huiQ8CrzGICUWO3xCZ3qs1n_lAWg/s320/IMG_4507.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Getting closer to the arch:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEginegx7PEai90nZDdfDGVqvOd0Pk-9-qldYe97afH26sH1qYpAHQ5y6RUVTILEEOS1mHjBydOBnaalJYE2GjtNz95EGrOajLu03NKFW8HMMhOVztVKiiaiAZOCegKtTFQNLfDpT9WaVGavmXK09h6eMdkZJ3Us-gjAyOXYQIo9BiBnPFejxvdmg2R1Ek0/s4032/IMG_4509.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEginegx7PEai90nZDdfDGVqvOd0Pk-9-qldYe97afH26sH1qYpAHQ5y6RUVTILEEOS1mHjBydOBnaalJYE2GjtNz95EGrOajLu03NKFW8HMMhOVztVKiiaiAZOCegKtTFQNLfDpT9WaVGavmXK09h6eMdkZJ3Us-gjAyOXYQIo9BiBnPFejxvdmg2R1Ek0/s320/IMG_4509.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Our first look at the Sydney Opera House:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfbYAf3KZ414LJQCypxc6o4bI5emaZ4bvez0YrOcJllPcnuInmGQ0zujUbkZD7rPAgruCgrh-YaCPvmmHIeI1uTgqucr9vcdtRroB05Ya4kTF_AgnRKIFBAK4l-tNKa95_MMFjNv5eidCt5zPVnKDTkeKbqzU-56bkqu0Mw-D6bjqAZof_tp4BInjDgmM/s3933/IMG_4510.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2644" data-original-width="3933" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfbYAf3KZ414LJQCypxc6o4bI5emaZ4bvez0YrOcJllPcnuInmGQ0zujUbkZD7rPAgruCgrh-YaCPvmmHIeI1uTgqucr9vcdtRroB05Ya4kTF_AgnRKIFBAK4l-tNKa95_MMFjNv5eidCt5zPVnKDTkeKbqzU-56bkqu0Mw-D6bjqAZof_tp4BInjDgmM/s320/IMG_4510.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhROqkGKlajj9gJF_FP1l-waVsUANWIgjBSX-jw1pJfiHUxMG3MLKC9guS4ZlHcTyqy5mp0YD3lmaZvAA-s9zjoiZHME_Gofion7QBK2qL8bL8cKwTP3E8o7A_87Cq7OGHapCsxpHu5l8r1adqJ7_qwvLhb8L2nyXxcU1epdooBPZII1WAR8kt0F6QJANg/s4032/IMG_4511.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2621" data-original-width="4032" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhROqkGKlajj9gJF_FP1l-waVsUANWIgjBSX-jw1pJfiHUxMG3MLKC9guS4ZlHcTyqy5mp0YD3lmaZvAA-s9zjoiZHME_Gofion7QBK2qL8bL8cKwTP3E8o7A_87Cq7OGHapCsxpHu5l8r1adqJ7_qwvLhb8L2nyXxcU1epdooBPZII1WAR8kt0F6QJANg/s320/IMG_4511.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD5J4kOIltuzsxW9FriZ0T15TX8EUSrlOwqh8iBKgeAoPL4Xput4au4kH7KRe0QTWFskXr766QHgeHjkNlBBR6vVd3a5-CCdEmBqGA_mUSSzlVCZ8kJNLF9ReRvQd4R9tSMKzyiSLYb7uOf6-juA4lwLTykhTedsFfd4XJhLfMW0TcSbsQXui9efXbVYY/s4032/IMG_4513.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD5J4kOIltuzsxW9FriZ0T15TX8EUSrlOwqh8iBKgeAoPL4Xput4au4kH7KRe0QTWFskXr766QHgeHjkNlBBR6vVd3a5-CCdEmBqGA_mUSSzlVCZ8kJNLF9ReRvQd4R9tSMKzyiSLYb7uOf6-juA4lwLTykhTedsFfd4XJhLfMW0TcSbsQXui9efXbVYY/s320/IMG_4513.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Getting ready to enter the <a href="https://pylonlookout.com.au/" target="_blank">Pylon Lookout Museum</a>:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUk4KT_mPcgcckjt5_FIp5jQZfOpoKnaP9EurDiYzHRoBvy5_j9Pp8E9TJ_eOcs-uMhgmHG47IVY6EL6Gr5il2FeCxDYLuKI-ned7M-Et2gARPfkW6E-tz8TUXHDEAfukqa7Uv5jb-ZRAwYduFNUkGRyuyuYNnLyXF7f42oi7qo8_dbejRoajx8bxCPHQ/s4032/IMG_4514.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUk4KT_mPcgcckjt5_FIp5jQZfOpoKnaP9EurDiYzHRoBvy5_j9Pp8E9TJ_eOcs-uMhgmHG47IVY6EL6Gr5il2FeCxDYLuKI-ned7M-Et2gARPfkW6E-tz8TUXHDEAfukqa7Uv5jb-ZRAwYduFNUkGRyuyuYNnLyXF7f42oi7qo8_dbejRoajx8bxCPHQ/s320/IMG_4514.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Some stats: the bridge is 134 meters/440 feet high, 1149 meters/3770 feet long, 49 meters/161 feet wide and weighs 52,800 tonnes/58,202 tons, making it the largest and heaviest steel arch bridge in the world. It took 1400 workers nine years to complete the structure, finally opening to the public in 1932, in the midst of the Great Depression. Construction cost the lives of 16 men:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoS3DfHMyybzPwQPhCQvlIJwxDi-SrSxtX17a2DwVeCuFeXSGYQRRzdxEj1aWI0XexHhQy-_NxTNwiBevVY6Y6eB0sa9tI9XDwCNkFFAB3xUMxyM9r7Zz3vxv6yOG6HIdCgnK4gSqsdbasjH7KwcoHQyCR-WTDGMvabtgnp76hbZlwOsHrca9SEwdLUUI/s3158/IMG_4518.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1975" data-original-width="3158" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoS3DfHMyybzPwQPhCQvlIJwxDi-SrSxtX17a2DwVeCuFeXSGYQRRzdxEj1aWI0XexHhQy-_NxTNwiBevVY6Y6eB0sa9tI9XDwCNkFFAB3xUMxyM9r7Zz3vxv6yOG6HIdCgnK4gSqsdbasjH7KwcoHQyCR-WTDGMvabtgnp76hbZlwOsHrca9SEwdLUUI/s320/IMG_4518.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0vxc7fZMuA1x90rSJiHfO7YIEZXc0CyAaqX052tjQJvRtDoyMywP0DrGoRK0uBwQGFiF7J7eN4rXxCSgn9IhRM1rBpCbwS1iM5CyATlFJRUcB7xgl2Gorl3GIAr6kdUI-vv2FsTGqxjQjPgLgGh5GKZxWC5EwWz6klxSHX8IoFAY37srCiwM3Q0iGHYs/s4007/IMG_4520.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2905" data-original-width="4007" height="232" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0vxc7fZMuA1x90rSJiHfO7YIEZXc0CyAaqX052tjQJvRtDoyMywP0DrGoRK0uBwQGFiF7J7eN4rXxCSgn9IhRM1rBpCbwS1iM5CyATlFJRUcB7xgl2Gorl3GIAr6kdUI-vv2FsTGqxjQjPgLgGh5GKZxWC5EwWz6klxSHX8IoFAY37srCiwM3Q0iGHYs/s320/IMG_4520.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The center pin:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD_5FhRY_G-fWNAzQyXn-iQXrrBks1KbkOIUMXoHDv9YwDWLAv5Js6GQ4R83_9p33_GGbqbH7EP8GewPRhPtQhdWuiXTXsdfXQOk2yCGVEJm1teQ4BZELETmOO4P5ymo09Vj7oBsUlUNvPXPFTeFKMtTc6dcLdjrIk1glOlLo-1gOC-kjxQp8nBjCSahc/s4032/IMG_4521.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD_5FhRY_G-fWNAzQyXn-iQXrrBks1KbkOIUMXoHDv9YwDWLAv5Js6GQ4R83_9p33_GGbqbH7EP8GewPRhPtQhdWuiXTXsdfXQOk2yCGVEJm1teQ4BZELETmOO4P5ymo09Vj7oBsUlUNvPXPFTeFKMtTc6dcLdjrIk1glOlLo-1gOC-kjxQp8nBjCSahc/s320/IMG_4521.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr4EdvyLB4L_hmtD-7ry5fsPe_5pnusny0U4BzEvItWhA1wwc791QRnVMA2grd-f_QdhCv2xMysj9liGAckcEN3Wt8DqpRWTJL5WcXl0NE_ZrmZbEgKT9O8TH9NlGAZMIcnlqqxMjiLfsRr7Y8A1v0Bzu-ygUocFDG6vcgDth7jC1tU4rjR8gXeoAKNeQ/s2731/IMG_4522.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2731" data-original-width="2264" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr4EdvyLB4L_hmtD-7ry5fsPe_5pnusny0U4BzEvItWhA1wwc791QRnVMA2grd-f_QdhCv2xMysj9liGAckcEN3Wt8DqpRWTJL5WcXl0NE_ZrmZbEgKT9O8TH9NlGAZMIcnlqqxMjiLfsRr7Y8A1v0Bzu-ygUocFDG6vcgDth7jC1tU4rjR8gXeoAKNeQ/s320/IMG_4522.jpg" width="265" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The views from the pylon's observation deck:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfIiWeEQFbiqaXS_4NCv_YlTPuBwEny4V-nzHjoAQxN8u0Dd240AlRVDpIJsJMjAcXBkNVjxPEkf3_OGYFrKjocZe0ZDhuPAwjkQ9WL3fI0EX3HnL7yLGo2k_PP88C3HtIFbhqyFqnO78fmgekbM1tTuTn_AzVs5eGi6xpJCNHXQJ1syekmddyNzPMUfY/s3977/IMG_4523.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2983" data-original-width="3977" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfIiWeEQFbiqaXS_4NCv_YlTPuBwEny4V-nzHjoAQxN8u0Dd240AlRVDpIJsJMjAcXBkNVjxPEkf3_OGYFrKjocZe0ZDhuPAwjkQ9WL3fI0EX3HnL7yLGo2k_PP88C3HtIFbhqyFqnO78fmgekbM1tTuTn_AzVs5eGi6xpJCNHXQJ1syekmddyNzPMUfY/s320/IMG_4523.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>It's possible to ascend the arc on the <a href="https://www.bridgeclimb.com/climbs-prices/whats-on/school-holiday-special-offer?gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAiA44OtBhAOEiwAj4gpOQDURZe5tB9OL2AnWsgfT7zdrk8BSlX9burwDZsO6yKZe1L0A4ozwhoCD4IQAvD_BwE" target="_blank">BridgeClimb</a>, but we didn't see anyone doing so on this Saturday morning. Either it was too early, or the arch was being prepped for the following evening's fireworks extravaganza:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQj6zXrMot8VJWi6qLPJlMUzMHdrzqQjexdHIoKogN9XDsCYeEMt19lKCUIuzYIUMxTtpGIJHc4YLJRsUtMxKIFdr7t8th-k8DLgUg_7gn0VZfPWWG8pkL400VxOnW3aw5WfDsZV5DQ4xrefJu-3iCFfXOBBebfswoVLCoBNjNngN-tdejCdiZugkKJcg/s4032/IMG_4526.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQj6zXrMot8VJWi6qLPJlMUzMHdrzqQjexdHIoKogN9XDsCYeEMt19lKCUIuzYIUMxTtpGIJHc4YLJRsUtMxKIFdr7t8th-k8DLgUg_7gn0VZfPWWG8pkL400VxOnW3aw5WfDsZV5DQ4xrefJu-3iCFfXOBBebfswoVLCoBNjNngN-tdejCdiZugkKJcg/s320/IMG_4526.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNurI9vJvqkNK9Zr5shN8pyyW61kMKfaiXfjxlKQCTCb6e4CUhaUKvyBKWJv_QY5l7bEn-BM2emmG1vumqIWHMSuZ5udx5q9z-jC1u0aiCXhuYOW0fQt7g3gTNCTPr2M7MN1luiJaCgT26doZAjkm7OjdxJGNilP_GLkyayvLchyphenhyphenxem905Me0kqlpHrSQ/s4032/IMG_4527.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNurI9vJvqkNK9Zr5shN8pyyW61kMKfaiXfjxlKQCTCb6e4CUhaUKvyBKWJv_QY5l7bEn-BM2emmG1vumqIWHMSuZ5udx5q9z-jC1u0aiCXhuYOW0fQt7g3gTNCTPr2M7MN1luiJaCgT26doZAjkm7OjdxJGNilP_GLkyayvLchyphenhyphenxem905Me0kqlpHrSQ/s320/IMG_4527.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEBmx6qUHo5YGgdXeTofOy6e1uFIKRi8pGHc1J1-eFqhB51ddJJ5LtlCeGFwlV-hJkKKVDuoafciDuOXJNr8o3-b4-TJFFv7bFRHIAaQYs7B4AypWyI7X4k_MtiPtNVOZfElIIgL25bzGqaq_oyfZ6pC1_uLplYt7nKwO4LB-CAwJGy1-O8UMGBUxuf1U/s4032/IMG_4529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEBmx6qUHo5YGgdXeTofOy6e1uFIKRi8pGHc1J1-eFqhB51ddJJ5LtlCeGFwlV-hJkKKVDuoafciDuOXJNr8o3-b4-TJFFv7bFRHIAaQYs7B4AypWyI7X4k_MtiPtNVOZfElIIgL25bzGqaq_oyfZ6pC1_uLplYt7nKwO4LB-CAwJGy1-O8UMGBUxuf1U/s320/IMG_4529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWCUQwvYv1icpl4XmfHGmkqdhYodmZz6wII6GtG5B4rgq40gP67KHX_VfNnvF2WBbH3QCyz1S2NqAgGNYCPmPx5WFqmXofkIHhhs0Det2mv5_3Rhazz1KrFHGw1s-Kxa6Ihqh5HrOR9pjCXDXTFt-oUD92zkAMxFn3aKJtOj6z6a4DznjuRMFAGt8MLU8/s4032/IMG_4530.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWCUQwvYv1icpl4XmfHGmkqdhYodmZz6wII6GtG5B4rgq40gP67KHX_VfNnvF2WBbH3QCyz1S2NqAgGNYCPmPx5WFqmXofkIHhhs0Det2mv5_3Rhazz1KrFHGw1s-Kxa6Ihqh5HrOR9pjCXDXTFt-oUD92zkAMxFn3aKJtOj6z6a4DznjuRMFAGt8MLU8/s320/IMG_4530.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzE4tdwqI88MgyhN6uznmSOhYVpOSifCtowfghi_FpHCaQhJMbjj8RvW45qCVY8hK1e8hi3nL8LGck8PSDSM5WaDkkSodzglK8rQFjPhPmHeTiU1h3qv0hKfwrcIzdklwiqQQbZ31DZWgJcjsSfs9RAdwLeWYyhhcvTqBxNezSvV8yXEtx9XtNVb1YA-8/s4032/IMG_4532.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzE4tdwqI88MgyhN6uznmSOhYVpOSifCtowfghi_FpHCaQhJMbjj8RvW45qCVY8hK1e8hi3nL8LGck8PSDSM5WaDkkSodzglK8rQFjPhPmHeTiU1h3qv0hKfwrcIzdklwiqQQbZ31DZWgJcjsSfs9RAdwLeWYyhhcvTqBxNezSvV8yXEtx9XtNVb1YA-8/s320/IMG_4532.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIURSeT-uvcUZNuSaYat6vbP2cDCCK-fzVd2_ZE-iX2pG9QxH6mgCflLhmVjd7exsIy-sJjxYtjXkCFwGx8eZgvPYv1CQdfanoeELgYpPCi9JXP0NBvw9RH11wJ8pHsGgzAQPAdyl7iyrTJeezP77J36ZVu5F0ADwPoGYWMc3P6jMP_PICNEMDMkuOP3o/s2448/2df5d0634dd954f03f13663cd790632f.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1836" data-original-width="2448" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIURSeT-uvcUZNuSaYat6vbP2cDCCK-fzVd2_ZE-iX2pG9QxH6mgCflLhmVjd7exsIy-sJjxYtjXkCFwGx8eZgvPYv1CQdfanoeELgYpPCi9JXP0NBvw9RH11wJ8pHsGgzAQPAdyl7iyrTJeezP77J36ZVu5F0ADwPoGYWMc3P6jMP_PICNEMDMkuOP3o/s320/2df5d0634dd954f03f13663cd790632f.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7m1a_mAW8cJDeT59OJiDfYardsqpyvxF4-8hk81hVbAvbq2NAc-XEG3tvRhILWaNKwE1JVhEI1E9tF73dqOh-ct1n8_4EwahKR1NfVdu-OfHlFhjsYv6tQ_ECpcyHqCSt6bhs-cl2ZGH4AMG78a88lNeF22slQTazzu_gwLUkuJ7-geiDtLurA7OGsoQ/s1706/9baee3c6bcd79e2c3bd563e9b45408ec.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1706" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7m1a_mAW8cJDeT59OJiDfYardsqpyvxF4-8hk81hVbAvbq2NAc-XEG3tvRhILWaNKwE1JVhEI1E9tF73dqOh-ct1n8_4EwahKR1NfVdu-OfHlFhjsYv6tQ_ECpcyHqCSt6bhs-cl2ZGH4AMG78a88lNeF22slQTazzu_gwLUkuJ7-geiDtLurA7OGsoQ/s320/9baee3c6bcd79e2c3bd563e9b45408ec.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_yRPpHYi3AOZtz4JBu0Q3gr-Zj_k-f0hxJuC4qNDE3hyK9Mh7KxW21HPWHMafa1r0RVMVz_fNo_hi24TD4S-nnsJB6zXFEu8UYVv25XJJn7SIevzLPVUkuSEUnkwmaIVbK0iQogXj4diFrVlqvm_oVgshGPK3uxgKuoHd9AjFVokRROkN3HsMWnT6MnQ/s1706/836842ca8975b5f33b3a8ba898368a6a.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1706" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_yRPpHYi3AOZtz4JBu0Q3gr-Zj_k-f0hxJuC4qNDE3hyK9Mh7KxW21HPWHMafa1r0RVMVz_fNo_hi24TD4S-nnsJB6zXFEu8UYVv25XJJn7SIevzLPVUkuSEUnkwmaIVbK0iQogXj4diFrVlqvm_oVgshGPK3uxgKuoHd9AjFVokRROkN3HsMWnT6MnQ/s320/836842ca8975b5f33b3a8ba898368a6a.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>We took our time on the bridge, before descending and making our way down to the waterfront:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhcOk2xh79pMnZJgdODWYFT9R66mzkY6PIMJc_3gGDsdKFbRTggpWW4hEZlsfi6xIcZ-K3aoki3FCphMR-VVfmptIlqW5UBk2SAo3c3e74md_YkY4jlUBgZPhn0i9VC9J29Pug-XikxIha5pgxCRBQM1FTZ8bkMyO7KSedeWsSItXSEHs5XkG0y7wHa0U/s3962/IMG_4541.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2972" data-original-width="3962" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhcOk2xh79pMnZJgdODWYFT9R66mzkY6PIMJc_3gGDsdKFbRTggpWW4hEZlsfi6xIcZ-K3aoki3FCphMR-VVfmptIlqW5UBk2SAo3c3e74md_YkY4jlUBgZPhn0i9VC9J29Pug-XikxIha5pgxCRBQM1FTZ8bkMyO7KSedeWsSItXSEHs5XkG0y7wHa0U/s320/IMG_4541.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4R6ak8xV1W8rvCIvBZpED_AwFVOIF3-xVJEgObNzH8m7lz18GHW2INGqJ8t1ugDGv2O4yFfH2cd2aTxWoKCeNB9AuwM3yVEgyM8Ju3dNdrgWMi1cYzkZfbn8RAVch5Cp9pacyhNecHR3B6dJfbUHoGXLLaG0EkGcVzNCoRfluOJRHvhqNY_Sr82Ad38Y/s3974/IMG_4542.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2981" data-original-width="3974" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4R6ak8xV1W8rvCIvBZpED_AwFVOIF3-xVJEgObNzH8m7lz18GHW2INGqJ8t1ugDGv2O4yFfH2cd2aTxWoKCeNB9AuwM3yVEgyM8Ju3dNdrgWMi1cYzkZfbn8RAVch5Cp9pacyhNecHR3B6dJfbUHoGXLLaG0EkGcVzNCoRfluOJRHvhqNY_Sr82Ad38Y/s320/IMG_4542.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The views from <a href="https://www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/parks/dawes-point-park" target="_blank">Dawes Point Park</a>:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8lXcF4os_Dnj9KyLr2ZMNXeepmDpI0y04l95s23CW30Ig3PS5sG9-Z8k60ytW8N8-QSRcymdhk4EXiWYB5vBsua5hkIO7N3IrQkc0I5_ZBlu2MwG0FyoS1pMDNQfq8RYe0v35SbJlMcGA86htmpljcaaxWPGhpKfdO5oReUIjtuVyRnzKtswE6Wvv-ZU/s3024/IMG_4543.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8lXcF4os_Dnj9KyLr2ZMNXeepmDpI0y04l95s23CW30Ig3PS5sG9-Z8k60ytW8N8-QSRcymdhk4EXiWYB5vBsua5hkIO7N3IrQkc0I5_ZBlu2MwG0FyoS1pMDNQfq8RYe0v35SbJlMcGA86htmpljcaaxWPGhpKfdO5oReUIjtuVyRnzKtswE6Wvv-ZU/s320/IMG_4543.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgANb9mEUdPjbSpUWZbMvXpZy_dU_bO_nqwl1CrQDkwdqoZ9missB_QJDpdbCnIMN2RSgqGorakbhqwnNSzQJyg6znHnvMUQP-XIAUlcWEmFqqTi0_cC6Yd59avuV8jZtk6piEOyXhc9hSU-lpmrfgn3WbSjG2obbK2fpjTLzeT0mRtZnC3vs6HeP61Y8c/s4032/IMG_4547.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgANb9mEUdPjbSpUWZbMvXpZy_dU_bO_nqwl1CrQDkwdqoZ9missB_QJDpdbCnIMN2RSgqGorakbhqwnNSzQJyg6znHnvMUQP-XIAUlcWEmFqqTi0_cC6Yd59avuV8jZtk6piEOyXhc9hSU-lpmrfgn3WbSjG2obbK2fpjTLzeT0mRtZnC3vs6HeP61Y8c/s320/IMG_4547.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb5ASwSFnfN_AjfUeuqP9BPXAtAgIqkDSYB3rXnsqqHhtx2GXSCktoixdf0w8kQlxyx0w8WFmcK2CrsFP1RB_flsR6nD552apE93ADY1x-jJ2IM-yzJrA8_AYyXP3Cs1OKzFF8nmP2PbTQIgS7u2jA0c8K9-4ywR6H3mG7LQDKio3kwbtsgbDmh5pD4LA/s3983/IMG_4549.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2383" data-original-width="3983" height="191" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb5ASwSFnfN_AjfUeuqP9BPXAtAgIqkDSYB3rXnsqqHhtx2GXSCktoixdf0w8kQlxyx0w8WFmcK2CrsFP1RB_flsR6nD552apE93ADY1x-jJ2IM-yzJrA8_AYyXP3Cs1OKzFF8nmP2PbTQIgS7u2jA0c8K9-4ywR6H3mG7LQDKio3kwbtsgbDmh5pD4LA/s320/IMG_4549.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipGH6aCi0o8lIsOnkf_-kMmtLlSP_722vgVkSLCHRCGNNwIdAFPP2TM-zuGUWx418PXAg4rrRATP-M9qadn4Vf93tEWo2wd0W0ebtUMi-GWDal9kSjcUV4A4PKcG6Yk4Y_4GJdBoEwSL2IKiEvS0ApIBOEF1F5krKBCaRr6jjycq0ECwAvQeSsW7Dse88/s3884/IMG_4550.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2913" data-original-width="3884" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipGH6aCi0o8lIsOnkf_-kMmtLlSP_722vgVkSLCHRCGNNwIdAFPP2TM-zuGUWx418PXAg4rrRATP-M9qadn4Vf93tEWo2wd0W0ebtUMi-GWDal9kSjcUV4A4PKcG6Yk4Y_4GJdBoEwSL2IKiEvS0ApIBOEF1F5krKBCaRr6jjycq0ECwAvQeSsW7Dse88/s320/IMG_4550.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjugmGd61TxeOszD1ZErDhYtxR4gHZT1NtdQvQxKN-TST07OE01BIvW3Z262F3rUGQE3D23WTQS1FD_5BYN5om7ry7AA7VOetlwz0vDP7c9nJDe1zq5X75dI__RFQw2Sq3KGKYIXGNfkN964f64aggsbeMgT8tet1S82aotp_-CMwKdhIO7dR7GhvlsLFU/s4032/IMG_4551.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2722" data-original-width="4032" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjugmGd61TxeOszD1ZErDhYtxR4gHZT1NtdQvQxKN-TST07OE01BIvW3Z262F3rUGQE3D23WTQS1FD_5BYN5om7ry7AA7VOetlwz0vDP7c9nJDe1zq5X75dI__RFQw2Sq3KGKYIXGNfkN964f64aggsbeMgT8tet1S82aotp_-CMwKdhIO7dR7GhvlsLFU/s320/IMG_4551.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSDJ_mBZfCML2_C8v1CN3nLO0Bw5l_cQishKplssqBj90CTDGJ66yN2mOifWvkW9frBEhRV_1y42TkVgS-9dZ6yemPD9KaoskvL7CCYu6ombmEICPAKeQ_wjo-eR_1MbFAMxAkSjijwNlQPgn67F8HYAv3R3w9hdFnpN37Zz1zWgVy5lhroRAUu2L6_Xg/s4007/IMG_4552.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2691" data-original-width="4007" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSDJ_mBZfCML2_C8v1CN3nLO0Bw5l_cQishKplssqBj90CTDGJ66yN2mOifWvkW9frBEhRV_1y42TkVgS-9dZ6yemPD9KaoskvL7CCYu6ombmEICPAKeQ_wjo-eR_1MbFAMxAkSjijwNlQPgn67F8HYAv3R3w9hdFnpN37Zz1zWgVy5lhroRAUu2L6_Xg/s320/IMG_4552.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Looking towards <a href="https://www.campbellsstores.com.au/" target="_blank">Campbell's Storehouses</a>, dating from 1839:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj00ISoILhwUVLWR4hXSU_zK94Apkh6ITUx88f2YIzOkE1duVvPfzmZ04ZKtcu5aZll2Y-qyGEs7-uYXNRZ4O2HkGggtxtCmsMtuizh5-VezA7g-fJ-9rXclkLr1sFnADKpd3naMm36uJ6mir0rV0eb98inqK0B1zzwiX8uK1x22VfgAssl6iVBVjtydJ4/s3927/IMG_4554.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2212" data-original-width="3927" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj00ISoILhwUVLWR4hXSU_zK94Apkh6ITUx88f2YIzOkE1duVvPfzmZ04ZKtcu5aZll2Y-qyGEs7-uYXNRZ4O2HkGggtxtCmsMtuizh5-VezA7g-fJ-9rXclkLr1sFnADKpd3naMm36uJ6mir0rV0eb98inqK0B1zzwiX8uK1x22VfgAssl6iVBVjtydJ4/s320/IMG_4554.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx6wEVehRJio9Zat3eH0Bcd0oaKdXB8K1T-dA_3DdHxBHoR32dKlOq9J_wmWQr8mCG5Nfnx3BIWrQ6pP8OnGb9G8883WM7QKqFNujXjtCqIXIVJa5o-MKkckjhcunoF3YIqAv6VBifPIfJt2MGxVBgiRvHd7iK4p5ajjbMN7A0dBvkGRDrWknIqIruXew/s4032/IMG_4555.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx6wEVehRJio9Zat3eH0Bcd0oaKdXB8K1T-dA_3DdHxBHoR32dKlOq9J_wmWQr8mCG5Nfnx3BIWrQ6pP8OnGb9G8883WM7QKqFNujXjtCqIXIVJa5o-MKkckjhcunoF3YIqAv6VBifPIfJt2MGxVBgiRvHd7iK4p5ajjbMN7A0dBvkGRDrWknIqIruXew/s320/IMG_4555.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVV9MDf9XrB3JFixZA27GLCIGhbE1LplQuK7klJYHXlshJWvlgBBtbk83LylDWVclKC-3f191lnysLZz3Q2dTgEGvURC8F4NVaGaiFe_bQLoS3uEC_F1PtMXtVVt0SL16aJhAQpalRHMrqeUq21szFba7zHFtuSwAlgNI2z02UnyUNt2ORJd2YSL3YglU/s4032/IMG_4556.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2033" data-original-width="4032" height="161" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVV9MDf9XrB3JFixZA27GLCIGhbE1LplQuK7klJYHXlshJWvlgBBtbk83LylDWVclKC-3f191lnysLZz3Q2dTgEGvURC8F4NVaGaiFe_bQLoS3uEC_F1PtMXtVVt0SL16aJhAQpalRHMrqeUq21szFba7zHFtuSwAlgNI2z02UnyUNt2ORJd2YSL3YglU/s320/IMG_4556.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYKYGd-LGjnjSUE1wwls6hCnvTdUJIN0uB5KO8o-Lkpv0Ly7QBhygu0z8iF4uJ00ZqVMOmrKDYsGlD3upsiGdMiNb-QlC5Mb6F-SdmO4Dx1VVxzaEgHoxe4_ibr9xOnZxX9SFVw6r7f5AmM8DrZr_r0j2h7hq52rqCHhnz42FLHdRnCCPfodS-oS3TOH0/s3971/IMG_4560.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3971" data-original-width="2978" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYKYGd-LGjnjSUE1wwls6hCnvTdUJIN0uB5KO8o-Lkpv0Ly7QBhygu0z8iF4uJ00ZqVMOmrKDYsGlD3upsiGdMiNb-QlC5Mb6F-SdmO4Dx1VVxzaEgHoxe4_ibr9xOnZxX9SFVw6r7f5AmM8DrZr_r0j2h7hq52rqCHhnz42FLHdRnCCPfodS-oS3TOH0/s320/IMG_4560.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1yCVLQRzFPa1LQSp_aBmdT6-SlCUXCPOM95yfs4dbjgZjgO2sKtvUK7GfuDp8bn7zuwKgtplQmLfWhDzt_60VMN_KYnlD_MAFG79hR2vDLO8QjHFkVzYKKXqFx_IP25xweuQeXWli-VS3frF84k4z-EXIxPHR_OK0GHBTA5wB0703dqMjat-3yFi21BE/s3878/IMG_4561.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2505" data-original-width="3878" height="207" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1yCVLQRzFPa1LQSp_aBmdT6-SlCUXCPOM95yfs4dbjgZjgO2sKtvUK7GfuDp8bn7zuwKgtplQmLfWhDzt_60VMN_KYnlD_MAFG79hR2vDLO8QjHFkVzYKKXqFx_IP25xweuQeXWli-VS3frF84k4z-EXIxPHR_OK0GHBTA5wB0703dqMjat-3yFi21BE/s320/IMG_4561.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJiEj26ilTUoN3eWvTvy1nwliXTtL_T-RvAUoTVK-H5Ut_kkf2YMffij2PClA4FfS4Rrvs9ehwxJHjyIVFCKSPkzc4BVaQ0B5rJtP3J04IRb22Ka6crSVLM2D3RZkDe9gDOfhifB03z4eMRRqS-I9K-4-RERy2u9bpYV6BLHBiyskP7fjAParBsAHvS54/s1682/36d29fb04bfa5db5a85a7aeec69a05d5.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1129" data-original-width="1682" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJiEj26ilTUoN3eWvTvy1nwliXTtL_T-RvAUoTVK-H5Ut_kkf2YMffij2PClA4FfS4Rrvs9ehwxJHjyIVFCKSPkzc4BVaQ0B5rJtP3J04IRb22Ka6crSVLM2D3RZkDe9gDOfhifB03z4eMRRqS-I9K-4-RERy2u9bpYV6BLHBiyskP7fjAParBsAHvS54/s320/36d29fb04bfa5db5a85a7aeec69a05d5.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtHJxz9Tm8H8PUHVMSpOhwrWyZn5x4EBVf1S9EmggYU8K_eCo4bUZFzJqOXWCkPxKow96w1CciefZ0Mf7Pu4cMjiAQU_5ar4UUh_zS6GpbgcOALhrYPkshZphBMG3uZKEcNMNoK3krmdEN6iB_snV3_Xb75WlhJpvytyoPZPQRZyzBNh7sMRm6vYd3YV4/s1680/bdee6f385eab8127889d0e5ba819e7bb.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1192" data-original-width="1680" height="227" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtHJxz9Tm8H8PUHVMSpOhwrWyZn5x4EBVf1S9EmggYU8K_eCo4bUZFzJqOXWCkPxKow96w1CciefZ0Mf7Pu4cMjiAQU_5ar4UUh_zS6GpbgcOALhrYPkshZphBMG3uZKEcNMNoK3krmdEN6iB_snV3_Xb75WlhJpvytyoPZPQRZyzBNh7sMRm6vYd3YV4/s320/bdee6f385eab8127889d0e5ba819e7bb.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Breaking for lunch at <a href="https://www.thesquireslanding.com.au/" target="_blank">The Squire's Landing</a>, located by the <a href="https://www.portauthoritynsw.com.au/cruise/cruising-faq/overseas-passenger-terminal/" target="_blank">Overseas Passenger Terminal</a>, where one multistorey luxury cruise ship, the <i><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brilliance_of_the_Seas" target="_blank">Brilliance of the Seas</a></i>, was docked:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmAWrkR_O8pMml3xUs12r3xPlqrovY4mG1irZZVBa8W6Zf-Pr2DWTu1QR3-uFve65ODWqL-OqlKAwKWYedAHUaOCNMEID_KvMTcexNazkrNGVzDjpsoFViW1EEpgKhxglifZ9wopxjr4qK-8kd-QDJsCMx9kq0vgUV8sZYDGjBORmFZO58pAvAJf7ffoE/s2978/IMG_4565.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2927" data-original-width="2978" height="315" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmAWrkR_O8pMml3xUs12r3xPlqrovY4mG1irZZVBa8W6Zf-Pr2DWTu1QR3-uFve65ODWqL-OqlKAwKWYedAHUaOCNMEID_KvMTcexNazkrNGVzDjpsoFViW1EEpgKhxglifZ9wopxjr4qK-8kd-QDJsCMx9kq0vgUV8sZYDGjBORmFZO58pAvAJf7ffoE/s320/IMG_4565.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Time for some Australian barbecue, in the form of the Smoked BBQ Brisket:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQqt7sBkL5JM-oG4sQLN7yU2QgYGi47Ku_5RIJk5wt388Jm1LZoPID-Rbg3Y1Y-Z6TYxQf6yXDNrmV7EXRt2fH5bnJWkLvD45iWThdLR7udDjUrc9JefQLtS-FKFGRHYSng_4sD3ERHDkpYD3HGrDvel9hIK1rY6Im_bKYNY7Qp-P5aj-vw81bzeYt4Yw/s4032/IMG_4566.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2848" data-original-width="4032" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQqt7sBkL5JM-oG4sQLN7yU2QgYGi47Ku_5RIJk5wt388Jm1LZoPID-Rbg3Y1Y-Z6TYxQf6yXDNrmV7EXRt2fH5bnJWkLvD45iWThdLR7udDjUrc9JefQLtS-FKFGRHYSng_4sD3ERHDkpYD3HGrDvel9hIK1rY6Im_bKYNY7Qp-P5aj-vw81bzeYt4Yw/s320/IMG_4566.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The restaurant is named after legendary Australian brewer (and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Fleet" target="_blank">First Fleet</a> convict) <a href="https://www.jamessquire.com.au/about/" target="_blank">James Squire</a>:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwl3DK1CDyyVUWYK9xcDekARBgEC3Px0WWq4vO_DH9nPjv4JqgKbuHMDgrgvECk2nbHpmc6IrCGTK8zjxw5It2a5cE93e11VHBjj4KFNiT5MzpToejf4p_gyHL-dBi1_DyroPa2kztja0dMr7DNZ0WNr0laIqPyfkBnS0331fRMp9PSOjC5eU4bWBeVBU/s3048/IMG_4567.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2158" data-original-width="3048" height="227" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwl3DK1CDyyVUWYK9xcDekARBgEC3Px0WWq4vO_DH9nPjv4JqgKbuHMDgrgvECk2nbHpmc6IrCGTK8zjxw5It2a5cE93e11VHBjj4KFNiT5MzpToejf4p_gyHL-dBi1_DyroPa2kztja0dMr7DNZ0WNr0laIqPyfkBnS0331fRMp9PSOjC5eU4bWBeVBU/s320/IMG_4567.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Following our meal we started strolling around the <a href="https://www.sydney.com/destinations/sydney/sydney-city/circular-quay" target="_blank">Circular Quay</a>. The 1816 <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cadmans_Cottage" target="_blank">Cadman's Cottage</a> was closed; my wife was more interested in the skywriter hard at work overhead (someone apparently loves someone else):</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNmypL0FLJ3pP3IE-0Agkei3Ea0vwzs9EONIIihRB3shxiI8u3FaLGVMXZ7Cf_vxUT2Ok2174_g-7oNMHOhyphenhyphengQcxHx1WDS30FSCShLsHOJSdr09L7Eruv6NMQxoUXYkFmbvubi_SuQ74JCB4CUWrPrrc9Ctgfs8NB8TAwwG4IoqZez37BOPaU4Cn8BnJQ/s3649/IMG_4568.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2271" data-original-width="3649" height="199" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNmypL0FLJ3pP3IE-0Agkei3Ea0vwzs9EONIIihRB3shxiI8u3FaLGVMXZ7Cf_vxUT2Ok2174_g-7oNMHOhyphenhyphengQcxHx1WDS30FSCShLsHOJSdr09L7Eruv6NMQxoUXYkFmbvubi_SuQ74JCB4CUWrPrrc9Ctgfs8NB8TAwwG4IoqZez37BOPaU4Cn8BnJQ/s320/IMG_4568.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitfQOxhvxbMgGlLdSpQL5nLqX3migPHoFWJaZ_ouOkHmz8d9KDY-qZWyV1mrPd-G3RYJ_LCltsr17r8WuMga1Smt-hkUSRtAKCeDZXsjzcQVyMHG4WCDqXv44MO1wNyD3U0o-C1nW7U9QEPadneFF5XdA-hC-iEogN_ms8qGJ9282FzFzigu4c05D6FnI/s3989/IMG_4569.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2992" data-original-width="3989" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitfQOxhvxbMgGlLdSpQL5nLqX3migPHoFWJaZ_ouOkHmz8d9KDY-qZWyV1mrPd-G3RYJ_LCltsr17r8WuMga1Smt-hkUSRtAKCeDZXsjzcQVyMHG4WCDqXv44MO1wNyD3U0o-C1nW7U9QEPadneFF5XdA-hC-iEogN_ms8qGJ9282FzFzigu4c05D6FnI/s320/IMG_4569.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdRN3IBpeLfwYYvgiNs9LD9pdyhR8MfTZDYStR7RFQTatnRoTn_dWayT6tBTyeuXmSH-E5mX46kLpsGAmj_ZzqK2gFvzPwx0FD1vBSET1nNnOvO8-BTBrgaOXRVg8wzmIG0-xo_fzSUC4wO4x4oOv3SGtAIEwgTbBDLJwFiqmc4BmAGbUV6HfBMSpE9AU/s3927/IMG_4570.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2805" data-original-width="3927" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdRN3IBpeLfwYYvgiNs9LD9pdyhR8MfTZDYStR7RFQTatnRoTn_dWayT6tBTyeuXmSH-E5mX46kLpsGAmj_ZzqK2gFvzPwx0FD1vBSET1nNnOvO8-BTBrgaOXRVg8wzmIG0-xo_fzSUC4wO4x4oOv3SGtAIEwgTbBDLJwFiqmc4BmAGbUV6HfBMSpE9AU/s320/IMG_4570.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The 1845 <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Customs_House,_Sydney" target="_blank">Customs House</a>:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCbjgDwk_S3NAMOn4XfbJeFcFt2l7jlryRnHstCFWHDawrFv-nTbuzPWkIOspiRDc5g7Pi3R_bOT0Lz9Oz2ZH9fiyyqTrtezeXnM-R3bZU93rVJKn_vBCvoIINwKs4hhQSGE798MYjysel5CkmDwN9hcqx23ISA6NAc1ZT0r4sMhkT7H3ctzdUBYmjMt0/s3971/IMG_4572.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3971" data-original-width="2626" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCbjgDwk_S3NAMOn4XfbJeFcFt2l7jlryRnHstCFWHDawrFv-nTbuzPWkIOspiRDc5g7Pi3R_bOT0Lz9Oz2ZH9fiyyqTrtezeXnM-R3bZU93rVJKn_vBCvoIINwKs4hhQSGE798MYjysel5CkmDwN9hcqx23ISA6NAc1ZT0r4sMhkT7H3ctzdUBYmjMt0/s320/IMG_4572.jpg" width="212" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggU936Cj0CelyjUFmLduE7NNwVKDD4bmRBGUWXhFWHA2j1Wgags2Y2LxB0PYkX7D5K5luRx8BLwRuW1pPRcicqAfFsdDlbjpc4c6in1jgVCtnXEovD3-49CigfWTalQ6qjhZHhtsRL_vGra_mpRtunRWZZMfgLNmZstJin2pR1H3KFa1Chc2F9N4mF33U/s4032/IMG_4573.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggU936Cj0CelyjUFmLduE7NNwVKDD4bmRBGUWXhFWHA2j1Wgags2Y2LxB0PYkX7D5K5luRx8BLwRuW1pPRcicqAfFsdDlbjpc4c6in1jgVCtnXEovD3-49CigfWTalQ6qjhZHhtsRL_vGra_mpRtunRWZZMfgLNmZstJin2pR1H3KFa1Chc2F9N4mF33U/s320/IMG_4573.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>There were some interesting design touches on the entranceway floor:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxT4g-MvDSPcQxY7wGqQdsaMK3JcC4-GClNNW8Fv07_dv1lM-jzkyIlBTXtO-uhkCW-Ks4m4gCgxgVNGuGanhWUeMDf0RipPOyeLJjx7IoUu19u-l_FqoMHEyQT1gtrLKSwM_7SgXemniKjcdWzA9GvfNlj28jDM3Hxe_nj0OsCw4UCfcbuJ2LpvPYm8U/s2191/IMG_4574.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2191" data-original-width="2178" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxT4g-MvDSPcQxY7wGqQdsaMK3JcC4-GClNNW8Fv07_dv1lM-jzkyIlBTXtO-uhkCW-Ks4m4gCgxgVNGuGanhWUeMDf0RipPOyeLJjx7IoUu19u-l_FqoMHEyQT1gtrLKSwM_7SgXemniKjcdWzA9GvfNlj28jDM3Hxe_nj0OsCw4UCfcbuJ2LpvPYm8U/s320/IMG_4574.jpg" width="318" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoeIWBp0EoEdLm-PEuP792LMmimTZ7tEqgzAc2JEE99zoVWqKahrCWZIPapQb3ZHmTld6OWj1xWFGCi6k6hpqgKIGFZdLTFm9CwoC1fLS0_L3xcv9wOF7DurR7qSAVNw8X9ZwNNYguQ4mDA52pEfnlA741uyfrbd_NhYOWMD-phkkaw2ZlLMfXgaSlX0Y/s3101/IMG_4577.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3101" data-original-width="2189" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoeIWBp0EoEdLm-PEuP792LMmimTZ7tEqgzAc2JEE99zoVWqKahrCWZIPapQb3ZHmTld6OWj1xWFGCi6k6hpqgKIGFZdLTFm9CwoC1fLS0_L3xcv9wOF7DurR7qSAVNw8X9ZwNNYguQ4mDA52pEfnlA741uyfrbd_NhYOWMD-phkkaw2ZlLMfXgaSlX0Y/s320/IMG_4577.jpg" width="226" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNgZEJ8LmK0ZYl11-6gCTUegtSxvP32uuwHobY1EMDgo8Srm-wezWGxZw8gsy4YXwT4wGfOTt-sfXQixJ8XHmeLPNS3zDzEdwr6wnm8mE-4VD23AD4B1TyZMXE1gUX3VoVX5HO1Pts4dQPOqE11UUl9ql4LLg1BcVuw5fWw_4R9u_IiSltAqsTLCMfD_E/s4032/IMG_4579.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="2861" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNgZEJ8LmK0ZYl11-6gCTUegtSxvP32uuwHobY1EMDgo8Srm-wezWGxZw8gsy4YXwT4wGfOTt-sfXQixJ8XHmeLPNS3zDzEdwr6wnm8mE-4VD23AD4B1TyZMXE1gUX3VoVX5HO1Pts4dQPOqE11UUl9ql4LLg1BcVuw5fWw_4R9u_IiSltAqsTLCMfD_E/s320/IMG_4579.jpg" width="227" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Shu-E then suggested we partake in a boat ride around the harbor. I was expecting a leisurely sightseeing cruise, but instead I found myself with the girls on a <a href="https://www.ozjetboating.com.au/" target="_blank">jet boat</a>:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifGzfHlxLarHu7HuxNypOycMHfidhrcdOp2q43HeCt5FxvpXPMjTpVM1KoFjWjfs5nWTj33pV6SBHTESRBJsUlLCO4W-f8dW2HkAC3YsG9YdWcKO5hyphenhyphenmbabVL6MvDx67-hrY-hwrR_U7p8HuNFQ75hVdJIBLxWX7gL_dBxIWhSJZtfrDaWjvaKpzqKkzQ/s4032/IMG_4581.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifGzfHlxLarHu7HuxNypOycMHfidhrcdOp2q43HeCt5FxvpXPMjTpVM1KoFjWjfs5nWTj33pV6SBHTESRBJsUlLCO4W-f8dW2HkAC3YsG9YdWcKO5hyphenhyphenmbabVL6MvDx67-hrY-hwrR_U7p8HuNFQ75hVdJIBLxWX7gL_dBxIWhSJZtfrDaWjvaKpzqKkzQ/s320/IMG_4581.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>This was what the ride entailed:</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzWhA-3Koievkph0J_yfihI4LgghTt8uPx7uTSF6Q33D57uT27VrhIz71JO9B-5Qzhjf73qnFQa_yhn8TueSA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTRw4zVQjUOCmjipMoSokDtRO-jhsp3Q-3U9z4g-OCS_brNKFKkYHBWRpycZvAPe7DOTRmtATXEH-6f79KMReSd1oElxgKOj8WkS7jijhCk-912kSk9xwXbk_U623Uf8qVYT21kUFbT13prFyxk9qLUKn4rG21s-E2LAP87pfLQeCtLtv7Er72ANNhaa8/s1024/0f7t-1arc-9md5q-by.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="896" data-original-width="1024" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTRw4zVQjUOCmjipMoSokDtRO-jhsp3Q-3U9z4g-OCS_brNKFKkYHBWRpycZvAPe7DOTRmtATXEH-6f79KMReSd1oElxgKOj8WkS7jijhCk-912kSk9xwXbk_U623Uf8qVYT21kUFbT13prFyxk9qLUKn4rG21s-E2LAP87pfLQeCtLtv7Er72ANNhaa8/s320/0f7t-1arc-9md5q-by.webp" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBoyKF0wuGS2102fSO7OCbyow5L6IkcsXeSHB1ONYlhBETqXxCfm13iFDnqTY9nsQd-oYVS1ONLPwurJx0CqSuvBAR4sVb9SvQf0A99c2OSAAszbjofe5b7SoHAA_OKmDRkoJYPWqSdILueSfpfK2zX0MLXJc8HNtiH3uOXpk6Olqy2EDMn6eClTYjLQA/s1024/0f7t-1arc-9md74-sc.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="896" data-original-width="1024" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBoyKF0wuGS2102fSO7OCbyow5L6IkcsXeSHB1ONYlhBETqXxCfm13iFDnqTY9nsQd-oYVS1ONLPwurJx0CqSuvBAR4sVb9SvQf0A99c2OSAAszbjofe5b7SoHAA_OKmDRkoJYPWqSdILueSfpfK2zX0MLXJc8HNtiH3uOXpk6Olqy2EDMn6eClTYjLQA/s320/0f7t-1arc-9md74-sc.webp" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ8sgjUWCOX3R-9DRRp0V72Av7fp0Cnlxoh0sCYs_ggQMJe02UTJsvBF3dM9gFhW7UHliGb5fP_l1GN-xZvkTksFYHdcc6jIuedNDnqYEUUGb2WuwHIPZeOj3VwJaTc9viZY7XwFi7A4PT1kOyDn71dEJNIKnuS2PgFh0t0mJHD5qWQdgiKeOy4ASC054/s1024/0f7t-1arc-9md7e-m5.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="896" data-original-width="1024" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ8sgjUWCOX3R-9DRRp0V72Av7fp0Cnlxoh0sCYs_ggQMJe02UTJsvBF3dM9gFhW7UHliGb5fP_l1GN-xZvkTksFYHdcc6jIuedNDnqYEUUGb2WuwHIPZeOj3VwJaTc9viZY7XwFi7A4PT1kOyDn71dEJNIKnuS2PgFh0t0mJHD5qWQdgiKeOy4ASC054/s320/0f7t-1arc-9md7e-m5.webp" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div>Surprisingly, my heart took the jolts and jumps in stride. It was the contents of my stomach that objected to the excitement afterwards:</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGJblCfbAjUxzfeY6X7VP-7hAoExn5P7yn52cTzIfeDeVzkxtVoYQd-hxuQJ9M1DEWgOA8pRhAeq1jSj_lp9uciiRS7Bi1k9BRrrBn5t_ApulKMmKsunPGvVQA93el0aGkCUL9OXuuNeJLkIfKtrXB7NWueenO8JTnt_kvN_V7Yl9erVcHgEUcLIkzjFY/s3865/IMG_4583.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2898" data-original-width="3865" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGJblCfbAjUxzfeY6X7VP-7hAoExn5P7yn52cTzIfeDeVzkxtVoYQd-hxuQJ9M1DEWgOA8pRhAeq1jSj_lp9uciiRS7Bi1k9BRrrBn5t_ApulKMmKsunPGvVQA93el0aGkCUL9OXuuNeJLkIfKtrXB7NWueenO8JTnt_kvN_V7Yl9erVcHgEUcLIkzjFY/s320/IMG_4583.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR-LOIrRj-Ys4n2N-Dm2r_nbckLtn2LvYBUVoiBYm-AvQB2hl_RPdVa3-TW1v0EsngDZ0wt-Y-F0po6XZLwDaQcX35yWQ2TOw3xP4QEmqwzc_iC2MVhpe5iMDURrqeEHfK3u7Rqz6WN55Ty_qhF4hfP7I9mx3HmJGaSDKflBVZ_wj47YkK1fjTxO0pldc/s4032/IMG_4584.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2276" data-original-width="4032" height="181" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR-LOIrRj-Ys4n2N-Dm2r_nbckLtn2LvYBUVoiBYm-AvQB2hl_RPdVa3-TW1v0EsngDZ0wt-Y-F0po6XZLwDaQcX35yWQ2TOw3xP4QEmqwzc_iC2MVhpe5iMDURrqeEHfK3u7Rqz6WN55Ty_qhF4hfP7I9mx3HmJGaSDKflBVZ_wj47YkK1fjTxO0pldc/s320/IMG_4584.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>It wasn't that hard <a href="https://youtu.be/RsSGn5HSKkw?si=hdBzkEC3NqVsPyzq" target="_blank">having a Gaytime on my own</a>:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNF9VKCivhzZKX4GwqERzduSoBaX_sPbXANM2FmJjik28ovlkQNBuRW7t8glaKStNpCIjgntuyoQp9ylrRxkDP1udevDIsA4cJphTspK9ua_OeUr6a0afibn0PTIf3Wk200exk8Tw13PhTsmoKa_C4XcntagW0SaMCJNu9pvw-YyvB050i6DdDl0dvbOk/s4032/IMG_4585.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNF9VKCivhzZKX4GwqERzduSoBaX_sPbXANM2FmJjik28ovlkQNBuRW7t8glaKStNpCIjgntuyoQp9ylrRxkDP1udevDIsA4cJphTspK9ua_OeUr6a0afibn0PTIf3Wk200exk8Tw13PhTsmoKa_C4XcntagW0SaMCJNu9pvw-YyvB050i6DdDl0dvbOk/s320/IMG_4585.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>And now the <a href="https://www.sydneyoperahouse.com/" target="_blank">Sydney Opera House</a>. Designed by Danish architect <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J%C3%B8rn_Utzon" target="_blank">Jørn Utzon</a>, it's arguably Australia's most recognizable image. Supposedly inspired by billowing sails, Mayan temples and palm fronds, construction began in 1959. Costs, delays, egos and politics led to Uzon quitting in 1966, and it wasn't until 1973 when the project was finally completed. The architect died in 2008, having never seen his finished masterpiece in the flesh:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtQ3hxhsd2Jt6QeUCg14VC-Amuuh50QxLW6obvYN79La6-We66XYXZ2GWy0a-v60K0L9GsSQsvUx5uB1CiSfmiUuwjObr9OyFNHRkVhiEnuQVTsPIAc5IgIBnv3IAx7AzmMFS29zTeN1lTjM7FFF8u_WzI4Ttbf86UCQLEu70JGiFT61hN1wx3_38d23s/s4032/IMG_4587.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtQ3hxhsd2Jt6QeUCg14VC-Amuuh50QxLW6obvYN79La6-We66XYXZ2GWy0a-v60K0L9GsSQsvUx5uB1CiSfmiUuwjObr9OyFNHRkVhiEnuQVTsPIAc5IgIBnv3IAx7AzmMFS29zTeN1lTjM7FFF8u_WzI4Ttbf86UCQLEu70JGiFT61hN1wx3_38d23s/s320/IMG_4587.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM0ncMvHxtWABnbc8egtOrNYcftc_4d0Khd6arwRIPpGmp32N9qc9pwcDtixJFK-c-YJm6bv5a4PLf9BKrWLjOi_637XFG5S733_SBfSnfBLymMAsAh7xeg0J1z0eZxP40tO56YpJgmVJAHrpio-xUxhvDnstQIhWwLkXjqJtV-JYRtauUPzy1b4MYF6c/s10006/IMG_4589.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3716" data-original-width="10006" height="119" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM0ncMvHxtWABnbc8egtOrNYcftc_4d0Khd6arwRIPpGmp32N9qc9pwcDtixJFK-c-YJm6bv5a4PLf9BKrWLjOi_637XFG5S733_SBfSnfBLymMAsAh7xeg0J1z0eZxP40tO56YpJgmVJAHrpio-xUxhvDnstQIhWwLkXjqJtV-JYRtauUPzy1b4MYF6c/s320/IMG_4589.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The <i>Brilliance of the Seas</i> headed out of the harbor as we made our way through the crowds:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhggtHjzNc0KS_uFfcFvwGlzxKAQ5JeyLP9IeRaAkQZRVVtQeYAk5peJnAJubQuW1CkB9MNmvCcD5DdSukhAph7K968qweOQobJb2YNFgRGhSn7KiSLneIF2z_I92HXOk8CzUd53yLO2DIsU3miUY2w5cIxqhvkaVw8GWJCI0MW3f0oLqY5xBkRQypUIYk/s4032/IMG_4590.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2174" data-original-width="4032" height="173" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhggtHjzNc0KS_uFfcFvwGlzxKAQ5JeyLP9IeRaAkQZRVVtQeYAk5peJnAJubQuW1CkB9MNmvCcD5DdSukhAph7K968qweOQobJb2YNFgRGhSn7KiSLneIF2z_I92HXOk8CzUd53yLO2DIsU3miUY2w5cIxqhvkaVw8GWJCI0MW3f0oLqY5xBkRQypUIYk/s320/IMG_4590.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYswYQzr1-v4SZBUn4bA_9WZXL1D4BPj-g_gyD3pl0_qwmGbUS5VTX0i_pdAq7c5dtQ4-CHuAouwGbn0Ay-gkYOwaHNSjRS5tuBrmjQ-gjy3meDKBlyZdL8d7KKH4OOEInvLZmh1gdbXzJ4Xqu8Xn5o96O3m5ORahx6rXA2BxB7lzD6PlJln-vJTCbunQ/s4032/IMG_4592.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYswYQzr1-v4SZBUn4bA_9WZXL1D4BPj-g_gyD3pl0_qwmGbUS5VTX0i_pdAq7c5dtQ4-CHuAouwGbn0Ay-gkYOwaHNSjRS5tuBrmjQ-gjy3meDKBlyZdL8d7KKH4OOEInvLZmh1gdbXzJ4Xqu8Xn5o96O3m5ORahx6rXA2BxB7lzD6PlJln-vJTCbunQ/s320/IMG_4592.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrJuf9r759KUnHZ9jJGAXcUdomhxQ-u4mFVy_K04g6ND75TLABk-vrAi33VzTCuDaJBo5GS6YDBmUpr5trhkHQtT0RvumoH2sNQU7XgAsXU8P1Rfp9mQ0loeFoG_hMG1uU8Ugi_mEq-kYF55H9XK28JKNOMG9_aj9LRxGRwhGERrIdjKTUPBHasr4KZ28/s4032/IMG_4593.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrJuf9r759KUnHZ9jJGAXcUdomhxQ-u4mFVy_K04g6ND75TLABk-vrAi33VzTCuDaJBo5GS6YDBmUpr5trhkHQtT0RvumoH2sNQU7XgAsXU8P1Rfp9mQ0loeFoG_hMG1uU8Ugi_mEq-kYF55H9XK28JKNOMG9_aj9LRxGRwhGERrIdjKTUPBHasr4KZ28/s320/IMG_4593.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5FVdZDb3jxHbLq4pb7ReHbwVW6mdvxleDTgC6X-sZEHvZuTaj0k0vmarSXk1UkezlMpj6xBH-AklyLTZQ9d2DY8e4yoDtg5nUykHBJ1bo0zDK-16Ddjp3KMDXOivY43AO1bIEcAg7qmxZKJqphKTrz_BHG-trVKp221tcAuMEEuD6fgKCFbX4TVcXN48/s4032/IMG_4594.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5FVdZDb3jxHbLq4pb7ReHbwVW6mdvxleDTgC6X-sZEHvZuTaj0k0vmarSXk1UkezlMpj6xBH-AklyLTZQ9d2DY8e4yoDtg5nUykHBJ1bo0zDK-16Ddjp3KMDXOivY43AO1bIEcAg7qmxZKJqphKTrz_BHG-trVKp221tcAuMEEuD6fgKCFbX4TVcXN48/s320/IMG_4594.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The structure is composed of 1,056,000 cream-colored Swedish tiles:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiXxqTVOVprPvBaXc9eXl-dsrd5SWFD4DFfbKBS2H-xL55lZKL415AMrREso0wOqavMhzi5sENRgWBaANWBriY1lYPg6qhdhgfkUa7MUtfT-NWJVrxtBiSw0CRGFwSaAxLMTjZxXYMepfzjfvrB8K04sZyp8__KXbqTuVzy4kbBu8gy4Qsh3KDAyYOIGw/s4032/IMG_4596.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiXxqTVOVprPvBaXc9eXl-dsrd5SWFD4DFfbKBS2H-xL55lZKL415AMrREso0wOqavMhzi5sENRgWBaANWBriY1lYPg6qhdhgfkUa7MUtfT-NWJVrxtBiSw0CRGFwSaAxLMTjZxXYMepfzjfvrB8K04sZyp8__KXbqTuVzy4kbBu8gy4Qsh3KDAyYOIGw/s320/IMG_4596.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv0rjg02sgmc9R1Pe0qEr6YF1_4viHBah4cP8kTJRxfviU_giFd5iwGtEyCxU7kwVwiPnyqAZqdI6H_tAo2aTXiJ0GwF4Dh-UM0aDIgShFU8r9daGGtoeN1Ci7ONR5oqTWMEMp9xMmFrcrUaEqLdjLBGMDxsVl_Pq5DMIOxf7TQEI-W2sP_IJ8ZLnYKBs/s4032/IMG_4598.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv0rjg02sgmc9R1Pe0qEr6YF1_4viHBah4cP8kTJRxfviU_giFd5iwGtEyCxU7kwVwiPnyqAZqdI6H_tAo2aTXiJ0GwF4Dh-UM0aDIgShFU8r9daGGtoeN1Ci7ONR5oqTWMEMp9xMmFrcrUaEqLdjLBGMDxsVl_Pq5DMIOxf7TQEI-W2sP_IJ8ZLnYKBs/s320/IMG_4598.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>There are five performance spaces for concerts, dance, opera and theater:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4sQVpoK7SCu9L2wbsxm7iJVQuL1maW8YjFT1680LRq0ZaOSButCXtcEPiwYBfgbRLZzwaDmKu_bBy7e2oMf_xdtIxGW3tmfbH-aqmIZsZdPM4hHN6oO3NAau7nUdUfVgvsIB37MhpFPSfiWqlv0VOtbjPqLCzuozXW-tcXlClwZo-eg_QcotlJXiW8z8/s3724/IMG_4600.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3724" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4sQVpoK7SCu9L2wbsxm7iJVQuL1maW8YjFT1680LRq0ZaOSButCXtcEPiwYBfgbRLZzwaDmKu_bBy7e2oMf_xdtIxGW3tmfbH-aqmIZsZdPM4hHN6oO3NAau7nUdUfVgvsIB37MhpFPSfiWqlv0VOtbjPqLCzuozXW-tcXlClwZo-eg_QcotlJXiW8z8/s320/IMG_4600.jpg" width="260" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Staff in the restaurant were getting ready for the evening dinner crowd:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUCuUa8H82Gttm_sQhv8sa_epzYejYHgFHRo2ecnBSVG7YsOUB9fhNSjjYrgBKK48KFrJOStc9UUhDQqvepEGk6YbTqz_pDo1WT3JZc08SApECfw7gQ9wXH-AZ-B8eF-4Je5rvU2B4Xzs0o9ar159gtl668QTpHNijlgyXIAHzkliTR2BIc6OZyzioId0/s4032/IMG_4603.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUCuUa8H82Gttm_sQhv8sa_epzYejYHgFHRo2ecnBSVG7YsOUB9fhNSjjYrgBKK48KFrJOStc9UUhDQqvepEGk6YbTqz_pDo1WT3JZc08SApECfw7gQ9wXH-AZ-B8eF-4Je5rvU2B4Xzs0o9ar159gtl668QTpHNijlgyXIAHzkliTR2BIc6OZyzioId0/s320/IMG_4603.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>I really hope she doesn't know what that means:</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoJ8J5sNS22-bVx37jrc5Jhi7y9lsOlfrhvcNGofbLAE1gWJvFMOixgYpUmhYjX4Z82YhSvdsAMof3UK_UKfqIR3Qb7y1__ZJdi5dxKpvtTngenZNlRFWddC-0aKqDgdnCkbpz9zeQzZjoO3gpwJ7TpLVJZS2eEBlKgC2ft-ii3hkqanTRzSyq1E-LzCQ/s1706/4ca8b59fbbc99eb8eef62b949716cb38.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1706" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoJ8J5sNS22-bVx37jrc5Jhi7y9lsOlfrhvcNGofbLAE1gWJvFMOixgYpUmhYjX4Z82YhSvdsAMof3UK_UKfqIR3Qb7y1__ZJdi5dxKpvtTngenZNlRFWddC-0aKqDgdnCkbpz9zeQzZjoO3gpwJ7TpLVJZS2eEBlKgC2ft-ii3hkqanTRzSyq1E-LzCQ/s320/4ca8b59fbbc99eb8eef62b949716cb38.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV_4O_34f_60UtQgJjZpey3IJg7rNMPl_iT0EHnnCB3Z_kh54m4G-uvT2SUJielEjYZnohALkqLkt61mm5_EhBoOIu_7xvDoG8YI8O4ynxMkSGAukLY_FUB34SY1stRBndEY4OlzKX0xXVicXhe8Iupi0OIFKsEqOkMO3inGjbHjNyvRNlSwgHLycjwP0/s2496/79babb2c8d4334b58def423db4142bcc.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2496" data-original-width="1836" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV_4O_34f_60UtQgJjZpey3IJg7rNMPl_iT0EHnnCB3Z_kh54m4G-uvT2SUJielEjYZnohALkqLkt61mm5_EhBoOIu_7xvDoG8YI8O4ynxMkSGAukLY_FUB34SY1stRBndEY4OlzKX0xXVicXhe8Iupi0OIFKsEqOkMO3inGjbHjNyvRNlSwgHLycjwP0/s320/79babb2c8d4334b58def423db4142bcc.JPG" width="235" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgebAaH59tpCK3anZ1s1dKOulnpQcJsw1w21c322zco0YQnmdAsAB29moKP4oCE51HPUifuPOAA1NOGZ8sI0Mf3EQsbTDB-G7OMu1K7l2p6ARj9OfkKkFYO92YwExkVu4_JQzP3nntKfhCWsQwDygsefZIu7hprNQmNPqSK4wbVInr1v0-OEB8k1KJo2sA/s1706/189d4e4b674747ea6f14df2234d5a2fb.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1706" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgebAaH59tpCK3anZ1s1dKOulnpQcJsw1w21c322zco0YQnmdAsAB29moKP4oCE51HPUifuPOAA1NOGZ8sI0Mf3EQsbTDB-G7OMu1K7l2p6ARj9OfkKkFYO92YwExkVu4_JQzP3nntKfhCWsQwDygsefZIu7hprNQmNPqSK4wbVInr1v0-OEB8k1KJo2sA/s320/189d4e4b674747ea6f14df2234d5a2fb.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKoqzxUVQRXH-vEr7P8d6ncbfNKEP7nw10jBQdsCZAuCkS7EeLBt7zg46sh5oCppAgCpWpZ_Gonlp1ozyoIJJJ-Kon4i7-PiTBbGe2aWrkiB0jJIgIaPUXPK8vKtcOJ0KE0v52Kt0_BxCO2Sl_rAxPxdPAzhgOx6GaFqte0nJyPC9oK2DeqVfSIDnIRAU/s1706/dadb2ef1ac317a8faf13f52346becddb.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1706" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKoqzxUVQRXH-vEr7P8d6ncbfNKEP7nw10jBQdsCZAuCkS7EeLBt7zg46sh5oCppAgCpWpZ_Gonlp1ozyoIJJJ-Kon4i7-PiTBbGe2aWrkiB0jJIgIaPUXPK8vKtcOJ0KE0v52Kt0_BxCO2Sl_rAxPxdPAzhgOx6GaFqte0nJyPC9oK2DeqVfSIDnIRAU/s320/dadb2ef1ac317a8faf13f52346becddb.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div></div><div>It was getting late in the afternoon, so we caught the train two stops to Museum Station:</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNxtBaZVFMR9HhbRFVDmWN01a4s5oY2w3Tu7wmv6Q3yIviIACVqSo9ebZJcNO5iuGdS-O98IXHS9IG6kpyE2i1tnm39S8C67ZxG8NcedN-zmOzEdQY-ebWaLti53tyPOlvchyphenhyphena_bBI2kPTNuDG4ruDf22ihfyexP-U3dh7FazSjuhnnmV1DUVhkEextLM/s4032/IMG_4606.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNxtBaZVFMR9HhbRFVDmWN01a4s5oY2w3Tu7wmv6Q3yIviIACVqSo9ebZJcNO5iuGdS-O98IXHS9IG6kpyE2i1tnm39S8C67ZxG8NcedN-zmOzEdQY-ebWaLti53tyPOlvchyphenhyphena_bBI2kPTNuDG4ruDf22ihfyexP-U3dh7FazSjuhnnmV1DUVhkEextLM/s320/IMG_4606.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm0gRnh3L8I62Y4I-SBUwCTDT7X2tzIDhJLJBETgNsW-t69i85qGKJmdTvTBmsInQTBo4V82I-M8Nmkh4-Hm3GSMrXEsGHbsUSdVm6TKPfudJPF56toQdekTfUgsTw-oEOZwpalwzIsJg4Hf37WqMz4mVlPKdLtba4mRr9anxNWc7s8yk_nXs69BjEu3U/s3470/IMG_4607.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3470" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm0gRnh3L8I62Y4I-SBUwCTDT7X2tzIDhJLJBETgNsW-t69i85qGKJmdTvTBmsInQTBo4V82I-M8Nmkh4-Hm3GSMrXEsGHbsUSdVm6TKPfudJPF56toQdekTfUgsTw-oEOZwpalwzIsJg4Hf37WqMz4mVlPKdLtba4mRr9anxNWc7s8yk_nXs69BjEu3U/s320/IMG_4607.jpg" width="279" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Exiting the station put us back in the area around the <a href="https://www.qvb.com.au/" target="_blank">Queen Victoria Building</a>:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIDc1XwfwclEw6xLdXj3QWa_-KgiLVoLkeUv0-kJOVpPQ177mm8NmT3ILtV_XCyF55bxYtbM1KpVuYEz5_k9xChVKt5rw_BADTS4-d__SRjPhsWtRPEqp2gwbOO9SEjdHUeNLsyPCZzj4td2sqgHkWpmvdxuCwq63-g-kWB6iiX2Eu-UA1WQ4ZkrxVWpA/s4032/IMG_4608.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIDc1XwfwclEw6xLdXj3QWa_-KgiLVoLkeUv0-kJOVpPQ177mm8NmT3ILtV_XCyF55bxYtbM1KpVuYEz5_k9xChVKt5rw_BADTS4-d__SRjPhsWtRPEqp2gwbOO9SEjdHUeNLsyPCZzj4td2sqgHkWpmvdxuCwq63-g-kWB6iiX2Eu-UA1WQ4ZkrxVWpA/s320/IMG_4608.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>The interior of the 1898 High Victorian Gothic shopping center:</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU-j3HBHadTyuHbIasxvbSVKMhPeUc6fuD7lk3DRTaSvzdXvolFBtSfiNgnoRTwTioQMidk1NgBngwDX4JVfaLGDRybyi5tQjOMbdZaSYCShrittWU1Hhh69WYTco_JIuy214Zizwn2CcUCdRyi6am4yaw3f4wlzcgKFlFZcrF5KFaDvuiu9Ql3PAlmmk/s4032/IMG_4612.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU-j3HBHadTyuHbIasxvbSVKMhPeUc6fuD7lk3DRTaSvzdXvolFBtSfiNgnoRTwTioQMidk1NgBngwDX4JVfaLGDRybyi5tQjOMbdZaSYCShrittWU1Hhh69WYTco_JIuy214Zizwn2CcUCdRyi6am4yaw3f4wlzcgKFlFZcrF5KFaDvuiu9Ql3PAlmmk/s320/IMG_4612.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div>For dinner we went Japanese at a restaurant called <a href="https://nazimi.com.au/" target="_blank">Nazimi</a>:</div></div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_45xuWt0MfbE9weiarpzW8DN9RMfIPs-DdIe1zBnc_toiJ491jYidWEozdFu8bpyYD3K_HApXRoH_AoAzztnroa6zAWaVjH6z78922YfO3v-QHo00gNKKTTpMeeKwGJLfszO2KvMODXZZe-kFue4jtXAYeDfUPJGi85j7xHpUWKsFwCPiW65zWwvgOe0/s4032/IMG_4622.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_45xuWt0MfbE9weiarpzW8DN9RMfIPs-DdIe1zBnc_toiJ491jYidWEozdFu8bpyYD3K_HApXRoH_AoAzztnroa6zAWaVjH6z78922YfO3v-QHo00gNKKTTpMeeKwGJLfszO2KvMODXZZe-kFue4jtXAYeDfUPJGi85j7xHpUWKsFwCPiW65zWwvgOe0/s320/IMG_4622.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Yuzu cocktail in hand, and looking back on a very enjoyable day:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzXLiuTwbSoGiYm30s9K-cJq-QpdelAWNQDbLTNcoSnD45b7xegb3T6oGWQ3fU3jBDjZ9AXoyYR2KeOZ1rpBme5ymauZtJozqj8pMLbRkhzFTXIFIljQK5tehswUSYmGC3pHKL4BTVUQwAbVoAv2sxRZvl2Jn_Pa1KyYrKIN6LR9dtxjfvYyAT1hVP8a8/s2941/IMG_4624.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2546" data-original-width="2941" height="277" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzXLiuTwbSoGiYm30s9K-cJq-QpdelAWNQDbLTNcoSnD45b7xegb3T6oGWQ3fU3jBDjZ9AXoyYR2KeOZ1rpBme5ymauZtJozqj8pMLbRkhzFTXIFIljQK5tehswUSYmGC3pHKL4BTVUQwAbVoAv2sxRZvl2Jn_Pa1KyYrKIN6LR9dtxjfvYyAT1hVP8a8/s320/IMG_4624.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>New Year's Eve wasn't until the following evening, yet Ted was already thoroughly trashed:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmr_dqxFALsAay6lyw5YEecc3X1M9DYnkBgl004qVxzMlh8Ftwe_YvtwikRsUJiXee1Vfc_tnLAmpcpacZuujro_FdIFXS0UTgLFPfHP1LGMvQqpUe58BjsR_FLzUza7kn6jF3af9Ln00IMYD4zgIl_XX2HVMekz8a8My9CsSzAL8X5S_VeFQrvdtMGKs/s4032/IMG_4626.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmr_dqxFALsAay6lyw5YEecc3X1M9DYnkBgl004qVxzMlh8Ftwe_YvtwikRsUJiXee1Vfc_tnLAmpcpacZuujro_FdIFXS0UTgLFPfHP1LGMvQqpUe58BjsR_FLzUza7kn6jF3af9Ln00IMYD4zgIl_XX2HVMekz8a8My9CsSzAL8X5S_VeFQrvdtMGKs/s320/IMG_4626.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Stopping in at a Metro supermarket on the way back to the hotel:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnUwhZ_BRCz0I0UTiQU3f19nJdhSZ2zgCIaLN1f7bNhduWfi3Qnx9F6tjHdHFAc5DvQMyznYFees-omphQlKfh53V1vgicVZjfBaTYzuC1RRbqt1Vv5cI3UEQp8fNiKKf714O1HRQ3kAuDreJMNfoCzQLEwnI71dAdBl-C77CI72i-zD5fb4FF14glbR4/s3962/IMG_4628.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2570" data-original-width="3962" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnUwhZ_BRCz0I0UTiQU3f19nJdhSZ2zgCIaLN1f7bNhduWfi3Qnx9F6tjHdHFAc5DvQMyznYFees-omphQlKfh53V1vgicVZjfBaTYzuC1RRbqt1Vv5cI3UEQp8fNiKKf714O1HRQ3kAuDreJMNfoCzQLEwnI71dAdBl-C77CI72i-zD5fb4FF14glbR4/s320/IMG_4628.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>It doesn't take much effort to Google lists of the world's most overrated tourist attractions (such as <a href="https://www.roughguides.com/articles/the-worlds-most-overrated-tourist-attractions/" target="_blank">this one</a>). But I would be very surprised to find the bridge and/or the opera house included on any of them (and if I did, I would seriously question the motives of the compiler). I can honestly state with all the smug satisfaction that I can conjure up that it was most definitely worth waiting for the perfect day.</div><div><br /></div><div>And for that, I salute you, Sydney!:</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS50F9n85HSJANVoTYkItswTFoNrj-j8AXcVSOPqh7KzDV0mMGTsPNIqF9CA4r5wcjwrNxlzKaGGCnTJyNbgh8YhGAx8w6Z9KP3VggYhZrC_jsEdgLjVNKV3FZ9-54MNZQxhIcqE6hroDqqqMAJCJg0bHm5dltwR27fcp2AwbAmSdcY82ZfL7oDC6O1Xw/s1706/fccc88506bc209958faf1755792fea73.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1706" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS50F9n85HSJANVoTYkItswTFoNrj-j8AXcVSOPqh7KzDV0mMGTsPNIqF9CA4r5wcjwrNxlzKaGGCnTJyNbgh8YhGAx8w6Z9KP3VggYhZrC_jsEdgLjVNKV3FZ9-54MNZQxhIcqE6hroDqqqMAJCJg0bHm5dltwR27fcp2AwbAmSdcY82ZfL7oDC6O1Xw/s320/fccc88506bc209958faf1755792fea73.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div>On to New Year's Eve...</div><div><p>Next up on the Sydney playlist:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/6pKPNnk-JhE" width="320" youtube-src-id="6pKPNnk-JhE"></iframe></div><br /><p><br /></p></div>Kaminogehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07925637671913689331noreply@blogger.com2Sydney Opera House, Bennelong Point, Sydney NSW 2000, Australia-33.8567844 151.2152967-62.316769207465057 116.05904670000001 -5.3967995925349435 -173.6284533tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2497220891386919340.post-8473432090128106952024-01-10T22:31:00.001+08:002024-01-10T22:31:12.205+08:00Fourth day in a land down under<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWvrvKZiWDHVMNRUXaSxWWxfUwpfHm06E9pX4Df5qCjBs_VbK_FO_hv3Iy0abIzANr9sHhTyMi0tCDruXIpL5FndCPQ5Yye2FdYBONKucBjpGmZESfGxdpJJuwWWGsyQE8NR4c8DU3Vtcj0wx0Ogn8qAaOoes0tziDDi8cGJP9P9YNtq6VitPhVLVPogA/s1706/1e18e416cc7da19938bf11bbf9f41b19.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1706" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWvrvKZiWDHVMNRUXaSxWWxfUwpfHm06E9pX4Df5qCjBs_VbK_FO_hv3Iy0abIzANr9sHhTyMi0tCDruXIpL5FndCPQ5Yye2FdYBONKucBjpGmZESfGxdpJJuwWWGsyQE8NR4c8DU3Vtcj0wx0Ogn8qAaOoes0tziDDi8cGJP9P9YNtq6VitPhVLVPogA/s320/1e18e416cc7da19938bf11bbf9f41b19.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><i><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Sunset on our fourth evening in Sydney</i></div></i><p></p><p>Three days into our holiday in Australia's largest city, and we had yet to visit the harbor and see the iconic bridge and opera house. Day four would be no different. The weather forecast strongly hinted at the possibility of heavy rain, so we decided to play it safe this day by engaging in activities that would either take place indoors, or be not far from shelter should the skies open up. </p><p>First up was <a href="https://www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/parks/hyde-park" target="_blank">Hyde Park</a>, passing by the statue of Captain <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Cook" target="_blank">James Cook</a>:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDrg6mIOQh9mM4htQUIUkoBB4BfBsQeFrmNJ7nVofE87Xy5rxu_qHpywiTG0FpJdCD5CK22DkehcUS_Dxvi4EgEvA7IJ7wH8lMZhCLRivEYsCuG79Hcb-i-rViQxfPsHYYIIR_x1Sioe9OWHDc-B6S5nDGE_M2hj5JHz15vgsxhBqXgg0kitdiMPdWznM/s4032/IMG_4416.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDrg6mIOQh9mM4htQUIUkoBB4BfBsQeFrmNJ7nVofE87Xy5rxu_qHpywiTG0FpJdCD5CK22DkehcUS_Dxvi4EgEvA7IJ7wH8lMZhCLRivEYsCuG79Hcb-i-rViQxfPsHYYIIR_x1Sioe9OWHDc-B6S5nDGE_M2hj5JHz15vgsxhBqXgg0kitdiMPdWznM/s320/IMG_4416.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The <a href="https://www.anzacmemorial.nsw.gov.au/?utm_source=Google&utm_medium=GMB&utm_campaign=homepage_visits" target="_blank">Anzac Memorial</a>, clearly visible from our hotel room, was our first stop. The art deco structure commemorates the soldiers of the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australian_and_New_Zealand_Army_Corps" target="_blank">Australia and New Zealand Army Corps</a> (Anzacs) who served in the First World War. In particular, it honors the 120,000 from New South Wales who fought for the British Empire, but in the process developed the stirrings of a distinct Australian identity:<div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOlvQ21QsPuYMf-tL7NBcn7WRSIBW04Zvsop6wKpCk5ww6jyrMqbyRek3ZY2ljnZBxkne8yYX6-P1JX3qepPI0XgUthIFhCdUE26dxVdqtb6WrgjIOcQPEugZDSG_zika9dYnen5-OvIK9CRwvHslSI-lFObw1KhB383_80X9fZi0G75NvkIm_bMPrLsE/s3992/IMG_4417.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2994" data-original-width="3992" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOlvQ21QsPuYMf-tL7NBcn7WRSIBW04Zvsop6wKpCk5ww6jyrMqbyRek3ZY2ljnZBxkne8yYX6-P1JX3qepPI0XgUthIFhCdUE26dxVdqtb6WrgjIOcQPEugZDSG_zika9dYnen5-OvIK9CRwvHslSI-lFObw1KhB383_80X9fZi0G75NvkIm_bMPrLsE/s320/IMG_4417.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMSskhx_q66VDn0ja2lIaCHlbFZ57tP-gUYohERnZRCYTeOjBsd-aGWDcUygbwibDv-R-chwKIsKexyPXNkAMM7dcWOdXD90ncEo9Wqnsioe2DnnJmP90IWuwKXsYLUELWs1CvHNJKNWkJn8yKOU7YcAAqRHewAYvLiOkE21Am-AIviY8EBwp8uVgQ1o0/s3832/IMG_4418.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1756" data-original-width="3832" height="147" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMSskhx_q66VDn0ja2lIaCHlbFZ57tP-gUYohERnZRCYTeOjBsd-aGWDcUygbwibDv-R-chwKIsKexyPXNkAMM7dcWOdXD90ncEo9Wqnsioe2DnnJmP90IWuwKXsYLUELWs1CvHNJKNWkJn8yKOU7YcAAqRHewAYvLiOkE21Am-AIviY8EBwp8uVgQ1o0/s320/IMG_4418.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgviA-cZT5jS46d3Dp0lK9ttE2q4he6qttmenSgziZg6F-ul3LzOJmFyrb2iZtA8NjoWUod04niF72m2-xcbTmnmVxD-_vPJ9XxOVeJtLMCg8pOSPaYZyZEehyphenhyphenocPTOQhAmUYgpXfhSTTyQ6eEY7GypgDFHVA10dYUnT3mJzRPBwhApOZoFW8_69h52zek/s3255/IMG_4419.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2939" data-original-width="3255" height="289" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgviA-cZT5jS46d3Dp0lK9ttE2q4he6qttmenSgziZg6F-ul3LzOJmFyrb2iZtA8NjoWUod04niF72m2-xcbTmnmVxD-_vPJ9XxOVeJtLMCg8pOSPaYZyZEehyphenhyphenocPTOQhAmUYgpXfhSTTyQ6eEY7GypgDFHVA10dYUnT3mJzRPBwhApOZoFW8_69h52zek/s320/IMG_4419.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><a href="https://www.anzacmemorial.nsw.gov.au/our-stories/sculpture-hoff" target="_blank"><i>Sacrifice</i>, Rayner Hoff</a>:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyIlnCHvXuuHztJ57-OtmAu5GmJwZ7cCC-ltEpMdnQEPmDAY80bOxbMmlH1cx7F5a1IksEif4slyicCVRFPEEHCKCq0wRyWT0IghFRQ5mnhmRzU22qmXUBOckMfpfIPWphar5zpEBv5XhMVS7f__SLy__PqoNy9N9RaIwe6-duf3GvoQv0G5N0hXBUMCk/s4032/IMG_4420.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyIlnCHvXuuHztJ57-OtmAu5GmJwZ7cCC-ltEpMdnQEPmDAY80bOxbMmlH1cx7F5a1IksEif4slyicCVRFPEEHCKCq0wRyWT0IghFRQ5mnhmRzU22qmXUBOckMfpfIPWphar5zpEBv5XhMVS7f__SLy__PqoNy9N9RaIwe6-duf3GvoQv0G5N0hXBUMCk/s320/IMG_4420.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2uSZb28QXMW03GvgX-grc1HKNeodaWF1k8lmIXGW8NfOG8F_9hEl5_bERYhf9znLB7TiLFgGWl5u4MkW6pC8k6XZ3uO1jNi9SlS_sgqNJwehaNskS6Q2GpXIcE46M9Z11J37r1OXRiQL64_bfnujmBZ4basLHzz-Ndg6Bwrn8-xmiO6p6A7ODrYvc5dc/s4032/IMG_4422.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2uSZb28QXMW03GvgX-grc1HKNeodaWF1k8lmIXGW8NfOG8F_9hEl5_bERYhf9znLB7TiLFgGWl5u4MkW6pC8k6XZ3uO1jNi9SlS_sgqNJwehaNskS6Q2GpXIcE46M9Z11J37r1OXRiQL64_bfnujmBZ4basLHzz-Ndg6Bwrn8-xmiO6p6A7ODrYvc5dc/s320/IMG_4422.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>From the memorial it was a short stroll to the <a href="https://australian.museum/" target="_blank">Australian Museum</a>, the origins of which date back to 1827. Frankly speaking, I was somewhat disappointed with the exhibits, though the fault for that lies more with me than with the curators. Based on the institution's name, I was expecting to be educated on the history of the country, its cultures and its peoples. Instead, I was introduced to a dinosaur gallery, a lot of stuffed animals and a section on Oceania. There was nothing wrong with any of the exhibits, but I was left feeling a tad underwhelmed. Admission was free, so I got what I paid for (there was also a special exhibition on Egyptian mummies, but having been to Egypt, we three agreed it wasn't worth paying for) . At least, we were treated to what a dinosaur autopsy might look like, in case you were wondering:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0ibm3LH5ce0xzt0iWvRxjb4yIPc09z0584jOVV0Gj_8RZz2YSQdwES-5F4Mr4TiNggFkacPKO5_CclGT1KkX24CVJ65_t6sLByQE1CPE54qBHKpI9cYKlFgfstBNRLJqQml_EUMMBnDv1w2J97nm1oUNZr3y6H2y0uBpHIZmBxCIq_MtKzS7i6-vlYYY/s4032/IMG_4424.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0ibm3LH5ce0xzt0iWvRxjb4yIPc09z0584jOVV0Gj_8RZz2YSQdwES-5F4Mr4TiNggFkacPKO5_CclGT1KkX24CVJ65_t6sLByQE1CPE54qBHKpI9cYKlFgfstBNRLJqQml_EUMMBnDv1w2J97nm1oUNZr3y6H2y0uBpHIZmBxCIq_MtKzS7i6-vlYYY/s320/IMG_4424.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBd0BWCV5acEqOBtyWDgDpLxAp085hAs8k5l8i-1E733GIzqeO3H44sOxop-4z_mbRZ9jqEHSuyj1AULw7HQEKAwYw2GfXFHj_kMnW41KDSuPCU1SPJdEmkkj8yOjbeIV_MQDDOCS8hgdYwz8kDQkt9q7l35Gv9FIwvFqtDiSw-2UOr3JHUCYl_h8IxFg/s4032/IMG_4425.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBd0BWCV5acEqOBtyWDgDpLxAp085hAs8k5l8i-1E733GIzqeO3H44sOxop-4z_mbRZ9jqEHSuyj1AULw7HQEKAwYw2GfXFHj_kMnW41KDSuPCU1SPJdEmkkj8yOjbeIV_MQDDOCS8hgdYwz8kDQkt9q7l35Gv9FIwvFqtDiSw-2UOr3JHUCYl_h8IxFg/s320/IMG_4425.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Some of the extinct megafauna were fascinating, like this <i><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diprotodon" target="_blank">Diprotodon</a></i>, which was basically a giant wombat:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-M24Ro8zhB9czE9S6aNxfcatJMOne0lfL5_WBagL6v83vTwjR3A42SqaZdEFgwClK7Yw6iwUKjKhA9RSfwN7wPYmReWTWoyknMnT_gabkC8LC-K2lhrM9wnW1lNc-d9FOAWw6e2PBI3trYI1aGNUbb-kvkH2rQZfb4jVNQAj11KhMgkpro5z5E9SAhd8/s4032/IMG_4426.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-M24Ro8zhB9czE9S6aNxfcatJMOne0lfL5_WBagL6v83vTwjR3A42SqaZdEFgwClK7Yw6iwUKjKhA9RSfwN7wPYmReWTWoyknMnT_gabkC8LC-K2lhrM9wnW1lNc-d9FOAWw6e2PBI3trYI1aGNUbb-kvkH2rQZfb4jVNQAj11KhMgkpro5z5E9SAhd8/s320/IMG_4426.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqGZw_Eyf0ePMkozCeaPfLHY-GQ70nzBOvW0Inml5EnAOII9ausiydjyIBcfo1_UvluHHUeFITFYucmE6TmiVR8uyuTt7afjuSMJtLTlu4YqOkmNfMEI8ehrDkT6rpjsLo1wSQqRIbGv-3OMADGk0CRaRmncAwjb9gAnuW_6shq0PIkdYfDW-IeC3Jpfk/s4032/IMG_4428.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqGZw_Eyf0ePMkozCeaPfLHY-GQ70nzBOvW0Inml5EnAOII9ausiydjyIBcfo1_UvluHHUeFITFYucmE6TmiVR8uyuTt7afjuSMJtLTlu4YqOkmNfMEI8ehrDkT6rpjsLo1wSQqRIbGv-3OMADGk0CRaRmncAwjb9gAnuW_6shq0PIkdYfDW-IeC3Jpfk/s320/IMG_4428.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>A <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thylacine" target="_blank">thylacine</a>, <i>aka</i> a Tasmanian tiger:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgESw710DqhPV6AwilBlE7wp40PD-DvY50FjMuELk8NOGy758MeTqTezgFi9cyyvwYaoTl3UakxrzTNlxRyK0rg4gBxBHbXr9LJT5-yNirRmurdQFQ8iHt78btBzIBOMkcqmTLXlFkz8hoY3DLJxKAEmMAHtuDbn44pUXcPb3X6HjlTDxP-1D1A9IL06xo/s4032/IMG_4429.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgESw710DqhPV6AwilBlE7wp40PD-DvY50FjMuELk8NOGy758MeTqTezgFi9cyyvwYaoTl3UakxrzTNlxRyK0rg4gBxBHbXr9LJT5-yNirRmurdQFQ8iHt78btBzIBOMkcqmTLXlFkz8hoY3DLJxKAEmMAHtuDbn44pUXcPb3X6HjlTDxP-1D1A9IL06xo/s320/IMG_4429.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK5DqkY80V-kk3oEQxAAKgLfu_DUIKT4UIGCD-0Yq7wsw7GcevuBypddl7p8MeujUzI0yozHwD3ZC5mkXtLRQ_-JJzDuxpP67aL904GBVtfqLHCiAOhgwP6AXRYQShakC_6w7m5KbAysrscYRcmvwKjPr7AU34VoFZSylhtLcNj-FO_GFb4214ECMkigI/s4032/IMG_4431.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK5DqkY80V-kk3oEQxAAKgLfu_DUIKT4UIGCD-0Yq7wsw7GcevuBypddl7p8MeujUzI0yozHwD3ZC5mkXtLRQ_-JJzDuxpP67aL904GBVtfqLHCiAOhgwP6AXRYQShakC_6w7m5KbAysrscYRcmvwKjPr7AU34VoFZSylhtLcNj-FO_GFb4214ECMkigI/s320/IMG_4431.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">To the museum's credit, punches were not pulled:</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgZfd67c5yqxGgYGUCk4PPUfkyVU5l9T00fJvbQduZ6z48zA_3wpe-RQcPbx7dv4UNnXc8f_QgjflSsTCC1YPpWnjMPbZKdbaspErVpja9x8stEv6s2b3-DnjTE8Fe8QJlS6L_3weLDe8aC9Q5Ak3UZlEQ1d_X4NIBmQ1M16mIqG6u_-mLNH6xYQ_dkXw/s3609/IMG_4433.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2466" data-original-width="3609" height="219" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgZfd67c5yqxGgYGUCk4PPUfkyVU5l9T00fJvbQduZ6z48zA_3wpe-RQcPbx7dv4UNnXc8f_QgjflSsTCC1YPpWnjMPbZKdbaspErVpja9x8stEv6s2b3-DnjTE8Fe8QJlS6L_3weLDe8aC9Q5Ak3UZlEQ1d_X4NIBmQ1M16mIqG6u_-mLNH6xYQ_dkXw/s320/IMG_4433.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The view from the upper floor balcony was nice. The church in the bottom right would be our next stop:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxLER_MBpqz4YyZ9bgdYG39EjQZLhIJE6xFV-rx6vfJq8DIC-eWSLxJg0kdpp-HR-aU8U3TKPLRJwCqXobebrNicJBR-6NlJ6KVL2ttHagj0FG6pvRZ435BvGFgqws2f5o_WU0PLUH6DaoF8AdLmkLamJ9zz6OwtaZCNrwG2dy3ZQWRjzTxRXStOaq8Ns/s4032/IMG_4435.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxLER_MBpqz4YyZ9bgdYG39EjQZLhIJE6xFV-rx6vfJq8DIC-eWSLxJg0kdpp-HR-aU8U3TKPLRJwCqXobebrNicJBR-6NlJ6KVL2ttHagj0FG6pvRZ435BvGFgqws2f5o_WU0PLUH6DaoF8AdLmkLamJ9zz6OwtaZCNrwG2dy3ZQWRjzTxRXStOaq8Ns/s320/IMG_4435.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Sydney has traditionally been a Catholic city, and this is reflected in the Gothic Revival-style <a href="https://stmaryscathedral.org.au/" target="_blank">St. Mary's Cathedral</a>. Construction on the church started in 1868, with consecration following in 1905, though the cathedral wouldn't be finished until 1928. Even then, the spires (75 meters/246 feet high) were a late addition, dating from 2000:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh624EYiXmnPrx9aHMpR_CtTMdv-2HuFd18GwQQckIbcDJWe8FsypRNok1yexmbqHivvFQYXrs0vYSGnxBGYesp6dQSUd6z9LMasc_5cXJI9y7lWos5Tq1gCVafpRDELRvXa-aMWBQ2Mm6EN4fS8QYvhX8Bqo2UagjPqYMKjF1vkSY9d0oUKNCpSLEdexo/s3851/IMG_4437.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3851" data-original-width="2888" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh624EYiXmnPrx9aHMpR_CtTMdv-2HuFd18GwQQckIbcDJWe8FsypRNok1yexmbqHivvFQYXrs0vYSGnxBGYesp6dQSUd6z9LMasc_5cXJI9y7lWos5Tq1gCVafpRDELRvXa-aMWBQ2Mm6EN4fS8QYvhX8Bqo2UagjPqYMKjF1vkSY9d0oUKNCpSLEdexo/s320/IMG_4437.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisgG5sVHiRTWh7d-N5cMtpsurEUEambAwr3cKMaMXVevrwAIMDBHZaMh07ASlJOeJSQBHlLAiSG14TeDB0B1T2yCsMtTP7ajLmxHmQKR-mNvQ6io8OF6bpqdmvayrfWkUePTQVNrK4fxj6J2UsgMQzU1SNm-_tkNf5jg6zi6vxVY3fZwqtoiTtIjdV29k/s4032/IMG_4438.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisgG5sVHiRTWh7d-N5cMtpsurEUEambAwr3cKMaMXVevrwAIMDBHZaMh07ASlJOeJSQBHlLAiSG14TeDB0B1T2yCsMtTP7ajLmxHmQKR-mNvQ6io8OF6bpqdmvayrfWkUePTQVNrK4fxj6J2UsgMQzU1SNm-_tkNf5jg6zi6vxVY3fZwqtoiTtIjdV29k/s320/IMG_4438.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwv69naKwEMBa_HBiWnGFUcuT4i9cgSfJygmy4ovUZGQWtk-PB9AK8VWS0OyWLkI0DMPu5UwFfwAVnu0jPDnTO5O-gBzbaxhyl_8P2nLvh2smL_IdvyiHwKRIEUJ06AtkN8D_9QgSDQPXy_exGbINTELPqd0cYFpLQedERS_QRzeh00qb0TGcB5FRD6K8/s4032/IMG_4440.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwv69naKwEMBa_HBiWnGFUcuT4i9cgSfJygmy4ovUZGQWtk-PB9AK8VWS0OyWLkI0DMPu5UwFfwAVnu0jPDnTO5O-gBzbaxhyl_8P2nLvh2smL_IdvyiHwKRIEUJ06AtkN8D_9QgSDQPXy_exGbINTELPqd0cYFpLQedERS_QRzeh00qb0TGcB5FRD6K8/s320/IMG_4440.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNbePnQjx8zdc9Yw0m3yzPUaqJfkd1Ds2LhyAwC275BMeEcfitL7HtoYtV9VKS3UrOcgruJBszkYbCqEmpUPE2w0yRf6PeA6j_vYBC0hl0zMIfnib3O-lZmzojG544vaBBEY3UbarTJT6Y8r_v-4unMsbs960wkXaURF0UMyLSGQheFlr_EQdIkX6nqfc/s4032/IMG_4441.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2736" data-original-width="4032" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNbePnQjx8zdc9Yw0m3yzPUaqJfkd1Ds2LhyAwC275BMeEcfitL7HtoYtV9VKS3UrOcgruJBszkYbCqEmpUPE2w0yRf6PeA6j_vYBC0hl0zMIfnib3O-lZmzojG544vaBBEY3UbarTJT6Y8r_v-4unMsbs960wkXaURF0UMyLSGQheFlr_EQdIkX6nqfc/s320/IMG_4441.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>I found this crucifixion scene to be unintentionally funny. You have to admit it depicts Jesus not dying for our sins, but rather gesturing as if to say "Why are you asking me? I don't know!":</div><div> <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXoxEqNj0TqwD2zE7ulY7XzFAKzpGzZTCoo1Y3CeGZQAdaSNtMED_2Uvj52IfbYrWTo9KyfnHs7cj0QS9s_0vpdhv3uLGRIl3YxEdwEdJNKQTZSCyzVFtckEsVyUdKIxXXnKsVrQREgjyfV79RRgGIOxTChgXYpioa7VGS0TCvEFiDQPboOIundUarupU/s3084/IMG_4442.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3084" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXoxEqNj0TqwD2zE7ulY7XzFAKzpGzZTCoo1Y3CeGZQAdaSNtMED_2Uvj52IfbYrWTo9KyfnHs7cj0QS9s_0vpdhv3uLGRIl3YxEdwEdJNKQTZSCyzVFtckEsVyUdKIxXXnKsVrQREgjyfV79RRgGIOxTChgXYpioa7VGS0TCvEFiDQPboOIundUarupU/s320/IMG_4442.jpg" width="314" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh1aL8OQLwaK6EsdmdxySLKfYw16m-nez8Anp5gVyEo1bibAvi5CmmgmRDrHCL0e2Zk0Y0cEmNJUviYv9FR7D1FEciwSZeI4RBX0uJeYKupy-xJmGqgbBMFcXCXSJzJm4h98zCw7FyuSWn1CDq4NHOOrIySTn6HpqTD2SNjpvctupWBAQdzjtQvKlznIg/s3745/IMG_4444.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3745" data-original-width="2808" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh1aL8OQLwaK6EsdmdxySLKfYw16m-nez8Anp5gVyEo1bibAvi5CmmgmRDrHCL0e2Zk0Y0cEmNJUviYv9FR7D1FEciwSZeI4RBX0uJeYKupy-xJmGqgbBMFcXCXSJzJm4h98zCw7FyuSWn1CDq4NHOOrIySTn6HpqTD2SNjpvctupWBAQdzjtQvKlznIg/s320/IMG_4444.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>St. Mary's is 106 meters/348 feet in length, as can be seen from the <a href="https://www.cityartsydney.com.au/artwork/archibald-memorial-fountain/?utm_content=Archibald%20Memorial%20Fountain%20-%20Sydney&utm_campaign=googlemybusiness&utm_medium=organic&utm_source=google&utm_term=plcid_8905743550478369616" target="_blank">Archibald Memorial Mountain</a> in Hyde Park:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAjrc_EYneAxTxcg_X57ZAJah0Samhn-KhD56zTEJB9Dl8P_gZi2Mifb2pzW1ZcqUGLv0fFs7yjXYOtO_nrYalxJPbUUwnJn3EZo4E38SPc_CkyehtwpStuoDI3JreccZQmpZ745CPqCFaAnWl3J0rHTd1NPSx5urmEPtX-rc6aUQEKChTUkRHGe0OzTk/s4032/IMG_4446.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAjrc_EYneAxTxcg_X57ZAJah0Samhn-KhD56zTEJB9Dl8P_gZi2Mifb2pzW1ZcqUGLv0fFs7yjXYOtO_nrYalxJPbUUwnJn3EZo4E38SPc_CkyehtwpStuoDI3JreccZQmpZ745CPqCFaAnWl3J0rHTd1NPSx5urmEPtX-rc6aUQEKChTUkRHGe0OzTk/s320/IMG_4446.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Taiwanese singer <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jay_Chou" target="_blank">Jay Chou</a> 周杰倫 is coming to town:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRJeALOz64jSXW_kvs6sNMgusGVg3SO5vqKoZ4eXJeYQemRt47R2tZoZkInJkGM4RhoYV9_So6bGpd6LVQLhjG1vDaGOnLAktyofdmI6WFtgT01bbvQyo4xWEd9M047UiIKsA49G8AFRdzHBc09mA8eNUOhpT67RX2HNBlkLKV0u4rDJtI_7gAUDmXAhg/s3135/IMG_4447.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3135" data-original-width="2299" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRJeALOz64jSXW_kvs6sNMgusGVg3SO5vqKoZ4eXJeYQemRt47R2tZoZkInJkGM4RhoYV9_So6bGpd6LVQLhjG1vDaGOnLAktyofdmI6WFtgT01bbvQyo4xWEd9M047UiIKsA49G8AFRdzHBc09mA8eNUOhpT67RX2HNBlkLKV0u4rDJtI_7gAUDmXAhg/s320/IMG_4447.jpg" width="235" /></a></div><div><br /></div>A tribute to a trio of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bee_Gees" target="_blank">Australian legends</a>:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdtBPKqg-3_GV1M5MkqqrZ7CoJQHD2USc_TI2D4xdc9K0U8_ICp7I7DXQJouDskRQAcdc40VtvukJ8R6imKqkRpLEEHRBSLjotmFvL8LMbZkgP7pBo6HJ_F6NIGEgwgVuMbl546eTuw6jWEbwrP1Q1NuX5nrD-0NtEtN_mZzQPzCozaY3DSWEOqyLoiL4/s3111/IMG_4448.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3111" data-original-width="2189" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdtBPKqg-3_GV1M5MkqqrZ7CoJQHD2USc_TI2D4xdc9K0U8_ICp7I7DXQJouDskRQAcdc40VtvukJ8R6imKqkRpLEEHRBSLjotmFvL8LMbZkgP7pBo6HJ_F6NIGEgwgVuMbl546eTuw6jWEbwrP1Q1NuX5nrD-0NtEtN_mZzQPzCozaY3DSWEOqyLoiL4/s320/IMG_4448.jpg" width="225" /></a></div><div><br /></div>A quick peek at the entrance to the <a href="https://www.statetheatre.com.au/" target="_blank">State Theatre</a>:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhni7WUEAncMVTAUvOiUijkmOuZgFqUlTsfhitBzN9amEczJ4b8s6fbKbquncwF2xJ53NKA2XoyeO7egO4coWS7LCejvi81D7DQdjJfPg3RS04muC0SZ_zkbhxGZbEBX1BM1SWEdlUAe73BowDudbqXTg3HDMVWYfg2JHZAmOmMD7WoaqacFxjzCJFWYmM/s4032/IMG_4449.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhni7WUEAncMVTAUvOiUijkmOuZgFqUlTsfhitBzN9amEczJ4b8s6fbKbquncwF2xJ53NKA2XoyeO7egO4coWS7LCejvi81D7DQdjJfPg3RS04muC0SZ_zkbhxGZbEBX1BM1SWEdlUAe73BowDudbqXTg3HDMVWYfg2JHZAmOmMD7WoaqacFxjzCJFWYmM/s320/IMG_4449.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The exterior of the High Victorian neo-Gothic <a href="https://www.qvb.com.au/" target="_blank">Queen Victoria Building</a> shopping center, which takes up an entire city block:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjssRdLJolRPjlZghdPrZpdOmDUvg_I_j7JHalP8eXQ_okg0aiur8XbU-ruFlbSKUZvOK6C6OKMt9KVd4IkZGEBEMY3p8DedUgjxbkXIxLMsCqlItegmODrHpUMTiJaGScOcXUIGNEWVAsQEkYucH9RHA3G0vllwA2NaP6jIbf-j5MsIUAup6dBxDRQJqY/s4032/IMG_4450.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjssRdLJolRPjlZghdPrZpdOmDUvg_I_j7JHalP8eXQ_okg0aiur8XbU-ruFlbSKUZvOK6C6OKMt9KVd4IkZGEBEMY3p8DedUgjxbkXIxLMsCqlItegmODrHpUMTiJaGScOcXUIGNEWVAsQEkYucH9RHA3G0vllwA2NaP6jIbf-j5MsIUAup6dBxDRQJqY/s320/IMG_4450.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Two days prior Shu-E had left her backpack (containing her passports) on a bus, which threatened to derail our holiday before it had gotten off the ground. This day was my turn...almost. In a shop selling sporting merchandise, I went to pay for a replica vintage Australian national soccer team jersey only to discover my credit card wasn't in my wallet. Leaving my wife to pay for the shirt, I hurriedly returned to the hotel room (a 15-minute walk away; I can't run these days) to find it waiting for me on the bathroom sink counter (I had used it to make an online booking while getting ready to go out).</div><div><br /></div><div>Crisis averted, the girls (who had followed me back to the hotel) and I ventured back outside, taking the bus to the <a href="https://www.sydneyfishmarket.com.au/" target="_blank">Sydney Fish Market</a>, in the Darling Harbour/Pyrmont area. Located on Blackwattle Bay, the market moves around 15 million kilograms/33 million pounds of seafood annually, including this Aussie fave:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX41xYxfSZMcYX36kucymTBtyhPw3qofY81ilaeoS9pDcagdF8zouhdqws9Ln5x8YlOXv-kB2TdYKkVGZDx7MgOH91QT7_PCwpBB4SLj7-PV_fpAwVTLvBf3W20_w6Y0rwix4sv3ysjA_I6d1nHGLqoDAMrOIXe2Q2N6OGMbn3QMZDP4LPhP4CvCcSqCw/s4032/IMG_4453.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX41xYxfSZMcYX36kucymTBtyhPw3qofY81ilaeoS9pDcagdF8zouhdqws9Ln5x8YlOXv-kB2TdYKkVGZDx7MgOH91QT7_PCwpBB4SLj7-PV_fpAwVTLvBf3W20_w6Y0rwix4sv3ysjA_I6d1nHGLqoDAMrOIXe2Q2N6OGMbn3QMZDP4LPhP4CvCcSqCw/s320/IMG_4453.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTM4-fBM6W602bUnbKpxoFJcGBAXI7w-_bECGFp1hGN28Ey2UsRPTCX9FtNW94PYQFG-o605cpqNzw9Vf0qNxI_K-bwJobSgrhw0qpKsLp-zWocB11oqDuEGOoEiDeCIQIK5A9wYgqKYl0KDk1vIIv2HVTgGBh4yF6vemcebMppCS0BvYKOBIV3jgPqP0/s4032/IMG_4455.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTM4-fBM6W602bUnbKpxoFJcGBAXI7w-_bECGFp1hGN28Ey2UsRPTCX9FtNW94PYQFG-o605cpqNzw9Vf0qNxI_K-bwJobSgrhw0qpKsLp-zWocB11oqDuEGOoEiDeCIQIK5A9wYgqKYl0KDk1vIIv2HVTgGBh4yF6vemcebMppCS0BvYKOBIV3jgPqP0/s320/IMG_4455.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Naturally, we had sushi for lunch:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_eD2gBHMLZMgczCZKhVEm1hO46sAJ0gl95Gr7aMfQ6u2Ow0k09TexIji6IqQVjFRE_yb-xYewc_oYN3u6wv3ctWNe4hfY6tUuOdMZBFhUDklhJGg6FkdR0OxUUxXP-9tFtHpUuLlGvH43FQ2MOQs9_61E31qSzzWNHotvsq6Cnfc5K4G5m_HFf1Uubu4/s3881/IMG_4457.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3881" data-original-width="2576" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_eD2gBHMLZMgczCZKhVEm1hO46sAJ0gl95Gr7aMfQ6u2Ow0k09TexIji6IqQVjFRE_yb-xYewc_oYN3u6wv3ctWNe4hfY6tUuOdMZBFhUDklhJGg6FkdR0OxUUxXP-9tFtHpUuLlGvH43FQ2MOQs9_61E31qSzzWNHotvsq6Cnfc5K4G5m_HFf1Uubu4/s320/IMG_4457.jpg" width="212" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEite3CAwrcFzg_tXo5P3bnqhOsbl-A4ulXLR3kDOSmO2hqSvkvbzwFIipsjq6-ihcZFL7MGgGPLvplEoFeSMVR9lvkpTXaOCUD9SDsDv-P6liWyQvPHCM3HlomFJb5W0kS64q961ideLmOQRVWU9PhN5skgbHrRS0bY6xVh2jlmfHEj6RnYz0bO_h10S4w/s4032/IMG_4458.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEite3CAwrcFzg_tXo5P3bnqhOsbl-A4ulXLR3kDOSmO2hqSvkvbzwFIipsjq6-ihcZFL7MGgGPLvplEoFeSMVR9lvkpTXaOCUD9SDsDv-P6liWyQvPHCM3HlomFJb5W0kS64q961ideLmOQRVWU9PhN5skgbHrRS0bY6xVh2jlmfHEj6RnYz0bO_h10S4w/s320/IMG_4458.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Sampling some of that aforementioned <a href="https://blog.windstarcruises.com/australian-food-to-try/#4" target="_blank">barramundi</a>:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjEIGO2cFdsFYYJL3BxAhgtOaGMxUivcz32j8jeFqX2lD1lmQV-4UFEAXBp3RkuieJbyn-KI4iG-zxPl0Ti7v5UQt33P0RSCbKYvyglvMhiPXjeU4S8eI-KShG4esHJSLvH5hyphenhyphenzIwOWGead4LXI0KA7PMN03kMmnXe9QB5TxBH62HCeleGbK4iv1zHohc/s3732/IMG_4460.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3732" data-original-width="2799" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjEIGO2cFdsFYYJL3BxAhgtOaGMxUivcz32j8jeFqX2lD1lmQV-4UFEAXBp3RkuieJbyn-KI4iG-zxPl0Ti7v5UQt33P0RSCbKYvyglvMhiPXjeU4S8eI-KShG4esHJSLvH5hyphenhyphenzIwOWGead4LXI0KA7PMN03kMmnXe9QB5TxBH62HCeleGbK4iv1zHohc/s320/IMG_4460.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Shu-E couldn't pass up an opportunity to indulge in some crab:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhLjTkKjfWrhVV9hbJe5QekHqp93bSBmdpnMhxhPLpNEUH42wu-U_VJok0iVphyphenhyphenlbyB632qcVicz5yjO27jDOnJnNrNGhVou3A86Qky9nvEUEDIGxqXmj15qgjXgRYqnRLDoi-VbeV2LLsFypSDeMLwZNZpjhMGjd-cchkNDvU0IxaTQ8F9t5iwIWoZmQ/s4032/IMG_4462.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhLjTkKjfWrhVV9hbJe5QekHqp93bSBmdpnMhxhPLpNEUH42wu-U_VJok0iVphyphenhyphenlbyB632qcVicz5yjO27jDOnJnNrNGhVou3A86Qky9nvEUEDIGxqXmj15qgjXgRYqnRLDoi-VbeV2LLsFypSDeMLwZNZpjhMGjd-cchkNDvU0IxaTQ8F9t5iwIWoZmQ/s320/IMG_4462.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Not the bridge you (or we) were looking for:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV-2uyHoT4wzy5Zd0zghpFyHLRKTkvRKrmcnLX8NGdTdfbYDDG2XKACLCnrLav41ITOPrpkpQGNMs0nzr4XR6A46ZZ4tGnxFeNFkMiWMmnzlNuWP_INS0RKhEqea4tRZVGsBI4GXLE6RD4Zz5-o0oyq4Dc3XMAn2j_CM7SE6TIL3JzUv-4_rtXZHgaRPs/s4032/IMG_4464.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV-2uyHoT4wzy5Zd0zghpFyHLRKTkvRKrmcnLX8NGdTdfbYDDG2XKACLCnrLav41ITOPrpkpQGNMs0nzr4XR6A46ZZ4tGnxFeNFkMiWMmnzlNuWP_INS0RKhEqea4tRZVGsBI4GXLE6RD4Zz5-o0oyq4Dc3XMAn2j_CM7SE6TIL3JzUv-4_rtXZHgaRPs/s320/IMG_4464.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The local pelicans seemed quite used to the crowds:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLAWWksxnoFPBdq4Pb9VI8tVKjpJkJ-YyrT4WrG-yxD6uJ0xYlEqKVhsdZZLNOwZenVgSpdcQa1mLYmssU6lX7eLRzNo9FxZopDFvGe-IkGzQmRzLY3Khcug9XVGCSwqXe736_4EvpQlOqa8dPknt0R1gTyHJzB0m0XnNYH0NRhP32f_tvbnO65HCvG3c/s3092/IMG_4470.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3092" data-original-width="2116" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLAWWksxnoFPBdq4Pb9VI8tVKjpJkJ-YyrT4WrG-yxD6uJ0xYlEqKVhsdZZLNOwZenVgSpdcQa1mLYmssU6lX7eLRzNo9FxZopDFvGe-IkGzQmRzLY3Khcug9XVGCSwqXe736_4EvpQlOqa8dPknt0R1gTyHJzB0m0XnNYH0NRhP32f_tvbnO65HCvG3c/s320/IMG_4470.jpg" width="219" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSYy6IqIOiEw2PMVDmacRmFNvtZPPa3DAcF4dXGrXhf0-69d-tLH9Yu9U1nVn2CPhDqVdFt1FOzmJ88GNtc5KgsCCHDLXpn7QrxLPnAViSVPk8fqG6CgZDuXdJ5VuL6nbylIWKSTje9cofPdDNx_MxMCDCd9HJBxYXVNOZT0qA7fxcx42xujsYuJd3Wys/s3781/IMG_4472.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3781" data-original-width="2836" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSYy6IqIOiEw2PMVDmacRmFNvtZPPa3DAcF4dXGrXhf0-69d-tLH9Yu9U1nVn2CPhDqVdFt1FOzmJ88GNtc5KgsCCHDLXpn7QrxLPnAViSVPk8fqG6CgZDuXdJ5VuL6nbylIWKSTje9cofPdDNx_MxMCDCd9HJBxYXVNOZT0qA7fxcx42xujsYuJd3Wys/s320/IMG_4472.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The new on top of the old - I would see several such examples during our time in Sydney:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1G8KLbLRb4F_dXy7V1gnKeRekDGDmf1hsOzbIFOGJp6pyim3MPJTfh1d98xcqgu2KZWKNyPUMVIxZkGh8JIaPUP9d1FjRptiR95-QPln-l4TAqtCH-pxoMDLmFYIypJdi5ieAvWXY0pB926gHOPcwklVSQzEBVMy17Q3RdYXWDgqHzhG_YlL90B9Mel4/s3024/IMG_4473.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2941" data-original-width="3024" height="311" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1G8KLbLRb4F_dXy7V1gnKeRekDGDmf1hsOzbIFOGJp6pyim3MPJTfh1d98xcqgu2KZWKNyPUMVIxZkGh8JIaPUP9d1FjRptiR95-QPln-l4TAqtCH-pxoMDLmFYIypJdi5ieAvWXY0pB926gHOPcwklVSQzEBVMy17Q3RdYXWDgqHzhG_YlL90B9Mel4/s320/IMG_4473.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>From the fish market we hopped on the light rail, soon ending up in the city's <a href="https://www.sydney.com/destinations/sydney/sydney-city/chinatown-and-haymarket" target="_blank">Chinatown</a>:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZFCEJzZcq4yTAUITzbuxnz_dHnkFHrZO0_WtRwj7K_Kc72y1_oq6AEq8he8sVDl7KEsPknkjzKbATvLeriQN6UfkQxKgI6KmUtRsGs-xdoPcKXo3eTqzlaa3zvzJJnHRTkab81K41vS0MIAPXoNPrnSoubNqNzeFu0gRLJJzhxX2-8uU62Z6ZTu1vtb0/s3287/IMG_4478.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2451" data-original-width="3287" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZFCEJzZcq4yTAUITzbuxnz_dHnkFHrZO0_WtRwj7K_Kc72y1_oq6AEq8he8sVDl7KEsPknkjzKbATvLeriQN6UfkQxKgI6KmUtRsGs-xdoPcKXo3eTqzlaa3zvzJJnHRTkab81K41vS0MIAPXoNPrnSoubNqNzeFu0gRLJJzhxX2-8uU62Z6ZTu1vtb0/s320/IMG_4478.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwUooyKoqMcffwWfix8kzRauaLdCuEsUHyTtKccUjE2EudBfsWeN26-NtXN97ZQ3wqg8Rv6SBb0mF0EC9754T83bh3q2AthKGA9L2Cta6UXNoS5YzY3qj2iDOOtHrlfgRgXVy2bvaQbHp9DccKyY3ah5ZY6QNhuMCFJXdocNZdhIEuddRP4iB80uKNMxM/s4032/IMG_4479.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwUooyKoqMcffwWfix8kzRauaLdCuEsUHyTtKccUjE2EudBfsWeN26-NtXN97ZQ3wqg8Rv6SBb0mF0EC9754T83bh3q2AthKGA9L2Cta6UXNoS5YzY3qj2iDOOtHrlfgRgXVy2bvaQbHp9DccKyY3ah5ZY6QNhuMCFJXdocNZdhIEuddRP4iB80uKNMxM/s320/IMG_4479.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><a href="https://www.instructables.com/Do-It-Yourself-Dragons-Beard-Candy/" target="_blank">Dragon's Beard candy</a>, a Taiwanese treat:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4PNmnjMn5ZD9Pv9fDIq1oo1qcQF7NvgAdL3mOY5NO8RZ0dmS_YjviM320EzEZcSLKoZGvfLh4Qz0enWJqDnWsHW8Tak44WRz5V16HS78BXYhhp6NRmKpzrmZwbXdQHcpG4A-Y1t1lZtr9qDnUe65v23kfkMaSDKfEtLeOou2pOFWidv_lx8tEpeB4Qws/s4032/IMG_4480.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4PNmnjMn5ZD9Pv9fDIq1oo1qcQF7NvgAdL3mOY5NO8RZ0dmS_YjviM320EzEZcSLKoZGvfLh4Qz0enWJqDnWsHW8Tak44WRz5V16HS78BXYhhp6NRmKpzrmZwbXdQHcpG4A-Y1t1lZtr9qDnUe65v23kfkMaSDKfEtLeOou2pOFWidv_lx8tEpeB4Qws/s320/IMG_4480.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>There goes another children's favorite:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh01lns_BMEFCDJMcnfLOi86wt9hEPJ2779a2OLavDR5L-jqvhTmgo2RTzSFKhckvaLiX8IPMCR8i_br9sikFGjpX1sDo-1MsyLowen6aI_HWcOCkg-8p5VGGlhRH-Zbpp_W8M_AZy6vzQUEzCEYY5TGnE4UO47OO5eG7HWTnlsd6yTTsPZStDPAc4aRhc/s4032/IMG_4482.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh01lns_BMEFCDJMcnfLOi86wt9hEPJ2779a2OLavDR5L-jqvhTmgo2RTzSFKhckvaLiX8IPMCR8i_br9sikFGjpX1sDo-1MsyLowen6aI_HWcOCkg-8p5VGGlhRH-Zbpp_W8M_AZy6vzQUEzCEYY5TGnE4UO47OO5eG7HWTnlsd6yTTsPZStDPAc4aRhc/s320/IMG_4482.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>A stand selling Taiwanese-style snacks, though Shu-E questioned its authenticity:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc5ikXh1HhQ-TPwuXrLdGKwPF37AIvW4-0ujNN7oL4joXtYe1WBTCSexg7UUsL7EU3gL6fj-Gf_UfxKRwZuYljT8IZBHfwXggT1Jua2Ct4iYEgwvMu3-TvTp2m-ioMrZVWYil7xyEnGN9T7j8rtpkcdJ0oOmC0s6wddOHyGpC-2YY3Ax8hWdZ-0L38cfE/s3803/IMG_4483.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2315" data-original-width="3803" height="195" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc5ikXh1HhQ-TPwuXrLdGKwPF37AIvW4-0ujNN7oL4joXtYe1WBTCSexg7UUsL7EU3gL6fj-Gf_UfxKRwZuYljT8IZBHfwXggT1Jua2Ct4iYEgwvMu3-TvTp2m-ioMrZVWYil7xyEnGN9T7j8rtpkcdJ0oOmC0s6wddOHyGpC-2YY3Ax8hWdZ-0L38cfE/s320/IMG_4483.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4mVIggu4K2IuRY_lgqae8hq9vffo0WDdWUUPFz99TfjB35eNSbScoo018sreq73g5zlKHefgQLX2gkkGyJCEH5NyjlQP7oRwgla023t5orYSYvaM5ri816g4JChJRQiv_QhqQjAqwUoZYFKvrVbo7K4sE-e0WCxFzphsvKFeupj2OHOdEuDX5vEggrjE/s4032/IMG_4485.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2807" data-original-width="4032" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4mVIggu4K2IuRY_lgqae8hq9vffo0WDdWUUPFz99TfjB35eNSbScoo018sreq73g5zlKHefgQLX2gkkGyJCEH5NyjlQP7oRwgla023t5orYSYvaM5ri816g4JChJRQiv_QhqQjAqwUoZYFKvrVbo7K4sE-e0WCxFzphsvKFeupj2OHOdEuDX5vEggrjE/s320/IMG_4485.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Across from Chinatown is <a href="https://paddysmarkets.com.au/" target="_blank">Paddy's Markets Haymarket</a>, an "eclectic array of goods such as souvenirs, clothes & produce"...including items for the upcoming Lunar New Year:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR6ZPXWsA3JaGpw-xfUF6_PNe5pBarFXpv4eeCN0ZULVIULCTY3FBI87FLin-NHOe7HzOSQYFrlFbKOZuwwmozHbPKMA7ttfxXBlu4KYb1SSQypAphPNjeqIAo0UyvW5ElI8RQ7O-1sEPVBHyFdjCdHkyoTc-TtvL8K0-k1d1ow0spwNeRZD4uK6g7SoE/s4032/IMG_4487.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR6ZPXWsA3JaGpw-xfUF6_PNe5pBarFXpv4eeCN0ZULVIULCTY3FBI87FLin-NHOe7HzOSQYFrlFbKOZuwwmozHbPKMA7ttfxXBlu4KYb1SSQypAphPNjeqIAo0UyvW5ElI8RQ7O-1sEPVBHyFdjCdHkyoTc-TtvL8K0-k1d1ow0spwNeRZD4uK6g7SoE/s320/IMG_4487.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQYkQCHrKBt7LJEz6Sg5u9IkjmPNb57sRGZwLOwuyOI8EvX5tthIVKdwb62HapKdJ7cd9XIbfMXYvk8HmoJ3KTsugqb4HBlS5RcnYPoEg8pden_H9VZbet476wIkeu4GMJSS-gk8ESE5AgPXYu0Xe9YvUpQzTG7EFYIZ0Qp0ImmQ6vdAk7JQHDLJpA-1s/s3971/IMG_4489.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2978" data-original-width="3971" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQYkQCHrKBt7LJEz6Sg5u9IkjmPNb57sRGZwLOwuyOI8EvX5tthIVKdwb62HapKdJ7cd9XIbfMXYvk8HmoJ3KTsugqb4HBlS5RcnYPoEg8pden_H9VZbet476wIkeu4GMJSS-gk8ESE5AgPXYu0Xe9YvUpQzTG7EFYIZ0Qp0ImmQ6vdAk7JQHDLJpA-1s/s320/IMG_4489.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXljVlRYfHICZS74zl7pUHnMqvg5E4jCrpJeqBygNV_T_0_MdkBXJ49NRNoKSekteBjG_t4Wy2ynb-fLANIHCJRSCOsdvuCuQSABeILAGbw-uK325hpxwujC3GrULN6WwfIUggb9tSsQBTiPf38hNZCAKEIO0DpOlaVhzMVX5pb9qNOQ-XfjVze8Nr1c4/s4032/IMG_4491.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXljVlRYfHICZS74zl7pUHnMqvg5E4jCrpJeqBygNV_T_0_MdkBXJ49NRNoKSekteBjG_t4Wy2ynb-fLANIHCJRSCOsdvuCuQSABeILAGbw-uK325hpxwujC3GrULN6WwfIUggb9tSsQBTiPf38hNZCAKEIO0DpOlaVhzMVX5pb9qNOQ-XfjVze8Nr1c4/s320/IMG_4491.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_YJShRNtsThCeAZgRfGI_k9erNr3miJmnvtCtlSFrup3ECRVqU1-d_MURDw-6UJdHOAjy5nrIsqvGJ8UjhFZhbSq8LIsTd99DlM8KHpqcHNg8idUUS_vlpagqsP-MJPqt56h7Df7JymUwHcbgbmM42hF4nEevC4Uz_wq8Qr22_7aQnZQzpB8X62ZrJYg/s3784/IMG_4494.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2101" data-original-width="3784" height="178" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_YJShRNtsThCeAZgRfGI_k9erNr3miJmnvtCtlSFrup3ECRVqU1-d_MURDw-6UJdHOAjy5nrIsqvGJ8UjhFZhbSq8LIsTd99DlM8KHpqcHNg8idUUS_vlpagqsP-MJPqt56h7Df7JymUwHcbgbmM42hF4nEevC4Uz_wq8Qr22_7aQnZQzpB8X62ZrJYg/s320/IMG_4494.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlAu2Kz9cXAJZ3V1zd4TAsYBv_JSrJrMVGbBb9jT3Pbf0WiDpXta5mVUplQwFfJDYl-mVfYIJIoM6ylaCCy3CuiEYP_JW5iVhc78j4viYMLlYcYRTrcUfrGl2HuA88rjdxoRaPkVa-C_hcmUNV77VsByWYBnKHoPrj3eMc1U3XpdOts9rJ1FSODPiQO9Y/s4032/IMG_4496.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlAu2Kz9cXAJZ3V1zd4TAsYBv_JSrJrMVGbBb9jT3Pbf0WiDpXta5mVUplQwFfJDYl-mVfYIJIoM6ylaCCy3CuiEYP_JW5iVhc78j4viYMLlYcYRTrcUfrGl2HuA88rjdxoRaPkVa-C_hcmUNV77VsByWYBnKHoPrj3eMc1U3XpdOts9rJ1FSODPiQO9Y/s320/IMG_4496.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Despite all the food on offer in Chinatown, we weren't hungry having earlier gorged ourselves at the fish market. It wasn't until after we returned to <a href="http://www.sydneyboulevard.com.au/" target="_blank">The Sydney Boulevard Hotel</a> that evening that we would think about dinner. Feeling tired from a long day outside, we ordered in from <a href="https://www.harryscafedewheels.com.au/" target="_blank">Harry's Cafe de Wheels</a>. As my Tasmanian friend Josh noted, "...a meat pie, sausage roll, custard tart and a Cooper's Pale! You've done all right!". I have indeed:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGdJXeKhrqSqnCRN9hyM30cZT9dDrZaW14JmiRJliV2UfxS1sP0MQkIOY8CTEzljxBJPbUFXaO1eMgvyI7FQz3lRXJOz9qT3hR3ph7QdlNnfLxSAJWlc-gjTd75-m9suNts8EQDO_O2bcutyLxvpH-YGjaQ2i2TnYmEqU8kDo0GZhEcxsXQQkRYIqD0c8/s4032/IMG_4497.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGdJXeKhrqSqnCRN9hyM30cZT9dDrZaW14JmiRJliV2UfxS1sP0MQkIOY8CTEzljxBJPbUFXaO1eMgvyI7FQz3lRXJOz9qT3hR3ph7QdlNnfLxSAJWlc-gjTd75-m9suNts8EQDO_O2bcutyLxvpH-YGjaQ2i2TnYmEqU8kDo0GZhEcxsXQQkRYIqD0c8/s320/IMG_4497.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And we certainly couldn't complain about the view we had from our 21st-floor room while enjoying the Aussie feast!:</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5FksskIWPRP60gfMxKiAHze6FipVtmMnN2g2oSLLMGRXh135wyhNkKiC7kaPa6Xg94TFzSBQZNphd6UjAAlKhwk1OfRbeaG1w5JEzwLLr_rKYI6HVPuIM5LucGsTZP8mKrn3_xW-iT7Sos6_aDkKEmZVyb7t41my1-XsDZcxAW1Sww4sn80ylBEpWJPo/s1706/9baee3c6bcd79e2c3bd563e9b45408ec.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1706" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5FksskIWPRP60gfMxKiAHze6FipVtmMnN2g2oSLLMGRXh135wyhNkKiC7kaPa6Xg94TFzSBQZNphd6UjAAlKhwk1OfRbeaG1w5JEzwLLr_rKYI6HVPuIM5LucGsTZP8mKrn3_xW-iT7Sos6_aDkKEmZVyb7t41my1-XsDZcxAW1Sww4sn80ylBEpWJPo/s320/9baee3c6bcd79e2c3bd563e9b45408ec.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Other than a few sprinkles, the expected downpour never took place. With our time in Sydney running out, we were betting that the next day would be perfect to see the Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Opera House. Did the gamble pay off? Stay tuned...</div><div><br /></div><div>Modeling my purchase. This replica of the Socceroos' 1990-93 jersey might bring up less than happy memories from my Aussie friends and acquaintances - the team missed out on qualifying for the 1994 World Cup after narrowly losing to Australia 2-1 on aggregate: </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghO2orqCNk9iH8b9FJTT1G-rzpG-38-C_kd9DgroqVkBPJ3asx7g3mvFY11CWbscyH_0HHN_tiS09mVP-nrocn3_XroYnQ7mcxjUSLH2M4PwWCIK-GBepL7yU0Zt99qficcYSp7NDOmHA_lJ6KUhxyYTWwnYQ4pBfImNc_JrPE39Uf1BHtWF5TzYO_UZI/s3074/IMG_4498.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3074" data-original-width="2135" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghO2orqCNk9iH8b9FJTT1G-rzpG-38-C_kd9DgroqVkBPJ3asx7g3mvFY11CWbscyH_0HHN_tiS09mVP-nrocn3_XroYnQ7mcxjUSLH2M4PwWCIK-GBepL7yU0Zt99qficcYSp7NDOmHA_lJ6KUhxyYTWwnYQ4pBfImNc_JrPE39Uf1BHtWF5TzYO_UZI/s320/IMG_4498.jpg" width="222" /></a></div><div><p>Tonight's song about Sydney comes courtesy of a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Th'_Dudes" target="_blank">group of Kiwis</a>! All rise for the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bliss_(Th%27_Dudes_song)" target="_blank">national anthem of New Zealand</a>:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/K5kmSgCPpXw" width="320" youtube-src-id="K5kmSgCPpXw"></iframe></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p><br /></p></div>Kaminogehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07925637671913689331noreply@blogger.com0Anzac Memorial, 126 Elizabeth St, Sydney NSW 2000, Australia-33.8757279 151.2109614-62.185961736178847 116.0547114 -5.5654940638211556 -173.63278860000003tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2497220891386919340.post-72343446120656118912024-01-08T20:49:00.001+08:002024-01-08T20:49:48.220+08:00Third day in a land down under <p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL9TWhDoytItS6YAT2jjgwXLANInck8rHMkRre1h3-PMsV0kLPWfxWjwxkrE6XOq76QDtbiuQAXa2Q4SqSdSDnlvipUKoJ9BcVHjPmgOaoeqFKYIgDEosWOAe8rEx37yreJxn0kPoHB14WtGW6yVik1RsVBuOhDamIwr0QzduM8uM3JMzz49JpUf2FA50/s3986/IMG_4371.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2990" data-original-width="3986" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL9TWhDoytItS6YAT2jjgwXLANInck8rHMkRre1h3-PMsV0kLPWfxWjwxkrE6XOq76QDtbiuQAXa2Q4SqSdSDnlvipUKoJ9BcVHjPmgOaoeqFKYIgDEosWOAe8rEx37yreJxn0kPoHB14WtGW6yVik1RsVBuOhDamIwr0QzduM8uM3JMzz49JpUf2FA50/s320/IMG_4371.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><i><div style="text-align: center;"><i>A quiet Thursday afternoon on Bondi Beach, Sydney's best-kept secret </i></div></i><p></p><p>Day Three began, naturally, with breakfast in the first floor restaurant of the hotel, and another attempt at understanding the popularity of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vegemite" target="_blank">Vegemite</a>. Despite heeding local advice by applying a thinner amount on top of butter, my facial reaction implies that I had given the spread sufficient opportunity in an unsuccessful attempt to present its case:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixgSDa-Qp5hwEhaUEVdxAGd4EfBSCCZ3elPQsP5e4WhOj2y0CFQn28fubQA5g2chnctNqPatzDtSmScNYZT85UhK013l94xxQHBA2WC7pJUN8Sq8cQONEE3Msb0I-xhnqB_vRExaN0z1_Q7LMcsRlX4oGXGNjjA4En0sJqUgpE2KSMpezKrCECGecAiPo/s3359/IMG_4361.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3359" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixgSDa-Qp5hwEhaUEVdxAGd4EfBSCCZ3elPQsP5e4WhOj2y0CFQn28fubQA5g2chnctNqPatzDtSmScNYZT85UhK013l94xxQHBA2WC7pJUN8Sq8cQONEE3Msb0I-xhnqB_vRExaN0z1_Q7LMcsRlX4oGXGNjjA4En0sJqUgpE2KSMpezKrCECGecAiPo/s320/IMG_4361.jpg" width="288" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Those of you who had read <a href="https://kaminoge.blogspot.com/2024/01/days-one-and-two-in-land-down-under.html" target="_blank">the previous post</a> were left hanging on a cliff: would my wife ever see her backpack again after having left it on a bus in the Newtown area? Time to end the suspense - the answer was "yes"! Shu-E had been able to track her AirPods (which had been in the backpack) on her mobile phone, which suggested they were at a bus depot. A phone call to said depot following breakfast confirmed the bag was indeed with the lost property office, having been brought there just before the end of the business day on Wednesday (which is why we hadn't been informed yet). An Uber ride from our hotel to the depot soon saw my wife reunited with her backpack, and more importantly, with all the contents within, especially her passports. Vacation saved!<div><br /></div><div>Safe with the knowledge that we wouldn't have to visit the U.S. Consulate in Sydney (and, more importantly, not have to deal with the Chinese authorities over Shu-E's visa), and with the day's weather forecast calling for sunshine and warm temperatures, we took another Uber from the depot to <a href="https://www.sydney.com/destinations/sydney/sydney-east/bondi/beach-lifestyle" target="_blank">Bondi Beach</a>, the closest ocean beach to Sydney's city center (only 5 miles/8 kilometers away). First stop once we got there was a visit to a tourist tat shop to buy a beach mat and a couple of towels. We passed on the boomerangs:<br /><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWwxBePFqFofA3_CYYRlpo_ELcoMv_D0YOReGsE-PB0s-Zre7JY4w04c-BI7lcg8UjTPBAn3obFqYKe7lg-Yv_BHEwZ-un_wk0b2UBKuhmhE0BDPcIpgcvVR9IPPjoYJqZzkf1Xx_ChywZLV2MMtJF6X-co8HchHyCT61sKWcjiPh1QgNnlqCysE4R8j4/s3186/IMG_4363.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3186" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWwxBePFqFofA3_CYYRlpo_ELcoMv_D0YOReGsE-PB0s-Zre7JY4w04c-BI7lcg8UjTPBAn3obFqYKe7lg-Yv_BHEwZ-un_wk0b2UBKuhmhE0BDPcIpgcvVR9IPPjoYJqZzkf1Xx_ChywZLV2MMtJF6X-co8HchHyCT61sKWcjiPh1QgNnlqCysE4R8j4/s320/IMG_4363.jpg" width="304" /></a></div><div><br /></div>It was still morning when we arrived in Bondi, but the great weather and the Christmas school holidays ensured quite the turnout in the town, on the sand and in the water:</div><div> <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGmR9rXN7pSYmWNyS4meNmyFLZuKeiZb46fvo8fLOJcX9YtEzWrgf5KkPmBxR1x6FJHmUHHvUqkFKG-Jw7VIIsbNzt_Fsxa17JWyaS5LsMlMrf8V-rsJGFB4zM_uMtdGZjmT7gqKRYTLToRbTe3AE_M3DRFSEk3oG1wMMbzp3pZ5B9M5NOHgW-E7QfprA/s4032/IMG_4365.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGmR9rXN7pSYmWNyS4meNmyFLZuKeiZb46fvo8fLOJcX9YtEzWrgf5KkPmBxR1x6FJHmUHHvUqkFKG-Jw7VIIsbNzt_Fsxa17JWyaS5LsMlMrf8V-rsJGFB4zM_uMtdGZjmT7gqKRYTLToRbTe3AE_M3DRFSEk3oG1wMMbzp3pZ5B9M5NOHgW-E7QfprA/s320/IMG_4365.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdOGV2RGmCQ1phOHt-QtyL5hSA5RPdRC_NGh-RDaK7D-QMGedAP43uQgmKhEAQLW41sg1YwOkYldobBH49abIJQO9_Mse7GNGHtCWFuS4mDeG2J9TIkqLhqX4yJmlp7gsmbNFtisldwOOLL0kh451jgmZw0qiOxZk7eAbHNLkoVtHZG9QUzVgiB-l0_RY/s3994/IMG_4366.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2908" data-original-width="3994" height="233" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdOGV2RGmCQ1phOHt-QtyL5hSA5RPdRC_NGh-RDaK7D-QMGedAP43uQgmKhEAQLW41sg1YwOkYldobBH49abIJQO9_Mse7GNGHtCWFuS4mDeG2J9TIkqLhqX4yJmlp7gsmbNFtisldwOOLL0kh451jgmZw0qiOxZk7eAbHNLkoVtHZG9QUzVgiB-l0_RY/s320/IMG_4366.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Surfers rule the waves on Bondi in more ways than one, meaning the swimming area (the patch of sand between the red and yellow flags) was surprisingly narrow. The 90 minutes I spent frolicking in the water (yes, I have been known to frolic) involved making sure the current wasn't pulling me away from the swimming zone, while also trying not to collide with the many others in the water around me. The waves were surprisingly high (well, maybe not that surprising considering all the surfers out that day), but also a lot of fun, bringing back memories of an adolescence spent on southern California beaches, diving into the waves just before they broke. Check me out, Sheilas!:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG1hSd-LEeXXtDsni06zQqm1-yns9DEXAd7OwaKIbyatOnTqhJWEeeJK2NaAGgYQJkW-xlrAqGy5ycux7Q6VgeqXe6DMMuuculaeeEG4TqAmDtXrB3jLTKeWehQpMMU0RWvgxiubpW4UJ3RSgfBGM3BCnMMEWxkyf7ur1tdGfQ8AxFZfBOcMOYg8bCwXA/s4032/IMG_4368.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG1hSd-LEeXXtDsni06zQqm1-yns9DEXAd7OwaKIbyatOnTqhJWEeeJK2NaAGgYQJkW-xlrAqGy5ycux7Q6VgeqXe6DMMuuculaeeEG4TqAmDtXrB3jLTKeWehQpMMU0RWvgxiubpW4UJ3RSgfBGM3BCnMMEWxkyf7ur1tdGfQ8AxFZfBOcMOYg8bCwXA/s320/IMG_4368.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>My daughter also went for a short dip in the ocean, but spent much of her time walking around and taking photos, like these two below. The sun-averse Shu-E preferred to remain on the beach mat, sheltering in place under the cover of the portable umbrella I usually carry in my backpack (you know, the bag <i>I</i> didn't leave on a bus the previous day):</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxHjLjkvgaGb3N3Ll_4jI67F2SFZ3IyT8IKl9SGo2D-TuNQcJOBd0diBdzTUOd1b8aUXx5MDAi-3f0sc7BuJAILhxZM4Ml93F4mMu7VRxwqPI1afvEDm4obMZaAJREmC9O8LIb8N9IBpKuMd6ILEcqc3nVrGbJcA2zMFJeUbquhZmsoICZ7Plm05Qesgg/s1679/0b2d70317507b129308c1da000c0dd6c.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1048" data-original-width="1679" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxHjLjkvgaGb3N3Ll_4jI67F2SFZ3IyT8IKl9SGo2D-TuNQcJOBd0diBdzTUOd1b8aUXx5MDAi-3f0sc7BuJAILhxZM4Ml93F4mMu7VRxwqPI1afvEDm4obMZaAJREmC9O8LIb8N9IBpKuMd6ILEcqc3nVrGbJcA2zMFJeUbquhZmsoICZ7Plm05Qesgg/s320/0b2d70317507b129308c1da000c0dd6c.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl8099eIBYY-qHLLOX5sYYyN5i4Rl07dDanznShyFkFvYkacug8aUqlocdakHi1z8gR6yteLvaZXmSSq-Fbh46lGYwai7y1i9Vvp9BfseNOyPpNJg0y_oE4FVOKonrp-2OOjarYEGFUWNx5sUp9gdgGQnNrerumIf1p58QVj4dJN1tyWSX_BKoDu5CZVY/s1702/c7f774354cd537b6f6b69615264dbc7d.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1276" data-original-width="1702" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl8099eIBYY-qHLLOX5sYYyN5i4Rl07dDanznShyFkFvYkacug8aUqlocdakHi1z8gR6yteLvaZXmSSq-Fbh46lGYwai7y1i9Vvp9BfseNOyPpNJg0y_oE4FVOKonrp-2OOjarYEGFUWNx5sUp9gdgGQnNrerumIf1p58QVj4dJN1tyWSX_BKoDu5CZVY/s320/c7f774354cd537b6f6b69615264dbc7d.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPR6rfQvihnU9_of2al21a1bIfvMvutV_zKXTLcWfQHarzkVKksnBokP3eAyf295kjUgURSHg3qtbTVM5kZbUbMY8NY90gtS-FOBbKE8Xc0qPEMq2FtZTjjknXz59TCKnZwVnnjQ0QQ9Gi8ounxjBBZascdyG533DDEQxuQlU85FW020wmVRP5zG7ldrg/s4032/IMG_4369.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPR6rfQvihnU9_of2al21a1bIfvMvutV_zKXTLcWfQHarzkVKksnBokP3eAyf295kjUgURSHg3qtbTVM5kZbUbMY8NY90gtS-FOBbKE8Xc0qPEMq2FtZTjjknXz59TCKnZwVnnjQ0QQ9Gi8ounxjBBZascdyG533DDEQxuQlU85FW020wmVRP5zG7ldrg/s320/IMG_4369.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>For lunch we went to one of the many crowded, somewhat expensive spots close to the beach. I don't recall why I was gesturing this way, but I do find it increasingly difficult these days to hear spoken voices clearly, especially when in lively settings:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq-bFNgFNZ0sSiJj-Yk4rt1JFR13d6ot2tazJ1ugW5uaiapIUhDbyQQJETovJ6yablPRq4H1iNPfRvXokm6itk_728Z0PAtBLkG-ahCHvQV_gSLLvgUvmokIt_s0DDJ-PNaE02f9DK7cgP40iu9b_-QZw_3Niz930gwROjAA7QQ_ETh_eAtjYbn2ztpO4/s3144/IMG_4372.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3144" data-original-width="2882" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq-bFNgFNZ0sSiJj-Yk4rt1JFR13d6ot2tazJ1ugW5uaiapIUhDbyQQJETovJ6yablPRq4H1iNPfRvXokm6itk_728Z0PAtBLkG-ahCHvQV_gSLLvgUvmokIt_s0DDJ-PNaE02f9DK7cgP40iu9b_-QZw_3Niz930gwROjAA7QQ_ETh_eAtjYbn2ztpO4/s320/IMG_4372.jpg" width="293" /></a></div><div><br /></div>My lunch order was a lamb rump jus:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifxAZvPwpBvPjHWeqE5qz4x8fgX3McoRjr1EIRcXkD2NWOIWN1xnY6pPBu9L1S7XQ6B9G42P9GAFOAekZ5wQWTccNlhSy2hs5bVxECSBhKsWHmRoF76xJsSxIynX9Dl-1DL9x-xqTr3p0PlOxox27tYmsuahZLbq6Du3Sr3AiJUVKRRi9RudVfRcV8hQM/s4032/IMG_4373.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifxAZvPwpBvPjHWeqE5qz4x8fgX3McoRjr1EIRcXkD2NWOIWN1xnY6pPBu9L1S7XQ6B9G42P9GAFOAekZ5wQWTccNlhSy2hs5bVxECSBhKsWHmRoF76xJsSxIynX9Dl-1DL9x-xqTr3p0PlOxox27tYmsuahZLbq6Du3Sr3AiJUVKRRi9RudVfRcV8hQM/s320/IMG_4373.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Following lunch the three of started walking south:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJDEMwpk0uPIMjg2arSybEXI0Ml4XuuqlMnX7YcSHCoBPNrKBd-htEal1pHbaw44zqT4VKGxqpH5AArhZmhnmXwNSkQQc4n207IejEWIPDSsDXpbWS0SCMIBgABZhiVwVutge7UtGTQKm03GkEaSi3uw-0oDXY0Mh45uTslaMqhP2qT1kn4JPNriscQpc/s4032/IMG_4379.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJDEMwpk0uPIMjg2arSybEXI0Ml4XuuqlMnX7YcSHCoBPNrKBd-htEal1pHbaw44zqT4VKGxqpH5AArhZmhnmXwNSkQQc4n207IejEWIPDSsDXpbWS0SCMIBgABZhiVwVutge7UtGTQKm03GkEaSi3uw-0oDXY0Mh45uTslaMqhP2qT1kn4JPNriscQpc/s320/IMG_4379.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7PhDLw0pgklSvd00VSEyarRCKZ6ApsFkF85Il35jxK6eLlvpdnUVrRFo0O-OiPLk7vc3bGzVKQLCUDJU03JF_bLbyJcxF8otDbpj0Z6h8OjuVq0mvj_6knzIzimMs_7mUb4R1Bh-KR0qlPtVFigIRyl4kK0QcUNtn9H9NRwyW5-Ipzf_di6s76Uom03A/s3942/IMG_4380.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2956" data-original-width="3942" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7PhDLw0pgklSvd00VSEyarRCKZ6ApsFkF85Il35jxK6eLlvpdnUVrRFo0O-OiPLk7vc3bGzVKQLCUDJU03JF_bLbyJcxF8otDbpj0Z6h8OjuVq0mvj_6knzIzimMs_7mUb4R1Bh-KR0qlPtVFigIRyl4kK0QcUNtn9H9NRwyW5-Ipzf_di6s76Uom03A/s320/IMG_4380.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>My wife records the Bondi Beach and Pacific Ocean scenery on her phone. Most of the photographs I take end up on this blog; what she does with her pics remains a mystery:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikfMa-xnHZ-o-aIiJOpHL1DrK1h68j2nV5ty1TBjZNbqQxDq5-tyLslQ5iL7RbLViQTNNQNfi8XEtbVF9BlwBx_FT9DlAhB6HYg-qpAifT_CGZe4jzLgyOKXhqLn51UBXelT_uRc_zCwg15l_95oIkJ9EESqnVPgvRk8kzKs5rTGPmUEZEv_HgPbImrPo/s4004/IMG_4381.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3003" data-original-width="4004" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikfMa-xnHZ-o-aIiJOpHL1DrK1h68j2nV5ty1TBjZNbqQxDq5-tyLslQ5iL7RbLViQTNNQNfi8XEtbVF9BlwBx_FT9DlAhB6HYg-qpAifT_CGZe4jzLgyOKXhqLn51UBXelT_uRc_zCwg15l_95oIkJ9EESqnVPgvRk8kzKs5rTGPmUEZEv_HgPbImrPo/s320/IMG_4381.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzxhyphenhyphenC54rw1VtRIX3e4fUa6tpphuUUxAenASYV-uxgLnbcC95FeIeKXXTbnEf2b7pe_To9Is2cYeGrYL9oOhu2duSSu37ilHliR9T58fCUJ2DLT9wnW5PSs00cD-_DPZHcMQFcfXncoC4-BrWzdTp5f04Mx3AzCfXEpXhIyawQYA5JOIyElQuDMCvqWlw/s3942/IMG_4383.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2956" data-original-width="3942" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzxhyphenhyphenC54rw1VtRIX3e4fUa6tpphuUUxAenASYV-uxgLnbcC95FeIeKXXTbnEf2b7pe_To9Is2cYeGrYL9oOhu2duSSu37ilHliR9T58fCUJ2DLT9wnW5PSs00cD-_DPZHcMQFcfXncoC4-BrWzdTp5f04Mx3AzCfXEpXhIyawQYA5JOIyElQuDMCvqWlw/s320/IMG_4383.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The <a href="https://icebergs.com.au/" target="_blank">Icebergs Pool</a>, one of many saltwater pools in the greater Sydney area:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4eXklwQ_bNyM_r5LO0Sf1CAr0Hqd-XGQ3pW0vlfMcepKLCMCehBtPmSEZV20YfYam-VWS-5YLY82UlUrCM-UespGg9jWL08wyE-TgbsoPuRSNprM-AH1gDJIgDFpvoS-Vkpo-v9LAudj1Kv0-wWE_-f43qithkNotBphuGiYaxrY5Y1VGWryA-FVXgOc/s3927/IMG_4384.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2945" data-original-width="3927" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4eXklwQ_bNyM_r5LO0Sf1CAr0Hqd-XGQ3pW0vlfMcepKLCMCehBtPmSEZV20YfYam-VWS-5YLY82UlUrCM-UespGg9jWL08wyE-TgbsoPuRSNprM-AH1gDJIgDFpvoS-Vkpo-v9LAudj1Kv0-wWE_-f43qithkNotBphuGiYaxrY5Y1VGWryA-FVXgOc/s320/IMG_4384.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Unlike this young woman, Shu-E prefers to take selfies in these locations, rather than relying on her man:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtct53yA28kB8Vlf6G7ooizhcHgQjeE_8CpqC5I9DsD34WlZMo-eheQzF2MGGyqW2ynBDX8tZPL5F_VT0bp4QXs6b1OT3KTNBwgWu2f_m4m_jRFkCvm0-tyHrqRhmheVQt6pMdDxckX1A3aZ0tPzLCAzWFvzRPrOM4IgyYm8CWoawBbPgK0sZ-fWjaf2o/s3953/IMG_4385.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2965" data-original-width="3953" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtct53yA28kB8Vlf6G7ooizhcHgQjeE_8CpqC5I9DsD34WlZMo-eheQzF2MGGyqW2ynBDX8tZPL5F_VT0bp4QXs6b1OT3KTNBwgWu2f_m4m_jRFkCvm0-tyHrqRhmheVQt6pMdDxckX1A3aZ0tPzLCAzWFvzRPrOM4IgyYm8CWoawBbPgK0sZ-fWjaf2o/s320/IMG_4385.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The walking path took us past several small but scenic beaches, including Tamarama and Bronte:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsnhhBpjkartW65YGY9iK_6ePQqsmdDxW9vij11tyjkHfn-xvwd4XTzCb8MTOEq3he0v2s4EJGcWmdUPVf928BadLblfRSVGjgskSS2-DhKf_uXzSFEdRnoXIXVWX8ASarpVhyKnypi_IjA2VIjkTP913DX5plAO-Q3qdl6P_AfSuk7_z9ZDSmMBftR2s/s4032/IMG_4387.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsnhhBpjkartW65YGY9iK_6ePQqsmdDxW9vij11tyjkHfn-xvwd4XTzCb8MTOEq3he0v2s4EJGcWmdUPVf928BadLblfRSVGjgskSS2-DhKf_uXzSFEdRnoXIXVWX8ASarpVhyKnypi_IjA2VIjkTP913DX5plAO-Q3qdl6P_AfSuk7_z9ZDSmMBftR2s/s320/IMG_4387.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8mr0ysSqSE34oKOiNslwNaVaCdZRLkiWlcJ-2EPzD-ifMvFkDz5YTPHnYz8T1S1t2E9fZOIwR5x-m6vZqM9QpG8IKkd3qFaDxUF2riH-yw5L-48bTbvqvIHW7av770XvaxNh3KQSdh3q3WQo-lQBDHffTejiwm8eKX0x_1NiNWiA8FcWj899g_MtQ71g/s3942/IMG_4388.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2956" data-original-width="3942" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8mr0ysSqSE34oKOiNslwNaVaCdZRLkiWlcJ-2EPzD-ifMvFkDz5YTPHnYz8T1S1t2E9fZOIwR5x-m6vZqM9QpG8IKkd3qFaDxUF2riH-yw5L-48bTbvqvIHW7av770XvaxNh3KQSdh3q3WQo-lQBDHffTejiwm8eKX0x_1NiNWiA8FcWj899g_MtQ71g/s320/IMG_4388.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgthEuDUiUvs8vCKvejAb60Ad5-F7UZaj3iZUDCHRh1Iqz14YQ0ITnUCA9GNHQXf7Zk8ktD4DaVJGWRW9HZgo1rcIP-F7zvoo-NM_23Vf6N9o7nqB9hY3C1fI4bPqcFgBgoj6092itiX3TcLRZ2-FNbS-cB891uQcG02M5BoFGMq2OqUG_O91O6spsqyPQ/s4032/IMG_4389.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2549" data-original-width="4032" height="202" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgthEuDUiUvs8vCKvejAb60Ad5-F7UZaj3iZUDCHRh1Iqz14YQ0ITnUCA9GNHQXf7Zk8ktD4DaVJGWRW9HZgo1rcIP-F7zvoo-NM_23Vf6N9o7nqB9hY3C1fI4bPqcFgBgoj6092itiX3TcLRZ2-FNbS-cB891uQcG02M5BoFGMq2OqUG_O91O6spsqyPQ/s320/IMG_4389.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_ldk5zB4B61gn_chM9DCRQneu5nZcusUVyEXotXZlIZxXa6ayMEsyqQS9GbH3gP7wHHxqKzZCAXbls2V3HYqRMLhU0FEdSdIG2WJUnZ9vgg1_D87_4lwk06s5vpL_8hkBftjoYVgpNW8uo-YzEhf96hzxKNuMg_68G_wrQIUwNZbdurTZGxTpacKyHwY/s4032/IMG_4391.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_ldk5zB4B61gn_chM9DCRQneu5nZcusUVyEXotXZlIZxXa6ayMEsyqQS9GbH3gP7wHHxqKzZCAXbls2V3HYqRMLhU0FEdSdIG2WJUnZ9vgg1_D87_4lwk06s5vpL_8hkBftjoYVgpNW8uo-YzEhf96hzxKNuMg_68G_wrQIUwNZbdurTZGxTpacKyHwY/s320/IMG_4391.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The oldest <a href="https://brontesurfclub.com.au/" target="_blank">surf lifesaving club</a> in the world:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv2S1Fo87IcUJTX3Tup09AgBqiPhO6bQX_En5njWc0FB_MLtJEDCgYr6YFF4wlya-PI2gJHkJUaGLyp20QApkYReLoyZslA34pZrkktlgJ_CW_qzMM3_bCiJSp__ddS07RP6Jpd92tlxFZq-0M1OIbT2QDL8XWJElyoPL3l5wqX7JH4ApbA_fS4oWqyG4/s3473/IMG_4393.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2760" data-original-width="3473" height="254" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv2S1Fo87IcUJTX3Tup09AgBqiPhO6bQX_En5njWc0FB_MLtJEDCgYr6YFF4wlya-PI2gJHkJUaGLyp20QApkYReLoyZslA34pZrkktlgJ_CW_qzMM3_bCiJSp__ddS07RP6Jpd92tlxFZq-0M1OIbT2QDL8XWJElyoPL3l5wqX7JH4ApbA_fS4oWqyG4/s320/IMG_4393.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8CYa8XXB8CxvcmZMwXwH85kbukiptUqK4zXx26aaG2_i4GsB4-DKUsHxtadONQBz4DCDTcPgrOaZJv_LW_ZGcMDmBbePajv3dkR58ZoCz_iiv0aOiActpTGejekdhTLTVOYU2ylMyIT-HHZdNfsD_0ktjbfY41_bep87qlpV4uAsNCBkDkPq9PwQFixI/s4032/IMG_4394.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8CYa8XXB8CxvcmZMwXwH85kbukiptUqK4zXx26aaG2_i4GsB4-DKUsHxtadONQBz4DCDTcPgrOaZJv_LW_ZGcMDmBbePajv3dkR58ZoCz_iiv0aOiActpTGejekdhTLTVOYU2ylMyIT-HHZdNfsD_0ktjbfY41_bep87qlpV4uAsNCBkDkPq9PwQFixI/s320/IMG_4394.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmIK0Jx4EziGkorfHIIXnqIh6qsxUn1QCU5rIHzHlivd5PTMvildOIgDlTKOsn1NL8shhp9Xex4TGmLEoK-GlSrbdYucL9f8CBTw4ywZiOmy5ejIA64KfyuzaF977sDwiU_noCF7VSUgIgZZQwPLXhSvrK33543eoGjj5eHl8-kcIqOJNangjOMxbeNX4/s4032/IMG_4395.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2817" data-original-width="4032" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmIK0Jx4EziGkorfHIIXnqIh6qsxUn1QCU5rIHzHlivd5PTMvildOIgDlTKOsn1NL8shhp9Xex4TGmLEoK-GlSrbdYucL9f8CBTw4ywZiOmy5ejIA64KfyuzaF977sDwiU_noCF7VSUgIgZZQwPLXhSvrK33543eoGjj5eHl8-kcIqOJNangjOMxbeNX4/s320/IMG_4395.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAsD-2ZtK2WyVWTIHvIHAdMCBqHIsTdmYlOyePaaUJinDlqKDDQSfzR7J_MC5VpFAI5ehYODppqNzQnYIl6ud9EB_xGGyKkvSOOR2caYroNYLbqnQyJaPFlEJkdsG_V8p1L78p50nHb7xuMzImgz_xQq9lmySCS14l4MEMGXuqf9qdaQOA0CtBvSLcS2Q/s3791/IMG_4396.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3791" data-original-width="2981" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAsD-2ZtK2WyVWTIHvIHAdMCBqHIsTdmYlOyePaaUJinDlqKDDQSfzR7J_MC5VpFAI5ehYODppqNzQnYIl6ud9EB_xGGyKkvSOOR2caYroNYLbqnQyJaPFlEJkdsG_V8p1L78p50nHb7xuMzImgz_xQq9lmySCS14l4MEMGXuqf9qdaQOA0CtBvSLcS2Q/s320/IMG_4396.jpg" width="252" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The path continued on towards Coogee, but for us the walk ended at <a href="https://www.waverley.nsw.gov.au/cemeteries/our_cemeteries/waverley_cemetery" target="_blank">Waverley Cemetery</a>, where many locals would die for the fantastic ocean views. Established in 1877, the slopes are home to more than 80,000 internees, including several Aussies of note (none of whom, alas, I knew of, with one notable exception):</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiroMSm_Au-LQVkSn307vheqWKFd_W3FaAl_wvezB2o0m1jc8Dy9zCaQoAcLjfYm_wE1-AQHYJtBkEkMEo6bpZfbM4nZrJgyGWdW8nbMitFLiu1dBEWPAX8tZPI2ENU8bBp6bZ7wjmt_GoVkAkALrRAzjuycycjUvCWA7PLnvHNfo19YJd_44InDwCv7zY/s4032/IMG_4398.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiroMSm_Au-LQVkSn307vheqWKFd_W3FaAl_wvezB2o0m1jc8Dy9zCaQoAcLjfYm_wE1-AQHYJtBkEkMEo6bpZfbM4nZrJgyGWdW8nbMitFLiu1dBEWPAX8tZPI2ENU8bBp6bZ7wjmt_GoVkAkALrRAzjuycycjUvCWA7PLnvHNfo19YJd_44InDwCv7zY/s320/IMG_4398.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The girls admire the scenery:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVHzr39At1Nhx9GX1yiI_rSlVakeERG8BYTLveKQUq-hojh1f0sKJQEZClBi99VRkfh2TdG1eh66LmzHDE6bDDet-pWtbzykdDG_Jy6MTpUkEtdVjN3LXB6JYxwKaFBY1Ha1eRXuCeZOnolGvwfZ0fXV7Ux-e0C9BkJbs0U_in2x1R8f_xZ_2QsgGHMtk/s4032/IMG_4399.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVHzr39At1Nhx9GX1yiI_rSlVakeERG8BYTLveKQUq-hojh1f0sKJQEZClBi99VRkfh2TdG1eh66LmzHDE6bDDet-pWtbzykdDG_Jy6MTpUkEtdVjN3LXB6JYxwKaFBY1Ha1eRXuCeZOnolGvwfZ0fXV7Ux-e0C9BkJbs0U_in2x1R8f_xZ_2QsgGHMtk/s320/IMG_4399.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd4Ka8cyelliuDfbfXvJaBx65e52qb1LsCPchF9btCCRjNiMDfpAPDhegn4zLHgQ2Z7DTEXooaJmh-15rUxQ4uQKVmpw9kWlwGBOZ3xJLJmck_SZ-77ha1MnNQMJFOEA6wF0c0RKovn2mw_ctrKv9mE9lYCkp_AwQfC-3wXQfaSm2Yfd3yt_lpMm2tIXs/s4032/IMG_4401.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd4Ka8cyelliuDfbfXvJaBx65e52qb1LsCPchF9btCCRjNiMDfpAPDhegn4zLHgQ2Z7DTEXooaJmh-15rUxQ4uQKVmpw9kWlwGBOZ3xJLJmck_SZ-77ha1MnNQMJFOEA6wF0c0RKovn2mw_ctrKv9mE9lYCkp_AwQfC-3wXQfaSm2Yfd3yt_lpMm2tIXs/s320/IMG_4401.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The <a href="https://monumentaustralia.org.au/themes/government/dissent/display/23713-irish-dead-of-the-1798-revolution" target="_blank">"98" Memorial</a>:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg4rdjzZcZJjA3tLTki6zdIjKylsD0VO3S0b4b9rM3BJ9GxZEu3DuEw9leHmAczblWlKhRyR0f5xhwzYvp3ZoDSOcyEpk4Hot_TzMwpGuqtEuXJi4LfCduQSpi8cn7sz2yMT2OzWcbA2QO8kwvl_U9UvobFzechgn_V5wbNFhrkzyX5mI2fPt2ch88cXk/s3879/IMG_4403.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2475" data-original-width="3879" height="204" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg4rdjzZcZJjA3tLTki6zdIjKylsD0VO3S0b4b9rM3BJ9GxZEu3DuEw9leHmAczblWlKhRyR0f5xhwzYvp3ZoDSOcyEpk4Hot_TzMwpGuqtEuXJi4LfCduQSpi8cn7sz2yMT2OzWcbA2QO8kwvl_U9UvobFzechgn_V5wbNFhrkzyX5mI2fPt2ch88cXk/s320/IMG_4403.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Yes, <i>that</i> <a href="https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/185294368/malcolm-young" target="_blank">Malcom Young</a>: </div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdIuUWhTnDzHCYdpa34LwEZ8lPtPW8ZyQ34TECcRAg4y2DjsEwl99l0Pw0A-pmEZ5HbqX_WxnPXCOrnVwMBO7NELAel3e01AAGxtrVssN3GJiqM76jiPlKL-A1N77oS3QK_BM7P68rMbHWNwZ1UWIHNCZws2s0V3yFpD1MIfMW2xlJ_oViqdN2ZXcoSI0/s4032/IMG_4406.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdIuUWhTnDzHCYdpa34LwEZ8lPtPW8ZyQ34TECcRAg4y2DjsEwl99l0Pw0A-pmEZ5HbqX_WxnPXCOrnVwMBO7NELAel3e01AAGxtrVssN3GJiqM76jiPlKL-A1N77oS3QK_BM7P68rMbHWNwZ1UWIHNCZws2s0V3yFpD1MIfMW2xlJ_oViqdN2ZXcoSI0/s320/IMG_4406.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>My wife and I were in Hualien 花蓮, visiting Taroko Gorge 太魯閣, when the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2002_Bali_bombings" target="_blank">bombings</a> took place:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDjz0o2_EzqreUuriajMI0_PtEBPDB2gqhMi872QGYghSczSecx1tkMuyWoJYzAk1S4jedSL2EgF-yP-nDmowLtZdcjRl6Qq7bSLMsj4pPud15Qqyjzy2cRtT4g_G23doWHIpdV-gL1XCSLbBn5ksP8mmkS1avFd0sh7p8tvUjWyfDsxqsmCvKk4jTo6c/s3930/IMG_4407.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2355" data-original-width="3930" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDjz0o2_EzqreUuriajMI0_PtEBPDB2gqhMi872QGYghSczSecx1tkMuyWoJYzAk1S4jedSL2EgF-yP-nDmowLtZdcjRl6Qq7bSLMsj4pPud15Qqyjzy2cRtT4g_G23doWHIpdV-gL1XCSLbBn5ksP8mmkS1avFd0sh7p8tvUjWyfDsxqsmCvKk4jTo6c/s320/IMG_4407.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The <a href="https://vimeo.com/806141797" target="_blank">grave of Wee Davie</a>:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmWoRdFbsOwsQ8oQ_BlPQxqMjhL2bKWH29IXKIfhR7FQQhfoDqCagsCaQJP0SQ_odwkcY8nISujgo2XoJAo7wGfKVdcJ_J3_apMJ_OgleSK3rMQ10mh6AWT510r4lQ7vsgD4fcR_uOYhmVbIV9KaMe4jtQpHuAq5F3s7Kqu4LI8wSn7ODEInYUjkT5aTg/s3823/IMG_4408.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3823" data-original-width="2868" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmWoRdFbsOwsQ8oQ_BlPQxqMjhL2bKWH29IXKIfhR7FQQhfoDqCagsCaQJP0SQ_odwkcY8nISujgo2XoJAo7wGfKVdcJ_J3_apMJ_OgleSK3rMQ10mh6AWT510r4lQ7vsgD4fcR_uOYhmVbIV9KaMe4jtQpHuAq5F3s7Kqu4LI8wSn7ODEInYUjkT5aTg/s320/IMG_4408.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA-RwKHhF0dCxjdLdKa4c9cJNTA7rA_KaUi8d0VjVeWEU732Hl4NrbQCPje-hnCDpllpf0gg6rovgH1pTYFaBrcPLPaVvTC8mNRh9UEnbX1Nix3dKiGH3A127LwyMR9Tv9bzSXUKJCoL7JKopthiqQv_n-lVQd0yH5aGjPzkqFjQ7NMIDb3owauCcVtjc/s3959/IMG_4409.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2969" data-original-width="3959" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA-RwKHhF0dCxjdLdKa4c9cJNTA7rA_KaUi8d0VjVeWEU732Hl4NrbQCPje-hnCDpllpf0gg6rovgH1pTYFaBrcPLPaVvTC8mNRh9UEnbX1Nix3dKiGH3A127LwyMR9Tv9bzSXUKJCoL7JKopthiqQv_n-lVQd0yH5aGjPzkqFjQ7NMIDb3owauCcVtjc/s320/IMG_4409.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>From the cemetery we took yet another Uber, this time to return to our hotel. For dinner, it was a very short walk from <a href="https://sydneyboulevard.com.au/" target="_blank">The Sydney Boulevard Hotel</a> to <a href="https://tokiitalianinspired.com.au/" target="_blank">Toki Italian Inspired</a>, where I dined on New Bolognese spaghetti, washed down with a <a href="https://littlecreatures.com.au/" target="_blank">Little Creatures</a> beer:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRCH4WmC6NNYGw-iPYSObPorPDg79zVvr_DVQzFVpLjOjdJimUg3OnP9c2B8P0dryiOcSb4VE5_mKyYMPave4lfGF-h-mz67wPRBPzgp0wWpQL_DS5R4ju8w2NzBJdOtgcr8Bslc6fbXNm1ajJdfEQvxq4VB3S_HQRAL_mLdrLsyZini0HYq3oV-HBlgY/s2848/IMG_4411.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2459" data-original-width="2848" height="276" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRCH4WmC6NNYGw-iPYSObPorPDg79zVvr_DVQzFVpLjOjdJimUg3OnP9c2B8P0dryiOcSb4VE5_mKyYMPave4lfGF-h-mz67wPRBPzgp0wWpQL_DS5R4ju8w2NzBJdOtgcr8Bslc6fbXNm1ajJdfEQvxq4VB3S_HQRAL_mLdrLsyZini0HYq3oV-HBlgY/s320/IMG_4411.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic52kVKJ1txphbsn44iG5SVbdBFvkdD2XMr3M6VJJHDU1kcX4clZDWkjvXfrSgKMw5iNXdjirn6svKgQzaZSMhb7oEqthS9Lr7A8nQAf-F5VIrcDNChJbl7aIPwggeJAWh6eRs0ksk8Jcd9MC0CRij6YwQLg4yUDb2WVMu4mk2oCK3jYvTO4E0VwuZMZo/s4032/IMG_4413.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic52kVKJ1txphbsn44iG5SVbdBFvkdD2XMr3M6VJJHDU1kcX4clZDWkjvXfrSgKMw5iNXdjirn6svKgQzaZSMhb7oEqthS9Lr7A8nQAf-F5VIrcDNChJbl7aIPwggeJAWh6eRs0ksk8Jcd9MC0CRij6YwQLg4yUDb2WVMu4mk2oCK3jYvTO4E0VwuZMZo/s320/IMG_4413.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Back in our room on the 21st floor, our reward for a nice day out at the seaside (not to mention the safe recovery of Shu-E's backpack) was this beautiful sunset scene, courtesy of Amber and her phone camera:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU2Ucbb32nChR5KVcvQ5AinbfJVdVfPc2O8rdPjG_jftHvNyRPgWKbwSHpoEb9J-XGJHIWKOxMntFzO4tPj0JNrF8qXpNcfsj2Gwfz9F8nykVpyqyrqvaEPg6SHbcOw_rFuJiGcZIkZCW_7xeTqjOre_0ExYpdKY50nBqR6AgOaGRrdencP6srVOUE1os/s1702/34349c14d20c2c9df102688599f5cce1.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1276" data-original-width="1702" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU2Ucbb32nChR5KVcvQ5AinbfJVdVfPc2O8rdPjG_jftHvNyRPgWKbwSHpoEb9J-XGJHIWKOxMntFzO4tPj0JNrF8qXpNcfsj2Gwfz9F8nykVpyqyrqvaEPg6SHbcOw_rFuJiGcZIkZCW_7xeTqjOre_0ExYpdKY50nBqR6AgOaGRrdencP6srVOUE1os/s320/34349c14d20c2c9df102688599f5cce1.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The Sydney song for this post is an Oz rock classic by <a href="https://www.coldchisel.com/" target="_blank">Cold Chisel</a>:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Ub7CRV8_e2g" width="320" youtube-src-id="Ub7CRV8_e2g"></iframe></div><br /><p><br /></p></div></div>Kaminogehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07925637671913689331noreply@blogger.com3Bondi Beach, NSW 2026, Australia-33.8914755 151.2766845-62.201709336178844 116.12043449999999 -5.5812416638211531 -173.5670655tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2497220891386919340.post-78668303610750777912024-01-07T21:31:00.002+08:002024-01-08T17:15:29.153+08:00Days one and two in a land down under <p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii82b7hi5dCUlFTYaagkYth6zcSVrexrRCQrDYshSGyUmXVoCEdoDzytx19Gkz18Kg8N2QWLCu5BbK4xS-DpNWBZ6mgCgbpW_8q2iWZxp_hetvyXk5dGio6AOB9rZj1mihc-tW1SvWUHFzdFCUEPUU4GzUiRBA1JTxA669gcjLkRwzjVILozNHRhf3QGk/s1706/2411c1d93cb40a57fa656e1b8135f6ee.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1706" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii82b7hi5dCUlFTYaagkYth6zcSVrexrRCQrDYshSGyUmXVoCEdoDzytx19Gkz18Kg8N2QWLCu5BbK4xS-DpNWBZ6mgCgbpW_8q2iWZxp_hetvyXk5dGio6AOB9rZj1mihc-tW1SvWUHFzdFCUEPUU4GzUiRBA1JTxA669gcjLkRwzjVILozNHRhf3QGk/s320/2411c1d93cb40a57fa656e1b8135f6ee.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><i><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Just one of the many deadly fauna that call Australia home </i></div></i><p></p><p>One of the perks that comes with working for the State Department is R&R travel. Rest and Recuperation is provided to employees working overseas at posts with "distinct and significant difficulties". Most foreign tours allow for at least one R&R, with the number rising with the greater the hardship (in combination with the length of the tour). In our case, we're not quite at the midpoint of a three-year assignment in Beijing 北京, and due to a combination of environmental and political considerations, plus a reflection of the difficulties entailed by the Chinese government's now-abandoned zero-COVID restrictions, we're entitled to three R&R trips during this tour. </p><p>How this travel works is that the department will purchase a roundtrip ticket for you and your eligible family members from the post to anywhere in the United States (including the territories such as Guam and the Northern Marianas). But unlike home leave, visiting the U.S. isn't required. There are regional designated relief points, the fares to which can be used in calculating airfares. For us here in China, that R&R spot is Sydney, Australia. If, for example, we wanted to fly to somewhere in western Europe for our rest and recuperation, the cost of flying to Sydney would be used to determine if we would need to cost construct, i.e. pay any differences over and above the airfare to the land down under. Having been in China now for sixteen months without yet taking our first R&R, we decided that Sydney itself would be an ideal destination for a roughly two-week break from Beijing during our daughter's school winter break. </p><p>Which is how we found ourselves landing at Sydney Airport in the late afternoon of Boxing Day, following a 10½-hour flight from China's capital, and a change in seasons from frigid winters (a record-breaking run of below-freezing temperatures in Beijing) to summer on the other side of the equator. As our Air China jet prepared to touch down, we were provided with our first glimpse of Sydney Harbour, with its iconic steel through arch bridge:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqxeO0PjyMNvuOVP0IruqlOsqI6NFjINJQjcPpWVBehHPylKKJGnxD8XxF9cn0nkvA6HcjF91q-1t2swj1vXVFqc0YUDsrtWrAvvcfgivPC5Z8kBaPjxOFC-qRovix6_a6cuDneHB_aWKHOLV1HY5gK8IHRziVBg6HJ4badMJVOkLlr3ns5ah6DihcVXo/s3968/IMG_4253.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2696" data-original-width="3968" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqxeO0PjyMNvuOVP0IruqlOsqI6NFjINJQjcPpWVBehHPylKKJGnxD8XxF9cn0nkvA6HcjF91q-1t2swj1vXVFqc0YUDsrtWrAvvcfgivPC5Z8kBaPjxOFC-qRovix6_a6cuDneHB_aWKHOLV1HY5gK8IHRziVBg6HJ4badMJVOkLlr3ns5ah6DihcVXo/s320/IMG_4253.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>In our hotel room, and trying to familiarize ourselves with a new currency. We never did get completely comfortable with the coinage, as Australia is becoming an increasingly cashless country, and there wasn't a business where we couldn't use our credit cards:<div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJKYIANWJ2Er3tm9DgJt6kYDIYmL4NnF7f7pupdFDhhZ79W-Ku2KSpFjLLylcHiA6DZYtFF6Z1uRCdT6pAvTHboxzLqI-IQ05_fC7MPdor0uYaC73vmbOlHFMqM-DSosEOU7YfxuCpN6ud8QOSfiYmc_7EBWcZwAJty80PsOxeWi7Hek5_RUbi1S8p5n8/s2892/IMG_4257.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2892" data-original-width="2843" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJKYIANWJ2Er3tm9DgJt6kYDIYmL4NnF7f7pupdFDhhZ79W-Ku2KSpFjLLylcHiA6DZYtFF6Z1uRCdT6pAvTHboxzLqI-IQ05_fC7MPdor0uYaC73vmbOlHFMqM-DSosEOU7YfxuCpN6ud8QOSfiYmc_7EBWcZwAJty80PsOxeWi7Hek5_RUbi1S8p5n8/s320/IMG_4257.jpg" width="315" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The view from our room on the 21st floor of <a href="https://sydneyboulevard.com.au/" target="_blank">The Sydney Boulevard Hotel</a>, which would be our Aussie abode for six nights in total, leading up to New Year's Day:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyFWItG5HcsjjKbt4YsRr_exR3v0f3JeA1GM2sAELeHrOoEVtL3iZI5urjL7LYOx1iAB2HJ4uhW2FUl-Fy4ZxmYbpV9rnf8u7Juarqb1I3HfTSpwSCZnCZmgo75rWfbFPwBYPuzNE6ItXRWgLdq-f6u1I6gKLlm4G1Fj7zKJLmPIZBxAqLnebE6q2d0_k/s3813/IMG_4258.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2859" data-original-width="3813" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyFWItG5HcsjjKbt4YsRr_exR3v0f3JeA1GM2sAELeHrOoEVtL3iZI5urjL7LYOx1iAB2HJ4uhW2FUl-Fy4ZxmYbpV9rnf8u7Juarqb1I3HfTSpwSCZnCZmgo75rWfbFPwBYPuzNE6ItXRWgLdq-f6u1I6gKLlm4G1Fj7zKJLmPIZBxAqLnebE6q2d0_k/s320/IMG_4258.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Following check-in, it was time to go out and seek some nourishment, which took some doing as most places were closed on Boxing Day. We did eventually come across a pub that was open for business:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2kdTFv7L2oyWMIZPy2G342aGSUw0wXlg-VqIRfDVjp833SGDLFXs2FYKkB6rqL4_TUDYk1vhlak0nRTJVy-ceuaUj2sFeMj81dUxw9WYU7xjrGrdW3sKIcgT_ukpK_wRPwxb59KEX8_llrgDqQRVr7kOZXuSMSOQBdFmwuxHYBvr0B6XS6_9O8RVwd7g/s3936/IMG_4261.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2952" data-original-width="3936" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2kdTFv7L2oyWMIZPy2G342aGSUw0wXlg-VqIRfDVjp833SGDLFXs2FYKkB6rqL4_TUDYk1vhlak0nRTJVy-ceuaUj2sFeMj81dUxw9WYU7xjrGrdW3sKIcgT_ukpK_wRPwxb59KEX8_llrgDqQRVr7kOZXuSMSOQBdFmwuxHYBvr0B6XS6_9O8RVwd7g/s320/IMG_4261.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>It was here that I had the first of what would be many Australian dishes, <a href="https://blog.windstarcruises.com/australian-food-to-try/#6" target="_blank">Chicken Parmigiana</a>:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxCTMSUCQN13U2Knlqlag14F5f3C5sisw7ujBoTah5zWXIwflJjRxuKXfCRRwEcaXA4RVZaFn3svn7k1PTlMPejiPAdydccJaCc_AVh8hmjFO74sKrPPDwGQGJgs7ZK4ZHJ7oq6OmTrtsUGa2zmgEk4bFKcTFm2qRd_knjxp8cUdx2FjzJXTeB0NJXLQ8/s4032/IMG_4263.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxCTMSUCQN13U2Knlqlag14F5f3C5sisw7ujBoTah5zWXIwflJjRxuKXfCRRwEcaXA4RVZaFn3svn7k1PTlMPejiPAdydccJaCc_AVh8hmjFO74sKrPPDwGQGJgs7ZK4ZHJ7oq6OmTrtsUGa2zmgEk4bFKcTFm2qRd_knjxp8cUdx2FjzJXTeB0NJXLQ8/s320/IMG_4263.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>After dinner, we stopped off at a grocery store, where I admired the sweets on display. So many flavors of <a href="https://www.arnotts.com/brands/tim-tam" target="_blank">Tim Tams</a>, so little time:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKMjVGHTSnbWBgPNiMxf_il-75ccduvx8utJ089prZi8zUB-VqmsBi2h7rUMXXbtX-VJNm7adfq0iPAUop5694xNKuVFIC3LWK1j4KCkFf50JQkWoc6K30yxpXT5foPBFWM2iMYwfA4Xny-IYHaSAg5vDm3uWgP5Asp0ALHG7zqbKYwXgBwQGJYlPrsP8/s3998/IMG_4266.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2721" data-original-width="3998" height="218" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKMjVGHTSnbWBgPNiMxf_il-75ccduvx8utJ089prZi8zUB-VqmsBi2h7rUMXXbtX-VJNm7adfq0iPAUop5694xNKuVFIC3LWK1j4KCkFf50JQkWoc6K30yxpXT5foPBFWM2iMYwfA4Xny-IYHaSAg5vDm3uWgP5Asp0ALHG7zqbKYwXgBwQGJYlPrsP8/s320/IMG_4266.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The view from our room the following morning:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDc2xSmInDDUsVdpSyoEkK8AMbTFNLw0vil87IdIZ-D9vqU91ZtiX7ACPY4lWPugCB7zE2mpYLSinxf4mHPaPpKh3s83Ks76ONogODoEB43mFY4XhfePHiyd0ahegRp6vMxZQDh7-Uertgf6sCwwF4OgueDiVr5W7OHKgShPvBXF4e7DEfRTfzHdO-zZ8/s4032/IMG_4268.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDc2xSmInDDUsVdpSyoEkK8AMbTFNLw0vil87IdIZ-D9vqU91ZtiX7ACPY4lWPugCB7zE2mpYLSinxf4mHPaPpKh3s83Ks76ONogODoEB43mFY4XhfePHiyd0ahegRp6vMxZQDh7-Uertgf6sCwwF4OgueDiVr5W7OHKgShPvBXF4e7DEfRTfzHdO-zZ8/s320/IMG_4268.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Two more Aussie faves were sampled over breakfast. The <a href="https://www.sanitarium.com/au/products/weet-bix" target="_blank">Weet-Bix</a> I could easily handle; the infamous <a href="https://vegemite.com.au/" target="_blank">Vegemite</a>, on the other hand, proved to be more of a challenge, though apparently it didn't help that I applied it too thickly that first morning, and without the benefit of butter between the bread and the spread:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9C5i7Q-xEXPEOzXyYTUUCrMEenPMm5zVm9duSkNVOUpg1EwoVfuXEcWeKVDm_QUq5e0FGEnkLziZ_DDJkJHfcX-uPco_n3YSLbEJL-wh4LnRsJ-mqcFwQnEAMf7Bu2AfT0hLSzlcGKNLzG9tNJWmTVcDo9Zp84GjiMTst5qB5OF7HZVH9va62Eyc-uzc/s4032/IMG_4269.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2072" data-original-width="4032" height="164" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9C5i7Q-xEXPEOzXyYTUUCrMEenPMm5zVm9duSkNVOUpg1EwoVfuXEcWeKVDm_QUq5e0FGEnkLziZ_DDJkJHfcX-uPco_n3YSLbEJL-wh4LnRsJ-mqcFwQnEAMf7Bu2AfT0hLSzlcGKNLzG9tNJWmTVcDo9Zp84GjiMTst5qB5OF7HZVH9va62Eyc-uzc/s320/IMG_4269.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The weather forecast called for rain in the afternoon, so we decided to put off visiting Sydney Harbour to a more favorable day. Still, things were pleasant as we exited the hotel and headed east, passing <a href="https://www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/parks/hyde-park" target="_blank">Hyde Park</a> and one of its many resident <a href="https://australian.museum/learn/animals/birds/australian-white-ibis/" target="_blank">Australian White Ibises</a>:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMcFzTH1_XjPZiWSNpAnGYj3uMN23drIWKQLJdXQoUePtYQ8lK_o2b_zN6uEqg82EFSjMHDCvTuNWTz-hTuuYXo-b-jYqVNBOoylxnoIYO0h60Fn-_mM_daeSuwpQRCztcU02tSUl7VdSxHqAfofiP_hjV-ewcIi5hewTTU3cz7NWGpMQXM05aLKltHjU/s2935/IMG_4276.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2876" data-original-width="2935" height="314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMcFzTH1_XjPZiWSNpAnGYj3uMN23drIWKQLJdXQoUePtYQ8lK_o2b_zN6uEqg82EFSjMHDCvTuNWTz-hTuuYXo-b-jYqVNBOoylxnoIYO0h60Fn-_mM_daeSuwpQRCztcU02tSUl7VdSxHqAfofiP_hjV-ewcIi5hewTTU3cz7NWGpMQXM05aLKltHjU/s320/IMG_4276.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><a href="http://www.sydneytownhall.com.au/" target="_blank">Sydney Town Hall</a>, completed in 1889. We never ventured inside to have a look, but it proved to be a useful landmark on our explorations of the central business district:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihWTROSNnFJNFDp-QyME5QqIkVHQGXWp-BGue6HSFVCylPUxeFbQSwsF0IF_EYs7BYftozHE3U1RIG0W0QLZs7dGk6mlazi1kxfJVmIo2owiC06-utrIC4VbU7g0-K5JwWA0FA93EUS_7KMbl8vQMlnIofSVLwZCgb_pS-_vTjnyKDv8szrbiX_o-E9FU/s3873/IMG_4277.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3873" data-original-width="3012" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihWTROSNnFJNFDp-QyME5QqIkVHQGXWp-BGue6HSFVCylPUxeFbQSwsF0IF_EYs7BYftozHE3U1RIG0W0QLZs7dGk6mlazi1kxfJVmIo2owiC06-utrIC4VbU7g0-K5JwWA0FA93EUS_7KMbl8vQMlnIofSVLwZCgb_pS-_vTjnyKDv8szrbiX_o-E9FU/s320/IMG_4277.jpg" width="249" /></a></div><div><br /></div>We eventually made it to <a href="https://www.darlingharbour.com/" target="_blank">Darling Harbour</a> after more than twenty minutes of walking, which put a considerable strain on my wife's aging knees. We had intended on using public transportation to get there, but by the time we found a kiosk that actually sold <a href="https://transportnsw.info/tickets-opal/opal#/login" target="_blank">Opal cards</a>, we were already close enough to the water that Shu-E decided to damn the torpedoes and go full steam ahead:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtmBwKBh4RNsO9TaXCJBW10x_9TvYRMTAbKqXq2G66l08Qs3jt0LIM3Z-ZyHshcc3RvqnIbsIDEcSiwac5o5oBqOaPWhnyunjJkyQBQSr9AaHpqDv-ClUr9qe5HoNk6BMJolEx49HTD5YkwYcXacOqtbqqfMjPossNtlrJvFg3xoh3uS8_c02Utzh1yIc/s4032/IMG_4278.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2739" data-original-width="4032" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtmBwKBh4RNsO9TaXCJBW10x_9TvYRMTAbKqXq2G66l08Qs3jt0LIM3Z-ZyHshcc3RvqnIbsIDEcSiwac5o5oBqOaPWhnyunjJkyQBQSr9AaHpqDv-ClUr9qe5HoNk6BMJolEx49HTD5YkwYcXacOqtbqqfMjPossNtlrJvFg3xoh3uS8_c02Utzh1yIc/s320/IMG_4278.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Once there, we purchased our tickets for the <a href="https://www.visitsealife.com/sydney/" target="_blank">Sydney Sea Life Aquarium</a>, much to the delight of Amber:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbC7lglt-wRSvo9QEznIXD1PdT8RaTY-nEVmeh71fRJqC_ljSkNdV8AL72zFtxD5hYzgCuclgLXoLM9RtyfFlOBEAAVAegwRQudP1BEx-O-4AdOZ6e84M6LP-a0ig8W-svx3ZETeZCWuXdxk5MByXE6RRz_V3eXpt4a6GReJfaYriPNSLWIrLApnQawcg/s3205/IMG_4282.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1624" data-original-width="3205" height="162" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbC7lglt-wRSvo9QEznIXD1PdT8RaTY-nEVmeh71fRJqC_ljSkNdV8AL72zFtxD5hYzgCuclgLXoLM9RtyfFlOBEAAVAegwRQudP1BEx-O-4AdOZ6e84M6LP-a0ig8W-svx3ZETeZCWuXdxk5MByXE6RRz_V3eXpt4a6GReJfaYriPNSLWIrLApnQawcg/s320/IMG_4282.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMhsfDC6U8TuuThPtMUu5a3HkbJ_NflmW9iQgABso-ocRL_wRzWFsnaWNffZliIgCGsQLYGuv5DbZDvH_D2Nc0UhI43BoI0KoZhCnj9CcCZmfX9A1CTahMsVnQLs2pnB1tvVNZXFVO0Hy-TmAmFZJEJ-6H1YD-L5ZElzRq_WuzbuQslhQ2ewNVPi4jYSE/s3422/IMG_4283.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3422" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMhsfDC6U8TuuThPtMUu5a3HkbJ_NflmW9iQgABso-ocRL_wRzWFsnaWNffZliIgCGsQLYGuv5DbZDvH_D2Nc0UhI43BoI0KoZhCnj9CcCZmfX9A1CTahMsVnQLs2pnB1tvVNZXFVO0Hy-TmAmFZJEJ-6H1YD-L5ZElzRq_WuzbuQslhQ2ewNVPi4jYSE/s320/IMG_4283.jpg" width="283" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgL0eFHCp7wUahlkghNSbZPlVoJXpSjjSJ_dRAfdghyphenhyphenRIgqhCoCX0qIEoMKg_1m9uRZlGaQzevlJjlR6MI9GVIpZM67CutXOhzVUa0yVX5A0mb45gSn5wM9Wa-urwxl-A01vSkP9VIua4fYD_KVUIgo0kJr4FIzCZ3o7Ry4UTZ-ZcLMrV5JSw0aclqL0s/s3493/IMG_4284.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3493" data-original-width="2522" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgL0eFHCp7wUahlkghNSbZPlVoJXpSjjSJ_dRAfdghyphenhyphenRIgqhCoCX0qIEoMKg_1m9uRZlGaQzevlJjlR6MI9GVIpZM67CutXOhzVUa0yVX5A0mb45gSn5wM9Wa-urwxl-A01vSkP9VIua4fYD_KVUIgo0kJr4FIzCZ3o7Ry4UTZ-ZcLMrV5JSw0aclqL0s/s320/IMG_4284.jpg" width="231" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The aquarium is home to a pair of dugongs who were rescued as orphans after being found washed up on a Queensland beach:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz0TSnrqphZixVA-DZamF9ThsE3gOZwV3NDV5dCDEROjJIczTcf4b_0nWKV0VSUo_hQc75PYNPxezI5RJdPjzu7-Bzh6VV-SEIvJwsAye_DXK-x34-KCWqIIm4kl6HpoK6aG3W8fvLEEFg5TxusGhdN-4CZBQRn3ZaudeF7My43w1phk8h9BdsbIUPnaE/s4032/IMG_4286.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz0TSnrqphZixVA-DZamF9ThsE3gOZwV3NDV5dCDEROjJIczTcf4b_0nWKV0VSUo_hQc75PYNPxezI5RJdPjzu7-Bzh6VV-SEIvJwsAye_DXK-x34-KCWqIIm4kl6HpoK6aG3W8fvLEEFg5TxusGhdN-4CZBQRn3ZaudeF7My43w1phk8h9BdsbIUPnaE/s320/IMG_4286.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggSJvi4hUroO2AQo4wWxcPo3gkuULvIL-76GD8X2FxojNYqOj4yWGDGG0WJV0_Ppvz3eP3XxH0BWByeUXtLfBgE3GKnkHZvBt2TP3UzmlEDmw7q6uUEJo54K8juD5ACIO9AR7MDJo-YkuqXbt39PmUBbqUfpg-qbiasR1FzNKGdemtArFyb5nHHKeAbS8/s1280/0fca48b8542ac028933837035754138f.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="604" data-original-width="1280" height="151" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggSJvi4hUroO2AQo4wWxcPo3gkuULvIL-76GD8X2FxojNYqOj4yWGDGG0WJV0_Ppvz3eP3XxH0BWByeUXtLfBgE3GKnkHZvBt2TP3UzmlEDmw7q6uUEJo54K8juD5ACIO9AR7MDJo-YkuqXbt39PmUBbqUfpg-qbiasR1FzNKGdemtArFyb5nHHKeAbS8/s320/0fca48b8542ac028933837035754138f.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzXzr-YDX9SWHH1YitIzFl_9L3C5N_dTB9xwhpeOYMoRyiJ1vm7JJrGNqGrBEDsmtbUzt_6YCg9cJfpjMS0lQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div><br /></div>Of course there were plenty of sharks and rays to admire:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBleq4hoNiTQWTlanXRvqLKBODthyP64wrrG609FVcoi_o8dhw5VW7xnJs59FVMr4R5gaUeafkcZNJQxluVS1ICh6E7ZzWPkCMwGCqLXGp6RQj1KdPnmaZsskuD_tEQXNiC7QGCtwTgmuBQcmTAN6DvGDrPNHH6eAjCORsVAjuWyCyAE0twCaTSrzIWeI/s1707/786eccd1a2ab7e844c52526e180f0086.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1707" data-original-width="1280" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBleq4hoNiTQWTlanXRvqLKBODthyP64wrrG609FVcoi_o8dhw5VW7xnJs59FVMr4R5gaUeafkcZNJQxluVS1ICh6E7ZzWPkCMwGCqLXGp6RQj1KdPnmaZsskuD_tEQXNiC7QGCtwTgmuBQcmTAN6DvGDrPNHH6eAjCORsVAjuWyCyAE0twCaTSrzIWeI/s320/786eccd1a2ab7e844c52526e180f0086.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9hga0gZUIzZA_xee7-Uy27IS55W8Vwmy13NbGtk8P-p-8312sMM593PzgSoheE5jg6gfVpX11I5acIoLTYvHVgkCWm1jGmrIhh46HkjFbPjPTSz-RS1t9LubFnhqI12UHH_e7DO6AKUo8UlYEAeEdLqeo242eZ091SjsdjCZ1rlOTQpp4uaTyWsKsxsk/s1706/b1cf4d397fc53eaa14c901f96f18de0d.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1706" data-original-width="1280" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9hga0gZUIzZA_xee7-Uy27IS55W8Vwmy13NbGtk8P-p-8312sMM593PzgSoheE5jg6gfVpX11I5acIoLTYvHVgkCWm1jGmrIhh46HkjFbPjPTSz-RS1t9LubFnhqI12UHH_e7DO6AKUo8UlYEAeEdLqeo242eZ091SjsdjCZ1rlOTQpp4uaTyWsKsxsk/s320/b1cf4d397fc53eaa14c901f96f18de0d.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy1TdjpNUH-afQUzB8M778U9FxTJ_GuRhje2J1XbPZjJF4ui4_izsQkKf7R2BPJUg2ExNmlskUI4kdcevgaYYl_ofnnGHXCxykBPGyZPE1f74_ldnSwtWcp51utl4YiEWmUQi2mesh4HcStOdjjKVMiRt34344l7lijV_4hBb6VePl_p7TbBClUu4oaY0/s1280/b9649f7c386c60d7f3a6ada0d62a5145.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1267" data-original-width="1280" height="317" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy1TdjpNUH-afQUzB8M778U9FxTJ_GuRhje2J1XbPZjJF4ui4_izsQkKf7R2BPJUg2ExNmlskUI4kdcevgaYYl_ofnnGHXCxykBPGyZPE1f74_ldnSwtWcp51utl4YiEWmUQi2mesh4HcStOdjjKVMiRt34344l7lijV_4hBb6VePl_p7TbBClUu4oaY0/s320/b9649f7c386c60d7f3a6ada0d62a5145.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dztNypBXRXAoPlyLp7hSAayNDhlwdZzeNTw0n2JWQLJXhj20iH6ppeR6bi5sgQKeLPac-hgL6xRlePlrkIGNg' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguxcKYhbCut-kPzCF8DobCbPwvgjAzjaE7JTcVGPNiAqTLXB9c0duuq9uGtvwTb_-McTb5JERIplxIIUF78oibPY9utQWXljH7CzQfshH3jLwJVTmPq4tCoqyCaDNEtBJ_hQ7-fHTHhf-zpNrjCL0qyV5em_QSNWxE2hOAi8VCiPS9JH2pjgRiRyZne5w/s4032/IMG_4295.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguxcKYhbCut-kPzCF8DobCbPwvgjAzjaE7JTcVGPNiAqTLXB9c0duuq9uGtvwTb_-McTb5JERIplxIIUF78oibPY9utQWXljH7CzQfshH3jLwJVTmPq4tCoqyCaDNEtBJ_hQ7-fHTHhf-zpNrjCL0qyV5em_QSNWxE2hOAi8VCiPS9JH2pjgRiRyZne5w/s320/IMG_4295.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>A Disneyland-like water ride allowed visitors to get up closer to the popular penguins. The person being admonished for using flash is none other than my spouse, though in her defense, Shu-E wasn't actually trying to take a photograph; rather, she had inadvertently turned on the flashlight function on her cell phone:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxm3_70WnIsqdW7DE1Q7TYNaM6k7C9M_5iJHw3UhBoHx8j8wDSJoME5pl9imOZzz0fv_00s26yAVpCt5GzUrw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQLZg_AI6Iwr1uxrhWSozBu-MCqVO6kLhM7W998phHNW7x5HMRRCZJ9kaN2lfLFi0UJaCrbfh1gk16aewZdkhbyOE3Jhlv7EOzfCT6FVstKt5NWMLGxqW4wuaU0ll-558BaUnI9-X8dKFYmf_nsDQpU2LLJqSFC1NXSqnj-Fa51JKurLMp3LbbkrGbIn0/s1707/0fea8aab3c284b3ec41c7b9c099d6d2b.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1707" data-original-width="1280" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQLZg_AI6Iwr1uxrhWSozBu-MCqVO6kLhM7W998phHNW7x5HMRRCZJ9kaN2lfLFi0UJaCrbfh1gk16aewZdkhbyOE3Jhlv7EOzfCT6FVstKt5NWMLGxqW4wuaU0ll-558BaUnI9-X8dKFYmf_nsDQpU2LLJqSFC1NXSqnj-Fa51JKurLMp3LbbkrGbIn0/s320/0fea8aab3c284b3ec41c7b9c099d6d2b.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMNutzYBaT94NolrdX0f8JKoj4XZwLHWn0SMMZR_6pRuhMH36HoJXdpeXWKRBdGwUgNTLI4CJfDsKsA7ehi9zporagJo0igk7tKZF6mltjez7jewbrC9cwzR-psin_p6G-Ft5y3O-qQoI4Y6kNeUforgrynzjyLabNZOsxlhjlvIMyze0bcx1YLYY2UmY/s1707/026e754c2ae48aa373781d2aee56f30b.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1707" data-original-width="1280" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMNutzYBaT94NolrdX0f8JKoj4XZwLHWn0SMMZR_6pRuhMH36HoJXdpeXWKRBdGwUgNTLI4CJfDsKsA7ehi9zporagJo0igk7tKZF6mltjez7jewbrC9cwzR-psin_p6G-Ft5y3O-qQoI4Y6kNeUforgrynzjyLabNZOsxlhjlvIMyze0bcx1YLYY2UmY/s320/026e754c2ae48aa373781d2aee56f30b.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNfHRz9Su0TpJ6fpovDCXTj-1wXG3BQh2ER4SKYOV0WZtMsVxUqPRu0ae_jwpkbx2SC62VkxwBeBb_3ptg95lksyEiBPzxC2K5i3S0NXQqHz_YFxNSOLt-rPS0CjOnrMtdQCnl4kyq9vdcbWJco0jxamHEfQjxXP4D0v-d-FCwkaRmMEqWxpZde612x8A/s4032/IMG_4313.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNfHRz9Su0TpJ6fpovDCXTj-1wXG3BQh2ER4SKYOV0WZtMsVxUqPRu0ae_jwpkbx2SC62VkxwBeBb_3ptg95lksyEiBPzxC2K5i3S0NXQqHz_YFxNSOLt-rPS0CjOnrMtdQCnl4kyq9vdcbWJco0jxamHEfQjxXP4D0v-d-FCwkaRmMEqWxpZde612x8A/s320/IMG_4313.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqlCsag_KIgA53j2CKCg9RFj7-HMxSTbSCEJQAP7NvrM-pNn7-ETwEi4MIWg_ypQly7sgSaORZi29c0Mt9a4tXGK9aNOuBAIqwSfyBjlwxz4u42VPZGcs07MVB6fwyT4lsFfhogJr5qhb0uArnLXQ75eGUNg1OF35ECv9B347i-Y5a2_U0u4qc3HU_24o/s4032/IMG_4314.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqlCsag_KIgA53j2CKCg9RFj7-HMxSTbSCEJQAP7NvrM-pNn7-ETwEi4MIWg_ypQly7sgSaORZi29c0Mt9a4tXGK9aNOuBAIqwSfyBjlwxz4u42VPZGcs07MVB6fwyT4lsFfhogJr5qhb0uArnLXQ75eGUNg1OF35ECv9B347i-Y5a2_U0u4qc3HU_24o/s320/IMG_4314.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Following our visit, we had lunch at the <a href="https://www.helmbar.com.au/" target="_blank">Helm Bar and Bistro</a>, and discussed where to go next:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnKjymfzxNL0hLg3kG7afe8mCADgHPCxNOAVSBBAs7-Cq-3vNrDxc2G3pdMwBdiTP0BwcAYfNKW3_jfLGtXAjkemlqCTpJ5kqs3svtNMry8awYO-CVt_7OQoAAXCY8orXjKg-E4n3yrvC2FHjzM9zZmQB6-WqGp26BsQTbDr82-D37iZmUyA59JRlU9LA/s4032/IMG_4322.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnKjymfzxNL0hLg3kG7afe8mCADgHPCxNOAVSBBAs7-Cq-3vNrDxc2G3pdMwBdiTP0BwcAYfNKW3_jfLGtXAjkemlqCTpJ5kqs3svtNMry8awYO-CVt_7OQoAAXCY8orXjKg-E4n3yrvC2FHjzM9zZmQB6-WqGp26BsQTbDr82-D37iZmUyA59JRlU9LA/s320/IMG_4322.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div><a href="https://blog.windstarcruises.com/australian-food-to-try/#5" target="_blank">Fish and Chips</a>:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7_qytXftGujhT3GCiQuMxwUU03_7y6bcy6cKowcgmnSdKZh9ynRuSTDrOO2dIueBJ6NI3H2qO-1exTp7OFwLo0QmWeEzIOZsuZUvO_lHUtKuUjqRobFqGW5oHt5apNxwNBAyVFl8YlbuMa_InJyLPIWrYdNLpcAupuaMsKhx03pfYTLtIPNgpEZT7RyU/s3737/IMG_4331.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2699" data-original-width="3737" height="231" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7_qytXftGujhT3GCiQuMxwUU03_7y6bcy6cKowcgmnSdKZh9ynRuSTDrOO2dIueBJ6NI3H2qO-1exTp7OFwLo0QmWeEzIOZsuZUvO_lHUtKuUjqRobFqGW5oHt5apNxwNBAyVFl8YlbuMa_InJyLPIWrYdNLpcAupuaMsKhx03pfYTLtIPNgpEZT7RyU/s320/IMG_4331.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The decision was made to take a ferry to <a href="https://www.cockatooisland.gov.au/en/" target="_blank">Cockatoo Island</a> following our meal, but nature had other ideas:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ZkrfaawuI2o" width="320" youtube-src-id="ZkrfaawuI2o"></iframe></div><div><br /></div>So, a different decision was agreed on to do some window shopping, first by riding the light rail to <a href="https://www.sydney.com/destinations/sydney/inner-sydney/glebe" target="_blank">Glebe</a>, to peruse the aisles at <a href="https://www.gleebooks.com.au/" target="_blank">Gleebooks</a>; and then by taking the bus to <a href="https://www.sydney.com/destinations/sydney/inner-sydney/newtown" target="_blank">Newtown</a>, and <a href="http://www.betterread.com.au/discount-books/home.do" target="_blank">Better Read Than Dead</a> (one guess as to who was leading the way to these shops). Unfortunately, bibliographic bliss was rudely interrupted at the latter when my wife discovered to her horror that she had left her backpack on the bus. While all her cash and credit cards were safe in a separate purse, both her U.S. passports had been inside the backpack. Needless to say, the possibility of having to apply for emergency travel documents suddenly put a damper on our first full day in New South Wales. Though we filled out lost property reports with the bus company (online) and the police (over the phone), for the remainder of the afternoon, and on into the evening, Shu-E and I were both in a state of travelers' PTSD. Still, we soldiered on:<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh90ij29kNICOGSL_cZlkTHUTV1GLenpCRQCcBanN8J0iVGEycJYUYIpZ8jbZXAZegZu1iHIV7BPrGbJLLJhbMkl2yJ08FtnEm3ONJqGjpoimEc0ZvMmqXMCVda910_q7wdYdvASnb7naWlXiwlzKyZ6UCICAgYvFJSl6hxjnYjzVT3XpDGQpaybM3X9Sk/s3893/IMG_4335.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3893" data-original-width="2919" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh90ij29kNICOGSL_cZlkTHUTV1GLenpCRQCcBanN8J0iVGEycJYUYIpZ8jbZXAZegZu1iHIV7BPrGbJLLJhbMkl2yJ08FtnEm3ONJqGjpoimEc0ZvMmqXMCVda910_q7wdYdvASnb7naWlXiwlzKyZ6UCICAgYvFJSl6hxjnYjzVT3XpDGQpaybM3X9Sk/s320/IMG_4335.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitzHI9-OXvNqff3xHaHN6VMv95eliSdxqGWA2NxsIucyaHleopVzu38neo_pPwoMI2ctfJ14hKSom9Kea6yLTbTcasOFsgphGWhQVN3ekc30iygTIIl_sdMnvyhyphenhyphenou7-8u3afXH7LpRYz_N3ZdqDXoGHksS23EQ17nfENajS5X1wuYMESVCLSiDUv-zNE/s3918/IMG_4336.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3012" data-original-width="3918" height="246" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitzHI9-OXvNqff3xHaHN6VMv95eliSdxqGWA2NxsIucyaHleopVzu38neo_pPwoMI2ctfJ14hKSom9Kea6yLTbTcasOFsgphGWhQVN3ekc30iygTIIl_sdMnvyhyphenhyphenou7-8u3afXH7LpRYz_N3ZdqDXoGHksS23EQ17nfENajS5X1wuYMESVCLSiDUv-zNE/s320/IMG_4336.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><i><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Newtown street scenery</i></div></i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div>After returning to our hotel, we ventured out in search of dinner, passing by Hyde Park once again, and its Gothic-looking <a href="https://stmaryscathedral.org.au/" target="_blank">St. Mary's Cathedral</a>:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7DhKfTvQa7bhlduKnnU8-q-oh4wX3vdy6SpOg0sEHOBTaxcPZj5xFeaudo50VXEsL30AngDXdrXI13N6z6O3jDFY-VtnZooq-CywA2ZycRF3xhZ7kN3W2uYJUMBBUHrwLmL5jU8VrhNrC8xEhGTMr1QQsIatRLfeixKCKN09UMeIXkUgCMi8FnZ1Vcfc/s4032/IMG_4340.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7DhKfTvQa7bhlduKnnU8-q-oh4wX3vdy6SpOg0sEHOBTaxcPZj5xFeaudo50VXEsL30AngDXdrXI13N6z6O3jDFY-VtnZooq-CywA2ZycRF3xhZ7kN3W2uYJUMBBUHrwLmL5jU8VrhNrC8xEhGTMr1QQsIatRLfeixKCKN09UMeIXkUgCMi8FnZ1Vcfc/s320/IMG_4340.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLOeg6JYCM4nu3MGtXmkYcA65nMAzp-7-ZMCNNoo5FrPIHO_hdPxz7UWUMRLXc7VTpWuF3wvifKxjTOAMa78zo8nb0JpVtnSUT5uQhAfMd6AI3PULtJpUpcixOq63mp4KXPlV28jTG7IZ91sE5TxY20a3-pbqgbD7Fj5CKjPEQ9_EG1zGrDwwOi-lLqoU/s3989/IMG_4341.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3989" data-original-width="2992" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLOeg6JYCM4nu3MGtXmkYcA65nMAzp-7-ZMCNNoo5FrPIHO_hdPxz7UWUMRLXc7VTpWuF3wvifKxjTOAMa78zo8nb0JpVtnSUT5uQhAfMd6AI3PULtJpUpcixOq63mp4KXPlV28jTG7IZ91sE5TxY20a3-pbqgbD7Fj5CKjPEQ9_EG1zGrDwwOi-lLqoU/s320/IMG_4341.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Queen Victoria sits above the fray outside the <a href="https://www.qvb.com.au/" target="_blank">huge shopping center bearing her name</a>:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJc7Ivhv7nuQhpGdOcGblJnDz-FY12UI01lNIpHXRPhRQNwMnhEIJKDNa67VxAXVz56PhHF_4zb11IepAqHkD8fJYlVp7Dtt8dNpN2WiftMS8fOyrahHTcrLh2-9pcjafVch4G0VZZaQcvUiSe8Qnk_U2x4UFZOzfiBDqQuuSQPIc6Xe7M5-FQGJyDJls/s4032/IMG_4343.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJc7Ivhv7nuQhpGdOcGblJnDz-FY12UI01lNIpHXRPhRQNwMnhEIJKDNa67VxAXVz56PhHF_4zb11IepAqHkD8fJYlVp7Dtt8dNpN2WiftMS8fOyrahHTcrLh2-9pcjafVch4G0VZZaQcvUiSe8Qnk_U2x4UFZOzfiBDqQuuSQPIc6Xe7M5-FQGJyDJls/s320/IMG_4343.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Pondering the days highs and lows at the French restaurant where we had dinner:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVSAnV_6ogkSLM6VpuI-CR5QWJeIbTdTuUAX-81fYQd_F6ERE3601iF7k5ji9tNn7w7wDK3c9CRaQZxNbJQKeCvhUnKbepYE3Ic01X0OsMyNFC3mIihG2R8bHpJEYOpSLqLlRavI2-G6AbC_2-NnGRyEa8KpGQ8QVPjSAaaagTVXlkZZJVou0vY3pD5s8/s4032/IMG_4345.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVSAnV_6ogkSLM6VpuI-CR5QWJeIbTdTuUAX-81fYQd_F6ERE3601iF7k5ji9tNn7w7wDK3c9CRaQZxNbJQKeCvhUnKbepYE3Ic01X0OsMyNFC3mIihG2R8bHpJEYOpSLqLlRavI2-G6AbC_2-NnGRyEa8KpGQ8QVPjSAaaagTVXlkZZJVou0vY3pD5s8/s320/IMG_4345.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>For my meal I had that most Gallic of dishes, a cheeseburger and fries (on the menu, and in French!):</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnBNm5TK_C7kvj4ECYm602RXQYYcWUzfJASLNuyubATTBvKPWvEDb8R1g6hZpViJGZksFd5SRgwkkh9XHdgiCrXiSVKB3WuJh4rw5AbgSMe2YZJ-mQMXIuppyTcdsRUzklrjCU9wiXB5qtNM3mGJJ2m6uY2K5yeTPYbvjOnst7ABiYLEhe45_5tE0MzuE/s3826/IMG_4346.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2821" data-original-width="3826" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnBNm5TK_C7kvj4ECYm602RXQYYcWUzfJASLNuyubATTBvKPWvEDb8R1g6hZpViJGZksFd5SRgwkkh9XHdgiCrXiSVKB3WuJh4rw5AbgSMe2YZJ-mQMXIuppyTcdsRUzklrjCU9wiXB5qtNM3mGJJ2m6uY2K5yeTPYbvjOnst7ABiYLEhe45_5tE0MzuE/s320/IMG_4346.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOYpxbT-jGQT8Ni_WXF2qqHZeOcoR1QLwFPYMRFRPTNeVlVe4Lz1CgJzTsg3CjoRCdHeRCLG4Do0rbOMbXACzuUEC-xBrFstpfnbIUJchomRGPOysmibF_ti-19bLXENUGf5lHBCUVZQP2YO-1NtuO4Tir5nYwUUUdtdePVnW5qwi4UzYlFvB7aMCRr4U/s4032/IMG_4347.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOYpxbT-jGQT8Ni_WXF2qqHZeOcoR1QLwFPYMRFRPTNeVlVe4Lz1CgJzTsg3CjoRCdHeRCLG4Do0rbOMbXACzuUEC-xBrFstpfnbIUJchomRGPOysmibF_ti-19bLXENUGf5lHBCUVZQP2YO-1NtuO4Tir5nYwUUUdtdePVnW5qwi4UzYlFvB7aMCRr4U/s320/IMG_4347.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The holiday seasonal lighting on the facade of the giant Woolworths Town Hall branch:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFTSX-OBC36U04EehksdxFcBtaoE5_1_PnYCLd4wsz1k2HtjgApVZ6KptKNYh-76lBZ_EjTk88k_6K3FRH8s-K6X1SMI-rPe9f4SUbXjQKyVQyj16Xb-0UEALibrP6dVR63JoAMYyjCR62BHTltFhekyfY-UJgAo6kwfojRAwPxl8kbTKHKSgYHutsBZM/s4032/IMG_4348.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2739" data-original-width="4032" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFTSX-OBC36U04EehksdxFcBtaoE5_1_PnYCLd4wsz1k2HtjgApVZ6KptKNYh-76lBZ_EjTk88k_6K3FRH8s-K6X1SMI-rPe9f4SUbXjQKyVQyj16Xb-0UEALibrP6dVR63JoAMYyjCR62BHTltFhekyfY-UJgAo6kwfojRAwPxl8kbTKHKSgYHutsBZM/s320/IMG_4348.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Cook" target="_blank">Captain James Cook</a>. His reputation has undergone debate and revision in recent decades, but as a young lad I was enthralled by a <i>National Geographic </i>article on his adventures aboard <i><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Endeavour" target="_blank">HMS Endeavour</a></i>:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja7Tv-OANteFx_FVR4KEdJl_p1mucJKzUzSRgOjmAduG-yHTxoGdHvi7NiF9QXLf99WUVFNuwccrFqElmP7mtQPKJZm_Cap9uGWO8wlmDPtM7KE5XUkSFRxlUjGvG6WDF6k786qkK11MZPxazTng8CHPhX_GmILIb0JKiM8LO2HxMCgHx3fGh1UajsGT8/s4032/IMG_4351.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja7Tv-OANteFx_FVR4KEdJl_p1mucJKzUzSRgOjmAduG-yHTxoGdHvi7NiF9QXLf99WUVFNuwccrFqElmP7mtQPKJZm_Cap9uGWO8wlmDPtM7KE5XUkSFRxlUjGvG6WDF6k786qkK11MZPxazTng8CHPhX_GmILIb0JKiM8LO2HxMCgHx3fGh1UajsGT8/s320/IMG_4351.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAXf96MWYeM0tbICF_k0wyVYfbpRnvcn8gClVN3Q6HpWgy-Y7ZxbVJp8mzVKqMfsqyIgjav5x-nR3JAomdWeXyUM_k1RvSS4FVBbvd4JdQan32DKVdnyUf7TGjZMbfhLQzRB5rsSupXab6TfFYKw2a_3TaJ23Hds4JnZm3axbmOejiXnCfQbFENIk56Xg/s2494/IMG_4352.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2308" data-original-width="2494" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAXf96MWYeM0tbICF_k0wyVYfbpRnvcn8gClVN3Q6HpWgy-Y7ZxbVJp8mzVKqMfsqyIgjav5x-nR3JAomdWeXyUM_k1RvSS4FVBbvd4JdQan32DKVdnyUf7TGjZMbfhLQzRB5rsSupXab6TfFYKw2a_3TaJ23Hds4JnZm3axbmOejiXnCfQbFENIk56Xg/s320/IMG_4352.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The moon was an amazing sight that evening, though you wouldn't know it from the quality of my cell phone's camera:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfnua51CGmiEwmSrfeyNS-xXJhZYt_GmvYNSKT1nFajKD3T8Mg777XNG490LqO6LyHs1aHLt4mF3HWLKxvI2YNRYGhdGidNvl6a6hXZ6Lvo16NJq0kCCDTFRdl_SxZiP7gYY_debFZ4P0g_aYjGwmrhjgC4G8PDzSWpNcGv5Cs69Nv4njUilAJR5GPOYM/s4032/IMG_4353.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfnua51CGmiEwmSrfeyNS-xXJhZYt_GmvYNSKT1nFajKD3T8Mg777XNG490LqO6LyHs1aHLt4mF3HWLKxvI2YNRYGhdGidNvl6a6hXZ6Lvo16NJq0kCCDTFRdl_SxZiP7gYY_debFZ4P0g_aYjGwmrhjgC4G8PDzSWpNcGv5Cs69Nv4njUilAJR5GPOYM/s320/IMG_4353.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>One of the most fascinating critters we encountered while in Australia was what my daughter assumed was this <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grey-headed_flying_fox" target="_blank">Grey-headed flying fox</a>. Perhaps it was a hallucination brought on by the stress of what happened earlier that day, but I could have sworn this thing had a long, serpentine-like tail as it flew away and over Park Street:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwBtu7oiei6IGWXhtfIEYAkUsg3ILn_R8t83L1KNIbAdc9-HEGZeB8thS3wn1M_8-HRvUdaNaSQ_wRxcOJm8_DbiXtYYzknHNtqtwBKu19_UaSnB6ESCqMNcemTWeXwc6QZGKNIn8DPMbHwkHxWYgjEJwbMC9PQx2lNpVW-Wn1aVQLpuz7ccfNUjW3YYw/s2841/IMG_4355.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2568" data-original-width="2841" height="289" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwBtu7oiei6IGWXhtfIEYAkUsg3ILn_R8t83L1KNIbAdc9-HEGZeB8thS3wn1M_8-HRvUdaNaSQ_wRxcOJm8_DbiXtYYzknHNtqtwBKu19_UaSnB6ESCqMNcemTWeXwc6QZGKNIn8DPMbHwkHxWYgjEJwbMC9PQx2lNpVW-Wn1aVQLpuz7ccfNUjW3YYw/s320/IMG_4355.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzoC3kjySF2slWZPP2N7nGHnYqrg_TX4ib6QtZI4R_sCEv81jGS0FbMdr39fplsI011WOLR0KY-lArPWSlP4g' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br /><div>A good omen? Stay tuned...</div><div><br /></div><div>It's hard to have a <a href="https://theculturetrip.com/pacific/australia/articles/a-tribute-to-the-golden-gaytime-australias-favourite-ice-cream" target="_blank">Gaytime</a> on your own:</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtrVm8AYU7AdUTKjWQc0mNXC9SVFzSPidXt9SGcDwHDAH8mxGiPt9ECwTDWa_WwG1-IprIYloY4xpFW04vR5j7ZXHXByT4nILyvfM8oVjwNIdbtYrIO87KI1nLwIHvhV-fyuRJYxqNQsNyK0RT0zeO675cT6eGdHyFs9mGAhFsdXdplmXr_NqG8cYNWHw/s4032/IMG_4319.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtrVm8AYU7AdUTKjWQc0mNXC9SVFzSPidXt9SGcDwHDAH8mxGiPt9ECwTDWa_WwG1-IprIYloY4xpFW04vR5j7ZXHXByT4nILyvfM8oVjwNIdbtYrIO87KI1nLwIHvhV-fyuRJYxqNQsNyK0RT0zeO675cT6eGdHyFs9mGAhFsdXdplmXr_NqG8cYNWHw/s320/IMG_4319.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div>"Somewhere in Sydney", a song by a Melbourne band. Somewhere in Sydney was Shu-E's backpack, along with her passports:</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/zIXm_RcNGZs" width="320" youtube-src-id="zIXm_RcNGZs"></iframe></div><br /><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /></div>Kaminogehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07925637671913689331noreply@blogger.com0Sydney Sea Life Aquarium, 1-5 Wheat Rd, Sydney NSW 2000, Australia-33.8695997 151.2021381-62.179833536178847 116.04588810000001 -5.5593658638211565 -173.6416119tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2497220891386919340.post-44151063557615195502023-12-21T21:40:00.007+08:002023-12-25T14:30:21.574+08:00The End is Nigh!*<p> *The end of the year, that is. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQm0YwpjjIdj_urGi3g8mxtiXGd3w4744m9cQbwOMVLdff97ATnlhAEajpaYIk2g_TCI2Y-OXw-v9SVC8EhoveiCK66U3Vk-pVxU3-pZuiJtaxjv49oGu0h2OJWq6zn_ScemX3q4d9IRu3TkQnugjI6rB7kzhB3D5HlRIz3sBDxGs1z-wQG2g24IwHMOE/s4032/IMG_3898.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2841" data-original-width="4032" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQm0YwpjjIdj_urGi3g8mxtiXGd3w4744m9cQbwOMVLdff97ATnlhAEajpaYIk2g_TCI2Y-OXw-v9SVC8EhoveiCK66U3Vk-pVxU3-pZuiJtaxjv49oGu0h2OJWq6zn_ScemX3q4d9IRu3TkQnugjI6rB7kzhB3D5HlRIz3sBDxGs1z-wQG2g24IwHMOE/s320/IMG_3898.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><i><div style="text-align: center;"><i>The Liangma River on a cold Thanksgiving evening</i> </div></i><p></p><p>By all accounts, I should be an anti-vaxxer. I'm not - I have a college degree, I can say I've seen a lot of the world outside the United States, I don't watch Fox News, and I like to think I'm a reasonably intelligent person. I'm fully vaccinated, as is my daughter, and I don't regret having gotten a single jab. Well, that last assertion isn't completely accurate. Because it seems lately that every time I receive a vaccine of some kind or another, the reaction to it has been brutal. After all, the first time I was struck down with COVID-19 came in the immediate aftermath of, ironically, a second coronavirus booster shot (and fourth overall), given in conjunction with the first shingles vaccine. </p><p>Last month, as I do every year, I received the seasonal flu shot. Then, a couple of weeks ago, I opted to get the latest Covid booster injection, and almost immediately following, I came down with the worst case of...you guessed it, influenza, that I've experienced in years (I assume it was the flu, as I tested negative for the coronavirus at home). I missed several days of work, and spent most of the weekend before last lying in bed in a state of delirium. I was still at home as recently as this past Monday with a variety of ailments, including a loss of appetite and an upset stomach. Hopefully, I can see out the end of the year standing up, and without the lightheadedness that's plagued a big part of my daily existence for much of 2023.</p><p>But I like to think my body is building up a vast wellspring of viral knowledge that will pay out dividends in the long run, a health-oriented Library of Congress that will enable me to attain my goal of dying peacefully in my sleep of natural causes as I last well into my old age. And for the time being, at least, I'm not due for any boosters or other vaccine shots. But if I ever end up with RSV or shingles, I may have to reconsider whether going down the reactionary rabbit hole might actually be a viable option.</p><p>What follows is a roundup of recent photos that were taken as we near the Christmas and New Year's holidays. What Thanksgiving dinner looked like in our household:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvlVizJiSMaGLL7uDPmF4onKX2jPtjkwLl2VTHAcrLHGd-Qh0tsn4-AO1EzoITrazxq-wfe3lddd-EjRmZsOwLfPNOHSLwxjUnTGxnVh9rtoIInq9cadt9nf86U-TPIhr3n2t3N6yWonEKdjuQ-U9wD2jYjJ73ZBJLGHPD8-cAzpd2UsyGDrucIszRt2k/s3956/IMG_3899.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2418" data-original-width="3956" height="196" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvlVizJiSMaGLL7uDPmF4onKX2jPtjkwLl2VTHAcrLHGd-Qh0tsn4-AO1EzoITrazxq-wfe3lddd-EjRmZsOwLfPNOHSLwxjUnTGxnVh9rtoIInq9cadt9nf86U-TPIhr3n2t3N6yWonEKdjuQ-U9wD2jYjJ73ZBJLGHPD8-cAzpd2UsyGDrucIszRt2k/s320/IMG_3899.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Our daughter plays the flute during a performance at a school charity bazaar. Her formal winter concert, unfortunately, has had to be postponed twice, first due to an outbreak of illness among some of the students; and then from what for Beijing constitutes heavy snowfall:<div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD-tTyG9EDj52snccmfe1BV9yr9mJ6DjTUE3BLNxddmjXg44Wnb2Pzfy-pLdBEIo_Q4GELz6qZcVkubXXdkvTX4w9IgftzR-ZPsm_PYuRL190yXsWmVAD5ywW5AJoReF-q82MPhtD_FauchgOTG8yiKEy79PxKSl9Dk4GDhQLnkjE3HLnxTbDcQkDkkzI/s3241/IMG_3918.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3241" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD-tTyG9EDj52snccmfe1BV9yr9mJ6DjTUE3BLNxddmjXg44Wnb2Pzfy-pLdBEIo_Q4GELz6qZcVkubXXdkvTX4w9IgftzR-ZPsm_PYuRL190yXsWmVAD5ywW5AJoReF-q82MPhtD_FauchgOTG8yiKEy79PxKSl9Dk4GDhQLnkjE3HLnxTbDcQkDkkzI/s320/IMG_3918.jpg" width="299" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie7-t_QFfFtDhjpC5f-c6nCq9NpAlkoNNFYx6_JppEkqrv5r_P1B6g54agjz0rGJBWQdQAvwPHs47DBAwti4gId4gKyp5r-nDVUYpQX7eGogrxTbtWMexhuru03VRldL5nGhVDPaGcL0HBCpBh3cvdo-dJ5to3AO6716GG5MoRc7kFRi-K2KEsYZzmpls/s4029/IMG_1538.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1896" data-original-width="4029" height="151" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie7-t_QFfFtDhjpC5f-c6nCq9NpAlkoNNFYx6_JppEkqrv5r_P1B6g54agjz0rGJBWQdQAvwPHs47DBAwti4gId4gKyp5r-nDVUYpQX7eGogrxTbtWMexhuru03VRldL5nGhVDPaGcL0HBCpBh3cvdo-dJ5to3AO6716GG5MoRc7kFRi-K2KEsYZzmpls/s320/IMG_1538.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ8fsaRzmsh9CFEL1T8UcL2FyGJ65oGvC53vVAVeeT1-4gLkDLlhA8VDqR3hJ6ptiOLszLb99KqrERIFZ5xMA3FEdZHUf7mvr4c0Nps_bVx6BUYSDmFF4XoLw616-xJUr6iMUTe1oY74XlCpM25APme-dYU3c_GCxRgTlGuGbs5Rnnqggzrh4bshKNcXE/s1548/9b708bb200a0635a0a40d409e4023c38.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1004" data-original-width="1548" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ8fsaRzmsh9CFEL1T8UcL2FyGJ65oGvC53vVAVeeT1-4gLkDLlhA8VDqR3hJ6ptiOLszLb99KqrERIFZ5xMA3FEdZHUf7mvr4c0Nps_bVx6BUYSDmFF4XoLw616-xJUr6iMUTe1oY74XlCpM25APme-dYU3c_GCxRgTlGuGbs5Rnnqggzrh4bshKNcXE/s320/9b708bb200a0635a0a40d409e4023c38.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Lunch at <a href="http://www.annies.com.cn/" target="_blank">Annie's</a>, a local Italian restaurant chain:<div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKpZNtUVkNnUX0vUF8xq_7lR7kyiX4HMkvZ9aPbLzAxWuTObE-WJQ6UIJCGRqFOCEFcNkonHv3TUPGmWszQMS5BRR_Mhb93p-Oso3i3SBccmqsTU3W3WkdWV7JCuYfde7aT__LVCXf_0eDqNvB5fUmBi3M0DvMp_1vyyWLGOKIDBGikZGeV5AVAxAvdY8/s4032/IMG_3929.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKpZNtUVkNnUX0vUF8xq_7lR7kyiX4HMkvZ9aPbLzAxWuTObE-WJQ6UIJCGRqFOCEFcNkonHv3TUPGmWszQMS5BRR_Mhb93p-Oso3i3SBccmqsTU3W3WkdWV7JCuYfde7aT__LVCXf_0eDqNvB5fUmBi3M0DvMp_1vyyWLGOKIDBGikZGeV5AVAxAvdY8/s320/IMG_3929.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Getting ready for the post-lunch banana latte:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxPvc5frd4qYBIm9ZPPYKObxArIB7oR36Puq8OgxoJDMCF2N4fVqdkV4NFl87H4jNfVco88zJtqLqnWJqby9d055L8vFxKQMuB13GxYT7Y3a8NK7-NL-XGU8gZPV3xbFcAOB8qXbNv1H8MJ3-koXA8hkKTCDA9zScKru3Syq221MT2FoXE3K6N4ydOJfI/s4032/IMG_3928.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxPvc5frd4qYBIm9ZPPYKObxArIB7oR36Puq8OgxoJDMCF2N4fVqdkV4NFl87H4jNfVco88zJtqLqnWJqby9d055L8vFxKQMuB13GxYT7Y3a8NK7-NL-XGU8gZPV3xbFcAOB8qXbNv1H8MJ3-koXA8hkKTCDA9zScKru3Syq221MT2FoXE3K6N4ydOJfI/s320/IMG_3928.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div>Winter is just about officially upon us, and as Beijing 北京 sits inland at a northern latitude, it shouldn't come as a surprise that it can get cold in these here parts. It's the speed at how quicky things have cooled down that surprises. Like one weekend morning when you awake to find the temperature has fallen to 1°C/34°F (even though the day before you were comfortable in a hoodie), which doesn't stop you from getting on your bike and riding to check out the <a href="https://www.ciae.com.cn/nbg/en/index_nbg.html" target="_blank">Agricultural Exhibition Center</a> 全国农业展览馆, less than 20 minutes away via pedal power:</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSvHdF-uDR0ZhfqqJLU78GvZ4Jk81rD1-XRcNQcMziwge0dRPJMTPosPGj6feBbp5hAngDek2L-HDqGCHEDuF6jb7MyqdFxeY6mnI5gCtSw2cl6MRi2Nzi5mCEWJ_cSN2Jnesl6zAiqsCVo1h4uscpVEnrTzLFyKXbld3QGOq9g7C4bwtlvxaA5gzBXBM/s3861/IMG_3943.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1603" data-original-width="3861" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSvHdF-uDR0ZhfqqJLU78GvZ4Jk81rD1-XRcNQcMziwge0dRPJMTPosPGj6feBbp5hAngDek2L-HDqGCHEDuF6jb7MyqdFxeY6mnI5gCtSw2cl6MRi2Nzi5mCEWJ_cSN2Jnesl6zAiqsCVo1h4uscpVEnrTzLFyKXbld3QGOq9g7C4bwtlvxaA5gzBXBM/s320/IMG_3943.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVyAd_asiw-mI2RREgJaLM9ah-4_jfNWoWZUCbookAGZvS5ooV07tOlEudfwf32xCj71u9fArSRCM4HJYAoDs5oaSotD295yKyyYW5D5vvU0wCEasqLHOhbjsJ1jbyH3UElRu452lVJTfAr5Wsf1gt9wxKmVR1DzwSqv-qVIBJGK4xzOuE7Dcdhcb_sng/s3962/IMG_3944.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2972" data-original-width="3962" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVyAd_asiw-mI2RREgJaLM9ah-4_jfNWoWZUCbookAGZvS5ooV07tOlEudfwf32xCj71u9fArSRCM4HJYAoDs5oaSotD295yKyyYW5D5vvU0wCEasqLHOhbjsJ1jbyH3UElRu452lVJTfAr5Wsf1gt9wxKmVR1DzwSqv-qVIBJGK4xzOuE7Dcdhcb_sng/s320/IMG_3944.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Though I was supposed to scan my Chinese ID card at a turnstile in order to get in, I don't have one, and the bored security guard just waved we past. The free-of-charge Chinese Agricultural Exhibition provides an overview on the history and development of Chinese agriculture by way of dioramas and artefact displays:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzwLjn4ZMuHQYmUbUZIan6IlI2uJDCbdqoa1Qrmh0OMHfcFLxA4IRn2a-te0h9CihuWB5iJOrfVTKbd95fil0G8N8WflYAqTBwGo5nhC6W_MLc8vcR1RIoQimElqLShuu8XeAPazRwzn6F7g17ytgYtNctSCRFqRwuL3mI9tUQed_KBcjZ2ih_xx7BG3Q/s4032/IMG_3946.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzwLjn4ZMuHQYmUbUZIan6IlI2uJDCbdqoa1Qrmh0OMHfcFLxA4IRn2a-te0h9CihuWB5iJOrfVTKbd95fil0G8N8WflYAqTBwGo5nhC6W_MLc8vcR1RIoQimElqLShuu8XeAPazRwzn6F7g17ytgYtNctSCRFqRwuL3mI9tUQed_KBcjZ2ih_xx7BG3Q/s320/IMG_3946.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV4eOq8qMtjTiNzF6RibJK2ChV7zBsmAcXAbRf6c4uAg41g4zHHw7FJ39ukKGIZQ8QaqkQZamXc56E0ZcbjEP42kuscENz3wPuVcr3nsAkrN-UmkYODCkc4JUn_4nDifrlqfpy8pX4CNq7PQnjpGHZvdXa8j76RubOgdMAxn8iwQc3WUEEw8Eow5RebsA/s3504/IMG_3948.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3504" data-original-width="2753" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV4eOq8qMtjTiNzF6RibJK2ChV7zBsmAcXAbRf6c4uAg41g4zHHw7FJ39ukKGIZQ8QaqkQZamXc56E0ZcbjEP42kuscENz3wPuVcr3nsAkrN-UmkYODCkc4JUn_4nDifrlqfpy8pX4CNq7PQnjpGHZvdXa8j76RubOgdMAxn8iwQc3WUEEw8Eow5RebsA/s320/IMG_3948.jpg" width="251" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI_NQrPIzqn29XXdLzIifNrsDUjUzHZ7gTKHPsg15QN1XZRfGNNI8c2a_DEoPQAykPQI9I1MxB2VLmkDQPOWb6BweRUHhGJKgL9Ceh6xhNVHJIWX5Mbjza1VbIjpmwfy5LFo3D5zU9fwqK9cFhIlpNv-h1fuGYk2MojGqcyt1i_UXXUGYlBGbGyuwvewo/s4032/IMG_3949.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI_NQrPIzqn29XXdLzIifNrsDUjUzHZ7gTKHPsg15QN1XZRfGNNI8c2a_DEoPQAykPQI9I1MxB2VLmkDQPOWb6BweRUHhGJKgL9Ceh6xhNVHJIWX5Mbjza1VbIjpmwfy5LFo3D5zU9fwqK9cFhIlpNv-h1fuGYk2MojGqcyt1i_UXXUGYlBGbGyuwvewo/s320/IMG_3949.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Officials providing on-the-spot guidance, a time-honored socialist tradition:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnHdh4J0tbpFhJz45QdDlw_YGYH2L-xBUPbOZLj_vzNINGViRFVdELY5ufRF9U_zA7UiHfGK58d_xUa_KIgkph9-UVQFuC0_Gopw0bQ9Qqi1UmqP6MvsPWIKhGgXYj8DOUrc2t9I55332OcXeDSoVY-dNV3SpRa8xtOaq7AkVMF1SgABCPfLyRseZOkXQ/s4032/IMG_3950.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnHdh4J0tbpFhJz45QdDlw_YGYH2L-xBUPbOZLj_vzNINGViRFVdELY5ufRF9U_zA7UiHfGK58d_xUa_KIgkph9-UVQFuC0_Gopw0bQ9Qqi1UmqP6MvsPWIKhGgXYj8DOUrc2t9I55332OcXeDSoVY-dNV3SpRa8xtOaq7AkVMF1SgABCPfLyRseZOkXQ/s320/IMG_3950.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW4801rRn7DRHNDDQ7atxJBqoqBlW_rPyJRBDIWDzORQ-bK_IGeEMHO5yRwzK_e8hToR40wsWxQGQyZhhwKZsbMR0r0uHqgq2rXa3wCKDxTU9kat6BlxPN9w1Jh8REhmEfAzW4AxfIIU-UlfoO2OCHg0D73fSUh4y4rG4x1yjFn-3ma-H9SZJbee-fLgs/s4032/IMG_3951.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW4801rRn7DRHNDDQ7atxJBqoqBlW_rPyJRBDIWDzORQ-bK_IGeEMHO5yRwzK_e8hToR40wsWxQGQyZhhwKZsbMR0r0uHqgq2rXa3wCKDxTU9kat6BlxPN9w1Jh8REhmEfAzW4AxfIIU-UlfoO2OCHg0D73fSUh4y4rG4x1yjFn-3ma-H9SZJbee-fLgs/s320/IMG_3951.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>A replica of a drag-on-bone water lift with pedals for bringing water from the river to the fields:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo3dOu74o1R8kqaozqZrCjyXUqW2Rto3xgIsGPmd-equ405FC63fWRRioX45rhV3CHrHu3-oh2EM9gQTsDwthuRyR18b-N_QfnAyuqv6a7iLQRBYgNVh463m9Zr2IGcxGARp6tRYOsRW0vXgg8In0y1sVzuS8p3RYGiyLnseQP0PijmlsnO8ASrsqZGdU/s4032/IMG_3953.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo3dOu74o1R8kqaozqZrCjyXUqW2Rto3xgIsGPmd-equ405FC63fWRRioX45rhV3CHrHu3-oh2EM9gQTsDwthuRyR18b-N_QfnAyuqv6a7iLQRBYgNVh463m9Zr2IGcxGARp6tRYOsRW0vXgg8In0y1sVzuS8p3RYGiyLnseQP0PijmlsnO8ASrsqZGdU/s320/IMG_3953.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1evD0-DlelUfb8Skua2dmGNlE7kCG1oiz0zyrWl-efLe9T5NE1iObpDDwG4GUAz-NvKxIvX2cV_lF4YU3H2Y7xJE8bnS2ZnzEd6muUyxmS_nqQN2IKMibVvoJa0wH__xn_9HyZtd5sgJWUgy0oiVg7SlGtj1iMVmoa1Aow_M1GuupnDXdI3zoRAqxqJA/s4032/IMG_3954.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1evD0-DlelUfb8Skua2dmGNlE7kCG1oiz0zyrWl-efLe9T5NE1iObpDDwG4GUAz-NvKxIvX2cV_lF4YU3H2Y7xJE8bnS2ZnzEd6muUyxmS_nqQN2IKMibVvoJa0wH__xn_9HyZtd5sgJWUgy0oiVg7SlGtj1iMVmoa1Aow_M1GuupnDXdI3zoRAqxqJA/s320/IMG_3954.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCwkAf3LA0LCZtbQLTPmFHM21jM-v8k7Nr71IeVKCUqvCW6Hcq6wkMEIST4eyevBcrr5sstjwp0M9-KYXrR6UtFR15cjOEH4umkpjAPF4afnuQA9S7uuNC9iCeZyao4VnYfKQiWFrhS5ViiES606qDkpl9IgVyeGsVVyefo3s8mfF9-jJNiF_kPB4Meu4/s3952/IMG_3958.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2848" data-original-width="3952" height="231" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCwkAf3LA0LCZtbQLTPmFHM21jM-v8k7Nr71IeVKCUqvCW6Hcq6wkMEIST4eyevBcrr5sstjwp0M9-KYXrR6UtFR15cjOEH4umkpjAPF4afnuQA9S7uuNC9iCeZyao4VnYfKQiWFrhS5ViiES606qDkpl9IgVyeGsVVyefo3s8mfF9-jJNiF_kPB4Meu4/s320/IMG_3958.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Birdwatchers? They were all pointing their cameras at a cage in the middle of an empty field, but I couldn't see what, if anything, was inside:</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdphSQIydMh7NG7w6AoMbv6TPjlZ7cEVjRx19pOTUEN60ZtmuNAQgbXkVtrKe-GeaHFbBVXbGVzV5lpVlgAUqOPlIOGHILuFSIUjaWPC3WdOdO_GBHJ2-OEhumeAawfeGA3HRC9lsfyASeS1zb_y4ZWscLGiQpZxYmr70Od4_6o6KNvEPHKA8YcqKBYaQ/s4032/IMG_3961.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdphSQIydMh7NG7w6AoMbv6TPjlZ7cEVjRx19pOTUEN60ZtmuNAQgbXkVtrKe-GeaHFbBVXbGVzV5lpVlgAUqOPlIOGHILuFSIUjaWPC3WdOdO_GBHJ2-OEhumeAawfeGA3HRC9lsfyASeS1zb_y4ZWscLGiQpZxYmr70Od4_6o6KNvEPHKA8YcqKBYaQ/s320/IMG_3961.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvX3j_8IOd3_HL6vccnfnGVgNQNxCQxKl5kxwefO4MQhKMsRzfpwJ1dRxTVXll0dYfrgg-jlnReyGDcjnzGPBwWtYJFiQqJP3JbjdOoC40CjmGmqYLqkSQIdRQ3s95NqNaDlHLg6X0PtBb4Nxw0o-r88KNvodRSsoq0XfBlmvld34o1kLlIW7BYg5CuvQ/s4032/IMG_3962.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvX3j_8IOd3_HL6vccnfnGVgNQNxCQxKl5kxwefO4MQhKMsRzfpwJ1dRxTVXll0dYfrgg-jlnReyGDcjnzGPBwWtYJFiQqJP3JbjdOoC40CjmGmqYLqkSQIdRQ3s95NqNaDlHLg6X0PtBb4Nxw0o-r88KNvodRSsoq0XfBlmvld34o1kLlIW7BYg5CuvQ/s320/IMG_3962.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The extensive grounds of the Agricultural Exhibition Center include a large pond. Ducks taking off from a pond already partially frozen:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8rp8DeXouYMgE2eRgnF06Dfa3YW9ZU4Dm4jkKZjYL8UOfnEy9wzTCAeF1BiDi-wz8BGRZAmAAV8unwrof9OxK9T_66SXgp6kwfHdBivafpDDOJ3WnJ6ritaBYqYwVgwZbXqy4C9bLe-HswFsg8fTY2ERzWk__388u_FH9ddlh1SS4LmH8cV9JBMDF1-M/s4032/IMG_3966.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8rp8DeXouYMgE2eRgnF06Dfa3YW9ZU4Dm4jkKZjYL8UOfnEy9wzTCAeF1BiDi-wz8BGRZAmAAV8unwrof9OxK9T_66SXgp6kwfHdBivafpDDOJ3WnJ6ritaBYqYwVgwZbXqy4C9bLe-HswFsg8fTY2ERzWk__388u_FH9ddlh1SS4LmH8cV9JBMDF1-M/s320/IMG_3966.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFZCm473fngMkNflfaqdt41sjC9O4RJqRzNR62VLki8lE0tq3aR80uL9oqSdPjDJgWHGolN8mKc2lwS69uzh2y2ZnxL-BzJJ6Z0rkWCYNL1KlXWQIjhecJBpGBcTGDQ58t5BE3bRqgCNuJiV7jzBPov2vABgrngheXT9AxS11m6335M1oexrvqj2BRjXE/s4032/IMG_3968.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFZCm473fngMkNflfaqdt41sjC9O4RJqRzNR62VLki8lE0tq3aR80uL9oqSdPjDJgWHGolN8mKc2lwS69uzh2y2ZnxL-BzJJ6Z0rkWCYNL1KlXWQIjhecJBpGBcTGDQ58t5BE3bRqgCNuJiV7jzBPov2vABgrngheXT9AxS11m6335M1oexrvqj2BRjXE/s320/IMG_3968.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUSB_mN552br-WdKXyiw9SMeEdhB-HxpqOYRD_F1hoW60HVdn8YTNZ8Fu7xTipVgKvtXdac_r_nNS38n9Y-AANXs68lM58sRHngo-FQZlAFB_zWD2CPu8RrCQzDc66dPLp6RWds5d4QhYTyxUx4D8LweYAt9D1EuB5O4YgOOp-BPaAPAhblceS9N_sFI8/s3160/IMG_3969.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3160" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUSB_mN552br-WdKXyiw9SMeEdhB-HxpqOYRD_F1hoW60HVdn8YTNZ8Fu7xTipVgKvtXdac_r_nNS38n9Y-AANXs68lM58sRHngo-FQZlAFB_zWD2CPu8RrCQzDc66dPLp6RWds5d4QhYTyxUx4D8LweYAt9D1EuB5O4YgOOp-BPaAPAhblceS9N_sFI8/s320/IMG_3969.jpg" width="306" /></a></div><div><br /></div>This building appeared to be closed but the door was unlocked, so I stepped inside to have a peek at the 1950's-style socialist interior decor:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGxCq6MzJ1VKYISzHjrwG0zuh7tYfYnF4xzXnKhWmmwKLLP3fNIkw_LvXdXzRTazmwdUFqZ93ccN_CdQsNAAQOTgydvwHLC0FUuiVJ_dzMToakIRvjy7VoIddk0R1HvfmZ26VwcV80MSY6qBHlha_W9yNgC6SaanikMfk69OS-sqyl9eVNo_oC0u9yO6c/s3553/IMG_3971.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3553" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGxCq6MzJ1VKYISzHjrwG0zuh7tYfYnF4xzXnKhWmmwKLLP3fNIkw_LvXdXzRTazmwdUFqZ93ccN_CdQsNAAQOTgydvwHLC0FUuiVJ_dzMToakIRvjy7VoIddk0R1HvfmZ26VwcV80MSY6qBHlha_W9yNgC6SaanikMfk69OS-sqyl9eVNo_oC0u9yO6c/s320/IMG_3971.jpg" width="272" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyFfPK94LP3VhCK2gVOH9iGDt79yzkUbRt3h47iglvfR3ZMZtcO5wavuuxJTtV_G6ublOgqTbPzpPO9T-cygO1OjhPA5Gya0_Pf1BYOGmTre8qVnqYQRwGum0hOlnyvL6MAV8OnJIpByM8-A7MrUtV_ZSuer-RGx3KPmcGlbIAHpBOgrDcCQB349CWrOM/s4032/IMG_3973.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyFfPK94LP3VhCK2gVOH9iGDt79yzkUbRt3h47iglvfR3ZMZtcO5wavuuxJTtV_G6ublOgqTbPzpPO9T-cygO1OjhPA5Gya0_Pf1BYOGmTre8qVnqYQRwGum0hOlnyvL6MAV8OnJIpByM8-A7MrUtV_ZSuer-RGx3KPmcGlbIAHpBOgrDcCQB349CWrOM/s320/IMG_3973.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpI2HsaIagcpGSFDKX5JrACyyUZ-Z0FqmJSZJ6uEsKuar7sQyHGKdThOcwn5pPFGKKWpuozTCRhl950WsKI8VnwE0xlKOjubjswHxiXmo7EG7MwRqu0ublu2zP2bm_JzC2alwqsQBAdyQUNqMAxXwS2GHULyA2SddlPDkzCLzTW-esadC-o4wKYAo4uLA/s4032/IMG_3975.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpI2HsaIagcpGSFDKX5JrACyyUZ-Z0FqmJSZJ6uEsKuar7sQyHGKdThOcwn5pPFGKKWpuozTCRhl950WsKI8VnwE0xlKOjubjswHxiXmo7EG7MwRqu0ublu2zP2bm_JzC2alwqsQBAdyQUNqMAxXwS2GHULyA2SddlPDkzCLzTW-esadC-o4wKYAo4uLA/s320/IMG_3975.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div></div><div>"I've seen things that no cat should ever see" - Timi the Siamese:</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuFRGgYnU2LJpRlyHjH0jY1OxKXseKzmUAx-y835CT5Xn3ZXF0zifxR_JgJI1NxbYY-TQ_wnrEMN6Ezy1h3DVbV1DREePjhnWV10-nLpJrUYyYhDkz_aJ_48XFSqtIht4VOPDYXSYqTQH3qBFdBF36keIQGCzbCDpuRvvuimVODnllP1mgA1mBmxoSouw/s1706/2e27b09aa5d270b9a522eb2ceee67e5e.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1706" data-original-width="1280" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuFRGgYnU2LJpRlyHjH0jY1OxKXseKzmUAx-y835CT5Xn3ZXF0zifxR_JgJI1NxbYY-TQ_wnrEMN6Ezy1h3DVbV1DREePjhnWV10-nLpJrUYyYhDkz_aJ_48XFSqtIht4VOPDYXSYqTQH3qBFdBF36keIQGCzbCDpuRvvuimVODnllP1mgA1mBmxoSouw/s320/2e27b09aa5d270b9a522eb2ceee67e5e.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>On another frigid weekend afternoon, Amber and I cycled to <a href="https://www.thebeijinger.com/blog/2019/12/28/everything-you-need-know-about-tuanjiehu-park" target="_blank">Tuanjiehu Park</a> 团结湖公园, where we watched an elderly gentleman write a poem on the pavement using a wet brush:<div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVcHSwYPXeX0Lat0dMyOZj4ST827IiNTp10fp_tMyY_OyC_Xy97VjX6cgdzgqN-VRSX0G-egSwyl-pioKNAEchR_uyJ3HFSiWK6doEcRQuDoUOAE3JidazdJiXbE8yUOrI7V9LDks0IiWKPdu-G0p_aGnlN0585S6-yNphZx3Knvpwfn96oBH0FS_mUiw/s4032/IMG_3982.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVcHSwYPXeX0Lat0dMyOZj4ST827IiNTp10fp_tMyY_OyC_Xy97VjX6cgdzgqN-VRSX0G-egSwyl-pioKNAEchR_uyJ3HFSiWK6doEcRQuDoUOAE3JidazdJiXbE8yUOrI7V9LDks0IiWKPdu-G0p_aGnlN0585S6-yNphZx3Knvpwfn96oBH0FS_mUiw/s320/IMG_3982.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhugR3nvoTxXYxkgLeb-UNfMMYJLracbqeN71NHFkEqBmWPbRTj4om_TF19zVm0Z1pxwbg3O1zlsHOw262YaZT7TBD4X4pthZDvG315GXJKJPh4WOCEDXEc4kYA-3hhhEUDMPltKxV8rmY03H9dVLTcgEWCZe-diR26jMGDsI3rsKKK-qtkX69XaMmLGZI/s4032/IMG_3985.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhugR3nvoTxXYxkgLeb-UNfMMYJLracbqeN71NHFkEqBmWPbRTj4om_TF19zVm0Z1pxwbg3O1zlsHOw262YaZT7TBD4X4pthZDvG315GXJKJPh4WOCEDXEc4kYA-3hhhEUDMPltKxV8rmY03H9dVLTcgEWCZe-diR26jMGDsI3rsKKK-qtkX69XaMmLGZI/s320/IMG_3985.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUUCb6fczNfJ2mzB1F2i0bdCVP8vduxHT5NBUmlk7d9XXbpZ9t0EEXQnEhDTkQ7-C9Loiwg0_41HtX2Z6g7gnfqmKJ0Gqrp0R35Y_8OjVEvfaaciSJmABk0bXjOuzphUMsRrVSGuQGeTtQXiH6HU1Mh3sN5d9AqeuVIwWw5q2BfSmQM-Slu1VP_l8Yv0g/s4032/IMG_3986.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUUCb6fczNfJ2mzB1F2i0bdCVP8vduxHT5NBUmlk7d9XXbpZ9t0EEXQnEhDTkQ7-C9Loiwg0_41HtX2Z6g7gnfqmKJ0Gqrp0R35Y_8OjVEvfaaciSJmABk0bXjOuzphUMsRrVSGuQGeTtQXiH6HU1Mh3sN5d9AqeuVIwWw5q2BfSmQM-Slu1VP_l8Yv0g/s320/IMG_3986.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>"Exercise can cure fake illnesses, but drunkenness can't cure real sorrows"</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhohiNBPcmHXbAj6cPpoYnAGOT9Hdoead3NdJnkhAkVBkre2iUfRO079APqn-ia8xZJZKWFz0aoIZWIavuuiuy9yk2lBe6EsWBbTeQdXdSnire4z90YNoaDVWNbmlkFmOwk_w24JfzNJwCfuVJJr8HmXbdAG-Fr17zumhPzeKEYMLUoFmxpf8GMyfGIguE/s3500/IMG_3989.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3500" data-original-width="2643" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhohiNBPcmHXbAj6cPpoYnAGOT9Hdoead3NdJnkhAkVBkre2iUfRO079APqn-ia8xZJZKWFz0aoIZWIavuuiuy9yk2lBe6EsWBbTeQdXdSnire4z90YNoaDVWNbmlkFmOwk_w24JfzNJwCfuVJJr8HmXbdAG-Fr17zumhPzeKEYMLUoFmxpf8GMyfGIguE/s320/IMG_3989.jpg" width="242" /></a></div><div><br /></div>A typical weekend day in a Chinese park:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzh3-TFLhAenGnNTDgxWgEiGQz0NDeVE8c-vXohOYmZGR59N8ozNvyGDM4LjW97eF90azd-y6vF-zNOki_SlQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br /><div>Huanbo Bridge:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUztPpfmbO-druYqk1ngJ1SglpRAOLMhOValZiOWcsLOvo7w5A5IGWZe9gR386Vx8Y2W-zrPjuMtLcWL9WucNBkITQ3ygsINs1oYrucUKTs_4iuhkvExziJ8kao5HWsoqAwcaP5V9PIk91y9ifJ0_pLUA5L8PcJ5gtGNRbqTP9O0skQ2Wv7pUzg3ue0A0/s4032/IMG_3992.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUztPpfmbO-druYqk1ngJ1SglpRAOLMhOValZiOWcsLOvo7w5A5IGWZe9gR386Vx8Y2W-zrPjuMtLcWL9WucNBkITQ3ygsINs1oYrucUKTs_4iuhkvExziJ8kao5HWsoqAwcaP5V9PIk91y9ifJ0_pLUA5L8PcJ5gtGNRbqTP9O0skQ2Wv7pUzg3ue0A0/s320/IMG_3992.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Afterward, we rode over to a <a href="http://www.bakerandspice.com.cn/" target="_blank">Baker & Spice</a> for a coffee break:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVCX_dWQz769HN5K_f2gefqshNqoljrKAJQiDTH9oAi5nwUDfStSxKMLZF7Nxx4tl1NTXyJxBWI3Y2-HmW030UusPLV7EADDQXaUszgiA_mQ8Y6j6mMG53EDfiebYU4OAA3ILkURB-U3h2sQXo4cMGIhmiJ6Ed4AJROyYi4sVFgpJ5qJ4v4F9zjQP9KuI/s4032/IMG_3993.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVCX_dWQz769HN5K_f2gefqshNqoljrKAJQiDTH9oAi5nwUDfStSxKMLZF7Nxx4tl1NTXyJxBWI3Y2-HmW030UusPLV7EADDQXaUszgiA_mQ8Y6j6mMG53EDfiebYU4OAA3ILkURB-U3h2sQXo4cMGIhmiJ6Ed4AJROyYi4sVFgpJ5qJ4v4F9zjQP9KuI/s320/IMG_3993.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The wife found out about a nighttime drone show in <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chaoyang_Park" target="_blank">Chaoyang Park</a> 朝阳公园, so off we went one evening after dinner to have a look:<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNxifVeUQ1H30TGUIxMMVohj4pY5c2DbI7aVJbohoRD4pJlQGGzsGL8sF7T67VhzMPNdG8hX38btPuTg9Nrvs-SQzrD7hajDswPWCB9fbYEiDzu9_hTbVz2p4qz7omh4M4-nIrKLHtCpXi9KNjWXqKzmRoBCjWaeUGUU6l3xmH597ffn2KiFSGgV2yRyw/s1648/68312ed36dd866ab91183cbd0a5ec5bf.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1004" data-original-width="1648" height="195" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNxifVeUQ1H30TGUIxMMVohj4pY5c2DbI7aVJbohoRD4pJlQGGzsGL8sF7T67VhzMPNdG8hX38btPuTg9Nrvs-SQzrD7hajDswPWCB9fbYEiDzu9_hTbVz2p4qz7omh4M4-nIrKLHtCpXi9KNjWXqKzmRoBCjWaeUGUU6l3xmH597ffn2KiFSGgV2yRyw/s320/68312ed36dd866ab91183cbd0a5ec5bf.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhArMJVhFeu52X1yAg-Nno4V85pgMEN2mlLDWgcdl4pMbA3J86sxj2A_0h9cvVMIPH5uShW9y3v4gTfzrnPiJFd1Jnc2CH2KrS0tUd8v9mBdeOe2JglIvb3j8WMZsJwHh8UvthmUQ9EZzO2NJggGcw0OozmM-H5xlVTzjTUBNFMpD_kEbvz-ZPQhoBNqBE/s1706/4048fd487b1a3a4bc18b95ab4cac3035.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1706" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhArMJVhFeu52X1yAg-Nno4V85pgMEN2mlLDWgcdl4pMbA3J86sxj2A_0h9cvVMIPH5uShW9y3v4gTfzrnPiJFd1Jnc2CH2KrS0tUd8v9mBdeOe2JglIvb3j8WMZsJwHh8UvthmUQ9EZzO2NJggGcw0OozmM-H5xlVTzjTUBNFMpD_kEbvz-ZPQhoBNqBE/s320/4048fd487b1a3a4bc18b95ab4cac3035.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRcVqs_81E71DOaldHpZg9BSRMExcz0fwakPMAdgRWfsElNFrntqP1wc8hWaitsV0JQ32wCOPy6s6mSppAeDGI3aC4ZTDaWcYTRv8dkCh53fTa2XbFr4ZjnQfPUr3D9zKYA_MZKzYVWckE8nVAdjQBWbPlqvuOzu3B4enPRVdWQtX64REavtN187QTvgQ/s1706/9e3acfc3faf630a2b432f806f5b8322d.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1706" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRcVqs_81E71DOaldHpZg9BSRMExcz0fwakPMAdgRWfsElNFrntqP1wc8hWaitsV0JQ32wCOPy6s6mSppAeDGI3aC4ZTDaWcYTRv8dkCh53fTa2XbFr4ZjnQfPUr3D9zKYA_MZKzYVWckE8nVAdjQBWbPlqvuOzu3B4enPRVdWQtX64REavtN187QTvgQ/s320/9e3acfc3faf630a2b432f806f5b8322d.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div>Flying phoenixes seemed to be the theme:</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwuXcabxq3ZYS4dMgyRHJl4YCYtiJ7bNeOwJ2JjHqJtbxEPfSd8zX3J2_PzismsUCPBtTfKK2cGwnnqriuOgQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw8SxPX5ybUBQXgLy3ks7qJ5zQki0PVo-U7s0L2umsuUI-spFeoBzJCqkobJx_g2Ad9Akf8LFCNYnKO7gE6nozNGtQ9J85j02IfvTb6iAN-UhLIEEOXbJ7rh4scq63tcB6KH1c14BX1tSrIcG22nZEhKoovk5SihgrPTH95f-356iy6-bVMXimm7_J32k/s1706/a6f1ccd0298e420d89384efee87b4411.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1706" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw8SxPX5ybUBQXgLy3ks7qJ5zQki0PVo-U7s0L2umsuUI-spFeoBzJCqkobJx_g2Ad9Akf8LFCNYnKO7gE6nozNGtQ9J85j02IfvTb6iAN-UhLIEEOXbJ7rh4scq63tcB6KH1c14BX1tSrIcG22nZEhKoovk5SihgrPTH95f-356iy6-bVMXimm7_J32k/s320/a6f1ccd0298e420d89384efee87b4411.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsQ-MkwV5uOQYBbTk-KJ2uxQlgmBqPOJPFBpfg-RlN0_2GNMDrO_oejff4oJ2AA-4LKxL_K5rbkWUevUDwG5umRMQhHt1ztzxGiPaY5Yv6Jml7E1nImOUQRvuBDHjYA5ky0JczcPxvNgPCAS4KOz_uEoffp8FWEqjjuHb4f7XIlgo9uweno4RxoarhdEk/s1706/c37e8b5c7819fd02206667a611b79075.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1007" data-original-width="1706" height="189" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsQ-MkwV5uOQYBbTk-KJ2uxQlgmBqPOJPFBpfg-RlN0_2GNMDrO_oejff4oJ2AA-4LKxL_K5rbkWUevUDwG5umRMQhHt1ztzxGiPaY5Yv6Jml7E1nImOUQRvuBDHjYA5ky0JczcPxvNgPCAS4KOz_uEoffp8FWEqjjuHb4f7XIlgo9uweno4RxoarhdEk/s320/c37e8b5c7819fd02206667a611b79075.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTmFh-g0D81uXsMhITv5xqlm1oyR4BRgkLJb8w8WfA3PJsGYdxvPh7ivEvElXtEo9PCPyDZ1I7d9O7a2howtd9JZVkk3N9RgddIBIyIa78hBHAMDgHPhZ44lscQg1acEgsw0rbM5GlIRKkkfU3S8laQ93r9Z1GzOOn8uF12PX1bA_OBkb2OugVvcedsfk/s3992/IMG_3999.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2994" data-original-width="3992" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTmFh-g0D81uXsMhITv5xqlm1oyR4BRgkLJb8w8WfA3PJsGYdxvPh7ivEvElXtEo9PCPyDZ1I7d9O7a2howtd9JZVkk3N9RgddIBIyIa78hBHAMDgHPhZ44lscQg1acEgsw0rbM5GlIRKkkfU3S8laQ93r9Z1GzOOn8uF12PX1bA_OBkb2OugVvcedsfk/s320/IMG_3999.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9pZ7PAw7k6hqR6DHPz4pGLyIrOeO5AZTCOjbfle6FeRLCxp3GOBjyqMTh8IwQAHKb3XO75U3jnCIOGLOdzKY7hN5m-O8fYBK9TNwm6VEe6kWGhYde-uhOD74gtQW_XHjhIR4U_H1Js5BptSVOzhtFGkmbenJDbiMarzjUY40TahEo53nOrCHK3h5CnbU/s1706/2b37a6d2d9cfa774c4fa03f0bd438ca2.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1146" data-original-width="1706" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9pZ7PAw7k6hqR6DHPz4pGLyIrOeO5AZTCOjbfle6FeRLCxp3GOBjyqMTh8IwQAHKb3XO75U3jnCIOGLOdzKY7hN5m-O8fYBK9TNwm6VEe6kWGhYde-uhOD74gtQW_XHjhIR4U_H1Js5BptSVOzhtFGkmbenJDbiMarzjUY40TahEo53nOrCHK3h5CnbU/s320/2b37a6d2d9cfa774c4fa03f0bd438ca2.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Dinner on another evening at a Japanese restaurant called <i>Zaku</i>:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPPx_aO3EOgQ7alafBojH4zrCU5c8MxX3Yd2fbmIxfA0SUxx-rJA3RBlfNu328unxcHPYqINbtEN0NDPWdMSmDmDSw2NVm5aOk-UDaq0q42y9YK4MVY7mVtaiiNBu-gt4NILzLQCdQGo-6Ebr1ZyA-8KZYrKysKMWCauXDlWtMaeY564I_9PCnox7C9kM/s4032/IMG_4003.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPPx_aO3EOgQ7alafBojH4zrCU5c8MxX3Yd2fbmIxfA0SUxx-rJA3RBlfNu328unxcHPYqINbtEN0NDPWdMSmDmDSw2NVm5aOk-UDaq0q42y9YK4MVY7mVtaiiNBu-gt4NILzLQCdQGo-6Ebr1ZyA-8KZYrKysKMWCauXDlWtMaeY564I_9PCnox7C9kM/s320/IMG_4003.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8i5qwD0Cpdde-K_ZxZgjxyjtue8Bi18ESfXu03LKXqhg2kkcYnWhZ7fxmopsNk8Ln3Bg5w4VibwzEghIU0jaihjOD-dkxJ1kadBmiTrc4IjMbzMnU7xTIBEn_uXPNPiXN_QN6WzMFSSYXrqtAyz-sMjMuKdHl0QxArbrT0YSlwB4oVChZH8wrvHu1ecY/s4032/IMG_4006.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8i5qwD0Cpdde-K_ZxZgjxyjtue8Bi18ESfXu03LKXqhg2kkcYnWhZ7fxmopsNk8Ln3Bg5w4VibwzEghIU0jaihjOD-dkxJ1kadBmiTrc4IjMbzMnU7xTIBEn_uXPNPiXN_QN6WzMFSSYXrqtAyz-sMjMuKdHl0QxArbrT0YSlwB4oVChZH8wrvHu1ecY/s320/IMG_4006.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKMX0tyBsAbbMf8EX-8cGpbxcPzC6yzcWXqqC9D_keYlqKGzpp7-vs4Avt29FkP-C1yhZ08LSzLtFXnV4B80nlaSnlB1-hboSvOZMWUtYi7LtLfri0FUF_OZ4uLTk_GhPik4sK3rZik6Bgl_ibHbB6b5ejliNYkQBTX_ijqLuAa7GEKezRGxcLdWA64QE/s4032/IMG_4008.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKMX0tyBsAbbMf8EX-8cGpbxcPzC6yzcWXqqC9D_keYlqKGzpp7-vs4Avt29FkP-C1yhZ08LSzLtFXnV4B80nlaSnlB1-hboSvOZMWUtYi7LtLfri0FUF_OZ4uLTk_GhPik4sK3rZik6Bgl_ibHbB6b5ejliNYkQBTX_ijqLuAa7GEKezRGxcLdWA64QE/s320/IMG_4008.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div>An English-style breakfast at the South German Bakery:</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOTAqbJXLetFTRygomIoY-yZjYtxAoE-BjAIAypn8Bw12yw9gfB-PXm7T2vlKUspQZ-Q51I0osP1zu4VWze3qkifzggB9bB5ji773Cv8XZvHgUmlVb24sdyaVplzrVb7Mu0uj2lNcXREAolDEX-Pczsn_zI4Tv6gmUMfz82wS3aW-CNyk3-ZF-Bnh99lg/s4032/IMG_4031.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOTAqbJXLetFTRygomIoY-yZjYtxAoE-BjAIAypn8Bw12yw9gfB-PXm7T2vlKUspQZ-Q51I0osP1zu4VWze3qkifzggB9bB5ji773Cv8XZvHgUmlVb24sdyaVplzrVb7Mu0uj2lNcXREAolDEX-Pczsn_zI4Tv6gmUMfz82wS3aW-CNyk3-ZF-Bnh99lg/s320/IMG_4031.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div>At Shu-E's suggestion we had dinner at an <i><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Izakaya" target="_blank">izakaya</a></i> 居酒屋 called either <i>Yuritei</i> (in Japanese) or <i>Baiheting</i> (in Mandarin) 百合亭, meaning "Lily Pavilion":</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNKShQQfK8oZDqw6zw4jKKktL9BizumuFC804AI_jhMnG8bEXRErnoJmex8WnRV6F1EMeezTWWKl6m5ENFdV7v3xzmikNIupUDrt3WQex1HRkt6ezfe5vhmJNzPB8ShriLIxxYx_toT1KCxu6qMPfoyI-PjmuhL0OjOoCZUb88NQY2W3a54mDhNBGLuNU/s4032/IMG_4044.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNKShQQfK8oZDqw6zw4jKKktL9BizumuFC804AI_jhMnG8bEXRErnoJmex8WnRV6F1EMeezTWWKl6m5ENFdV7v3xzmikNIupUDrt3WQex1HRkt6ezfe5vhmJNzPB8ShriLIxxYx_toT1KCxu6qMPfoyI-PjmuhL0OjOoCZUb88NQY2W3a54mDhNBGLuNU/s320/IMG_4044.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><a href="https://grapeejapan.com/146122" target="_blank">Fujisan Beer</a>:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq03sbWxvXaaUvLH52IcJxrkPZmqJ8GOLJa_VDq8BNucTR5uhvKkw2xMmQ-LM86d6irPFknf5gIZHPYqU6LfnhuKbZtmMJET456MLnXFitd0LkJy684pIJAeX8TIKtbeJ8TjVflhYP0_brz_x8wlf7URs6Az8kcQLpT6NbZVqd15zI4aAUMq4jVh0EdVc/s3477/IMG_4045.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3477" data-original-width="2562" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq03sbWxvXaaUvLH52IcJxrkPZmqJ8GOLJa_VDq8BNucTR5uhvKkw2xMmQ-LM86d6irPFknf5gIZHPYqU6LfnhuKbZtmMJET456MLnXFitd0LkJy684pIJAeX8TIKtbeJ8TjVflhYP0_brz_x8wlf7URs6Az8kcQLpT6NbZVqd15zI4aAUMq4jVh0EdVc/s320/IMG_4045.jpg" width="236" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The owner is a Japanese woman who has spent the past 20 years in Beijing, though she was stuck outside of China until recently due to Covid-19 lockdowns. She's the one wearing a yellow <a href="https://hanshintigers.jp/" target="_blank">Hanshin Tigers</a> 阪神タイガーズ jersey, and being followed around by a camera crew:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPe09GZphLlSddMEoRZCAPTc2ST6MyNqNDboyjtkzoq_73SRhR_85g-SW05zw37hp193pE_uOrQu0pHRY5SM9IqsCRQN63bEN6o3SJ3Dk0VXkJJ4lqZq8P4K8bm_7dh8lhwZcKKqsyy41-XIM3x_XfaIEQMeWvy34KF632x2a6qBxj3eEdLwPA8QiZZqg/s4032/IMG_4047.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPe09GZphLlSddMEoRZCAPTc2ST6MyNqNDboyjtkzoq_73SRhR_85g-SW05zw37hp193pE_uOrQu0pHRY5SM9IqsCRQN63bEN6o3SJ3Dk0VXkJJ4lqZq8P4K8bm_7dh8lhwZcKKqsyy41-XIM3x_XfaIEQMeWvy34KF632x2a6qBxj3eEdLwPA8QiZZqg/s320/IMG_4047.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caulerpa_lentillifera" target="_blank">Sea grapes</a> 海ぶどう:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizjdrElQ1s4dm82un9nQqisiPrxCVHz2dakPAdU3jEoHf_3Xb3m66CvvIToJh5yLiFwKJGQRHYHiiK-D3mMoDWP-7_kilALkEauDmA9SyImQ94zHlYSZvh3Kr88pg0mANPAsJEBV0uaW-NoQHalfSSfLZSkCfj7jgAMGYhGy94MpOQWk1Ddkh2wgI2XsY/s3868/IMG_4048.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2222" data-original-width="3868" height="184" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizjdrElQ1s4dm82un9nQqisiPrxCVHz2dakPAdU3jEoHf_3Xb3m66CvvIToJh5yLiFwKJGQRHYHiiK-D3mMoDWP-7_kilALkEauDmA9SyImQ94zHlYSZvh3Kr88pg0mANPAsJEBV0uaW-NoQHalfSSfLZSkCfj7jgAMGYhGy94MpOQWk1Ddkh2wgI2XsY/s320/IMG_4048.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Takoyaki" target="_blank">Takoyaki</a> </i>たこ焼き:</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4BszKDpG5pzTKc-Wz02pZefg6xBxzeRTMzctwOOdWGwSW6fccKk2574xxx0dcUb3ItroNKioyB0IdQ13B7Cw-5hTfy8WMOg-kNK8gyftDTdnIJwrE60la9r3tHZHRbEmWGRypkhGi2KVEy7YyF_kHFu3d0S2sk4i5eeHICJeD_SWUP4YDrN0GhLxF_Qk/s4032/IMG_4050.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4BszKDpG5pzTKc-Wz02pZefg6xBxzeRTMzctwOOdWGwSW6fccKk2574xxx0dcUb3ItroNKioyB0IdQ13B7Cw-5hTfy8WMOg-kNK8gyftDTdnIJwrE60la9r3tHZHRbEmWGRypkhGi2KVEy7YyF_kHFu3d0S2sk4i5eeHICJeD_SWUP4YDrN0GhLxF_Qk/s320/IMG_4050.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kushikatsu" target="_blank">Kushikatsu</a> 串かつ:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjME-T9l4n_ER2N4upJUmRNE_hjNzlUArghG8dcS4W7ZjzMw8QqIJogE9Bvl2bedmxgY1ECjBZjPorNZTLWbFsfyHb0PCO320Kk8GZE55jFDivNgNb0LzzZLRgPGB0JLwtHaGrOeboOPDA-kO5Ok_EgGeVRrITY9iKSwvwYYRyLNyxZDNUZOksHcj-TKB8/s2889/IMG_4052.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2889" data-original-width="2871" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjME-T9l4n_ER2N4upJUmRNE_hjNzlUArghG8dcS4W7ZjzMw8QqIJogE9Bvl2bedmxgY1ECjBZjPorNZTLWbFsfyHb0PCO320Kk8GZE55jFDivNgNb0LzzZLRgPGB0JLwtHaGrOeboOPDA-kO5Ok_EgGeVRrITY9iKSwvwYYRyLNyxZDNUZOksHcj-TKB8/s320/IMG_4052.jpg" width="318" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Enjoying a Coke highball <a href="https://macaro-ni.jp/54212" target="_blank">コークハイ</a>:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIysVxx9dE9Uu42VWyB_os8YqyLpO0qabT7OMYvseCTSTmBIR3pgZf8vkbPmMztIe6aUaiBnyYToUa4_eRUiy6Cn9Xq4XA1I8Uon9JJAVT0K4MF7v-mXAju_SzIoXYM9TQUryBNIyZ8gP34tRVFcSor7Ip7jGYGonsyWcY7i0H-Ipf_pWrPGLN_FQWzWA/s4032/IMG_4057.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIysVxx9dE9Uu42VWyB_os8YqyLpO0qabT7OMYvseCTSTmBIR3pgZf8vkbPmMztIe6aUaiBnyYToUa4_eRUiy6Cn9Xq4XA1I8Uon9JJAVT0K4MF7v-mXAju_SzIoXYM9TQUryBNIyZ8gP34tRVFcSor7Ip7jGYGonsyWcY7i0H-Ipf_pWrPGLN_FQWzWA/s320/IMG_4057.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div><a href="https://www.justonecookbook.com/goya-champuru/" target="_blank">Gōya Champurū</a> ゴーヤチャンプルー, a stir fry dish made with Okinawan bitter melon:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8Gtw40-W6UmOXhJQxXNUVVcZeh-6BcRSQah0pHxTmsC5grMoW9MewCdiajnf6BFaXvckC87BU2clpE7v3J05vT_1W9qOemM62zyDvQvfGJBfAaX0D6HFhqOWkwD9sTp4w4RxDchR9gWI3Pa8HNDySmM92FI1BSq_C7h1HjoUTubKdZbwc14KNqN3C6ps/s3024/IMG_4058.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2974" data-original-width="3024" height="315" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8Gtw40-W6UmOXhJQxXNUVVcZeh-6BcRSQah0pHxTmsC5grMoW9MewCdiajnf6BFaXvckC87BU2clpE7v3J05vT_1W9qOemM62zyDvQvfGJBfAaX0D6HFhqOWkwD9sTp4w4RxDchR9gWI3Pa8HNDySmM92FI1BSq_C7h1HjoUTubKdZbwc14KNqN3C6ps/s320/IMG_4058.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><a href="https://www.monde-selection.com/product/awamori-kura-2/" target="_blank">Kura くら</a> Awamori 泡盛, <i>aka</i> Okinawan fire water:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCF0hj1Q6YSmp-0Mz6UTXuuunB2zGF8j4tMSliByIG_rMfWRmboDHYLJmhymOhVU6-BiRCXk4tfVwO4lGYxpW7_wUV7GHZKaDKJBbRR2mcI5Ffptc0_VjsI5xinxX-X0nAlLa319ZXIvf1vdF6c_Nu3V8aE0YdQsZg65AZgIsl60LcqA2DygAXp_eO7dg/s4032/IMG_4061.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCF0hj1Q6YSmp-0Mz6UTXuuunB2zGF8j4tMSliByIG_rMfWRmboDHYLJmhymOhVU6-BiRCXk4tfVwO4lGYxpW7_wUV7GHZKaDKJBbRR2mcI5Ffptc0_VjsI5xinxX-X0nAlLa319ZXIvf1vdF6c_Nu3V8aE0YdQsZg65AZgIsl60LcqA2DygAXp_eO7dg/s320/IMG_4061.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrIPPXVB-fciYRDOqFzDRJaZBGLZBQe867ePIre46HzDdL9bAJGtDZOOv3lfbGXSi644BBxYgJ3t0fsg66c44_mA8lZK3nn2apGqpn-j30oFcVmDQ9OMI6otm0tz3zYWaal8xrKeOwV4yAZJrgrx2gMdq95fD6j85shWV8rbOc1HnkL4Z9UbVnnMIPnFU/s3925/IMG_4065.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3925" data-original-width="2502" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrIPPXVB-fciYRDOqFzDRJaZBGLZBQe867ePIre46HzDdL9bAJGtDZOOv3lfbGXSi644BBxYgJ3t0fsg66c44_mA8lZK3nn2apGqpn-j30oFcVmDQ9OMI6otm0tz3zYWaal8xrKeOwV4yAZJrgrx2gMdq95fD6j85shWV8rbOc1HnkL4Z9UbVnnMIPnFU/s320/IMG_4065.jpg" width="204" /></a></div><div><br /></div>If you've detected a particular theme, there was an Okinawan festival going on that evening, with entertainment provided by a musician named KEISUKE, who addressed the patrons in both Japanese and Mandarin, while singing several songs in the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Okinawan_language" target="_blank">Okinawa dialect</a>:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhfS9ZZA6rxOTIQ2nnWvQNoKOpo1EOKmhktkym5JDWJ4upO37RqBJghsrtJt3nNa0f3ybIvEAcTuSi0Cj17C2J7TbzEddp3eQoN6dSPPdTnUTMB5Pv5ko8u1X2-d3qN0nJfnYev6Gy8X0bm4Is_tGHb2VmZbLGA0K07KtcA4bGSn-fAkMhKyNvpty-2Do/s2816/IMG_4049.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2816" data-original-width="2012" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhfS9ZZA6rxOTIQ2nnWvQNoKOpo1EOKmhktkym5JDWJ4upO37RqBJghsrtJt3nNa0f3ybIvEAcTuSi0Cj17C2J7TbzEddp3eQoN6dSPPdTnUTMB5Pv5ko8u1X2-d3qN0nJfnYev6Gy8X0bm4Is_tGHb2VmZbLGA0K07KtcA4bGSn-fAkMhKyNvpty-2Do/s320/IMG_4049.jpg" width="229" /></a></div><br /><div>I actually recognized most of the songs he did, like <i>Ashibinā 遊び庭:</i></div><div><div><br /></div></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzlTElb-r9n_GkPjIfKZwBXiLcDiApTw5rOgrpNZwMisgSZATbBW_SuipB3AN3gmEMT7yGJPRCz_0p7zZ3CNw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br /><div>The original by Shuken Maekawa 前川守賢:</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/nf3Zh245Er0" width="320" youtube-src-id="nf3Zh245Er0"></iframe></div><div><br /></div><div><i><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shima_Uta_(The_Boom_song)" target="_blank">Shima Uta</a> </i>島唄, one of the most beautiful songs in the Japanese language:</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/D6ndEFXt7Ps" width="320" youtube-src-id="D6ndEFXt7Ps"></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>The original by <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Boom" target="_blank">The Boom</a>, who actually hail from Yamanashi Prefecture 山梨県:</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/jIBS2wHx0pc" width="320" youtube-src-id="jIBS2wHx0pc"></iframe></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>The final song of the evening had to be <i>Haisai Ojisan ハイサイおじさん</i>:</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Qp2uxAjfz_o" width="320" youtube-src-id="Qp2uxAjfz_o"></iframe></div><br /><div>The original by <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shoukichi_Kina" target="_blank">Shoukichi Kina</a> 喜納昌吉:</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/7THMf7GdhQE" width="320" youtube-src-id="7THMf7GdhQE"></iframe></div><br /><div>We were given a goodie bag for attending the festivities:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-VIYvZzmchTyzayJar9e6kat1AP_KeD-r4gW3WzCZYitW0T5Pqur19tQu774Hxnp2WT3JZz0CY1khj7Gv5SSYT7DnGObPTJuJ2Mzz6sPfqmqCwn5GrIqPK-XyfVADBhmYspUvuOTsMPxz1E_9RuGE8POQuDBqSsbi9DYBQsdSx-fyWDEGH_La7jUXNpM/s4032/IMG_4070.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-VIYvZzmchTyzayJar9e6kat1AP_KeD-r4gW3WzCZYitW0T5Pqur19tQu774Hxnp2WT3JZz0CY1khj7Gv5SSYT7DnGObPTJuJ2Mzz6sPfqmqCwn5GrIqPK-XyfVADBhmYspUvuOTsMPxz1E_9RuGE8POQuDBqSsbi9DYBQsdSx-fyWDEGH_La7jUXNpM/s320/IMG_4070.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>My wife was surprised by the cover of a local magazine aimed at Japanese expats. I wasn't:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBhHyZx950M5HUOqKdg3DpinYARy5_HrlyfOx29NVNuylVF_xM3vOfg4PmuJ510lYcND_AJ8VFB3alvdzl8FbEDPnNbL5b6V4UoXR_hP28IxQxUYNU3Ioy_IzKv-sOk7VIYTKEZ9GSsRYJ296-Jyr7eNCtcFcLyviiFYrvVHnzu76E5uvjK3eg64dXYug/s4032/IMG_4071.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBhHyZx950M5HUOqKdg3DpinYARy5_HrlyfOx29NVNuylVF_xM3vOfg4PmuJ510lYcND_AJ8VFB3alvdzl8FbEDPnNbL5b6V4UoXR_hP28IxQxUYNU3Ioy_IzKv-sOk7VIYTKEZ9GSsRYJ296-Jyr7eNCtcFcLyviiFYrvVHnzu76E5uvjK3eg64dXYug/s320/IMG_4071.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Unfortunately, that was the weekend I came down with the flu, which meant I couldn't go with the girls to the <a href="https://www.chncpa.org/" target="_blank">National Center for the Performing Arts</a> 国家大剧院 on Sunday evening:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaOl4ccoXHUd032uk-tXDWy9agEUdvSxU9sYO6cbLLeddR_mk6L2gzWAKJj5N3k1Uy8MZ9JXeAnmEfB0zxGWgMF8f19NxWDK3e07WwAUw1e8I2hQoa4J3VICqjL3glPa8WF_bauQb4wBxk31ZUhmozhynAppxSCJl2OTejV-xx0TU7UObjPKefRvGKpTw/s1702/bef4506392a705d7903d16114b3589e7.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1006" data-original-width="1702" height="189" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaOl4ccoXHUd032uk-tXDWy9agEUdvSxU9sYO6cbLLeddR_mk6L2gzWAKJj5N3k1Uy8MZ9JXeAnmEfB0zxGWgMF8f19NxWDK3e07WwAUw1e8I2hQoa4J3VICqjL3glPa8WF_bauQb4wBxk31ZUhmozhynAppxSCJl2OTejV-xx0TU7UObjPKefRvGKpTw/s320/bef4506392a705d7903d16114b3589e7.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDYPuJNjFs9W0tRJwodz2J2x6xCcVRtYXhiqfgWnOzixc1NHAGHMNG6lQC0iBbpI6nQ0OU0kIKqyAn5z1ST1cz9xCtlUjOEp8N78tq9eVlbCvUkOlZOL1qWSe0_OYpRdgl9bSrpMoZf3gMZvoaCNU9d12nBWwP99l99SfC-KsTi46z2wl3xI9AAuQwqpw/s1702/19a17e83297c7b38071c94c378979f3f.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1702" data-original-width="1276" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDYPuJNjFs9W0tRJwodz2J2x6xCcVRtYXhiqfgWnOzixc1NHAGHMNG6lQC0iBbpI6nQ0OU0kIKqyAn5z1ST1cz9xCtlUjOEp8N78tq9eVlbCvUkOlZOL1qWSe0_OYpRdgl9bSrpMoZf3gMZvoaCNU9d12nBWwP99l99SfC-KsTi46z2wl3xI9AAuQwqpw/s320/19a17e83297c7b38071c94c378979f3f.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBnguIEsoAGYv-bgR1UJ0jfOQeMDklED93slV0fdo6bl6J3BSI7AxVkqTpCHRAlVBIjSp-cfMSzt7warnJs6ITlQrw3YOpXDX7axaXQGuBATs5Qr93m_xnqDjLUHvyk44aDkd855I29D-86jSbMp7oTX8nRrpwg6k9t4maYDhHvg-gw-PYyjgJGrXpmRo/s1702/8ce57c85faa55da32d83b568961309d7.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1702" data-original-width="1276" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBnguIEsoAGYv-bgR1UJ0jfOQeMDklED93slV0fdo6bl6J3BSI7AxVkqTpCHRAlVBIjSp-cfMSzt7warnJs6ITlQrw3YOpXDX7axaXQGuBATs5Qr93m_xnqDjLUHvyk44aDkd855I29D-86jSbMp7oTX8nRrpwg6k9t4maYDhHvg-gw-PYyjgJGrXpmRo/s320/8ce57c85faa55da32d83b568961309d7.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSjUvidcfrq0T1o1dCFQHPIqRukz-nKF_o020HZl_ik_2aavwGqy2ZVKneMxKkhF-6aaArJSLbpLS3PFc7-rd_eV_7hqdPr5p4pxOc3X9hy_wgM-LneZQdewY8WFLpaJ9q6qyErZIIE1M5wkjpYPALO2wpkbMF1IibbOFGVvxtLj3-2lykgJUdYRNX2dM/s1702/d5027079cbf6beda793b025428e68966.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1276" data-original-width="1702" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSjUvidcfrq0T1o1dCFQHPIqRukz-nKF_o020HZl_ik_2aavwGqy2ZVKneMxKkhF-6aaArJSLbpLS3PFc7-rd_eV_7hqdPr5p4pxOc3X9hy_wgM-LneZQdewY8WFLpaJ9q6qyErZIIE1M5wkjpYPALO2wpkbMF1IibbOFGVvxtLj3-2lykgJUdYRNX2dM/s320/d5027079cbf6beda793b025428e68966.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU0neut_o8D9kM32DkkpdKLVD4b2JKJpFY8_XKwsKLtZE0ugAb4u7KHO3aiuypxssefFcmh6yFWlb6Y4DMQLDKbpMVQ8SMLzpdz1v89VD_1Vsx2CkN9Pfxh23nBgVc2jatnunU3ZLTMEXHah3x8NbiBfDWsDJLzLlwjeKjPDGTOMaU3tMPW21THBNbtRs/s1702/742347f8f820733e8b9d9b5bfea506f7.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1276" data-original-width="1702" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU0neut_o8D9kM32DkkpdKLVD4b2JKJpFY8_XKwsKLtZE0ugAb4u7KHO3aiuypxssefFcmh6yFWlb6Y4DMQLDKbpMVQ8SMLzpdz1v89VD_1Vsx2CkN9Pfxh23nBgVc2jatnunU3ZLTMEXHah3x8NbiBfDWsDJLzLlwjeKjPDGTOMaU3tMPW21THBNbtRs/s320/742347f8f820733e8b9d9b5bfea506f7.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>What made this particularly bitterly disappointing was that I couldn't see Taiwan's premier modern dance troupe, <a href="https://www.cloudgate.org.tw/en" target="_blank">Cloud Gate Dance Theater</a>, in action: </div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM3RzmH43G07Vh46V29-K8JikbJxL4enHc9mdYas-Hfa34nduyw42zYm9rUYiTuh9L06WWjzKsMa-Lp44p0bJbpy2PMgiFxmmaJzX04k89Qhn3s9ZMl5Du9gudEcjNCqdAHIbYQL4i6xQjIudWPeP8Kh6Vys455BsN3YecbWfv3iU1eUt_CLrjfy5ODwM/s1702/8eca9e2a95fcea0aa3e8b51a5db75a68.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1276" data-original-width="1702" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM3RzmH43G07Vh46V29-K8JikbJxL4enHc9mdYas-Hfa34nduyw42zYm9rUYiTuh9L06WWjzKsMa-Lp44p0bJbpy2PMgiFxmmaJzX04k89Qhn3s9ZMl5Du9gudEcjNCqdAHIbYQL4i6xQjIudWPeP8Kh6Vys455BsN3YecbWfv3iU1eUt_CLrjfy5ODwM/s320/8eca9e2a95fcea0aa3e8b51a5db75a68.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The girls went to the show and all I got was this stupid program:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlUeqlYyeJ4c4d5jWwr-ojPMc1bafZeVcVu8tutibqDgxm8QRMna_KTK_tzGZMuXt-KvOyty-perZT6CNJ1cPIFQST4FQZGlvhe1K3FxoQG9FRmQVXW2xssipmZLIAacX8x-KK3ATHlllhBq1wTf89lQmn97YJC-7CCje-5GZN4dqxqSca9RD3JIXcf-c/s3743/IMG_4083.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3743" data-original-width="2678" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlUeqlYyeJ4c4d5jWwr-ojPMc1bafZeVcVu8tutibqDgxm8QRMna_KTK_tzGZMuXt-KvOyty-perZT6CNJ1cPIFQST4FQZGlvhe1K3FxoQG9FRmQVXW2xssipmZLIAacX8x-KK3ATHlllhBq1wTf89lQmn97YJC-7CCje-5GZN4dqxqSca9RD3JIXcf-c/s320/IMG_4083.jpg" width="229" /></a></div><div><br /></div><a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/china/snowfall-shrouds-north-china-prelude-even-colder-weather-2023-12-11/#:~:text=Beijing%20typically%20sees%20its%20first,(minus%204%C2%B0F)." target="_blank">Monday's weather</a> saw a rare snowfall hit China's capital. According to a measurement I made with a ruler, up to 10 cm/4 inches eventually accumulated on the roof of our car. As the temperatures have yet to rise above the freezing point, most of the snow hasn't gone anywhere: </div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi__P3I0VloGzcxMOOiCFNpZKUZprl6vdgc94l7W2PhXrF5LL2gyjz1fJ4F0CEaOIhj_ilzxWxQGdr7bWAN1xQeTUHB3xTZU2ZM7yARMlwh2YUilFpid2zvWs-XpOWrIJkMPpNtwGrbY7kL7OpSNvx3dPGeJpz1TWXUOERJ-xZdq3Qt24hfUYth3Vdttl0/s4032/IMG_4072.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi__P3I0VloGzcxMOOiCFNpZKUZprl6vdgc94l7W2PhXrF5LL2gyjz1fJ4F0CEaOIhj_ilzxWxQGdr7bWAN1xQeTUHB3xTZU2ZM7yARMlwh2YUilFpid2zvWs-XpOWrIJkMPpNtwGrbY7kL7OpSNvx3dPGeJpz1TWXUOERJ-xZdq3Qt24hfUYth3Vdttl0/s320/IMG_4072.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>How things looked on Wednesday last week, following a second dusting: </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAEMdUAi0ejU4_IEp2rNvOgDUJE83a9KdF80vDW6fAyW2PiqQSysS_4hAt9Bw-ilKQnvDKDJeWmKaDKU7gTpm2OPMw4u2tx7T3SIqSTAGJLk48dsa6hDjPiKfrbWV9FW1XgsMq1fxoLQvbEE6W-hL1i0Wmr-A4WhHYqQUm8-G9B4-4fMnqnAPXi4C3ovA/s4032/IMG_4087.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAEMdUAi0ejU4_IEp2rNvOgDUJE83a9KdF80vDW6fAyW2PiqQSysS_4hAt9Bw-ilKQnvDKDJeWmKaDKU7gTpm2OPMw4u2tx7T3SIqSTAGJLk48dsa6hDjPiKfrbWV9FW1XgsMq1fxoLQvbEE6W-hL1i0Wmr-A4WhHYqQUm8-G9B4-4fMnqnAPXi4C3ovA/s320/IMG_4087.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP6f6rBfLGSV7nVLlKLIpfhC4Q2WuPgaP7Fw2wjqtRe2cD9Kefq7MmoTxU1k8pAw5JCZtNjeDfSha2VSWH0cKPTDBy_4WjLnH3luUTDGtMc5ORcApxgOc3dPRi9M0xNo3VWL-leLJoBlOF3EWaiEJtAlGk_08lnCWba473F0yBHLE7dBfqGy6c9MJ3a9w/s4032/IMG_4088.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP6f6rBfLGSV7nVLlKLIpfhC4Q2WuPgaP7Fw2wjqtRe2cD9Kefq7MmoTxU1k8pAw5JCZtNjeDfSha2VSWH0cKPTDBy_4WjLnH3luUTDGtMc5ORcApxgOc3dPRi9M0xNo3VWL-leLJoBlOF3EWaiEJtAlGk_08lnCWba473F0yBHLE7dBfqGy6c9MJ3a9w/s320/IMG_4088.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyBf2csHOxJBPS-yOmBFlR6blcB5jLRTvtEICKjGohrXBpHK5iQ3DCSB0ynzrwYOpmUBfmNjopga8DczkXcHlWekKdKEvuDEx80MolcgjO5iM0qyUd_0odTadafXoE0MYEESo8CFWJAgmXAYnZ6kH7FMSjaesIb7CG_Cmlmc7FmnVOx1MbB2winkpJj70/s4032/IMG_4089.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyBf2csHOxJBPS-yOmBFlR6blcB5jLRTvtEICKjGohrXBpHK5iQ3DCSB0ynzrwYOpmUBfmNjopga8DczkXcHlWekKdKEvuDEx80MolcgjO5iM0qyUd_0odTadafXoE0MYEESo8CFWJAgmXAYnZ6kH7FMSjaesIb7CG_Cmlmc7FmnVOx1MbB2winkpJj70/s320/IMG_4089.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB99HsDGLjd2u9fCGz_O6xi75BJnZetiurcLZ9fAlz4YYcOT9OyOcCW2VlkZxVmNU1rOZfv7wf4tNuB0ly6ib_-_oy17a56afmuMoEwLArHtZxj5y5mRLALXxOz68RNKjSVg0qACbeI26jqsPAS139kEAQf7A4SSN7Varf0K1TE794M4NehJGwkxUxqIo/s4032/IMG_4092.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB99HsDGLjd2u9fCGz_O6xi75BJnZetiurcLZ9fAlz4YYcOT9OyOcCW2VlkZxVmNU1rOZfv7wf4tNuB0ly6ib_-_oy17a56afmuMoEwLArHtZxj5y5mRLALXxOz68RNKjSVg0qACbeI26jqsPAS139kEAQf7A4SSN7Varf0K1TE794M4NehJGwkxUxqIo/s320/IMG_4092.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG5uWCrRux01AB97SOU-UI7AsmstaxA3o72hOKW4bNL6xPltIM7obtV8iFLutaY9uY131nBEoK9SaL8IJ4FT1kv7g00cv7WR-SdyuxQyofv0E1NWgnL2rXHswzA2V_IKWeHtf6Z8mBV2eglgO-Hv5dXzZ57ABVbSulRaW-bVTf9LpdBV7Wh1FCI6hyphenhyphencSE/s4032/IMG_4093.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG5uWCrRux01AB97SOU-UI7AsmstaxA3o72hOKW4bNL6xPltIM7obtV8iFLutaY9uY131nBEoK9SaL8IJ4FT1kv7g00cv7WR-SdyuxQyofv0E1NWgnL2rXHswzA2V_IKWeHtf6Z8mBV2eglgO-Hv5dXzZ57ABVbSulRaW-bVTf9LpdBV7Wh1FCI6hyphenhyphencSE/s320/IMG_4093.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzq-Q8zZbSO97GUl7cwavYg5zg2A6_381YyXs8vffNGp5ALrt0CFYNjivksLXiLPOMDeP-dU7L84EbVkGOEb8j11NYtPksXdb7IB6a7P6s-IdISDiqRrsWfgniOsraP1F3lZimjSqFsTX3BJBNyCHBUjo8HbVqw8JeLGMzVVbjOnblW9ngY5MmDSkIvI8/s4032/IMG_4095.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2715" data-original-width="4032" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzq-Q8zZbSO97GUl7cwavYg5zg2A6_381YyXs8vffNGp5ALrt0CFYNjivksLXiLPOMDeP-dU7L84EbVkGOEb8j11NYtPksXdb7IB6a7P6s-IdISDiqRrsWfgniOsraP1F3lZimjSqFsTX3BJBNyCHBUjo8HbVqw8JeLGMzVVbjOnblW9ngY5MmDSkIvI8/s320/IMG_4095.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>And the scene last Thursday, when the powers that be decided it was bad enough that students had to stay home that day and study online. To be fair, it wasn't the volume that had the authorities concerned, but the effect it would have on traffic during the next day's commute: </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhynWKgbjQ8BUarrqFHaCEDbTmVpG_6BhHWoNiomj_HmPDNqE60GpJkKOSlZ37d7ieyQij5ghsFgxIAPaHtJGembIEMqxBRWaXJddEBCr-ahnda8XHNVSDr1HELXJLw0oRYABAQv_dJr-z4BeFdL8FqtfPmaIdWgTvu_F8Igk2RMWdkclhx60M5YTkyiaE/s4032/IMG_4096.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhynWKgbjQ8BUarrqFHaCEDbTmVpG_6BhHWoNiomj_HmPDNqE60GpJkKOSlZ37d7ieyQij5ghsFgxIAPaHtJGembIEMqxBRWaXJddEBCr-ahnda8XHNVSDr1HELXJLw0oRYABAQv_dJr-z4BeFdL8FqtfPmaIdWgTvu_F8Igk2RMWdkclhx60M5YTkyiaE/s320/IMG_4096.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAzzttUBQ83jvaJQVrx_xFZZZbLpB6B4KuBY7JHty1ZTxHiy0M-1i8IAXD3POckTw96F7ek3wIELvYgcuDQc5HNTNGSRm-r-EQJQP9AWK5SFIYUueQDCa3lLBw_ICLIGE7YKmEl80j116uf7gAFP4t-5i3s0GUkfWFlOrLoPLO7EYL_4th-_5HpA2pvno/s4032/IMG_4097.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAzzttUBQ83jvaJQVrx_xFZZZbLpB6B4KuBY7JHty1ZTxHiy0M-1i8IAXD3POckTw96F7ek3wIELvYgcuDQc5HNTNGSRm-r-EQJQP9AWK5SFIYUueQDCa3lLBw_ICLIGE7YKmEl80j116uf7gAFP4t-5i3s0GUkfWFlOrLoPLO7EYL_4th-_5HpA2pvno/s320/IMG_4097.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Timi didn't care much for the wintry conditions:<div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn-6Syhn0fFSGD1SAnBuGMjmsXghehxefCNhkdaZZnehfY__7xXShuvuwFgwlYhrgKMniynH6ZmcENfkPfLNbxpmoyZwPfWjeVKIOtJ-CDmiAnmToaR6lzOkhUmxaCCDRxYIwi3m3C51tAFIsoGPDK_SGD9twfIfZ188FOnkSxNswKsEKlrFkV6kQPf6A/s3977/IMG_4103.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3977" data-original-width="2983" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn-6Syhn0fFSGD1SAnBuGMjmsXghehxefCNhkdaZZnehfY__7xXShuvuwFgwlYhrgKMniynH6ZmcENfkPfLNbxpmoyZwPfWjeVKIOtJ-CDmiAnmToaR6lzOkhUmxaCCDRxYIwi3m3C51tAFIsoGPDK_SGD9twfIfZ188FOnkSxNswKsEKlrFkV6kQPf6A/s320/IMG_4103.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHzrHdygtTtPHNfniQxbktI0g9e4NxMQEt7Rjkytw9Chex362tuOelCHgC76sLgnpBIFIILFs8jsKnzBLKrp1R4PFJ-oj5PR_GdCBxB7RmcA3B8_bg73CXEG8WlfvlXAMbxOezpcyVzV-4j3yp9Jdn7kqGcu4JlQ2yuqWlnPC5dyq5RnYrXXmusybhLso/s4032/IMG_4105.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHzrHdygtTtPHNfniQxbktI0g9e4NxMQEt7Rjkytw9Chex362tuOelCHgC76sLgnpBIFIILFs8jsKnzBLKrp1R4PFJ-oj5PR_GdCBxB7RmcA3B8_bg73CXEG8WlfvlXAMbxOezpcyVzV-4j3yp9Jdn7kqGcu4JlQ2yuqWlnPC5dyq5RnYrXXmusybhLso/s320/IMG_4105.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div>Apparently the situation was serious enough to result in a <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-67724238?fbclid=IwAR0XKSAYcbdc9tJa3WwLwfYwqSBCCEZxritkvYH3W5c1hN6mU8wYODiOzmg" target="_blank">subway crash Thursday evening</a>. Cold or no, we did go out on Saturday for lunch at an establishment called <i>Maixiang </i>麦香 "Fragrance of Wheat", specializing in soup dumplings and braised noodles:</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd_lBfXUpie-Iew8VGqR2HMj5RDOclqWnpsK7GU2UGtdZF0rAqYzdim5ZbMQDnpdiDxi2WO796ZYFDkoreEY8AihPl-6CcF0VTiC4J6Lh7jqv7V0_277FyL7TzOote9DjY-Yzr-EP2HV2HbaW2nj1x5TdxCT4SUXDsWZIvU87HKRo5Dk5oKxJRvOSm2i8/s2048/410255934_10159274812536364_7798989058826765835_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd_lBfXUpie-Iew8VGqR2HMj5RDOclqWnpsK7GU2UGtdZF0rAqYzdim5ZbMQDnpdiDxi2WO796ZYFDkoreEY8AihPl-6CcF0VTiC4J6Lh7jqv7V0_277FyL7TzOote9DjY-Yzr-EP2HV2HbaW2nj1x5TdxCT4SUXDsWZIvU87HKRo5Dk5oKxJRvOSm2i8/s320/410255934_10159274812536364_7798989058826765835_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6u6Hkmznr5CDmrXr0dpQ7QjsEeefhbmwXau5r4BnDyNl_Vf15kEdnLIW6FoTdaKUlPxcTDOB_uaIDl7d302FCyfVwghN4dqGhs0uYkK5WsVaCSq2_Tb6h4-6Gsl4_RmoRHbcHHhglSjOdFwmesYaGN9Foa8o6EqRG-QLBNafUeXMTb-0a-Rj-gy_p4UQ/s3305/IMG_4108.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3305" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6u6Hkmznr5CDmrXr0dpQ7QjsEeefhbmwXau5r4BnDyNl_Vf15kEdnLIW6FoTdaKUlPxcTDOB_uaIDl7d302FCyfVwghN4dqGhs0uYkK5WsVaCSq2_Tb6h4-6Gsl4_RmoRHbcHHhglSjOdFwmesYaGN9Foa8o6EqRG-QLBNafUeXMTb-0a-Rj-gy_p4UQ/s320/IMG_4108.jpg" width="293" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Lemon soda:<div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipYe5T83PxpQQPR18JYkWfBPGOFc4h9Hjuvz1rjpAdh4RnfX0eAGQTW1CHQjPFvsQ9bXAN1RbIxpENiSxE9ZPGAH8cPcaU7F7dtfp-JDIi-TzfEhDJxeNpmoEdMkBmcUlfXYQFAWVlHmc8iwuPDKcq92l1DKA2ZublozRzfVwY17ZpSel0OZCD7Gn_liQ/s3981/IMG_4106.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3981" data-original-width="2355" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipYe5T83PxpQQPR18JYkWfBPGOFc4h9Hjuvz1rjpAdh4RnfX0eAGQTW1CHQjPFvsQ9bXAN1RbIxpENiSxE9ZPGAH8cPcaU7F7dtfp-JDIi-TzfEhDJxeNpmoEdMkBmcUlfXYQFAWVlHmc8iwuPDKcq92l1DKA2ZublozRzfVwY17ZpSel0OZCD7Gn_liQ/s320/IMG_4106.jpg" width="189" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcuRJus9a76bti24Jm_XlctsPNrxUr-a0OTCi9RUWacKZrvlbWU71TDsSk_U4smeJ1hP6TrnmCE25U01YYpPOzRMh13VQK2EGIRuXvhZOz93mu926gZJI0EIgWpxtYmLoP68WVEiY8zmyWrLvTheStzLFzhSG47xR5k4UXya_pP28wA86NNAQ9zCgwi58/s4032/IMG_4109.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1962" data-original-width="4032" height="156" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcuRJus9a76bti24Jm_XlctsPNrxUr-a0OTCi9RUWacKZrvlbWU71TDsSk_U4smeJ1hP6TrnmCE25U01YYpPOzRMh13VQK2EGIRuXvhZOz93mu926gZJI0EIgWpxtYmLoP68WVEiY8zmyWrLvTheStzLFzhSG47xR5k4UXya_pP28wA86NNAQ9zCgwi58/s320/IMG_4109.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>What happens when it's -9°C/16°F outside:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAMf8NrGgF_hiRtd1ZAyNow_RrjwtEf18ROD2ihf7MJ4_wWEn_8lk0ggrKpIk1xRfs63hTeuMFqMEu4CKiuBEH8DfOTBSjf3WIYm-QtNi-Ufnx36w9WX7nlh4Ya-YZeW5Npbx3DU3DPfcStmgCNoaBLNCE4MqsPXMjsCD9u8soXvVpRGJkylfDoFK1nGo/s2331/IMG_4111.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2331" data-original-width="2171" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAMf8NrGgF_hiRtd1ZAyNow_RrjwtEf18ROD2ihf7MJ4_wWEn_8lk0ggrKpIk1xRfs63hTeuMFqMEu4CKiuBEH8DfOTBSjf3WIYm-QtNi-Ufnx36w9WX7nlh4Ya-YZeW5Npbx3DU3DPfcStmgCNoaBLNCE4MqsPXMjsCD9u8soXvVpRGJkylfDoFK1nGo/s320/IMG_4111.jpg" width="298" /></a></div><div><br /></div>On Sunday things had warmed up to a balmy -6°C/21°F, so we headed outside again for lunch:</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwzLRr4iJywE2LxzUwnXOJQx4gdphmBR5B-zgheJjS8mcFY4nJ3UfWszr959_caoaugK85RHb8ICfeCsQvF4Ifw6QGjxJHmOmunbjYNj46PCM_WVa6i-PLevmhRJ78Bra3AT641C6ZCBsS0RAvlAN8gze1jMLs60sh2qj-rVyuWWp-BTRVBeOQjcaq8bg/s3646/IMG_4114.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="3646" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwzLRr4iJywE2LxzUwnXOJQx4gdphmBR5B-zgheJjS8mcFY4nJ3UfWszr959_caoaugK85RHb8ICfeCsQvF4Ifw6QGjxJHmOmunbjYNj46PCM_WVa6i-PLevmhRJ78Bra3AT641C6ZCBsS0RAvlAN8gze1jMLs60sh2qj-rVyuWWp-BTRVBeOQjcaq8bg/s320/IMG_4114.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><i>A-Gong A-Ma </i>阿公阿嬤, a Taiwanese establishment:<div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_xMtlqvonFYAqZyRo1qUAv68eEmrm7cA8VuCfRITtU6IfsraUheXWeoLZuM813sH1PkFiWnft8RABaHhTvHxtUXON_CspCMF0_dWSmwAcvKjKu5fyB6uOf-nBSWKGdTgwdW33LIgSqM4DxfbhtdHYDmv7gH9LjqRzzP1XdEOrPGQMKWxtn5c2EZA5Mmo/s3311/IMG_4116.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3311" data-original-width="2619" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_xMtlqvonFYAqZyRo1qUAv68eEmrm7cA8VuCfRITtU6IfsraUheXWeoLZuM813sH1PkFiWnft8RABaHhTvHxtUXON_CspCMF0_dWSmwAcvKjKu5fyB6uOf-nBSWKGdTgwdW33LIgSqM4DxfbhtdHYDmv7gH9LjqRzzP1XdEOrPGQMKWxtn5c2EZA5Mmo/s320/IMG_4116.jpg" width="253" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Wall murals to make the wife feel nostalgic for her childhood growing up in central Taiwan:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiFVlQHcCN2w49nt6-p4JrpWKawjwZRpff6HI13PFadXnGLZx-I6yBxIVFkl0kufNbE9xu23CLXwoeXa3afvqMPMY6BupuuHwOGpsi_MfE9YXPFCTDhO3jAz945T714FFpJdRKU842ytEabyrPmMIaYIePrWRJERAoA3xLLM6CLn4j1vesdSHyFs34kqk/s4032/IMG_4118.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiFVlQHcCN2w49nt6-p4JrpWKawjwZRpff6HI13PFadXnGLZx-I6yBxIVFkl0kufNbE9xu23CLXwoeXa3afvqMPMY6BupuuHwOGpsi_MfE9YXPFCTDhO3jAz945T714FFpJdRKU842ytEabyrPmMIaYIePrWRJERAoA3xLLM6CLn4j1vesdSHyFs34kqk/s320/IMG_4118.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Yuchi Milk Tea 鱼池奶茶, presumably named after <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yuchi,_Nantou" target="_blank">Yuchi Township</a> 魚池鄕 in Nantou County 南投縣?:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm0yKYej5I7hyD7PcUCFo_jsazhyphenhyphenLX1I66FQx_RiOXwwNv_nD1SN1Ne0Ee78QGYwkCh-o0FqXiMJW2-HAdyJ6KNynTYisXiRHFdXM571arZurVNYoeMho_8IrhmXAeTwo3NEZgMUHrFeY1Rxqo0eL01RWc7Ee43fcAHoC5b3-Avo8KNCWm6c4EzLe_BKw/s3980/IMG_4121.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3980" data-original-width="2985" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm0yKYej5I7hyD7PcUCFo_jsazhyphenhyphenLX1I66FQx_RiOXwwNv_nD1SN1Ne0Ee78QGYwkCh-o0FqXiMJW2-HAdyJ6KNynTYisXiRHFdXM571arZurVNYoeMho_8IrhmXAeTwo3NEZgMUHrFeY1Rxqo0eL01RWc7Ee43fcAHoC5b3-Avo8KNCWm6c4EzLe_BKw/s320/IMG_4121.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oyster_omelette" target="_blank">Oyster omelet</a> 蚵仔煎: </div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNg9HEoCL6MpYMsq7LQqE3jFxJoM9RquPpW01j317Kc3TAgyA4hKS9ZaAw10q4TNyMJf8TGoXx6ofhSyG7XjAnqnCxmjyaPebBxQzU142YaMVaiL1mSVjfROXtBKPMaHe5wJ13M4BbXEClllo_E3osVAZAVJI1WFMKYQfQTl8rVfK3zv5cqK4GgOKvwdM/s4032/IMG_4122.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNg9HEoCL6MpYMsq7LQqE3jFxJoM9RquPpW01j317Kc3TAgyA4hKS9ZaAw10q4TNyMJf8TGoXx6ofhSyG7XjAnqnCxmjyaPebBxQzU142YaMVaiL1mSVjfROXtBKPMaHe5wJ13M4BbXEClllo_E3osVAZAVJI1WFMKYQfQTl8rVfK3zv5cqK4GgOKvwdM/s320/IMG_4122.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Minced meat on rice 肉酱饭:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhloCSmQ7AWDfIhw8QPbXDF0BLz9sr9gJuKils2DLxOP0W1Ps655n5-k8rI3END0ZgXDwuoJ848-DoWGoMFHavVpfCmmsi_GCBMg2LWVOhgExi9YT4UlgiYGOA5UUieaUXx9vJN_E5FtHGwxEEWTMbWpxskXDawfTv5hpTLj8MKgw6D-u2ja0M5peIegPA/s4032/IMG_4124.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhloCSmQ7AWDfIhw8QPbXDF0BLz9sr9gJuKils2DLxOP0W1Ps655n5-k8rI3END0ZgXDwuoJ848-DoWGoMFHavVpfCmmsi_GCBMg2LWVOhgExi9YT4UlgiYGOA5UUieaUXx9vJN_E5FtHGwxEEWTMbWpxskXDawfTv5hpTLj8MKgw6D-u2ja0M5peIegPA/s320/IMG_4124.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXsD8EFcc6F3mR-iNZpGovdElYTv-afu2MBoy0hq0lDQlW79RTdqIzuMZ2kLktgFFhKxtXDwo2cbLYk1Hx1ZS3up8_rS_kqpkq-3JwQVGQUylDP8Jnqftt4LJCo3-2hb11BKpBiaF1xcmeZ7c8Fyucs_NqhkWTyHDVFisNIUFQ5b6Pp1tAFVg02KUMgXQ/s4032/IMG_4128.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXsD8EFcc6F3mR-iNZpGovdElYTv-afu2MBoy0hq0lDQlW79RTdqIzuMZ2kLktgFFhKxtXDwo2cbLYk1Hx1ZS3up8_rS_kqpkq-3JwQVGQUylDP8Jnqftt4LJCo3-2hb11BKpBiaF1xcmeZ7c8Fyucs_NqhkWTyHDVFisNIUFQ5b6Pp1tAFVg02KUMgXQ/s320/IMG_4128.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Eaves dropping:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1WZh2npk04vGtj3eUMVVi8L8ZB72-N6ram-ejJVvS0pjlQgnSauOe3CyHhnSfbgIGHxZ9Qr16mUDlMpyH0ujX6m7LC_NVpHfsAVphB00AxDF4ZWEQYUTkKeLfSbBBY9cz6LkUPzlk9mk7DWMRLg53EvvLOe3M02uT1M_OeHiUDRpBgCEYHrGV5NNn8vY/s3806/IMG_4129.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2428" data-original-width="3806" height="204" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1WZh2npk04vGtj3eUMVVi8L8ZB72-N6ram-ejJVvS0pjlQgnSauOe3CyHhnSfbgIGHxZ9Qr16mUDlMpyH0ujX6m7LC_NVpHfsAVphB00AxDF4ZWEQYUTkKeLfSbBBY9cz6LkUPzlk9mk7DWMRLg53EvvLOe3M02uT1M_OeHiUDRpBgCEYHrGV5NNn8vY/s320/IMG_4129.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div>Birdwatching in my daughter's bedroom:</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjolu_ksdGwRXPD0xSdkvjWOT5Z3e7AF6jABQ4MFB9p6CAssRrrz3Aq_zr8ozfubISuQeVW1ikSvpImv1zoUhZGYS1O7L7b2AP0lOqON107QFh8d-U7AeIM8S72X_My0dd2UYbReqoO3_8lrKhNbdXSamH_0N4mGFBZ2qF500KyNgrZNHomH7uqkegj5XU/s1707/dd969298cc09ef5268d1252700be67c5.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1707" data-original-width="1280" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjolu_ksdGwRXPD0xSdkvjWOT5Z3e7AF6jABQ4MFB9p6CAssRrrz3Aq_zr8ozfubISuQeVW1ikSvpImv1zoUhZGYS1O7L7b2AP0lOqON107QFh8d-U7AeIM8S72X_My0dd2UYbReqoO3_8lrKhNbdXSamH_0N4mGFBZ2qF500KyNgrZNHomH7uqkegj5XU/s320/dd969298cc09ef5268d1252700be67c5.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div>A couple of nights ago Shu-E went out for dinner with some friends, so Amber and I had our own meal outside at the SOLANA mall, then did some late Christmas shopping. <i>Wǒ shì māo </i>我是猫, the Chinese translation of the Japanese classic <i><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Am_a_Cat" target="_blank">I Am a Cat</a></i> 吾輩は猫である, by Natsume Sōseki 夏目漱石, in the display window of a bookshop:</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6f8q8k1c5UAQem8U1cgo3o0D7f7S6kVRAt8NXayd1aRScUk0Zk2hLdanOg7XKrLwpevJM7gEU17tRSo8iRgE9hbwcfSlNALiuNektW9Jh9oa34ERG0GtsXAIOcGig5zidBG3qy_pWZ22UmvFOhpIZ8ErvdHor0SOvpiWXe1kZiqfFwkKlLmRaIPHx9OY/s3621/IMG_4144.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3621" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6f8q8k1c5UAQem8U1cgo3o0D7f7S6kVRAt8NXayd1aRScUk0Zk2hLdanOg7XKrLwpevJM7gEU17tRSo8iRgE9hbwcfSlNALiuNektW9Jh9oa34ERG0GtsXAIOcGig5zidBG3qy_pWZ22UmvFOhpIZ8ErvdHor0SOvpiWXe1kZiqfFwkKlLmRaIPHx9OY/s320/IMG_4144.jpg" width="267" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Checking out an artwork by Chinese artist Zhang Ge 张戈:</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSPcS7ggC-nw8o0HXYxMZVN4M0eTgPa6US1EvXQL2aszW1jbh4-PAh3hy0Nxpo6n2dnwXxZwyXtOg1XNrYvK1gAtxkOsHRg2CwitkmxFFz8r_Wb1Vapf3CKkj4bZfUd-nXLLvikdfL4N3qqxPOXFJxV0Pp0uQE2Aj67QQJFyJZl0yux2Q_-kVNistpn7A/s4032/IMG_4149.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSPcS7ggC-nw8o0HXYxMZVN4M0eTgPa6US1EvXQL2aszW1jbh4-PAh3hy0Nxpo6n2dnwXxZwyXtOg1XNrYvK1gAtxkOsHRg2CwitkmxFFz8r_Wb1Vapf3CKkj4bZfUd-nXLLvikdfL4N3qqxPOXFJxV0Pp0uQE2Aj67QQJFyJZl0yux2Q_-kVNistpn7A/s320/IMG_4149.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMjnSgtongx_uqP0NDyaTLlphSZRL5xOv_Ia5p2a1nNsyNwqvHKKFogcO7Z3yZ0hi9PRlH6VfTAK792J2Vh_YYrSJf8SSS98ZtX4eEjz6QRg-PxVuLjswL3Rb4xxwTD1w1T9NTNgh1_Oom67f7o2bYfZg027SD6gkcCEYfkYGcmS6t-OKXARFEl06-XXM/s3344/IMG_4150.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3344" data-original-width="2352" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMjnSgtongx_uqP0NDyaTLlphSZRL5xOv_Ia5p2a1nNsyNwqvHKKFogcO7Z3yZ0hi9PRlH6VfTAK792J2Vh_YYrSJf8SSS98ZtX4eEjz6QRg-PxVuLjswL3Rb4xxwTD1w1T9NTNgh1_Oom67f7o2bYfZg027SD6gkcCEYfkYGcmS6t-OKXARFEl06-XXM/s320/IMG_4150.jpg" width="225" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Standing in the cold in front of the mall before retreating to the warmth of home:</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_BFrjxNw4QecX-TQWPdMbJ2l7s0dnqDdGs8qJbs3AgtYOxx43_kfVmp3oRheITRkqaNHtJMZuIevXD9nqoMLTCJgNxVa3txsf4f5a7ALh6AYof-zzbKZm0VgqMRQN5L8PNjXY74YDZmEt4Djndg-sVgEDy3tot9KwdsvQNQLfvp4fVdFe6d73bIb2mOI/s3526/IMG_4152.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3526" data-original-width="2812" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_BFrjxNw4QecX-TQWPdMbJ2l7s0dnqDdGs8qJbs3AgtYOxx43_kfVmp3oRheITRkqaNHtJMZuIevXD9nqoMLTCJgNxVa3txsf4f5a7ALh6AYof-zzbKZm0VgqMRQN5L8PNjXY74YDZmEt4Djndg-sVgEDy3tot9KwdsvQNQLfvp4fVdFe6d73bIb2mOI/s320/IMG_4152.jpg" width="255" /></a></div><div><br /></div>I'll finish off this post was a series of photos taken by my wife this afternoon (Thursday). For while I was in the office as usual, the girls spent a frigid afternoon at the <a href="https://intl.dpm.org.cn/index.html?l=en" target="_blank">Forbidden City</a> 紫禁城. There, they donned outfits resembling those worn by the aristocracy during the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qing_dynasty" target="_blank">Qing dynasty</a> 清朝 and had their photos taken as they walked around the complex. The more formal portraits will be sent to Shu-E later, but the shots below were taken by the girls and shared here via WeChat, courtesy of my wife:</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGHpVl2amBdoEmGR6GHnxm-wdIbD-96AcBRtcoz4tyIKoZlaMSX4WjmLSVngda-VoyVFuSSRFvF7oxdzVWx-HqUAozqUXWi51lRs4UWt31wZ4uhpLrBVeuV7LwfE3eQrQCzvyzzSHz_hqRXqj46wqOMpEDUphPxwGY66K0dsWcnroNA1OOwrv5QY685ds/s1706/0f070e5421d87b52b87a2e3e9c2dcf3f.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1706" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGHpVl2amBdoEmGR6GHnxm-wdIbD-96AcBRtcoz4tyIKoZlaMSX4WjmLSVngda-VoyVFuSSRFvF7oxdzVWx-HqUAozqUXWi51lRs4UWt31wZ4uhpLrBVeuV7LwfE3eQrQCzvyzzSHz_hqRXqj46wqOMpEDUphPxwGY66K0dsWcnroNA1OOwrv5QY685ds/s320/0f070e5421d87b52b87a2e3e9c2dcf3f.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI0IX4bXmRcM6Zsbeeo-jyXj9fw88liL2B1qV7esRr0fuMTqCDC8sVkmnIbUpIzlurQnKi3BvdmxVrBvY-dB5K97g0oLXT8tM_qnC62m3lpPgAPYLaop5-XJPoh4Ea2S3HWxL4IToJGAtHUTQ6-LE2Z_fR_NR7kbMzdR_Ap4XRL9ii56vbJgNEec7MK3w/s1632/03eee10da286aab9237cee5cd2230e15.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1632" data-original-width="1224" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI0IX4bXmRcM6Zsbeeo-jyXj9fw88liL2B1qV7esRr0fuMTqCDC8sVkmnIbUpIzlurQnKi3BvdmxVrBvY-dB5K97g0oLXT8tM_qnC62m3lpPgAPYLaop5-XJPoh4Ea2S3HWxL4IToJGAtHUTQ6-LE2Z_fR_NR7kbMzdR_Ap4XRL9ii56vbJgNEec7MK3w/s320/03eee10da286aab9237cee5cd2230e15.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhszqlqxrfbZzTQHb-DDmX-pA9H5yJmu7GhODTSN331rgJklNMdrOFFTiE9hvfSERq7ppC7scX-Sl-f6DW0m5J8wgv7JsXH6G4VwRDCvoxtyClH95ENH0E7ksu82-FcnMc_HiNOgWU5gA6UXyNiwgCLx5YbKh1Fi7MfnuWn5tVaM7Mg4rCWGQAi9eRqMlU/s1660/5bca3ae1484144f43501ef7b14b46f44.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; 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text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLFpAbr4oH_grqWzK78CW3NF_l_qCyLySKAO2xYKGuCRQQw1Wlv6tugIhrLjgCBqHeggjOLA-kI-BtTD9ax35xdElJeulCk-6nlURXIC3gdd4enQJ_MYy8ANtBwqO8RryMQ6JmQM74Xga1drIzMfDabi7O8InB9O70vPq_iTvXOgiaK69_wTGtgAqO-EU/s1711/e8c4416aff8678bd12838a8cea53b390.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1711" data-original-width="1280" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLFpAbr4oH_grqWzK78CW3NF_l_qCyLySKAO2xYKGuCRQQw1Wlv6tugIhrLjgCBqHeggjOLA-kI-BtTD9ax35xdElJeulCk-6nlURXIC3gdd4enQJ_MYy8ANtBwqO8RryMQ6JmQM74Xga1drIzMfDabi7O8InB9O70vPq_iTvXOgiaK69_wTGtgAqO-EU/s320/e8c4416aff8678bd12838a8cea53b390.JPG" width="239" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifr2f_gk98cISHIqsG8HF9y0CaGTlaZgsYjYXo_szWjHD1yZ_pOSRsniTWFrb9b1ejZVL_gWW-Ukgpj6CtsjDRVEmxq3RcoTIIaZL3D13JGge11c3-pXZAtGho4gQF8Ra0RcduSecXUNZXh6R1BklUPjvqXdQi-2qePPCEdzabttfQD2Fl88wXsf0kHsE/s1706/e96f01c9db2f69fa952cc382c118dc21.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1706" data-original-width="1280" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifr2f_gk98cISHIqsG8HF9y0CaGTlaZgsYjYXo_szWjHD1yZ_pOSRsniTWFrb9b1ejZVL_gWW-Ukgpj6CtsjDRVEmxq3RcoTIIaZL3D13JGge11c3-pXZAtGho4gQF8Ra0RcduSecXUNZXh6R1BklUPjvqXdQi-2qePPCEdzabttfQD2Fl88wXsf0kHsE/s320/e96f01c9db2f69fa952cc382c118dc21.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKi9JJiH1M5Mu1Herqk4s_KU55u07JGk00MIxIGUEodxqMeytgvDBLuyjDOt0mdpggmJPm_ZvVi2-4IzWm_dHd4v8HjRQJTHIuLmOuLfabEJu8CJeFJVPQ6w-6OYx4CaFaqqQg1yUW3SLGp9pmlPfc2xEysmxuSUYyi3q9HX8eZt4Rm4U_29S9bgug7O8/s1706/f2d3754e1299b682f6aefa889961789f.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1032" data-original-width="1706" height="194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKi9JJiH1M5Mu1Herqk4s_KU55u07JGk00MIxIGUEodxqMeytgvDBLuyjDOt0mdpggmJPm_ZvVi2-4IzWm_dHd4v8HjRQJTHIuLmOuLfabEJu8CJeFJVPQ6w-6OYx4CaFaqqQg1yUW3SLGp9pmlPfc2xEysmxuSUYyi3q9HX8eZt4Rm4U_29S9bgug7O8/s320/f2d3754e1299b682f6aefa889961789f.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhphCbGrwrVylEMtCGeHX0JFTY3R85bkPgIZE3lGewVeoH-jB-zOYATIclzr5_dEIuqyE16t3Drpx_41DZL4YmYYBZcdGKxExAiJZsVewSU4sWqq0OkZ4T4RMBu9rs2Yb3he0Y-1VJQFt7IViWjDQbJaZ2AdhB4aPNnJNIXTRe3KZLIa8U7aT3CGDdXpz8/s1706/f79bf92bb16ddf1d014516add07619bc.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1706" data-original-width="1280" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhphCbGrwrVylEMtCGeHX0JFTY3R85bkPgIZE3lGewVeoH-jB-zOYATIclzr5_dEIuqyE16t3Drpx_41DZL4YmYYBZcdGKxExAiJZsVewSU4sWqq0OkZ4T4RMBu9rs2Yb3he0Y-1VJQFt7IViWjDQbJaZ2AdhB4aPNnJNIXTRe3KZLIa8U7aT3CGDdXpz8/s320/f79bf92bb16ddf1d014516add07619bc.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div>This post will most likely be the last of this year, so I'll sign off by wishing you all the happiest of holiday seasons. See you in 2024! </div><div><br /></div><div><b>Some postscripts</b>: Friday the 22nd was the Winter Solstice, an occasion known in Mandarin as <i>dōngzhì</i> 冬至. To celebrate, following dinner Amber and I had bowls of <i>tāngyuán</i> 汤圆, boiled balls of glutinous rice flour. The cat, naturally, had to have a closer look:</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-dLOGwPs4SInufOYbOf6J-JouUgHVKNMM8jBxx631JMuoYvOUTcQDCAyjwbZfUkwCdYjYtqbyBYw1DgFlzR962Nqw8GLd10gfWJObnBLpQTcZRrKn7PE3KuX0Nrv1DVf-l_6USRZe4AxgTJypnx0JnaGHmVfQmJjX2roXKEtXOkfwmPzIyCLT1D4MLbs/s3283/IMG_4202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2909" data-original-width="3283" height="284" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-dLOGwPs4SInufOYbOf6J-JouUgHVKNMM8jBxx631JMuoYvOUTcQDCAyjwbZfUkwCdYjYtqbyBYw1DgFlzR962Nqw8GLd10gfWJObnBLpQTcZRrKn7PE3KuX0Nrv1DVf-l_6USRZe4AxgTJypnx0JnaGHmVfQmJjX2roXKEtXOkfwmPzIyCLT1D4MLbs/s320/IMG_4202.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirTdJRoYmS32klExd2h0njXeJM9HxVKxSNESakhyQ3NSL4kjlCGEMfwQa5KW11jkzvrnb9GJ6lhewRPKv0_Zr0tdt_ikyYYOJ0rmGYmIYdcak4L_w1lZdvJGcvNrNWWMJ0eFl84dGsx3_g_SqecMq2_FhbhRnZTjCWGjRv3NnnJxyvFr6Suncpaclq3N0/s3726/IMG_4204.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3726" data-original-width="2961" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirTdJRoYmS32klExd2h0njXeJM9HxVKxSNESakhyQ3NSL4kjlCGEMfwQa5KW11jkzvrnb9GJ6lhewRPKv0_Zr0tdt_ikyYYOJ0rmGYmIYdcak4L_w1lZdvJGcvNrNWWMJ0eFl84dGsx3_g_SqecMq2_FhbhRnZTjCWGjRv3NnnJxyvFr6Suncpaclq3N0/s320/IMG_4204.jpg" width="254" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Here's an article on the <a href="https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/5063740" target="_blank">dos and don'ts of <i>dongzhi</i></a>. </div><div><br /></div><div>On the eve of Christmas Eve the three of us had a buffet lunch at the Liangmahe Hotel 亮马河大厦:</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZd8e3NGpf8DitdxywxKF2mQP8PYwd2glrC75hIOgDS4iNdNxEdZ521k0lxriudFiVI32URWLAEggVXQy-vTo6df2Zf6p9Hm3VIsiWJS4KAfHzcfIv51h60oOi1A-E-ycP7h0ECyntRQOqY4Lz8IWzh6te4kHV8x3lBkX1zIzh10J2r21a5LvgCl3kO5c/s3925/IMG_4217.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2976" data-original-width="3925" height="243" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZd8e3NGpf8DitdxywxKF2mQP8PYwd2glrC75hIOgDS4iNdNxEdZ521k0lxriudFiVI32URWLAEggVXQy-vTo6df2Zf6p9Hm3VIsiWJS4KAfHzcfIv51h60oOi1A-E-ycP7h0ECyntRQOqY4Lz8IWzh6te4kHV8x3lBkX1zIzh10J2r21a5LvgCl3kO5c/s320/IMG_4217.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><a href="https://untappd.com/b/great-falls-brewing-company-tadpole/4277035" target="_blank">Tadpole</a> 蝌蚪啤酒, a local brew:<div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuAKb_shisgvUDWlRvbmzCIqmaglhMq-3RJQy4y4mnHFzvZGbkZbS0ZFPSl-Np7usm8HiUi2W9q5Y1zoBCXk5UNMK2fyWsBhmCNgBQ61F6FTS395RKKarIM8S9SMM0wN0DIXNpN2gM822XynvqSgVgVdmD1bxQ1FjHIWbNe1-go3z2oao-i64zL_dliWk/s4032/IMG_4219.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuAKb_shisgvUDWlRvbmzCIqmaglhMq-3RJQy4y4mnHFzvZGbkZbS0ZFPSl-Np7usm8HiUi2W9q5Y1zoBCXk5UNMK2fyWsBhmCNgBQ61F6FTS395RKKarIM8S9SMM0wN0DIXNpN2gM822XynvqSgVgVdmD1bxQ1FjHIWbNe1-go3z2oao-i64zL_dliWk/s320/IMG_4219.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwG-Z9aQWLCqocVtQxIj1uvUfPYstSV77O13RY9Ki9lrzx1E00xdSBM5h4vPeJGK8Th9Cd5As_U_q8Eh19SjHiZYxon5oUZYj98tceMvYane30vcBvPSxq5MPMU8REaIJ1X59gAXBADoOOCGpnH87to7Rov61FJsVMZlsCp60fX_Xq-BWuEabMwQWgW7A/s3782/IMG_4221.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3782" data-original-width="2640" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwG-Z9aQWLCqocVtQxIj1uvUfPYstSV77O13RY9Ki9lrzx1E00xdSBM5h4vPeJGK8Th9Cd5As_U_q8Eh19SjHiZYxon5oUZYj98tceMvYane30vcBvPSxq5MPMU8REaIJ1X59gAXBADoOOCGpnH87to7Rov61FJsVMZlsCp60fX_Xq-BWuEabMwQWgW7A/s320/IMG_4221.jpg" width="223" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-JOU5n6OsIpijYttLgmMVyxHm0zEkvwdft2-bALkMwBG6qtcPepKefov4vcSFzDphPwdQTQye3n6rBEHwenH8W9lJK2fBpZYKoM1HOYOX1D8Rkh9ZDBX3WD58YIL15RRSe4A95AX9Jp42gMgZcAqnIkhPl0y_TBcrid_s4F8vg7GzhV1EJC743kpmjw4/s2703/IMG_4222.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2081" data-original-width="2703" height="246" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-JOU5n6OsIpijYttLgmMVyxHm0zEkvwdft2-bALkMwBG6qtcPepKefov4vcSFzDphPwdQTQye3n6rBEHwenH8W9lJK2fBpZYKoM1HOYOX1D8Rkh9ZDBX3WD58YIL15RRSe4A95AX9Jp42gMgZcAqnIkhPl0y_TBcrid_s4F8vg7GzhV1EJC743kpmjw4/s320/IMG_4222.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Christmas Eve. The girl and I went out to a bookstore, stopping off first at a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sukiya_(restaurant_chain)" target="_blank">Sukiya</a> すき家 to have some lunch:</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV3dvY9PisFsbSdvsw7nBPK7BmYk9o0PgJwircoolnH27vy8o4elzZtMj0AbqF8biyu41pB1BSA2ge_j0qXfbpV5M6oXu6SS6tG4HkDMTlWfv1QcIMoxFUEuFq7d8VMyKnwE6HbnK_8_6AAFAA270jKP4qHhIj2HMSfsrtdcPko_CsQ-xKO0iQl0nX2RI/s3985/IMG_4223.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2312" data-original-width="3985" height="186" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV3dvY9PisFsbSdvsw7nBPK7BmYk9o0PgJwircoolnH27vy8o4elzZtMj0AbqF8biyu41pB1BSA2ge_j0qXfbpV5M6oXu6SS6tG4HkDMTlWfv1QcIMoxFUEuFq7d8VMyKnwE6HbnK_8_6AAFAA270jKP4qHhIj2HMSfsrtdcPko_CsQ-xKO0iQl0nX2RI/s320/IMG_4223.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Gone it seems are the days of large bookstores in Asia with sections catering to the expat market. The likes of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Books_Kinokuniya" target="_blank">Kinokuniya</a> 紀伊国屋 and <a href="https://www.maruzenjunkudo.co.jp/maruzen/top.html" target="_blank">Maruzen</a> 丸善 in Japan are still around, but their selections seem limited compared to the past when I was a regular customer, while the Beijing branch of the Foreign Language Bookstore appeared to be on the verge of shutting down when I visited more than a year ago. However, a recent Google search turned up several branches of the Singaporean chain <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Page_One_(bookstore)" target="_blank">Page One</a> still in business in this city, so Amber and I headed off in search of supposedly the best one, in the <a href="https://kaminoge.blogspot.com/2022/10/a-not-so-golden-week.html" target="_blank">Qianmen Street</a> 前门大街 district. At the very least this Page One was a good place for some cake and coffee:<div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqbtEOr8o_PDhaTVEQakCtLyYJe96irpYAohecISm99-sqtcrQ_Ue1oGselFLO0m-DxN-7V3UxScQAROlJZlf3eUUDaf0UQ7tn6UhgzH4BU9CoEI2luJ21QjsYZu61yHdXpmzCBOFIilpTaOzLJ63ES8KEZ8EWLr0_oN2w1WRCxpvC0NjJ69lUD5w6crk/s3612/IMG_4226.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3612" data-original-width="2920" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqbtEOr8o_PDhaTVEQakCtLyYJe96irpYAohecISm99-sqtcrQ_Ue1oGselFLO0m-DxN-7V3UxScQAROlJZlf3eUUDaf0UQ7tn6UhgzH4BU9CoEI2luJ21QjsYZu61yHdXpmzCBOFIilpTaOzLJ63ES8KEZ8EWLr0_oN2w1WRCxpvC0NjJ69lUD5w6crk/s320/IMG_4226.jpg" width="259" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIrXEWEGziQ5dtvtxXMgzLdmvVQHG-jaSU6VVeQu8GaQSROsKI7mppxc7dLDkOTukfKx-JSNIQ1mILP_Yi7ergr49W1zrUwV2BKQApKKTJoPS5bFFyypSKp5rxwd91OVLoraIYfaYXrBZYWh6GnzohU0VcZN5CifG8YUEh9qKCVLKlQ6QO4uoXqjbZqRM/s4032/IMG_4227.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIrXEWEGziQ5dtvtxXMgzLdmvVQHG-jaSU6VVeQu8GaQSROsKI7mppxc7dLDkOTukfKx-JSNIQ1mILP_Yi7ergr49W1zrUwV2BKQApKKTJoPS5bFFyypSKp5rxwd91OVLoraIYfaYXrBZYWh6GnzohU0VcZN5CifG8YUEh9qKCVLKlQ6QO4uoXqjbZqRM/s320/IMG_4227.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>There were some nice views from the second and third floors:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigieEwl1PUp2wD56rP97qzzmnlptbyenkWVwh7NrwqpZ8jCeBzC1k-ntXSi9vO6_vBa5s3WICblTh6PRKK9wWga2w_G-vOPIsXk3_pMMWvqzyD3mubEOL5BGcdPJF3cLdxqTxzzKrld_oIJvSaIutSBZq9wQEfjFMVT4juOSNwd4Wx-7Ost5tIU2F6RVk/s3440/IMG_4229.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3440" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigieEwl1PUp2wD56rP97qzzmnlptbyenkWVwh7NrwqpZ8jCeBzC1k-ntXSi9vO6_vBa5s3WICblTh6PRKK9wWga2w_G-vOPIsXk3_pMMWvqzyD3mubEOL5BGcdPJF3cLdxqTxzzKrld_oIJvSaIutSBZq9wQEfjFMVT4juOSNwd4Wx-7Ost5tIU2F6RVk/s320/IMG_4229.jpg" width="281" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNwzrcjKQtXVFaMlVrsg177iEWtZaz3i_jZcLK_50nVL9P1ocisoJTGvPt8aWkHmM_wjgCoF4qxWI65q6PWdJRp2YgJz7GfCtqYtVqPbDkhw3ICVpAvtUFT6Or5ijvVhKXdRFVB403RtuancOEi9eU4iNKlRvU4t_bOKYA36-GQuyu80npmNs5zTpEr1o/s3856/IMG_4231.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2425" data-original-width="3856" height="201" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNwzrcjKQtXVFaMlVrsg177iEWtZaz3i_jZcLK_50nVL9P1ocisoJTGvPt8aWkHmM_wjgCoF4qxWI65q6PWdJRp2YgJz7GfCtqYtVqPbDkhw3ICVpAvtUFT6Or5ijvVhKXdRFVB403RtuancOEi9eU4iNKlRvU4t_bOKYA36-GQuyu80npmNs5zTpEr1o/s320/IMG_4231.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>This Page One had a quite a few English titles, but most of them were related to art and literature, and I was disappointed with what history and travel books they had in stock:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6gtzY0DvycVrReDP3p-EKjaHzu6ZUS-kRQCv8Y4vYtKGKvIsNL8T2IIau1N122UnnNoVr3P01jo6CeHByOoNTDmvcQCICmweCttVkKRA8_5FkOeoPtqHZSdiXc4jr0KlMBARxFhYSzc8em9H5kDAQqBe3TKcAMpDM4Bo0xrJxi84wUZ9su6qVXJQvytE/s3838/IMG_4234.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3838" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6gtzY0DvycVrReDP3p-EKjaHzu6ZUS-kRQCv8Y4vYtKGKvIsNL8T2IIau1N122UnnNoVr3P01jo6CeHByOoNTDmvcQCICmweCttVkKRA8_5FkOeoPtqHZSdiXc4jr0KlMBARxFhYSzc8em9H5kDAQqBe3TKcAMpDM4Bo0xrJxi84wUZ9su6qVXJQvytE/s320/IMG_4234.jpg" width="252" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Still, the shop had a nice atmosphere, and is probably worth the occasional visit, preferably, though, on days other than weekends and holidays:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0rUYEjvKVZ5lnZmSO08P5b7fkVLVxfk6fmhjK8O7l-RPKbbhwx-jvm0H27rpNAnpepsYALRMHz2lSO4DZC6ZknHqKX-_I7xDbIyNaZ2WLuW6N3Wai64_3IFuBv4ZmRdoAq2ojBko6UCNBwq3CoxLpCLoKWNEyyzHKy6hY1irRGSuXF9MjDL746tkWdJo/s4032/IMG_4235.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2709" data-original-width="4032" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0rUYEjvKVZ5lnZmSO08P5b7fkVLVxfk6fmhjK8O7l-RPKbbhwx-jvm0H27rpNAnpepsYALRMHz2lSO4DZC6ZknHqKX-_I7xDbIyNaZ2WLuW6N3Wai64_3IFuBv4ZmRdoAq2ojBko6UCNBwq3CoxLpCLoKWNEyyzHKy6hY1irRGSuXF9MjDL746tkWdJo/s320/IMG_4235.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The sun was setting over the Liangma River as we returned home:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ9_GZDRrC_bKTrF5iu9T-Ose6E3zLUrUdAjUWfizUt5CfZH4zar42az3BJcIu6jpNAtMDNGu7t8zIpIic8KhSzyKcTEr6QBKIxQHxWjNXiS8CLQq4hnimSTNWzF2F0-99R34_uBLRHNX1KP09LzTi0pbph41-B81c2_9vdiDsnACz0BhCx9haluvoPu8/s4032/IMG_4237.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ9_GZDRrC_bKTrF5iu9T-Ose6E3zLUrUdAjUWfizUt5CfZH4zar42az3BJcIu6jpNAtMDNGu7t8zIpIic8KhSzyKcTEr6QBKIxQHxWjNXiS8CLQq4hnimSTNWzF2F0-99R34_uBLRHNX1KP09LzTi0pbph41-B81c2_9vdiDsnACz0BhCx9haluvoPu8/s320/IMG_4237.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>メリークリスマス!</div><div><div><br /></div></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTpvkT2PeYEpA181CSS72gADnG3Q38f4RAl6-qmeFwmqmH3eBCJpXwNfVMWlalZtSsD990wvsZn28EVBpKJn6SXsJ-V1e6AXOEjzaP_ZUkKnUNmRap8cdJQIGkVpu2VUttLE0Z6_Z3hl8y0pJpgfipm7ZKih0uZ918yaJQ5XYKOpyQSz9hnw7wahNn2fY/s4032/IMG_4238.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTpvkT2PeYEpA181CSS72gADnG3Q38f4RAl6-qmeFwmqmH3eBCJpXwNfVMWlalZtSsD990wvsZn28EVBpKJn6SXsJ-V1e6AXOEjzaP_ZUkKnUNmRap8cdJQIGkVpu2VUttLE0Z6_Z3hl8y0pJpgfipm7ZKih0uZ918yaJQ5XYKOpyQSz9hnw7wahNn2fY/s320/IMG_4238.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div>And what better way to (finally) end this post by sharing the news we were part of <a href="https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/5065644" target="_blank">setting a new record here in Beijing</a>! </div><div><br /></div><div>Until next year...</div>Kaminogehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07925637671913689331noreply@blogger.com0Forbidden City, 4 Jing Shan Qian Jie, Dong Cheng Qu, Bei Jing Shi, China, 10000939.9168038 116.397162111.606569963821151 81.2409121 68.227037636178835 151.5534121tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2497220891386919340.post-57809206124893454502023-11-19T16:03:00.007+08:002023-11-19T22:24:23.384+08:00Tiānjīn, not Tōkyō<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIm7fP2TVgmA9oVOqIWOJZNayNjZ753hB2gqPnhD2586jsjmmzuMaXyQmyIV4knu92Y37YWJKmE0GGXUtBdNSAK35j4gU5-cAd7yAvzg-jJQxDT3t-GbdKH7m-kofA_BR9c8i9ZcoLcm5Sc4yKCZxb2sVJgboPfGIrNT-igRACDAtQCLbMH8TcpY946J4/s4032/IMG_3661.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2610" data-original-width="4032" height="207" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIm7fP2TVgmA9oVOqIWOJZNayNjZ753hB2gqPnhD2586jsjmmzuMaXyQmyIV4knu92Y37YWJKmE0GGXUtBdNSAK35j4gU5-cAd7yAvzg-jJQxDT3t-GbdKH7m-kofA_BR9c8i9ZcoLcm5Sc4yKCZxb2sVJgboPfGIrNT-igRACDAtQCLbMH8TcpY946J4/s320/IMG_3661.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><i><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Tianjin at night</i></div></i><p></p><p>So, you're probably wondering about the title of this post, right? A fair question, the answer to which requires a bit of explanation. In my line of work, I carry two passports: one is a normal ten year-valid travel document, like the one you have (or not) in your possession; the other is a diplomatic passport, valid for five years, and within which is pasted the diplomatic visa allowing one to be posted to a particular location (though not every country requires one). The latter passport is used for official travel, the former for personal. So, for example, if I want to take a vacation to South Korea, I use the diplomatic passport when leaving China, but present the regular passport upon arriving in Seoul. The reverse occurs when it comes time to return to Beijing 北京. It means always having to carry two passports with me while traveling, but I would describe it as only a minor inconvenience at most. </p><p>The above also applies to my wife and daughter, but in their cases, a third passport is thrown into the mix. Shu-E and Amber are both citizens of the Republic of China 中華民國, and so both have in their possession a green-colored travel document with the word "Taiwan" emblazoned on the cover. Normally this passport remains at home when we travel, unless of course we (or they) are going to Taiwan. Do the math, and this means a total of eight passports between the three of us. </p><p>Cue to the previous weekend. My wife had returned to Taiwan earlier in the month for a couple of weeks, presumably taking two of her passports (the American diplomatic and regular Taiwanese ones) with her. Meanwhile, Friday the 10th of November was Veterans Day, a Federal holiday and a day off from work for me. Coincidentally (or not - Armistice Day perhaps?), my daughter had both that Friday and the following Monday off from school due to "professional development" for the teachers. To take advantage of this four-day weekend, I arranged to take Monday off as well, and made plans for Amber and I to spend the time in the historic city of <a href="https://www.chinadiscovery.com/hebei/chengde.html" target="_blank">Chengd</a>e 承德. Shu-E half-jokingly suggested the two of us should go to Japan instead, and almost immediately I changed our itinerary to that of a quick wham, bam, thank you ma'am jaunt to Tokyo 東京, with flights between the Chinese and Japanese capitals booked on Air China 国航, and a three-night hotel stay arranged in Ikebukuro 池袋. </p><p>The best laid plans of mice and men. On Thursday evening while packing for our departure to the airport early the next morning, I made the unwelcome discovery of counting only one of my two passports - the diplomatic one. My regular passport was nowhere to be seen, but my wife's was. It didn't take long to put the pieces of the puzzle together - my devoted spouse had inexplicably decided to take all three of her passports with her when she flew to Taipei 台北, and crucially didn't check carefully which ones she grabbed. For as a very angry, very vocal (on my part) conversation via WeChat would quickly confirm, she had in her possession <i>my</i> regular passport, not hers. Which meant I only had my diplomatic passport, instantly putting our trip in jeopardy.</p><p>At this point you might be asking why I couldn't just fly on the diplomatic document. Officially, we are not supposed to, but in practice it happens frequently (though I've never done so), and I've heard of people who entered Japan for a holiday using said document. But there is aways the possibility of being denied entry if one attempts to use a diplomatic passport without a valid official purpose, and lacking the accompanying diplomatic visa. And as someone who frequently visits the Land of the Rising Sun, the last thing I would want is a blemish on my record that would require having to apply for a visa (and risk being denied) every time I would like to travel to Japan in the future. Nevertheless, I wavered.</p><p>In the end it was Amber who convinced me it wasn't worth the risk. And Shu-E, after having been ripped the proverbial new one by her husband, did her best from Taiwan to salvage something out of the four-day weekend by booking train and hotel reservations for us to go to...you guessed it, the city of <a href="https://wikitravel.org/en/Tianjin" target="_blank">Tianjin</a> 天津. Which is how my daughter and I found ourselves on the morning of the 11th at Beijing South railway station 北京南站 waiting to board a high-speed train:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRu9NsXBkFE_nZH436AEHuDP7Hv41LvUdD9uDvuqKpIAdt5LROowYEJ7DVFhj9IDO0huPoVvF0n-0W0lvVItQRySiqFbaWcBkciOBNiV_sVb6QjoALT-iVon2LHUPHcxmyYLspVXvTYjZ2PZnpNwZncSybvDs6snTB_HNBfBMZdhpX0T-j14MNpEpjdOs/s3865/IMG_3545.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3865" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRu9NsXBkFE_nZH436AEHuDP7Hv41LvUdD9uDvuqKpIAdt5LROowYEJ7DVFhj9IDO0huPoVvF0n-0W0lvVItQRySiqFbaWcBkciOBNiV_sVb6QjoALT-iVon2LHUPHcxmyYLspVXvTYjZ2PZnpNwZncSybvDs6snTB_HNBfBMZdhpX0T-j14MNpEpjdOs/s320/IMG_3545.jpg" width="250" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYvaqd-W4xrGCVATlOD6E3vd2bqoFY5Tx0uQ1Oa_EQenohjM3H-lOZFst5MSpQV23mbbOGR4Sw6JlYLXOTwBWaOBl3r9yIBp0WcGKGl_2n9vltAsHIcRPEN-JwH0UQ32tS7Kz0vjBZXhf24JzqQ65eqeZmPFSxxT8i4Un36wBsNZ_zRLOobBKiSCOpJ1c/s4032/IMG_3549.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYvaqd-W4xrGCVATlOD6E3vd2bqoFY5Tx0uQ1Oa_EQenohjM3H-lOZFst5MSpQV23mbbOGR4Sw6JlYLXOTwBWaOBl3r9yIBp0WcGKGl_2n9vltAsHIcRPEN-JwH0UQ32tS7Kz0vjBZXhf24JzqQ65eqeZmPFSxxT8i4Un36wBsNZ_zRLOobBKiSCOpJ1c/s320/IMG_3549.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFrXGq7tTWLMMVMnuRr-iENOoJU_5HxT0RnURqZyKJdFmQdL26DP_JQd-U4qUmg06tlpTrRKlFDW0qrbhb1I-GrqYjd4gbK1_NGSIxgUkD-17Xn7csERNGE42zy9VO96eNeOA-B5XsSfP_pJMYvmOoEf3crjB8T86wBCpfxBUBGLcRhZncY1xjbmUfl1g/s4032/IMG_3551.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFrXGq7tTWLMMVMnuRr-iENOoJU_5HxT0RnURqZyKJdFmQdL26DP_JQd-U4qUmg06tlpTrRKlFDW0qrbhb1I-GrqYjd4gbK1_NGSIxgUkD-17Xn7csERNGE42zy9VO96eNeOA-B5XsSfP_pJMYvmOoEf3crjB8T86wBCpfxBUBGLcRhZncY1xjbmUfl1g/s320/IMG_3551.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Reaching speeds of up to 348 kph (216 mph), it only took 30 minutes to reach Tianjin:</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL-v_kpQ8ixxetYfp2hkngxqYFPHzMOzs14P3ptVe67Py4E28rtbhyphenhyphenJC0uf108g38yRYot7qRauTBKSKCoXWUXIsyZfXPnNFZ-oM-PRWAhiaVNDSY8tmYBLn_-FKABkk3XX1LKfM_ZE8aSMVUm5fQFN3uItSOuvgPtB2_sdXgAHHTsICjBoknsIqseeo0/s4032/IMG_3554.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2608" data-original-width="4032" height="207" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL-v_kpQ8ixxetYfp2hkngxqYFPHzMOzs14P3ptVe67Py4E28rtbhyphenhyphenJC0uf108g38yRYot7qRauTBKSKCoXWUXIsyZfXPnNFZ-oM-PRWAhiaVNDSY8tmYBLn_-FKABkk3XX1LKfM_ZE8aSMVUm5fQFN3uItSOuvgPtB2_sdXgAHHTsICjBoknsIqseeo0/s320/IMG_3554.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Emerging out of Tianjin railway station 天津站:<div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRiLp11_9qE6ThcgopDX_Hpu-rtnk1vnfbYid3uuf__qG6Ehv56KYqEHgTXKIkucytS6Y5W6sqtkovR2nw974QyhqCsoV0DUVwtnN348axo63LWO6ZxMaFuD6ute3YPF2KBUBR1269KoRffLj96YmiVwrSGF3BzfHvx-ZvMc5giHiZXJLNWlUCQACOIYg/s3560/IMG_3555.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3560" data-original-width="2992" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRiLp11_9qE6ThcgopDX_Hpu-rtnk1vnfbYid3uuf__qG6Ehv56KYqEHgTXKIkucytS6Y5W6sqtkovR2nw974QyhqCsoV0DUVwtnN348axo63LWO6ZxMaFuD6ute3YPF2KBUBR1269KoRffLj96YmiVwrSGF3BzfHvx-ZvMc5giHiZXJLNWlUCQACOIYg/s320/IMG_3555.jpg" width="269" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The <a href="https://www.chinatourstar.com/tianjin-attraction/century-clock.html" target="_blank">Century Clock</a> 世纪钟, an impossible to miss landmark while en route to our accommodations:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0d8Uxrz_IXegsJZNLkD12LsiMUYQP5cDLxB5E37zOP0syi8G6HIXkfOf7fHyRHW2VtTz8kla1n4BYCw7GmcE5bNzPx5D1HFolWt2BzLWXOw9Zw74ePKHAYN2H9B-dv7OA-oMKhcRjDo7t70jyLCDALJwfuDICk53sXIHTurAc3kaR79RPUDq7fm1jmy8/s4032/IMG_3557.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0d8Uxrz_IXegsJZNLkD12LsiMUYQP5cDLxB5E37zOP0syi8G6HIXkfOf7fHyRHW2VtTz8kla1n4BYCw7GmcE5bNzPx5D1HFolWt2BzLWXOw9Zw74ePKHAYN2H9B-dv7OA-oMKhcRjDo7t70jyLCDALJwfuDICk53sXIHTurAc3kaR79RPUDq7fm1jmy8/s320/IMG_3557.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Shu-E had booked us a twin room at the <a href="https://www.hilton.com/en/hotels/tsntchx-hampton-tianjin-railway-station/" target="_blank">Hampton by Hilton Tianjin Railway Station</a>. Our room was on the 49th floor, with fantastic views to match the elevation. Never before had I stayed so high in an urban hotel, and I found it hard to sleep at night due to the 9/11-related anxiety I would be feeling:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif1pXhJNfNQ1LQNiWw4BwI1FEovC4cgw0VUW29FinRid1C6xLiWyQEDK2Tu0cuCttAdqe0GBQ35eswPuFYl_2Lpv6Sy4QSD3blouWsXmJq4c5Cz1uWwOa5ezfyptGmwlUEwCKRweemt2ocG9FGnsMu7PZ8-XWkVPqO9m56HYKM6DLfGs4kJiMigYCx_PI/s4032/IMG_3559.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif1pXhJNfNQ1LQNiWw4BwI1FEovC4cgw0VUW29FinRid1C6xLiWyQEDK2Tu0cuCttAdqe0GBQ35eswPuFYl_2Lpv6Sy4QSD3blouWsXmJq4c5Cz1uWwOa5ezfyptGmwlUEwCKRweemt2ocG9FGnsMu7PZ8-XWkVPqO9m56HYKM6DLfGs4kJiMigYCx_PI/s320/IMG_3559.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Following check-in, Amber and I walked over to the <a href="https://exploringtianjin.chinadaily.com.cn/2019-05/22/c_376691.htm" target="_blank">Tianjin Tee Mall</a> 天津天河城购物中心, and had lunch at a Taiwanese-style steak restaurant:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSRMfpQAMqgrlzmkc7fF1__4cofiUe2BAnteLiZAVQFDlBuaZcFyGexGTO0nt1rHqOPi0i3QFqVRCXJTyEoZj5HaA7SzZqpdtEypScAUzY-vjIqn9Py2C94JQFOO0NQOumL5ipZdNp77EWXytmRIQj32CXneVEshVje1Vs1nteZUJl6_LbbSMA0RIkJ7s/s3351/IMG_3560.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="3351" height="289" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSRMfpQAMqgrlzmkc7fF1__4cofiUe2BAnteLiZAVQFDlBuaZcFyGexGTO0nt1rHqOPi0i3QFqVRCXJTyEoZj5HaA7SzZqpdtEypScAUzY-vjIqn9Py2C94JQFOO0NQOumL5ipZdNp77EWXytmRIQj32CXneVEshVje1Vs1nteZUJl6_LbbSMA0RIkJ7s/s320/IMG_3560.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>And proud of it:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPbAjnGz5f1PAQx_h-Lz3ELBQ5btRVXlaPbmMzagLd5C8HOENzW2z3j2kW-shSMB5u6CG0KHbY3R6ufhsQYskzyEupGV_wCKw814DSLQE1pUqnvavIIV5u2aZRVNZYiA8pXY29CrwmL44g8rvUGd-LO8yGqkax-T3RyLLUUQlqQCNyo3aYGBB1ldjDip4/s3795/IMG_3565.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2313" data-original-width="3795" height="195" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPbAjnGz5f1PAQx_h-Lz3ELBQ5btRVXlaPbmMzagLd5C8HOENzW2z3j2kW-shSMB5u6CG0KHbY3R6ufhsQYskzyEupGV_wCKw814DSLQE1pUqnvavIIV5u2aZRVNZYiA8pXY29CrwmL44g8rvUGd-LO8yGqkax-T3RyLLUUQlqQCNyo3aYGBB1ldjDip4/s320/IMG_3565.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The skies were clear the entire time we were in Tianjin, but the weather was cold, never rising above the single digits Celsius, and dropping below freezing in the early morning hours:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3NLZ0aX1WVvbmZDY14WITOcu2gVFsH1bc9-GefLZHYJR5FbX1uJMU_MZJaT0dqF54RmF0QaN0GyNwpsO2sgIl3ixor_cBKY7uVMVgS6wqN17Ao_UzvKJyXj7y9HO9GkFdvdj_3usWaSXqL1HqyitAaKArp8PoNEvSfOEVqbslBiKrj5SH_ssXGPAui2A/s3225/IMG_3566.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2365" data-original-width="3225" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3NLZ0aX1WVvbmZDY14WITOcu2gVFsH1bc9-GefLZHYJR5FbX1uJMU_MZJaT0dqF54RmF0QaN0GyNwpsO2sgIl3ixor_cBKY7uVMVgS6wqN17Ao_UzvKJyXj7y9HO9GkFdvdj_3usWaSXqL1HqyitAaKArp8PoNEvSfOEVqbslBiKrj5SH_ssXGPAui2A/s320/IMG_3566.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMoKjAAypujnKdEJoNNeGwPC-f7EZYKFDE29HgYqbq4L1wYz-60J6TQQ1vqRW6XIeouXItH_xENOKhU2SBmriShZpUyrjb7QKnVwrYjgqPS1U-yIXBSikd81d6dCbvjzHN099QuwsRKKGc3K2fJ1jMrZfeeKzk-b-AtVzbeZyyuxrsEQesYz7YYLT2np0/s4032/IMG_3568.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMoKjAAypujnKdEJoNNeGwPC-f7EZYKFDE29HgYqbq4L1wYz-60J6TQQ1vqRW6XIeouXItH_xENOKhU2SBmriShZpUyrjb7QKnVwrYjgqPS1U-yIXBSikd81d6dCbvjzHN099QuwsRKKGc3K2fJ1jMrZfeeKzk-b-AtVzbeZyyuxrsEQesYz7YYLT2np0/s320/IMG_3568.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Tianjin is a huge metropolis, with a population of 12.5 million, and serves as the port to Beijing. The history of the city, however, is more akin to that of Shanghai 上海 rather than the capital. Beginning in the late 19th century, Western powers such as Great Britain, France, Japan, Germany, Austria-Hungary, Italy and Belgium carved out self-contained foreign concessions. One of these European-flavored neighborhoods was a short walk from the hotel, so following lunch we made our way to the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Italian_concession_of_Tianjin" target="_blank">Italian Concession</a> 意大利风情旅游区, where we were greeted by a statue of Dante presiding over a busy roundabout:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUQKchDoaFhhEvx_lpBaSHSQuzXLnh3hn0L1YLy3XIgtdAMqjlC3q3r3RhvI2pI9IDXaedEK90yjFMIrrGWXqH76SxMohPuHs26AfrpI7thJU3mZl1wKIlOF47PgpOh4H-9aQtmRu4Mv3cwc6aHKq3GfI0_v24wEgTMBeMDuXEMuBS86i8jYuPa9ZDRuc/s4032/IMG_3569.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUQKchDoaFhhEvx_lpBaSHSQuzXLnh3hn0L1YLy3XIgtdAMqjlC3q3r3RhvI2pI9IDXaedEK90yjFMIrrGWXqH76SxMohPuHs26AfrpI7thJU3mZl1wKIlOF47PgpOh4H-9aQtmRu4Mv3cwc6aHKq3GfI0_v24wEgTMBeMDuXEMuBS86i8jYuPa9ZDRuc/s320/IMG_3569.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYtWddQy7cb5XUzut7zot0zgd3YJPsKVe5Hm9L4ZidwU44LMSueK8h71hLi8Z-cF1l7GeXa9783a0_2f1SdDXiRYIA-St090Q7YEhtgK5UHr3bXTiAwnh3vVSp9G-V5W1Hkf6R-raOa3gR_2WcS4XCA31TLkVi_u8gPX0UL3H0ct5Jgq18sfjxd0sVst4/s4032/IMG_3570.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYtWddQy7cb5XUzut7zot0zgd3YJPsKVe5Hm9L4ZidwU44LMSueK8h71hLi8Z-cF1l7GeXa9783a0_2f1SdDXiRYIA-St090Q7YEhtgK5UHr3bXTiAwnh3vVSp9G-V5W1Hkf6R-raOa3gR_2WcS4XCA31TLkVi_u8gPX0UL3H0ct5Jgq18sfjxd0sVst4/s320/IMG_3570.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPSCrbvyl-lTfVW3LIyzEJv9eh54iXRI2utWY8BG-EPO-kQat7p1JNfKTSART9g-LTVHbTMwYsgXUU_nYoGjqYbtDirgQcqufzh06mVoVFKq0IeLXApnQyzj0Ti_pkrD5MC-Pfwp-vwTa-M4DdNpkJrYH8qZQQ-RAaCmv4mnJ37qRqSniMvPb84RjGbpI/s4032/IMG_3573.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPSCrbvyl-lTfVW3LIyzEJv9eh54iXRI2utWY8BG-EPO-kQat7p1JNfKTSART9g-LTVHbTMwYsgXUU_nYoGjqYbtDirgQcqufzh06mVoVFKq0IeLXApnQyzj0Ti_pkrD5MC-Pfwp-vwTa-M4DdNpkJrYH8qZQQ-RAaCmv4mnJ37qRqSniMvPb84RjGbpI/s320/IMG_3573.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>I was the only obvious Westerner at a small local history museum, but didn't notice if anyone was grumbling in my direction. Besides, it wasn't the <i>American</i> Concession:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicGMXvZVJLn1hlKHPwDImEmZ4-3Jtbx3O7C-NjNVKE9OOBY2diVeXHHjLYaN_YU0v6YPs5pwOOvSf-TNm4dY621knu5y27G6dCEk3Y0DDKCrRB5rZSsAmXmaGjJTNGEPK2hb7sm0zjqIVcJGEDhGeKtJzwt7DeO5uUFh59CXbPfC5NVYSYuuTd7ap8UAM/s3404/IMG_3574.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2502" data-original-width="3404" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicGMXvZVJLn1hlKHPwDImEmZ4-3Jtbx3O7C-NjNVKE9OOBY2diVeXHHjLYaN_YU0v6YPs5pwOOvSf-TNm4dY621knu5y27G6dCEk3Y0DDKCrRB5rZSsAmXmaGjJTNGEPK2hb7sm0zjqIVcJGEDhGeKtJzwt7DeO5uUFh59CXbPfC5NVYSYuuTd7ap8UAM/s320/IMG_3574.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijDBmkUA1vIG-AY-JfFkGvhGAc61HKpcyCosXT-B3vgPz0bcBYVvk0w2renUlSn2Qf91rZvMjSXJzlGNgV_g2WV9kI11v6yLrRL23ItGAmPPuLfDhK-JikI_SeuhyeRzEyfKL45f4SncLeHh6W389x4YulH8yc7SzuwozI9KqaBdenvNFwDARMN6Sg2Jk/s3801/IMG_3576.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3801" data-original-width="2956" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijDBmkUA1vIG-AY-JfFkGvhGAc61HKpcyCosXT-B3vgPz0bcBYVvk0w2renUlSn2Qf91rZvMjSXJzlGNgV_g2WV9kI11v6yLrRL23ItGAmPPuLfDhK-JikI_SeuhyeRzEyfKL45f4SncLeHh6W389x4YulH8yc7SzuwozI9KqaBdenvNFwDARMN6Sg2Jk/s320/IMG_3576.jpg" width="249" /></a></div><div><br /></div>"Hey, man, can I bum a baby off you?" Surprisingly, I couldn't find any information about this brand online. I hope it isn't still in production, because I would probably buy a pack soley due to the name, and start the habit again after having quit more than twenty years ago:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVJcJu06CqjrzWMo_gqWEs5_sx4mhMxjU5qievdJJObVP3t-19dFL358Ym6M28nZNGhAxfGwg7OvOKk1WMFFqGod_WHw62uhonNFuu5lftsxn_FSDjYNOVmzlNljIRdpgfi0SxvA-6LeGwehzBxtmv-ER-k8LKlJjEJEfy6kjMB89SBw5_PbQpmrQA4_M/s1787/IMG_3577.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1787" data-original-width="1318" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVJcJu06CqjrzWMo_gqWEs5_sx4mhMxjU5qievdJJObVP3t-19dFL358Ym6M28nZNGhAxfGwg7OvOKk1WMFFqGod_WHw62uhonNFuu5lftsxn_FSDjYNOVmzlNljIRdpgfi0SxvA-6LeGwehzBxtmv-ER-k8LKlJjEJEfy6kjMB89SBw5_PbQpmrQA4_M/s320/IMG_3577.jpg" width="236" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The new face of Tianjin loomed over the area:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfQBIKmwsVD-CEdaJNKKMKiXSvmpSWguyWs-nmc9j4wMaLVKmlj94anViyMX9otFO8-n7HBGlZdvwZYbetyTKWYm1oriKJ5cCd-Re61AuUIUr20z9I9tlEz8D-IYV7WkWjqkk3vijG6k0ZRkbpdzsQhIuKkRVs8GLfFpSbtrVxIocD9DWxJP5GaO31Z70/s4032/IMG_3579.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfQBIKmwsVD-CEdaJNKKMKiXSvmpSWguyWs-nmc9j4wMaLVKmlj94anViyMX9otFO8-n7HBGlZdvwZYbetyTKWYm1oriKJ5cCd-Re61AuUIUr20z9I9tlEz8D-IYV7WkWjqkk3vijG6k0ZRkbpdzsQhIuKkRVs8GLfFpSbtrVxIocD9DWxJP5GaO31Z70/s320/IMG_3579.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCFkP5zP0YsrzvsdIKkWKlkwF5GiGgQfFfxNbodFsZbAucSWe3AVqcYi2QMSxi5zN1BogDpAvMmBfTvZW1iz5jBXDAmDOibO4dYQutpxQMvlAGh6GtTn3XHvpl6pmzFRmyTC3hzVDC0840FQL-gVUi4lhUKzDv0kbdg2yW5M3-pN6IwETj-jMD3C9r4Dg/s4032/IMG_3580.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCFkP5zP0YsrzvsdIKkWKlkwF5GiGgQfFfxNbodFsZbAucSWe3AVqcYi2QMSxi5zN1BogDpAvMmBfTvZW1iz5jBXDAmDOibO4dYQutpxQMvlAGh6GtTn3XHvpl6pmzFRmyTC3hzVDC0840FQL-gVUi4lhUKzDv0kbdg2yW5M3-pN6IwETj-jMD3C9r4Dg/s320/IMG_3580.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-lslYmeVjJFq3jxv0pAm6cvbC7cSMOtrC0Q8pIKg99LOR4CJ4J0ENXCu2XwtcUSctW3k8MzcfrgdQe9aOvWleG0tbt1ZePpF3ALH-jjH2lgxuqEnznP8kemO4ODu3L5hDhuYAXx2iIOoRJdlVwA0Duq-Zw9z4cliiwukV0qfbyLAXk68JoxQDSrpgmvs/s3919/IMG_3582.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3919" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-lslYmeVjJFq3jxv0pAm6cvbC7cSMOtrC0Q8pIKg99LOR4CJ4J0ENXCu2XwtcUSctW3k8MzcfrgdQe9aOvWleG0tbt1ZePpF3ALH-jjH2lgxuqEnznP8kemO4ODu3L5hDhuYAXx2iIOoRJdlVwA0Duq-Zw9z4cliiwukV0qfbyLAXk68JoxQDSrpgmvs/s320/IMG_3582.jpg" width="247" /></a></div><div><br /></div>We may have been in the Italian Concession, but that didn't stop Amber from wanting to snack on some <i>takoyaki</i> たこ焼き:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdWD_ieG1TBGUsZxzO9P4wYZaIUyq1BQGzGnrMQDWzZIsrVGAycOcAJgE3AJkcq1O9EHNN7p4pSXqO8sxaerGpfci89dSOVTGWJUe6yWaAEu8jY1rysOvRPc9dsHK7cEIGI6w9VA5fG3Jg0YpukEHeskqsHdKXh0B-5cDqg4IlZ3eHN0keE0PRPqw6xyk/s4032/IMG_3584.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdWD_ieG1TBGUsZxzO9P4wYZaIUyq1BQGzGnrMQDWzZIsrVGAycOcAJgE3AJkcq1O9EHNN7p4pSXqO8sxaerGpfci89dSOVTGWJUe6yWaAEu8jY1rysOvRPc9dsHK7cEIGI6w9VA5fG3Jg0YpukEHeskqsHdKXh0B-5cDqg4IlZ3eHN0keE0PRPqw6xyk/s320/IMG_3584.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgymG-3lMccuI52q8e51L47X0DhqZjdn4EMFqjXWjyjgR3kvJr37Jo6e4coS3nXe7GF9uqtP8SqaxcUYM9gCg8GhMZ8HTMNMScqbZyz4f7BcNPAn6S1vqVQp0mIgjMde4rVJ21t9Lx9XmF0lsboRkuOBUIkDyl1CmoWT3H9imy1oB7xtS7RczJsBPpa_5Y/s4032/IMG_3585.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgymG-3lMccuI52q8e51L47X0DhqZjdn4EMFqjXWjyjgR3kvJr37Jo6e4coS3nXe7GF9uqtP8SqaxcUYM9gCg8GhMZ8HTMNMScqbZyz4f7BcNPAn6S1vqVQp0mIgjMde4rVJ21t9Lx9XmF0lsboRkuOBUIkDyl1CmoWT3H9imy1oB7xtS7RczJsBPpa_5Y/s320/IMG_3585.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Back at the hotel in time to catch the sunset...:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipSUlXDIr7Kqf_-iQY8WmsfCFsjO1JwDbv4x6PdDwj7likihfuO8cz6QN0px1rE048dMWaC4xL_7IAIrjFLquMYiE2VmgwqWM3Nb7YzCW4HHjkMTtjT_mrHCBhALQDWo3PIi8bWTF28k5qw_67Kr9cRYc6laVF0DzW0yG_BVkSDeu2KAvCmh7IbsI6hkM/s3553/IMG_3587.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3553" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipSUlXDIr7Kqf_-iQY8WmsfCFsjO1JwDbv4x6PdDwj7likihfuO8cz6QN0px1rE048dMWaC4xL_7IAIrjFLquMYiE2VmgwqWM3Nb7YzCW4HHjkMTtjT_mrHCBhALQDWo3PIi8bWTF28k5qw_67Kr9cRYc6laVF0DzW0yG_BVkSDeu2KAvCmh7IbsI6hkM/s320/IMG_3587.jpg" width="272" /></a></div><div><br /></div>...and then it was out again, in search of dinner,,,:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNSCHriLKJZsi6ZdXgYa0h9vcWVsTTpOPumbzZgoIvb9kWP4smhWH4O7WlZxpvTYyHqt7XHVuSJ7-vHLzHSzOG3hBucUz4RtQpnad4eNhcjb8mdTBvkHf6uUDwqsiERKRxz4R1sZPm2wo0heE8TSYR_WN-G8ycibtY-a7c88hhlZeufGKiUPUPzyQvA1Q/s4032/IMG_3588.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNSCHriLKJZsi6ZdXgYa0h9vcWVsTTpOPumbzZgoIvb9kWP4smhWH4O7WlZxpvTYyHqt7XHVuSJ7-vHLzHSzOG3hBucUz4RtQpnad4eNhcjb8mdTBvkHf6uUDwqsiERKRxz4R1sZPm2wo0heE8TSYR_WN-G8ycibtY-a7c88hhlZeufGKiUPUPzyQvA1Q/s320/IMG_3588.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF6b10mHXwX00UCyT5hhl9AR_rSGk4tLJgPjBoJR4EYXK-XoFkbiBRgJj3jE6rIi8p7ONaNQ2ZGOKqMBnsyeA7D-1tl_M0K2hi__JxkCtjOw9rudwVgXFvwldMyBllNVaghey7wVABW6TbXk0CcKjLtJOUazhty_S3aqxObz_r2A71-HSgs5mhGR9guXU/s4032/IMG_3590.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF6b10mHXwX00UCyT5hhl9AR_rSGk4tLJgPjBoJR4EYXK-XoFkbiBRgJj3jE6rIi8p7ONaNQ2ZGOKqMBnsyeA7D-1tl_M0K2hi__JxkCtjOw9rudwVgXFvwldMyBllNVaghey7wVABW6TbXk0CcKjLtJOUazhty_S3aqxObz_r2A71-HSgs5mhGR9guXU/s320/IMG_3590.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>...which was found back in the "Italian-style Tourist Area" (the Chinese are loath to use the word "concession"), where we shockingly found ourselves, of all places, at an Italian restaurant:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpaVAafvnL8zjzzzbziXYT6goHiv1dcNq8tTQrBk2C1PsJJ5bMZH52ejMgP7sdDL0sZv_Lycbadidh7ozaJYUM3mB1qUC5_ANjGck8Neqa5yhDE2g9F5nFV7wstkG7ZXi8a-mg354faPPYy8i_8P3jn8ryFZSQG_-oDMjK-P6R90j8JCjJFlz0U9Sr4BY/s3953/IMG_3591.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3953" data-original-width="2965" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpaVAafvnL8zjzzzbziXYT6goHiv1dcNq8tTQrBk2C1PsJJ5bMZH52ejMgP7sdDL0sZv_Lycbadidh7ozaJYUM3mB1qUC5_ANjGck8Neqa5yhDE2g9F5nFV7wstkG7ZXi8a-mg354faPPYy8i_8P3jn8ryFZSQG_-oDMjK-P6R90j8JCjJFlz0U9Sr4BY/s320/IMG_3591.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqoHyWkqaa5tjRzszzRkD0rLxkNEw_SqTJH8jzcH04aMNDL1gQwmZ9XDNl6jguyJejbQcEXWAnJ0iOQnnR1h8UxB7CCA7EJtWQcvedy8_x8tAL66k8MFCfpHa_a1BjHgWu5xw7uFmW5SOAl7bVr-n51r1LZwZ1s7t3uWWGahtstHGPNHcBsJ2_TaRNBZU/s3722/IMG_3594.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2675" data-original-width="3722" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqoHyWkqaa5tjRzszzRkD0rLxkNEw_SqTJH8jzcH04aMNDL1gQwmZ9XDNl6jguyJejbQcEXWAnJ0iOQnnR1h8UxB7CCA7EJtWQcvedy8_x8tAL66k8MFCfpHa_a1BjHgWu5xw7uFmW5SOAl7bVr-n51r1LZwZ1s7t3uWWGahtstHGPNHcBsJ2_TaRNBZU/s320/IMG_3594.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGNuTIDp6iR9V6aQN5C7Y5P2kbB57A7oyVwufGVOE-HXeB3kedZVZ1CCi-m3xyX26HgOyK3Gs3J2nzE51CWoo7ogP1-5XZ53_xXm4ty0DVC0gDnKGdiUdoywDSCzTF_3L0AGwoUdklP0Q4Gid0sLHj-CqU4cOGv6zA9LreMSnJN1Xcn2cWwqg4kvnGbnc/s4032/IMG_3595.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGNuTIDp6iR9V6aQN5C7Y5P2kbB57A7oyVwufGVOE-HXeB3kedZVZ1CCi-m3xyX26HgOyK3Gs3J2nzE51CWoo7ogP1-5XZ53_xXm4ty0DVC0gDnKGdiUdoywDSCzTF_3L0AGwoUdklP0Q4Gid0sLHj-CqU4cOGv6zA9LreMSnJN1Xcn2cWwqg4kvnGbnc/s320/IMG_3595.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRQKMEj2_yL-Z2R03t51wtEkkNXXkKaVXX0Ang0Mxi6xwOQ9S_mrURpP5JYYoyzdgNSgK4JpASQqtIGAA69TSoId7fqWbZ5k0HpQBIXFPaaK9VT1tE-n5hhSY4qas6LHNJtiHH7Tcd5TfPmtYNwgN_xEJJRSV1ENKyKNoKOi4TahazKIfpCG9_ebq0KTQ/s3024/IMG_3596.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2951" data-original-width="3024" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRQKMEj2_yL-Z2R03t51wtEkkNXXkKaVXX0Ang0Mxi6xwOQ9S_mrURpP5JYYoyzdgNSgK4JpASQqtIGAA69TSoId7fqWbZ5k0HpQBIXFPaaK9VT1tE-n5hhSY4qas6LHNJtiHH7Tcd5TfPmtYNwgN_xEJJRSV1ENKyKNoKOi4TahazKIfpCG9_ebq0KTQ/s320/IMG_3596.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYUYNBU-dE0fZGXaM78hdNBxrcY3tC9E7LQFdWS3HdJeH4krKzjvDErb3-T2vkY-HjW6OcToxx9Zxy-PRWE7pO0kRQlCR8HcqWM0u2zyFphiMSu8xzdAyhtifvO1jRBZTWLLbZleiNx_ogpDasCjZgQT7UgNAJQEYCwNdIbAYE4E8iZDYbVE2CWfmjgfM/s4032/IMG_3597.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYUYNBU-dE0fZGXaM78hdNBxrcY3tC9E7LQFdWS3HdJeH4krKzjvDErb3-T2vkY-HjW6OcToxx9Zxy-PRWE7pO0kRQlCR8HcqWM0u2zyFphiMSu8xzdAyhtifvO1jRBZTWLLbZleiNx_ogpDasCjZgQT7UgNAJQEYCwNdIbAYE4E8iZDYbVE2CWfmjgfM/s320/IMG_3597.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The nighttime scenery from our hotel room:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNBoRNMSk1R4UwPerGkIF5LzhAfANSi0xG5NmN0NJW7jhzV-1NfN4HkWJGGfG6z-Zy9ABQZOI1C0P8d1Lr6sUTph-ZATr8uuJG9LWd-qhCNQeP6sdlwP7cXIkX-s1eyCBkPglrnsZBQY40UcGP0OLmi0_ESTFYZrBzLOQtvKtymBt4u-CIhoqmDIU5YtU/s4032/IMG_3599.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNBoRNMSk1R4UwPerGkIF5LzhAfANSi0xG5NmN0NJW7jhzV-1NfN4HkWJGGfG6z-Zy9ABQZOI1C0P8d1Lr6sUTph-ZATr8uuJG9LWd-qhCNQeP6sdlwP7cXIkX-s1eyCBkPglrnsZBQY40UcGP0OLmi0_ESTFYZrBzLOQtvKtymBt4u-CIhoqmDIU5YtU/s320/IMG_3599.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyU7PxTqSsslgTQ3-BiCgI44C9-c76Oafh-nRhve4MfhRN-kzSy3fvSEFm8jgSmNMzRiH2xkUydvcCfDPFu8bE1tTf5kuhFE0dTsADvEfvLEustHZlnRLKWDS8rDVVwNaiLt1QfegKwu3SLTB3yylNeMiM5IdHvFCqPOcvBZe33BJjVz95T_auRtOFigA/s4032/IMG_3600.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyU7PxTqSsslgTQ3-BiCgI44C9-c76Oafh-nRhve4MfhRN-kzSy3fvSEFm8jgSmNMzRiH2xkUydvcCfDPFu8bE1tTf5kuhFE0dTsADvEfvLEustHZlnRLKWDS8rDVVwNaiLt1QfegKwu3SLTB3yylNeMiM5IdHvFCqPOcvBZe33BJjVz95T_auRtOFigA/s320/IMG_3600.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The Sunday morning view from on high:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7aVNCoZYtjE5KltScPx-QJ8Wl3SXiXXvvimy6P0aaFdFt7S0QDh7Huf5izVwv1uzoDpBz9HrYGRiwKcRmHDeadT4oRCoIXfNNddRznwD59-5GoAYdo6lIswuYB3m4QTPbnF8GYXGsrWhK4sCR2VDyQBfW_QEslQZvjgjS11LkClOFI_O8hrdUpaG0z2k/s4032/IMG_3601.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7aVNCoZYtjE5KltScPx-QJ8Wl3SXiXXvvimy6P0aaFdFt7S0QDh7Huf5izVwv1uzoDpBz9HrYGRiwKcRmHDeadT4oRCoIXfNNddRznwD59-5GoAYdo6lIswuYB3m4QTPbnF8GYXGsrWhK4sCR2VDyQBfW_QEslQZvjgjS11LkClOFI_O8hrdUpaG0z2k/s320/IMG_3601.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Tianjin doesn't have any must-see individual sights. What draws the tourists, however, are its historic neighborhoods. Access to most of these areas from our hotel could by provided by the city's subway system, but as my daughter pointed out, it would be much easier (despite the chill) to take advantage of the city's shared bike system rather than try to figure out how to download the app needed to ride the metro. So following breakfast we hopped onto a couple of bicycles and set off to explore our surroundings. We soon passed what appeared to be a <a href="https://kaminoge.blogspot.com/2014/03/crowd-control.html" target="_blank">marriage market of the kind we saw years ago in Shanghai</a> - places where parents and grandparents hawk the attractive qualities of their children and grandchildren (namely education and income) in the hopes of finding a suitable mate. The <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-64973186" target="_blank">situation in China these days</a> is even more desperate:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy94pa4eq2pFynz3_YFWnhXVqqRdZkvVRdXd9jqcyt4osLFOf717Rn3j5MoNMNX8-lnAiar9m6PCTJgM2iKlF4XequHgT4e2EXjZfOjwuaiBO7XYgO5Q3Fl-dL0rc5WIO9TBIxOgUbrzb5rz5AsjfuQQGF9YfNt3QAphdLeYGs54LSnWC0rDG_cykOUw4/s3956/IMG_3603.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2701" data-original-width="3956" height="218" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy94pa4eq2pFynz3_YFWnhXVqqRdZkvVRdXd9jqcyt4osLFOf717Rn3j5MoNMNX8-lnAiar9m6PCTJgM2iKlF4XequHgT4e2EXjZfOjwuaiBO7XYgO5Q3Fl-dL0rc5WIO9TBIxOgUbrzb5rz5AsjfuQQGF9YfNt3QAphdLeYGs54LSnWC0rDG_cykOUw4/s320/IMG_3603.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Our first stop was the <a href="http://tianjin.chinadaily.com.cn/2019-04/28/c_368176.htm" target="_blank">Wudadao</a> 五大道 area, a collection of streets lined with 1920s European-style residences. In the center of it all is the Minyuan Plaza 民园广场, built on the site of a stadium (only the running track remains) designed by <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eric_Liddell" target="_blank">Eric Liddell</a>, the Olympic runner made famous in the 1981 Best Picture <i>Chariots of Fire</i>:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnlrSPlvTXoHvkd0SSP4VpljaGrBR8hva1-v2qz8LVJPfyHVVij1FsKtAegg7rWYOVZ_OkTau2CukHgH0AxNCl3JBsiWnRs9duxdTRH0u7TdVz9TAIoMLdVIiJXseQK4-NC1QuuNPBW7tO_QABLqyacotoGj-EIKOgUpvfqGSeXaOHBBEEtS5lYAsZJi8/s4032/IMG_3607.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnlrSPlvTXoHvkd0SSP4VpljaGrBR8hva1-v2qz8LVJPfyHVVij1FsKtAegg7rWYOVZ_OkTau2CukHgH0AxNCl3JBsiWnRs9duxdTRH0u7TdVz9TAIoMLdVIiJXseQK4-NC1QuuNPBW7tO_QABLqyacotoGj-EIKOgUpvfqGSeXaOHBBEEtS5lYAsZJi8/s320/IMG_3607.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Vladmir Putin ate here:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLAEblEluH24a6wTqTmXxxJsLCM6QysTP7kmYQuy47W2K_POwFqs6jvUW9eXHWkk4ntjBd4ay3yu39SRhS12rUovQ1yuWmcVHI4FdFaxpjVUHk6d-3ZTehjVPfkB4nxf6sEgdocOsY9jK3aX_DlALFUf8gjia2KL_YIEnrgdMSarRjFr9O04xZhxJEQMY/s4032/IMG_3608.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLAEblEluH24a6wTqTmXxxJsLCM6QysTP7kmYQuy47W2K_POwFqs6jvUW9eXHWkk4ntjBd4ay3yu39SRhS12rUovQ1yuWmcVHI4FdFaxpjVUHk6d-3ZTehjVPfkB4nxf6sEgdocOsY9jK3aX_DlALFUf8gjia2KL_YIEnrgdMSarRjFr9O04xZhxJEQMY/s320/IMG_3608.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLDBgA1OgcW8dhyphenhyphenRjiJFVXd56r-83DMDMOIpRyxcrjSnVIERs7wFqPlW3R2qcD32KCp8k5yJIYGFR53Y4Esy2U__KoFT3mwuMFIaR8h5mEDJpsVVt-cbrxsl4uF_lQwPUF29K5x6YTHqFBDxz5BxWbAFzRPgFB6h8czmhDMebuoy4jaPwg5qmv-sf4zgM/s3662/IMG_3609.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1203" data-original-width="3662" height="105" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLDBgA1OgcW8dhyphenhyphenRjiJFVXd56r-83DMDMOIpRyxcrjSnVIERs7wFqPlW3R2qcD32KCp8k5yJIYGFR53Y4Esy2U__KoFT3mwuMFIaR8h5mEDJpsVVt-cbrxsl4uF_lQwPUF29K5x6YTHqFBDxz5BxWbAFzRPgFB6h8czmhDMebuoy4jaPwg5qmv-sf4zgM/s320/IMG_3609.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR0Q2mj6Dh7rOE4scffnf-Q_x2k2QRuKDvGAH0TEvmS-GbqIRsZRQu3P7JwuKsfPIYsmzNITi_aEDK1VO6HnMtDmy7kLXC3WCnhX74PTXRROE7-tvmAfRz27APFBHQQ1nlUovjda1KUnlRSul_uDK466CphGMyBrLAb5ItBoe_e8UuxlcTiNGzVNKYt44/s4032/IMG_3610.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR0Q2mj6Dh7rOE4scffnf-Q_x2k2QRuKDvGAH0TEvmS-GbqIRsZRQu3P7JwuKsfPIYsmzNITi_aEDK1VO6HnMtDmy7kLXC3WCnhX74PTXRROE7-tvmAfRz27APFBHQQ1nlUovjda1KUnlRSul_uDK466CphGMyBrLAb5ItBoe_e8UuxlcTiNGzVNKYt44/s320/IMG_3610.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW2M3ZXnvZjFpjPdvkaXcoyY1Q6UKhqeYgfCkujcFa2q9zsOZ6nEf-BBuqsqj2aR1LIpHF6YzVgRgy801KcbxK7QVpTG6-BAMP0z5qfA-o9u-UrQtAN9l6OxMmRKFnqJPJ030TYJ1ydyb5r9Pr0XVaZMg2qVJJi8bzScCun67a2cwFOdvWgIGI_HBSCO0/s4010/IMG_3611.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3008" data-original-width="4010" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW2M3ZXnvZjFpjPdvkaXcoyY1Q6UKhqeYgfCkujcFa2q9zsOZ6nEf-BBuqsqj2aR1LIpHF6YzVgRgy801KcbxK7QVpTG6-BAMP0z5qfA-o9u-UrQtAN9l6OxMmRKFnqJPJ030TYJ1ydyb5r9Pr0XVaZMg2qVJJi8bzScCun67a2cwFOdvWgIGI_HBSCO0/s320/IMG_3611.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtWHft0_JDSJzUyI3Fa7ehjh_o-2ViSye5ZT6OXveHD5vyj2pQGELxvuCg-cH9k4LesC6Ibx96t1GiFqdex82ZaUkkcoxm8B5WDZnHfn8uIBPAG2C_YgU5pn4Iog6sqWYjqmpMrKcjebyfSn6zcPB_7O3I_LNruE-sVaKDzsrVEGsAXTHIzt7_G0rJ-iU/s3968/IMG_3612.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2976" data-original-width="3968" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtWHft0_JDSJzUyI3Fa7ehjh_o-2ViSye5ZT6OXveHD5vyj2pQGELxvuCg-cH9k4LesC6Ibx96t1GiFqdex82ZaUkkcoxm8B5WDZnHfn8uIBPAG2C_YgU5pn4Iog6sqWYjqmpMrKcjebyfSn6zcPB_7O3I_LNruE-sVaKDzsrVEGsAXTHIzt7_G0rJ-iU/s320/IMG_3612.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMAsAxV7CdN37TxOJjOETUb8vpy1qfopozw51mxbNhj4UsNFvK1jaymiaipNxoUVu6PfCRk3DCv8-pIKx5d7ZF9l24i37NSe4Z5D3PuUcjOvRFo9C0bwkfFBsfdeIErCtx4lBlisxxHBFr1I87TVbtW05dVvBB9OyvfkfvgtxfgX1yQi8q2I_zHlhfPJE/s4032/IMG_3613.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMAsAxV7CdN37TxOJjOETUb8vpy1qfopozw51mxbNhj4UsNFvK1jaymiaipNxoUVu6PfCRk3DCv8-pIKx5d7ZF9l24i37NSe4Z5D3PuUcjOvRFo9C0bwkfFBsfdeIErCtx4lBlisxxHBFr1I87TVbtW05dVvBB9OyvfkfvgtxfgX1yQi8q2I_zHlhfPJE/s320/IMG_3613.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Tianjin, not Tokyo:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWLrD6scL2XkdxrFPQhxNRCOWHkbC0my7QvOSBl5ayf-y8a9Z0Jsy7ctRSunh4sjWjVTOYAgu3zDq5IImfyieF8MZVdUF_kzipbSrzJ6dvfQYiMCzncjcdy1pUFFhCLQKR_l-HsmqP-CDJ5xHNjgGVQsiarZxeOicahHnjpgahNX53VkxCaKBAmvVKYbg/s4032/IMG_3614.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWLrD6scL2XkdxrFPQhxNRCOWHkbC0my7QvOSBl5ayf-y8a9Z0Jsy7ctRSunh4sjWjVTOYAgu3zDq5IImfyieF8MZVdUF_kzipbSrzJ6dvfQYiMCzncjcdy1pUFFhCLQKR_l-HsmqP-CDJ5xHNjgGVQsiarZxeOicahHnjpgahNX53VkxCaKBAmvVKYbg/s320/IMG_3614.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Was this made to evoke the FIFA World Cup trophy, which <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2023/04/07/china/xi-jinping-china-football-dream-fail-intl-hnk-dst/index.html" target="_blank">China is unlikely to win in the foreseeable future</a>?:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_ZqVBe2iHR0Q9jiIO3qh35chSfKUVzfmwnsrmGadFeaBgBqAPEUs064KKznFv8F_sGK-wptVNNIgMPLr2VGEbVdG5YPj9oty_FAThVUu2XJa-dPssbqwpCi1oW0ikpZ7TmHVIEFpakneLYQebN0NFXY4GM784nYzlGKxdqIrZDI3bEY3QeQP9jBX4DW0/s4032/IMG_3617.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_ZqVBe2iHR0Q9jiIO3qh35chSfKUVzfmwnsrmGadFeaBgBqAPEUs064KKznFv8F_sGK-wptVNNIgMPLr2VGEbVdG5YPj9oty_FAThVUu2XJa-dPssbqwpCi1oW0ikpZ7TmHVIEFpakneLYQebN0NFXY4GM784nYzlGKxdqIrZDI3bEY3QeQP9jBX4DW0/s320/IMG_3617.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimzWF-Sw6qPTcxIvkFQrH8OzK0Ca__8vH5J-EEXTajhCJkKY6CE7ODIZICAIgVtdv5Xd-0KKQ2gXof9wBBaiJXNcQbL6zHqWJyyEN7R-rPjzJjt7Nng7h4mOrTvyWAO12Dc0qNhQnSEczx0h09zqIO8TrIZrsRjchZlN8BNx5StV_vV1q2SKThbKeUhe0/s4032/IMG_3618.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimzWF-Sw6qPTcxIvkFQrH8OzK0Ca__8vH5J-EEXTajhCJkKY6CE7ODIZICAIgVtdv5Xd-0KKQ2gXof9wBBaiJXNcQbL6zHqWJyyEN7R-rPjzJjt7Nng7h4mOrTvyWAO12Dc0qNhQnSEczx0h09zqIO8TrIZrsRjchZlN8BNx5StV_vV1q2SKThbKeUhe0/s320/IMG_3618.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc_XsdUXFimvLXhz75o6Wwqutlpx18dFDDM0b16iv75eh_uFEHlQD-tqcIXwQwcbE3VVwauk5nQK-p-J4sfRGYaDlgYKD3Lade3WzbV8zkVJ_m4MHdNKAAq0SxjPAkR12EvsCDinqvwY8EnVhbe17xj_FchfL9INeV-d8u9Rhsk_9FAMsLhtJPCiFwuUw/s4032/IMG_3621.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc_XsdUXFimvLXhz75o6Wwqutlpx18dFDDM0b16iv75eh_uFEHlQD-tqcIXwQwcbE3VVwauk5nQK-p-J4sfRGYaDlgYKD3Lade3WzbV8zkVJ_m4MHdNKAAq0SxjPAkR12EvsCDinqvwY8EnVhbe17xj_FchfL9INeV-d8u9Rhsk_9FAMsLhtJPCiFwuUw/s320/IMG_3621.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-YpYbilrkpVABtzh3bn5Pl3JRnUI-LvJ-M2dJstPvQk96-dFUnEQlrZMuctbNlOfKGAm2LU7SGCxBoJ1h9TfGxj8yCsrY64WTKZ1uukI85_3DOIV6iaCQ36YI_jK3tDLtd1z2cXae40HUNM03NQLmkV13rSYAAJSxk_55iO8T3Gf7GzF3FCBQFCaVfj0/s4032/IMG_3623.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-YpYbilrkpVABtzh3bn5Pl3JRnUI-LvJ-M2dJstPvQk96-dFUnEQlrZMuctbNlOfKGAm2LU7SGCxBoJ1h9TfGxj8yCsrY64WTKZ1uukI85_3DOIV6iaCQ36YI_jK3tDLtd1z2cXae40HUNM03NQLmkV13rSYAAJSxk_55iO8T3Gf7GzF3FCBQFCaVfj0/s320/IMG_3623.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX3ZS-N5KVDo7zbsMtf9b0etfdAPD4b2xSNGuAKiXAXiQo6MVnzxgZdZ7j4kbJS3_4E4ulZJT7VP2d2kH8z3wGm66CzU5RtV1awXnyFC2U1pDBHaXUHxibPnR22m1BiS0BlvsCZzxqxhud73jNA3T4ZARVLbFr7SPuJckUfKIuMMMJWk1smJA3eIjmur0/s3596/IMG_3625.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3596" data-original-width="2444" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX3ZS-N5KVDo7zbsMtf9b0etfdAPD4b2xSNGuAKiXAXiQo6MVnzxgZdZ7j4kbJS3_4E4ulZJT7VP2d2kH8z3wGm66CzU5RtV1awXnyFC2U1pDBHaXUHxibPnR22m1BiS0BlvsCZzxqxhud73jNA3T4ZARVLbFr7SPuJckUfKIuMMMJWk1smJA3eIjmur0/s320/IMG_3625.jpg" width="217" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRGG94R3cUJri2KZfNd61zKYzvlKblRc5smCJP6AIqCM_g5IXt_7kGZ6A410d9DImG8OJeA8b3esWJ2UUvbaMqGLe7eYTrFC6xfTWgDLLJ0C2YtgRi9eM2sGwPi9LcFiMrUYknHHTwDqRjJiqpBwo3-atRDeFvw7zCwg3nv8pvkjHIx-OFHClqbauk5bA/s4032/IMG_3626.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRGG94R3cUJri2KZfNd61zKYzvlKblRc5smCJP6AIqCM_g5IXt_7kGZ6A410d9DImG8OJeA8b3esWJ2UUvbaMqGLe7eYTrFC6xfTWgDLLJ0C2YtgRi9eM2sGwPi9LcFiMrUYknHHTwDqRjJiqpBwo3-atRDeFvw7zCwg3nv8pvkjHIx-OFHClqbauk5bA/s320/IMG_3626.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Buying some chewy grilled tofu cubes to snack on:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijwoLpn-A_ZYFYOOfZFWbC6ICNDEjc9Iknm92rzrSKUJCCYGWc3_1U3Opho0tDb_rUXVxa5-HWbUEuFIe5UG6dqNQTVjxAcP2jvZ4kbj828EAODRxN_V8tdoMEYS_x0HGUS73yU0Mb-cUGMyRBLU8OoiUA8USNTnJZgFxmqKCyIo2tkoOzKOp5GZ6IdKY/s4032/IMG_3627.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijwoLpn-A_ZYFYOOfZFWbC6ICNDEjc9Iknm92rzrSKUJCCYGWc3_1U3Opho0tDb_rUXVxa5-HWbUEuFIe5UG6dqNQTVjxAcP2jvZ4kbj828EAODRxN_V8tdoMEYS_x0HGUS73yU0Mb-cUGMyRBLU8OoiUA8USNTnJZgFxmqKCyIo2tkoOzKOp5GZ6IdKY/s320/IMG_3627.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Dying for our sins, or a warning to other pink-colored cats that it's best to keep moving on?:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7nJVrpqAwW8U4muvYYOe_05QdsZp1Zh3GLfR299iVr4voYAr0F8OGVYAGr_HKXvrVlTe8h5gjvvyrvxIdaicKBsPdsDKJ7gAdZyTZY9MPFgernrwAkSY9TrU7qUI9SZWT3iKsfs8jo1NzqWThYjh71zytPNWrw-LpeNXT0Jdvf6gKoYkqH3igRQNcnJo/s4032/IMG_3630.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7nJVrpqAwW8U4muvYYOe_05QdsZp1Zh3GLfR299iVr4voYAr0F8OGVYAGr_HKXvrVlTe8h5gjvvyrvxIdaicKBsPdsDKJ7gAdZyTZY9MPFgernrwAkSY9TrU7qUI9SZWT3iKsfs8jo1NzqWThYjh71zytPNWrw-LpeNXT0Jdvf6gKoYkqH3igRQNcnJo/s320/IMG_3630.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkgKsydOf4Zmr19CNdI8YYFrdBkzd3k-H2AJaI7vAGRGiD3ddb2sE_geJ7VvzWn6tgCeSNvoSSLFBZmobbjJjBeMNAlPwZVjbeIiQgR_SkQchlQWL-epyOcPBHVg04y5hKPn_SrTtPpdTtKQCHiGaFOS24eGcWsPWvEO7xjHxP5VfpsFaZ7NtgIU1jLNw/s4032/IMG_3632.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkgKsydOf4Zmr19CNdI8YYFrdBkzd3k-H2AJaI7vAGRGiD3ddb2sE_geJ7VvzWn6tgCeSNvoSSLFBZmobbjJjBeMNAlPwZVjbeIiQgR_SkQchlQWL-epyOcPBHVg04y5hKPn_SrTtPpdTtKQCHiGaFOS24eGcWsPWvEO7xjHxP5VfpsFaZ7NtgIU1jLNw/s320/IMG_3632.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Leaving Wudadao we rode to check out a museum on porcelain, only to find it was housed in a 1920's mansion built by a Frenchman that had been turned into...this...monstrosity. We decided to give it a pass and look for something to have for lunch instead:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuj1uDe3GZgTyva5JkaN6aZuViixlQ_tYPT2OxckJcNQzfq0HM5VBWdd8bN0evmNNJ6EgnHLrlvA7oO3EuQWrFMwrjiR6p-sSL2ai05rBXjiI00C6foJbDSliWLTw5C7ziTLVlKvgwmrzta5m10-yzVmLIHaKKxpB2bVP1U8LWLysMKXWpkchIyYFQRWU/s4032/IMG_3633.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuj1uDe3GZgTyva5JkaN6aZuViixlQ_tYPT2OxckJcNQzfq0HM5VBWdd8bN0evmNNJ6EgnHLrlvA7oO3EuQWrFMwrjiR6p-sSL2ai05rBXjiI00C6foJbDSliWLTw5C7ziTLVlKvgwmrzta5m10-yzVmLIHaKKxpB2bVP1U8LWLysMKXWpkchIyYFQRWU/s320/IMG_3633.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>But not here:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKKYwCEoxYH5-hSRUj9qnNOFSoXYyMLn0s8HajBBCtjTrEWQudoTc7Nfsnh3_M877Tz03wMifMauDLCy6AAMJ0e8U6r-6BT7pzR2Cv3a2m37VR0A7Qz5MWXY4kQX_-dGQodUWwFgtYLIx8ZmG8Ns__wHMfnRj8pXGNox_jcSRF7gtD8AuKO8qF5Phjkhs/s3121/IMG_3634.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1936" data-original-width="3121" height="199" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKKYwCEoxYH5-hSRUj9qnNOFSoXYyMLn0s8HajBBCtjTrEWQudoTc7Nfsnh3_M877Tz03wMifMauDLCy6AAMJ0e8U6r-6BT7pzR2Cv3a2m37VR0A7Qz5MWXY4kQX_-dGQodUWwFgtYLIx8ZmG8Ns__wHMfnRj8pXGNox_jcSRF7gtD8AuKO8qF5Phjkhs/s320/IMG_3634.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh__dsnJ4g_nwFZkasCv-rfKAjV8n_csXPDF6gD8C9TrwtSGqtR87Nrc7hL4HEWOLgbdgxqJbft5CP27z4Kl97GMPjFCMcc_mdMItApYXT9ENDeueh4ytYcZ-vHJWt8P7v5-GBPJuqmQb6qClwIiQsRHNDQISQpJOi8mkjyI18Hx8HBPjxkNq0ts2py210/s2602/IMG_3635.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="723" data-original-width="2602" height="89" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh__dsnJ4g_nwFZkasCv-rfKAjV8n_csXPDF6gD8C9TrwtSGqtR87Nrc7hL4HEWOLgbdgxqJbft5CP27z4Kl97GMPjFCMcc_mdMItApYXT9ENDeueh4ytYcZ-vHJWt8P7v5-GBPJuqmQb6qClwIiQsRHNDQISQpJOi8mkjyI18Hx8HBPjxkNq0ts2py210/s320/IMG_3635.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Instead, we settled on crab-and-shrimp noodles at a place opposite the above:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvgNEn-QKMF7jBPNX1pcAs3AHGwd4Cy6HNfNsfH9W77j0i76BgWD7AYdj89Hp6OIYY1_WhCuixQQhqCr9VsceP5SNYBeS1WdqzR4fHr10Dik18ESMth9C_g7Bb_fSOYYxuWQY8moy0-6u_1sVwWx8VyScMA33xlr2M7_SIiw32wmOyqQ8hSaKTgclLMOQ/s4032/IMG_3637.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvgNEn-QKMF7jBPNX1pcAs3AHGwd4Cy6HNfNsfH9W77j0i76BgWD7AYdj89Hp6OIYY1_WhCuixQQhqCr9VsceP5SNYBeS1WdqzR4fHr10Dik18ESMth9C_g7Bb_fSOYYxuWQY8moy0-6u_1sVwWx8VyScMA33xlr2M7_SIiw32wmOyqQ8hSaKTgclLMOQ/s320/IMG_3637.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmJSLK_i1KmCY3s0G_B5-j9jd_8sU6QEcoyEwmB4nEsc9VWGo77-xvuBPhT2IGtdC_olEEKnsuBEt_ioyzWIMZrHQVY1Iu06Ct0cSb1IXG1XcLOkT1hY32WPflRxnIvHgZe95Ri22IcUkjZAygWWc_Q_PxP5k9HjMEJJF3FSrGhzSAa07bdRBnm8tmF6A/s4032/IMG_3639.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmJSLK_i1KmCY3s0G_B5-j9jd_8sU6QEcoyEwmB4nEsc9VWGo77-xvuBPhT2IGtdC_olEEKnsuBEt_ioyzWIMZrHQVY1Iu06Ct0cSb1IXG1XcLOkT1hY32WPflRxnIvHgZe95Ri22IcUkjZAygWWc_Q_PxP5k9HjMEJJF3FSrGhzSAa07bdRBnm8tmF6A/s320/IMG_3639.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhLIgT_GKO5qpoesVomca-G4lGMWxgga0xSYToPmTfIVQm8gxBxk3y8Ol8PD6xRgggyynU7sFDGI8v1rPMZxCTFvrRRo1hjcXANKR_UPpYP_tCaZsEB2nLPT2zgot1hjHrXdIqxe-MUH1-_e9g4sLDy7dxSH1cZul7TxiNl9dFtqi4kE2gmEIAGcJqixQ/s3833/IMG_3640.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2756" data-original-width="3833" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhLIgT_GKO5qpoesVomca-G4lGMWxgga0xSYToPmTfIVQm8gxBxk3y8Ol8PD6xRgggyynU7sFDGI8v1rPMZxCTFvrRRo1hjcXANKR_UPpYP_tCaZsEB2nLPT2zgot1hjHrXdIqxe-MUH1-_e9g4sLDy7dxSH1cZul7TxiNl9dFtqi4kE2gmEIAGcJqixQ/s320/IMG_3640.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>At Jinwan Plaza 津湾广场, located on the other side of the Haihe River from the train station:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF-DOJJUG_KxZnEnLFTqGQVgp6yYPeX9TW4YZVBZ4REoJE6EDArZilYlJ6b6KRxcfwsUptz5y4D9C2TMb6WZ1bQ0_4wJ1Nm9OknuOq8fy-SG9z0MX1e0kALD1Q7kSHth-PTzmFF_PJPTXjxK8vLcmB_xZVwiqyjOilgu_HIKJPi0jx4Lelfr-2VplCink/s4032/IMG_3643.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2193" data-original-width="4032" height="174" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF-DOJJUG_KxZnEnLFTqGQVgp6yYPeX9TW4YZVBZ4REoJE6EDArZilYlJ6b6KRxcfwsUptz5y4D9C2TMb6WZ1bQ0_4wJ1Nm9OknuOq8fy-SG9z0MX1e0kALD1Q7kSHth-PTzmFF_PJPTXjxK8vLcmB_xZVwiqyjOilgu_HIKJPi0jx4Lelfr-2VplCink/s320/IMG_3643.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>I admired the bride, braving the close-to-freezing temperatures in order to get the right wedding shots. Wishing you and your partner a bright, happy and, most importantly, warm future together:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBoXW_Lu9oWbCrRCkFgL77Jhkjq8i-DQo1wSuH0isNTwq7GjPddV8oP1FvzrUw_iLJlaEFg6mswjl7SLBMxiWYrZLIuBpFTuwdMTwxe8oO5skR3hYibXTAJjqgBFscU3TWi0UyYz-Iwrp5c6QwSFXef65y9x1l1A6_5ZLlh1a8X9EiD2uE_jUCqDufwLc/s4032/IMG_3644.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBoXW_Lu9oWbCrRCkFgL77Jhkjq8i-DQo1wSuH0isNTwq7GjPddV8oP1FvzrUw_iLJlaEFg6mswjl7SLBMxiWYrZLIuBpFTuwdMTwxe8oO5skR3hYibXTAJjqgBFscU3TWi0UyYz-Iwrp5c6QwSFXef65y9x1l1A6_5ZLlh1a8X9EiD2uE_jUCqDufwLc/s320/IMG_3644.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtIJflIG61CxHNE9_u1ZVgEEA7uhKXkAarojiE-ihP7SYu8wWgY1QIUf6-MdCsIrHldCHscSXvbcG6RU5YQ5Jaoj-D-sqF0vDT49AcVpX2JQJZbDr_cSPCga5MzLIZCBt_zjoiAsN3lb3S66l7KLztNMg2sRBXqia8wnSHx3Y1RqHFHFt2sSiOqPnhq_Y/s4032/IMG_3646.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtIJflIG61CxHNE9_u1ZVgEEA7uhKXkAarojiE-ihP7SYu8wWgY1QIUf6-MdCsIrHldCHscSXvbcG6RU5YQ5Jaoj-D-sqF0vDT49AcVpX2JQJZbDr_cSPCga5MzLIZCBt_zjoiAsN3lb3S66l7KLztNMg2sRBXqia8wnSHx3Y1RqHFHFt2sSiOqPnhq_Y/s320/IMG_3646.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBknb2Xdquc5qIw4YANQuzurq2J_ti8NX6JyGS5B9NAX_yKqG4E0j9yZGyHKfgV0pYAuAGc46Xmrz06-S1n-MYrFBfVVcWT40GDDNcnHosyndWYQjrNGfHiXKHnZghYBAmJe4hSQ_kKhGRGtrTwY4670M83cOE3ZXIMWD2_SZr3iQVY-kxSWi4gnweb9w/s4032/IMG_3647.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBknb2Xdquc5qIw4YANQuzurq2J_ti8NX6JyGS5B9NAX_yKqG4E0j9yZGyHKfgV0pYAuAGc46Xmrz06-S1n-MYrFBfVVcWT40GDDNcnHosyndWYQjrNGfHiXKHnZghYBAmJe4hSQ_kKhGRGtrTwY4670M83cOE3ZXIMWD2_SZr3iQVY-kxSWi4gnweb9w/s320/IMG_3647.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Always on the lookout for snacks, this time some grilled sausages, with which to spoil our dinners:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8MA6W8lXLfu2GH2CycEyipq4rk8OYa-Rd7T8gkRfETIvr_4uZq2JPZU-VjU6hvh2m_764T_YWSteF0HSpSY_qBWaXifNb_XDc5Sy_zz6al_mRwfttWJ8DOsJazh-N1NNn5hKG1OFyXcwrpEo0WnoLPD_KDVwoAZ8VE4yO7q3kszOyRC56VopRUXF-Fi8/s4032/IMG_3650.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8MA6W8lXLfu2GH2CycEyipq4rk8OYa-Rd7T8gkRfETIvr_4uZq2JPZU-VjU6hvh2m_764T_YWSteF0HSpSY_qBWaXifNb_XDc5Sy_zz6al_mRwfttWJ8DOsJazh-N1NNn5hKG1OFyXcwrpEo0WnoLPD_KDVwoAZ8VE4yO7q3kszOyRC56VopRUXF-Fi8/s320/IMG_3650.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>With the onset of darkness, it was back on the bikes, this time to ride along the riverside toward the Tianjin Eye Ferris wheel, and passing by what looked like a temple lit up at night:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzg1V5GsXy9kjDKiwY9-V-0kEoSdmKb1Wsm4ReXm3sRi-vJHS6S9oPABaOuWoYqSOP4tvTV2eZQoPLbyP6znR0Pyh9lvCFyB2dgTnQzyaSGXVVtY8tNyc_SzfF2LaZfNyrP7c-ec5Wcpc9n6oRJ24lfQf6c9tIrZUioew-eFOQL2ETWWOKoq3kSsx9N8U/s4032/IMG_3652.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2107" data-original-width="4032" height="167" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzg1V5GsXy9kjDKiwY9-V-0kEoSdmKb1Wsm4ReXm3sRi-vJHS6S9oPABaOuWoYqSOP4tvTV2eZQoPLbyP6znR0Pyh9lvCFyB2dgTnQzyaSGXVVtY8tNyc_SzfF2LaZfNyrP7c-ec5Wcpc9n6oRJ24lfQf6c9tIrZUioew-eFOQL2ETWWOKoq3kSsx9N8U/s320/IMG_3652.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>120 meters/394 feet high, the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tianjin_Eye" target="_blank">Tianjin Eye</a> 天津之眼 is featured prominently in local tourist promotions (even being included on the wallpaper in our hotel room). Tickets, however, couldn't be purchased with Alipay (both of us have had issues with WeChat's pay app), but my daughter said she was content with just seeing the Ferris wheel at night:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6bXvWcn5FX94ZNEjkjU2RvnDtZfX7UDASMblvd7K19l7yU9eB_92Tu_ptn32Ep-_dqLYXDWWmQJIMcTslX-_YskJBOfLGDIUTlwQWYFYUNEe-WAITaAzZwMSE5ZQm038nq8Ohnd3IFPzWhXmI1FXhGDBY9xDcysu1UJiqW6VVVa-JgJsfU6Q660BJRv8/s4032/IMG_3653.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6bXvWcn5FX94ZNEjkjU2RvnDtZfX7UDASMblvd7K19l7yU9eB_92Tu_ptn32Ep-_dqLYXDWWmQJIMcTslX-_YskJBOfLGDIUTlwQWYFYUNEe-WAITaAzZwMSE5ZQm038nq8Ohnd3IFPzWhXmI1FXhGDBY9xDcysu1UJiqW6VVVa-JgJsfU6Q660BJRv8/s320/IMG_3653.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>More things to snack on - candied fruit:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9rpqqx9zHR791Gerdi4kA5s_w97r-790nFO1SlVGM7dhZXfgTPBkqJmwJ0kkTKEOhXBVw7XnfjNygU7vNeJ2dIgV8XgHTQzBlxi6rbUzMxpThVK6eVlzbdFgs06jNTEX-RiORaGxFnURgUJSQGA3Zrv124Qmek8tpr0NaJU3znX0NQOrheSsu_e4rMN0/s4032/IMG_3655.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9rpqqx9zHR791Gerdi4kA5s_w97r-790nFO1SlVGM7dhZXfgTPBkqJmwJ0kkTKEOhXBVw7XnfjNygU7vNeJ2dIgV8XgHTQzBlxi6rbUzMxpThVK6eVlzbdFgs06jNTEX-RiORaGxFnURgUJSQGA3Zrv124Qmek8tpr0NaJU3znX0NQOrheSsu_e4rMN0/s320/IMG_3655.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>After all these years making fun of those tourists in Pisa...:</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxcD-m-fDeRB0y6lzoCiexT4YJcwPPOO43Xv8mBmD7wB9SSlwr-bAlRf9m3Es0wdVfAXvMgFg5e5j8RKAlkvUjX1J6karvKeEOATB_MBIcmuE5arRMccL334S6__bQrTLfW2gBtrxghQ79v_pen-7IGwg00DR-i_V8qvOpCAYPrYhUr293MsKzInzWZwk/s1652/b1bea2c27437491fbd19a48060e0dadb.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1652" data-original-width="1239" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxcD-m-fDeRB0y6lzoCiexT4YJcwPPOO43Xv8mBmD7wB9SSlwr-bAlRf9m3Es0wdVfAXvMgFg5e5j8RKAlkvUjX1J6karvKeEOATB_MBIcmuE5arRMccL334S6__bQrTLfW2gBtrxghQ79v_pen-7IGwg00DR-i_V8qvOpCAYPrYhUr293MsKzInzWZwk/s320/b1bea2c27437491fbd19a48060e0dadb.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwQiXWtdikf898z92k9Yhy6PxD64FXByBOXzD7Evx-8vYev1UAT2DTfsaoPqNzWIZKFZDgQPOaQJBMU44pwvA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The singer in the video clip above not only had a great voice, but absolutely nailed an American country song. Making our way back in the direction of the hotel:</div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizn2MuHlmIfB2txhY17wTc6iY7bI9tDuT1M_2dBuOFb49OKYBviNbfJv1dxxmqV3WuMTSJnNo0KnQAF_gNRZkbaCNIzceS67nGfNEP2YhGsrBfEoeWyoHQU2ntcWwAy-Y5wTCpHGKugYbXOJJGoNhAyRpAS9jRZ3_vHYuCHzNXORD-6628TvFHTdPgeyM/s4032/IMG_3658.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizn2MuHlmIfB2txhY17wTc6iY7bI9tDuT1M_2dBuOFb49OKYBviNbfJv1dxxmqV3WuMTSJnNo0KnQAF_gNRZkbaCNIzceS67nGfNEP2YhGsrBfEoeWyoHQU2ntcWwAy-Y5wTCpHGKugYbXOJJGoNhAyRpAS9jRZ3_vHYuCHzNXORD-6628TvFHTdPgeyM/s320/IMG_3658.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYw3oPv1nOPtpz2hpe_1o4M_4brUb8w37MpJwzd5SVOyzUH0jQFIQ2zuChdxD1r0P0PQQhEE5BOdYKHU3Y62-RyJbL8upehpsMvx4fpUAkZj4esCd4nMXjrXHjvjvdpcaYRlTdv1t6nzrDoT2TYEjHxo6w8za1dWk9kehzfRHwoDgZXe0bZXfswBMsqnQ/s4032/IMG_3660.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYw3oPv1nOPtpz2hpe_1o4M_4brUb8w37MpJwzd5SVOyzUH0jQFIQ2zuChdxD1r0P0PQQhEE5BOdYKHU3Y62-RyJbL8upehpsMvx4fpUAkZj4esCd4nMXjrXHjvjvdpcaYRlTdv1t6nzrDoT2TYEjHxo6w8za1dWk9kehzfRHwoDgZXe0bZXfswBMsqnQ/s320/IMG_3660.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf62SZeA3OTwluPrjHYkZcIW7-jZr2p34e_Fo_w2vHimWqq5l7kd1wQeNcPZ87dsNRreZR1N1pwgf24QvUpTaXFRmWkZU885DlJkSwTsKtn8mWmZL-mBKlOqdu6GmE5W2sFiNsa-Z6mEYohcL4l5KMtdf0NQ_fzzTXOIHhyphenhyphen6U7pQsZry3tqiyJnwk1V90/s3927/IMG_3662.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2945" data-original-width="3927" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf62SZeA3OTwluPrjHYkZcIW7-jZr2p34e_Fo_w2vHimWqq5l7kd1wQeNcPZ87dsNRreZR1N1pwgf24QvUpTaXFRmWkZU885DlJkSwTsKtn8mWmZL-mBKlOqdu6GmE5W2sFiNsa-Z6mEYohcL4l5KMtdf0NQ_fzzTXOIHhyphenhyphen6U7pQsZry3tqiyJnwk1V90/s320/IMG_3662.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Tianjin has one of the most attractive waterfronts I've ever seen, at least after dark:<br /><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dx05c67BYPn8x5w2LJXLNe0oXK-JZeF_sRLHn4R1Fvcj34xKc3iG37J0elqt8nkvZ_HKNKtOlZHcjoNTB3TMA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEUwWCqGbts3tkeqOwOy4fDM6wWE8U8IxBSQYyt3BkaVNNTwapOgHFzJOeDXi973ZjTV0KEEmBJzmtiq2cRbaCcdmF99ZBmQII8360Z9Bs7fY_w-K3HhpjYMuJ5B31qrGQLF9hatb4404W_jVhtePkFDOLGnkhC64_3wpr3aegv5F3VE97S4P4Zjacb8I/s4032/IMG_3664.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2599" data-original-width="4032" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEUwWCqGbts3tkeqOwOy4fDM6wWE8U8IxBSQYyt3BkaVNNTwapOgHFzJOeDXi973ZjTV0KEEmBJzmtiq2cRbaCcdmF99ZBmQII8360Z9Bs7fY_w-K3HhpjYMuJ5B31qrGQLF9hatb4404W_jVhtePkFDOLGnkhC64_3wpr3aegv5F3VE97S4P4Zjacb8I/s320/IMG_3664.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8y73Nt10HTDagG0udWl1N-JCouXmeShLuZ2SRI-xh5AmRLETaG9IuyDMDInA7A1wCynFo7xBEzhzjXPABwoW6EJfPU-8cgrVmxrIymK3g5RL_q6MUsNZpGebVDHuSBVVM6Mset8jHMGaKJ6T0-5eWQwEI1kQSBLNlu5aQKvqdI17rJfo1CnRN5bch-VM/s4032/IMG_3667.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8y73Nt10HTDagG0udWl1N-JCouXmeShLuZ2SRI-xh5AmRLETaG9IuyDMDInA7A1wCynFo7xBEzhzjXPABwoW6EJfPU-8cgrVmxrIymK3g5RL_q6MUsNZpGebVDHuSBVVM6Mset8jHMGaKJ6T0-5eWQwEI1kQSBLNlu5aQKvqdI17rJfo1CnRN5bch-VM/s320/IMG_3667.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Amber stops to get a photo:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYpXH9YUvfDtpUHEqINdBVT3-edQK79YpwFQZjYECd11jcfaNwaI8N_AhMN_s_tWeNRWMdSif0Ys78UcwsXyUUxwNdU4AoY3F7phrHB5Y-WbYvAWaKLHKuMBN0EBqC-xIxYplXX-4Cmav_h8LLhyphenhyphenFcwjmkoRm08oHvyhdKTNf5G13ahKN4XAKaTtpNpO0/s4032/IMG_3668.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYpXH9YUvfDtpUHEqINdBVT3-edQK79YpwFQZjYECd11jcfaNwaI8N_AhMN_s_tWeNRWMdSif0Ys78UcwsXyUUxwNdU4AoY3F7phrHB5Y-WbYvAWaKLHKuMBN0EBqC-xIxYplXX-4Cmav_h8LLhyphenhyphenFcwjmkoRm08oHvyhdKTNf5G13ahKN4XAKaTtpNpO0/s320/IMG_3668.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP0QZJyo8PN24omMsXkmVtNPcTlRCYOIBCvhyphenhyphencVAVw-_oeoBPvJpkNp9uohozmr6tTJT3laRrehrd0G2Lkv8DF239_sbLwvG0pW2Nbx3aPmLzIfhr7QwblkpGHcT4YdVfKHi0XWh3rHW5VTbxWb3u6T8ylpqo65G_Cl6CQtKROnXwXthrX3R1C97FeClA/s4032/IMG_3669.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP0QZJyo8PN24omMsXkmVtNPcTlRCYOIBCvhyphenhyphencVAVw-_oeoBPvJpkNp9uohozmr6tTJT3laRrehrd0G2Lkv8DF239_sbLwvG0pW2Nbx3aPmLzIfhr7QwblkpGHcT4YdVfKHi0XWh3rHW5VTbxWb3u6T8ylpqo65G_Cl6CQtKROnXwXthrX3R1C97FeClA/s320/IMG_3669.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>For dinner, we returned to the Tianjin Tee Mall, though not at this subtly-lit establishment:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKlZ7IEuWshrdIQi9RKIylKDts_sTllX-m4hFR1RDoDwns0meMIfh6rBloRjcLoM6Txnc5NOjsia1NE27PIliBeVqqMFz0RjSrRaM4nglNndwIROq1NBP-e1Z4PDaAI3L6dyD-UB2TI4GpbH3309U4slxfGySpCsaKurRaW0CeTbCoyN46Sg3gensWKGE/s4032/IMG_3671.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2817" data-original-width="4032" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKlZ7IEuWshrdIQi9RKIylKDts_sTllX-m4hFR1RDoDwns0meMIfh6rBloRjcLoM6Txnc5NOjsia1NE27PIliBeVqqMFz0RjSrRaM4nglNndwIROq1NBP-e1Z4PDaAI3L6dyD-UB2TI4GpbH3309U4slxfGySpCsaKurRaW0CeTbCoyN46Sg3gensWKGE/s320/IMG_3671.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Instead, we settled on a so-called <i><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Y%C5%8Dshoku" target="_blank">yōshoku</a></i> 洋食 restaurant next door:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCu2LZWLyEKhs72tMDNnoG66pJQvx3fNymyaJZkN7gqybNaM5uH7h3KsuF06Q9Q0Y8-GKICaIVJILEjD2heepVtsERJPQ2JvzChNE8zxDuLIT3X4_u0Ki_PcLhyG16ZK9jVNcWZFxeEC16-2HjPHaw_1dHgfo0xLH8N-5AK0vbkNyHPjVibAa4ccAnsRs/s4032/IMG_3672.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCu2LZWLyEKhs72tMDNnoG66pJQvx3fNymyaJZkN7gqybNaM5uH7h3KsuF06Q9Q0Y8-GKICaIVJILEjD2heepVtsERJPQ2JvzChNE8zxDuLIT3X4_u0Ki_PcLhyG16ZK9jVNcWZFxeEC16-2HjPHaw_1dHgfo0xLH8N-5AK0vbkNyHPjVibAa4ccAnsRs/s320/IMG_3672.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Ugh, coconut! I need to memorize the character 椰 for the hellish fruit so I can avoid future pitfalls like this one:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvh01OhB0Re2rgMBXIBTZG7fjaz7o3jdgAn87rw3HIROBC8hgv9lvnV0amkJGzruV8FT_8eBbD3G3YqMzTBDYWDd8xgmYn-m0hg-4sIPOnait-pGAB2L-ytLAsUz-gKSOOqVIbGtok0BWQSw6gDBGUghswx_CSWJP_r9L9A6uDuF0yE2ttJTFLhs6qW_A/s3514/IMG_3673.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3514" data-original-width="2999" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvh01OhB0Re2rgMBXIBTZG7fjaz7o3jdgAn87rw3HIROBC8hgv9lvnV0amkJGzruV8FT_8eBbD3G3YqMzTBDYWDd8xgmYn-m0hg-4sIPOnait-pGAB2L-ytLAsUz-gKSOOqVIbGtok0BWQSw6gDBGUghswx_CSWJP_r9L9A6uDuF0yE2ttJTFLhs6qW_A/s320/IMG_3673.jpg" width="273" /></a></div><div><br /></div><i>Tonkatsu</i> 豚カツ...sort of:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-238BuhejB3okgffY-Z4xY2akNVVrUb5k3YR7DyihflG8m5qikqrkOT_9PMb7CZW_b1ieQoKkjUiLzTl2X9rcLDn5a6BWBcsDclR3W9mn86J43umJYlxLSwXXokrk2J3mnbURhlgklp-boA5JwHAKTXuqB0fYS8WIMH9RwV3PQgD0NGTRmNVuyYCaKkM/s4032/IMG_3674.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-238BuhejB3okgffY-Z4xY2akNVVrUb5k3YR7DyihflG8m5qikqrkOT_9PMb7CZW_b1ieQoKkjUiLzTl2X9rcLDn5a6BWBcsDclR3W9mn86J43umJYlxLSwXXokrk2J3mnbURhlgklp-boA5JwHAKTXuqB0fYS8WIMH9RwV3PQgD0NGTRmNVuyYCaKkM/s320/IMG_3674.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Following dinner we stopped at an arcade to play some games...:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN6g_g5AKiMpbD9QbNrXhEex1sEMPBu3jwmankHenMnxjnBB1_ypBnkyrtC_d6oEiIyXejVLGEWsjdUeOlrt7_dDrJzX8A35sHSTxHggV_iXPWUbIsvCe4v1ufkp7HwvewTTIIFqEaJ69mbFG-SymIzGgtN1octN23q1hx8mpAR5VKYcidy5xY_SotJpg/s4032/IMG_3676.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN6g_g5AKiMpbD9QbNrXhEex1sEMPBu3jwmankHenMnxjnBB1_ypBnkyrtC_d6oEiIyXejVLGEWsjdUeOlrt7_dDrJzX8A35sHSTxHggV_iXPWUbIsvCe4v1ufkp7HwvewTTIIFqEaJ69mbFG-SymIzGgtN1octN23q1hx8mpAR5VKYcidy5xY_SotJpg/s320/IMG_3676.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>...before stepping back into the night air and returning to our hotel:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLU359Af2D0uOajmfuVTY6gDprrmQc7W0kGPndSsB3vLJ_I5Cg40rINLxUuHAyQCuLq7VsyVFzGQSLKTNa4FJYGEcWFIO3P6Fowl1MatMdBlKU6nmDNbxzSgBl8AQ42k3erIcaaIA2wHBeNwOZ8v8UDltB7KioINnTJGnu45uGqYhHy9bPNRTS9WClPxE/s4032/IMG_3677.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2125" data-original-width="4032" height="169" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLU359Af2D0uOajmfuVTY6gDprrmQc7W0kGPndSsB3vLJ_I5Cg40rINLxUuHAyQCuLq7VsyVFzGQSLKTNa4FJYGEcWFIO3P6Fowl1MatMdBlKU6nmDNbxzSgBl8AQ42k3erIcaaIA2wHBeNwOZ8v8UDltB7KioINnTJGnu45uGqYhHy9bPNRTS9WClPxE/s320/IMG_3677.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div>Monday morning sunrise:</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTUvK_MPCVTnu8E7w41DEhuTzH7qBN9B6DGkotKQ08dGdMllhz6k0PWnHA9QLi9TOFadEAaO-38XKYVJiXear-91wibrHvII3gsOLIySTS3laNmwHQ8yc1vrS1HMiLfLf5EaY7LbPKtTTTdpsUFwzigiW8zYImLhV4Lz3vGX4WkooXWz27QAtE9zqqlv8/s4032/IMG_3684.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTUvK_MPCVTnu8E7w41DEhuTzH7qBN9B6DGkotKQ08dGdMllhz6k0PWnHA9QLi9TOFadEAaO-38XKYVJiXear-91wibrHvII3gsOLIySTS3laNmwHQ8yc1vrS1HMiLfLf5EaY7LbPKtTTTdpsUFwzigiW8zYImLhV4Lz3vGX4WkooXWz27QAtE9zqqlv8/s320/IMG_3684.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The view from the 51st-floor dining room. Unlike the previous morning's breakfast, which was so busy we were seated at a table with strangers, on Monday we had our pick on where we could sit:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKlxbTH8BvEazsOWuOFc0EtY3VLIb-WDNpmqFM3_bJH55OWCoCYBooDKTdFuayNp1orFtEht6sopts6A6r0Q3RDrkACRmiUVJ0Qqc4HPKQ8LV3g1MIWAGsmRzSEDyVJa9JNk29E1Fvd-r64M_YdG7pBmGS6lp5zB3rIv8ZxIjw4C0PwF_i9-mE9FnpALc/s4032/IMG_3686.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKlxbTH8BvEazsOWuOFc0EtY3VLIb-WDNpmqFM3_bJH55OWCoCYBooDKTdFuayNp1orFtEht6sopts6A6r0Q3RDrkACRmiUVJ0Qqc4HPKQ8LV3g1MIWAGsmRzSEDyVJa9JNk29E1Fvd-r64M_YdG7pBmGS6lp5zB3rIv8ZxIjw4C0PwF_i9-mE9FnpALc/s320/IMG_3686.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>With our train back to Beijing not due to depart until 1650 hours, we found another pair of bikes and set out riding again, with our first stop being an historic theater:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUXCFBRJH_WXIaAg50Z-VhlKFprIA_zB3z2QA8JfBGGx-YxuQ_SdSVIjZirAMheGyGRk3HA_GilVCZG-r2xCom3AHzvZcBDOf8nYyJM1PMLyqsCghuzkao5fY3XPxsTIurYJtofbkg-w6dlF1O4_uQ1bCJ8HppE08Cub77OSiAYlDaiy9Hjlx8dTw1WiM/s4032/IMG_3688.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUXCFBRJH_WXIaAg50Z-VhlKFprIA_zB3z2QA8JfBGGx-YxuQ_SdSVIjZirAMheGyGRk3HA_GilVCZG-r2xCom3AHzvZcBDOf8nYyJM1PMLyqsCghuzkao5fY3XPxsTIurYJtofbkg-w6dlF1O4_uQ1bCJ8HppE08Cub77OSiAYlDaiy9Hjlx8dTw1WiM/s320/IMG_3688.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2Qf3yyOP2Xc7uyaU-ctK_odrHfNfNZF8tiT_sOlzwk94DaIbc_rgHGvKSXd0Y-5jMpvAGaUXyY5rkwuJgKzdx0crfuZqpx8URD4S1SW53EEtTu5M3nM6rflsqwEKsS7n5snJ8Zci_-EVSIgJKp60kkZsnv_Nj7WpSejuyQnDMpq722ls6DvBdZ0No4Ws/s4032/IMG_3689.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2Qf3yyOP2Xc7uyaU-ctK_odrHfNfNZF8tiT_sOlzwk94DaIbc_rgHGvKSXd0Y-5jMpvAGaUXyY5rkwuJgKzdx0crfuZqpx8URD4S1SW53EEtTu5M3nM6rflsqwEKsS7n5snJ8Zci_-EVSIgJKp60kkZsnv_Nj7WpSejuyQnDMpq722ls6DvBdZ0No4Ws/s320/IMG_3689.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>I can always find time to have a look at heroic revolutionary socialist architecture, especially when it's overshadowed by capitalist...er, I mean socialism with Chinese characteristics high-rise condos:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxcvpRbFqWFbGVSNanzSgcw_l0yL0c2gmroyhmj33I0y1BVLYj-PZ0_SU_j-EHA5UkHZpOqbZkGu6emYCRr3oYr0zPosmkY7NOv2VyAHRm-TbR9CDwMuoEWo4ULmaMMqwnXa0atl869ladSvsSZvJQWvt11e9uXS6cyf4ChT_5WzBlwRJpYnX9-4Bohyphenhyphenk/s4032/IMG_3690.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxcvpRbFqWFbGVSNanzSgcw_l0yL0c2gmroyhmj33I0y1BVLYj-PZ0_SU_j-EHA5UkHZpOqbZkGu6emYCRr3oYr0zPosmkY7NOv2VyAHRm-TbR9CDwMuoEWo4ULmaMMqwnXa0atl869ladSvsSZvJQWvt11e9uXS6cyf4ChT_5WzBlwRJpYnX9-4Bohyphenhyphenk/s320/IMG_3690.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The <a href="https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202307/1294274.shtml" target="_blank">Northwest Corner area</a> 西北角 is popular for its breakfast fare:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqpjqtOFVzn6Q76AUzbYJnsRL4uXqyi-6ZrC2PhOxK-YihuF2GGdY7BdaL7MS0g8V25SgDCIij3gOTd042Tsg85A8hDd_RvfuOhAYpoyc8AYaNX9sI97VpVL9bXGwtjY3czJmnV5rShmaotAB1sk3dPoR_Q6DuhP-aje0hXCZp7mWTGrx5bIXvEnyeYDQ/s4032/IMG_3691.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqpjqtOFVzn6Q76AUzbYJnsRL4uXqyi-6ZrC2PhOxK-YihuF2GGdY7BdaL7MS0g8V25SgDCIij3gOTd042Tsg85A8hDd_RvfuOhAYpoyc8AYaNX9sI97VpVL9bXGwtjY3czJmnV5rShmaotAB1sk3dPoR_Q6DuhP-aje0hXCZp7mWTGrx5bIXvEnyeYDQ/s320/IMG_3691.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrxcyY5E9wALvT6fLPqZ7GHru-2o49GFX9Nc4ugSpiOuFbyTvgoPUkXSXBfIESYKNTusIpDcY10ofeDRCWsNOHBFSP5vvvYw6wPQRJ9g0QQ3Vdup-W7VXiIvQS9aEAkfaSs1mhjfZLcKN2FlxiTC45rJHn25YmJ66l4cGUcOuPL0tR9y5I2KM4DrqFJcc/s4032/IMG_3693.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrxcyY5E9wALvT6fLPqZ7GHru-2o49GFX9Nc4ugSpiOuFbyTvgoPUkXSXBfIESYKNTusIpDcY10ofeDRCWsNOHBFSP5vvvYw6wPQRJ9g0QQ3Vdup-W7VXiIvQS9aEAkfaSs1mhjfZLcKN2FlxiTC45rJHn25YmJ66l4cGUcOuPL0tR9y5I2KM4DrqFJcc/s320/IMG_3693.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji-ODsr3DUwt11zbXn1QNtto3h7eexJrrtnJVHFGAMYy9vjRsP9ltObO33r85OTa4ihGbxECEeP1s_Zq6MXYuym0-Egqc_mSnkiCa4uVE58P3iCxOho9X8f6XUbITmpX_XUJ4_gMBzawgtq8yCrE9LBjgSNDWwQBCP8o0h_kWTcM32dwLhAbuwI-ufhnI/s4032/IMG_3696.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji-ODsr3DUwt11zbXn1QNtto3h7eexJrrtnJVHFGAMYy9vjRsP9ltObO33r85OTa4ihGbxECEeP1s_Zq6MXYuym0-Egqc_mSnkiCa4uVE58P3iCxOho9X8f6XUbITmpX_XUJ4_gMBzawgtq8yCrE9LBjgSNDWwQBCP8o0h_kWTcM32dwLhAbuwI-ufhnI/s320/IMG_3696.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Amber had been wanting to try a snack called <a href="https://chinatripedia.com/ripe-pear-cake-delightful-flavor-of-tianjin/" target="_blank">Ripe Pear Cake</a> 熟梨糕 that we had seen being sold virtually everywhere we had been so far in Tianjin. Here she finally attained her goal, and it was worth the wait:</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi93lnu0akUezniOvDWLbg5cvcUnaPWhFFLd_VUi0RIqtTmgUiu5dWx7U5JZeVpcZK1mCvE9HJU8w-ye5VjD3FLaVHgXYqE9HMjSyPA0GDc296q8oGF3oWjIPL0XRZgZziY4ocWk4miD9guXQH1ZWtnKBabXT2IU94rrxt-Omxw_1MDj9XgS_wihk2jkFs/s4032/IMG_3698.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi93lnu0akUezniOvDWLbg5cvcUnaPWhFFLd_VUi0RIqtTmgUiu5dWx7U5JZeVpcZK1mCvE9HJU8w-ye5VjD3FLaVHgXYqE9HMjSyPA0GDc296q8oGF3oWjIPL0XRZgZziY4ocWk4miD9guXQH1ZWtnKBabXT2IU94rrxt-Omxw_1MDj9XgS_wihk2jkFs/s320/IMG_3698.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGC-KgO_RhUmaOCEWkAyux90VeB6GqpPbLxWzPYzb7gING-BMUycnI2lP0Ln2585Y49BgcjfNte57N7M2vtEIsqo541z_k1cX_ypZDV54SSyehn5ZRBqC_MRNmQM_YNmnG8uAB0asS-DhdvSQuvAn7qh0_YF5WZ40JpUfMQo4GSo8stOB135cc6UhVERM/s4032/IMG_3699.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGC-KgO_RhUmaOCEWkAyux90VeB6GqpPbLxWzPYzb7gING-BMUycnI2lP0Ln2585Y49BgcjfNte57N7M2vtEIsqo541z_k1cX_ypZDV54SSyehn5ZRBqC_MRNmQM_YNmnG8uAB0asS-DhdvSQuvAn7qh0_YF5WZ40JpUfMQo4GSo8stOB135cc6UhVERM/s320/IMG_3699.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy3RCQ7LIM3Tt9ykYx0OS0foL5KaZ15shaKuvACuknumOH1hglUW8We1c_IkpwcEMZjB9XcIRR7dyuDtwaTfD7SA-jDre2Yzjlx0mQJuTSFrBnpMyaNm09_JzXlc5doq70kUpX_qXzXMisFxM4CFt89j31dc_ere-080Egg9YlxGUzKsCaG-L9vpypCN4/s4032/IMG_3700.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy3RCQ7LIM3Tt9ykYx0OS0foL5KaZ15shaKuvACuknumOH1hglUW8We1c_IkpwcEMZjB9XcIRR7dyuDtwaTfD7SA-jDre2Yzjlx0mQJuTSFrBnpMyaNm09_JzXlc5doq70kUpX_qXzXMisFxM4CFt89j31dc_ere-080Egg9YlxGUzKsCaG-L9vpypCN4/s320/IMG_3700.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>This friendly gentleman sold some tasty meat-filled buns. He wasn't of the majority Han ethnic group (being presumably a Muslim <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hui_people" target="_blank">Hui</a>), so his Mandarin was actually understandable:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmoIXaX1le4f4dHGLrx0uYatooyT7W5Hiyt2vac6n2rAPJPoMYPHZcX_OKpJVI42bn-JYNdaYxvz6ucTkOAfsN7DcMAt9APySTr1JkprK-qbjUqkK_gWCOmjjuvbkDRqEKwXu-OTa_cu59UyHXVrkKjnYKJz6ktC5q1dL0sjTEvGdJtsEz2kJTMsYV-C8/s4032/IMG_3702.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmoIXaX1le4f4dHGLrx0uYatooyT7W5Hiyt2vac6n2rAPJPoMYPHZcX_OKpJVI42bn-JYNdaYxvz6ucTkOAfsN7DcMAt9APySTr1JkprK-qbjUqkK_gWCOmjjuvbkDRqEKwXu-OTa_cu59UyHXVrkKjnYKJz6ktC5q1dL0sjTEvGdJtsEz2kJTMsYV-C8/s320/IMG_3702.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrvLjToGlfXnHH1OSPKISK0Qo9WqbgGiaJYYJyR3poInWzPnZ60OUgcFBVOhRmUjQPTjaxK2dv4bSE5w0-3P4S4MBQgqrinMcNY1JJh7_jVLRvkG1z04UcM_IJS8pig_B6-Fltyicp5SlX2BAj72cwyxpALqY2yEgLRdPC9naxsNtUXc3FslPeeeKK9yo/s4032/IMG_3711.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrvLjToGlfXnHH1OSPKISK0Qo9WqbgGiaJYYJyR3poInWzPnZ60OUgcFBVOhRmUjQPTjaxK2dv4bSE5w0-3P4S4MBQgqrinMcNY1JJh7_jVLRvkG1z04UcM_IJS8pig_B6-Fltyicp5SlX2BAj72cwyxpALqY2yEgLRdPC9naxsNtUXc3FslPeeeKK9yo/s320/IMG_3711.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaSRGPbDUaBkha9hBEwvcG68wTQmnPedvAyAq3ihx8WvTHJ4B1jaFjPUTABSS8QfoAqhs0X0TddEjf_epd-qMF4U2VcsGv2vSw9o2GVI5BgYoflhBz2nEvHv58hAfLkTCLIdhY1QerIQw5Onwi2WdVY6ABv48JVaoRrZRr3seBcrVD4dqOVLzRh3cNVPE/s4032/IMG_3712.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaSRGPbDUaBkha9hBEwvcG68wTQmnPedvAyAq3ihx8WvTHJ4B1jaFjPUTABSS8QfoAqhs0X0TddEjf_epd-qMF4U2VcsGv2vSw9o2GVI5BgYoflhBz2nEvHv58hAfLkTCLIdhY1QerIQw5Onwi2WdVY6ABv48JVaoRrZRr3seBcrVD4dqOVLzRh3cNVPE/s320/IMG_3712.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>From the traditional to the modern, all in the space of a few hundred meters:</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9vMmDjrtUORKoeUPwFgsJjFpE7-0K3EY9oRaM7t9BKeYDm_khtuB3WhRXursKoVLRvukimI7pSPC38oSPxAGZ_G6B-N10NrCHIQzBYYBYzsxiMUPwWNOvbRSJGrfk1a0Fl9LTncs8X3cIoAprZj32yKm0pUj_-ys373GPBJt597fWYfOU3vzR22KFr6M/s4032/IMG_3714.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9vMmDjrtUORKoeUPwFgsJjFpE7-0K3EY9oRaM7t9BKeYDm_khtuB3WhRXursKoVLRvukimI7pSPC38oSPxAGZ_G6B-N10NrCHIQzBYYBYzsxiMUPwWNOvbRSJGrfk1a0Fl9LTncs8X3cIoAprZj32yKm0pUj_-ys373GPBJt597fWYfOU3vzR22KFr6M/s320/IMG_3714.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>A large mosque serving the spiritual needs of the resident Hui community:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJpPlNHbGnEVv6ZZ1yLuQwtLv8epX5XDCDvli00hf9cO5lOgF_zYPSu5ioEZe-F__Nmm9x5r6ITx-SxjVNXLW9u1dISHZACNfhjTI59g_mtXYG2JJez3rgs_YRz2zOYDBmD_Me1G2EpYDRNRCMrwcYJhStprbcp2A_HuzuSIzzAtJX9PcW-aPmfYzdUjE/s3024/IMG_3715.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJpPlNHbGnEVv6ZZ1yLuQwtLv8epX5XDCDvli00hf9cO5lOgF_zYPSu5ioEZe-F__Nmm9x5r6ITx-SxjVNXLW9u1dISHZACNfhjTI59g_mtXYG2JJez3rgs_YRz2zOYDBmD_Me1G2EpYDRNRCMrwcYJhStprbcp2A_HuzuSIzzAtJX9PcW-aPmfYzdUjE/s320/IMG_3715.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The Tianjin Eye in the daylight. As you can see here, it stands in the middle of a bridge spanning the Xinkai River:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiFs_5H-GURBhW8C6ceIzNEr_lr2qBQqnhuVUt2VqMfdWaPWubyF4sl5EmcuRUmut2TaUovZg1Cghgoxxru5mFtOyj_8OeTAnqsDUrXUY9XRIR4jWUYmduN7FEROq36xpQqLCoXFO9kufpjk8v-8FAkrUaJLcxYlwhrRn7tTPLDTpdcJacEEFFNJOhZ0c/s3774/IMG_3716.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3774" data-original-width="2757" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiFs_5H-GURBhW8C6ceIzNEr_lr2qBQqnhuVUt2VqMfdWaPWubyF4sl5EmcuRUmut2TaUovZg1Cghgoxxru5mFtOyj_8OeTAnqsDUrXUY9XRIR4jWUYmduN7FEROq36xpQqLCoXFO9kufpjk8v-8FAkrUaJLcxYlwhrRn7tTPLDTpdcJacEEFFNJOhZ0c/s320/IMG_3716.jpg" width="234" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Get your motor runnin', head out on the highway...:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRMTf74BTloM0VEa26TEK9tUGyMmtEV6Nkzlgn_kGVSDongfg01GxPdNBb0b5lHQCaedoYMrH7Oba0JlMSRG_FXlTUnqIkjESQ8EAP62FNdcBT_V_Y3ocqUcnTAQ9wi7DjWPeqxn44XHtnOFLjBzgFbJh011irtWoMq7NCdtnVaESeNdwLdRZD-MOB-Jo/s4032/IMG_3722.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRMTf74BTloM0VEa26TEK9tUGyMmtEV6Nkzlgn_kGVSDongfg01GxPdNBb0b5lHQCaedoYMrH7Oba0JlMSRG_FXlTUnqIkjESQ8EAP62FNdcBT_V_Y3ocqUcnTAQ9wi7DjWPeqxn44XHtnOFLjBzgFbJh011irtWoMq7NCdtnVaESeNdwLdRZD-MOB-Jo/s320/IMG_3722.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Having lunch at that most Chinese of dining establishments...not. <a href="https://www.yoshinoya.com/" target="_blank">Yoshinoya</a> 吉野家:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGZsrWEP7Ua1ncNuhEMlxnm9e4vO1_k7Pt4ckyt_5kr7zKl0vS7abaG5GHzeKzCULv98bmylTILQvMkciR4KoFik5fExxWNh8ZmjQI8JTtD8rr_f_dK5CfAPDEj16CVAWzM6GKlikKffa4tSEw63s85ptg4ib0m1uRmnrSU4hMU26H37_qG5KeCu0Hu78/s3921/IMG_3723.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2404" data-original-width="3921" height="196" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGZsrWEP7Ua1ncNuhEMlxnm9e4vO1_k7Pt4ckyt_5kr7zKl0vS7abaG5GHzeKzCULv98bmylTILQvMkciR4KoFik5fExxWNh8ZmjQI8JTtD8rr_f_dK5CfAPDEj16CVAWzM6GKlikKffa4tSEw63s85ptg4ib0m1uRmnrSU4hMU26H37_qG5KeCu0Hu78/s320/IMG_3723.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx4RSpmoC8QlJpUWr0LdPa_2AG_nSFxpyEUs9hSe-o_HjqAIfFkT3W9pEKzO84ZXi8_1W3IG2AWRD8CNk0EJM_2YgnQQO3z5k-hA5XtlTYYykKqVsx9wuZUmhZqNvb1eOFAKaufgHfQVGT3J5Rft9i5UW3CREK9-miIrVE1psClsIv1rnK-cDIp5u0ZKo/s2953/IMG_3724.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2752" data-original-width="2953" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx4RSpmoC8QlJpUWr0LdPa_2AG_nSFxpyEUs9hSe-o_HjqAIfFkT3W9pEKzO84ZXi8_1W3IG2AWRD8CNk0EJM_2YgnQQO3z5k-hA5XtlTYYykKqVsx9wuZUmhZqNvb1eOFAKaufgHfQVGT3J5Rft9i5UW3CREK9-miIrVE1psClsIv1rnK-cDIp5u0ZKo/s320/IMG_3724.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Our final stop in Tianjin was the <a href="https://www.travelchinaguide.com/attraction/tianjin/ancient-cultural-street.htm" target="_blank">Ancient Culture Street</a> 古文化街. Apparently, the ancestors of today's Chinese spent their days snacking:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGRb-qtf163bbm0e48IgQN9yp4bPJhhfdzXxbxict0pMenwMsEFp4jCSV_WuNGqGsAAAtpeKrrzBpQlymghYtueIuwPDP3kasOVnExuo_35LSB458v8mA4sIj8OhyCmVM7wc7IghPQ9VcQEmvJx1wSEJ4MwgFvxObZZ8T9Bw1nrdRc2vWnCF1sWhEFqcs/s4032/IMG_3725.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGRb-qtf163bbm0e48IgQN9yp4bPJhhfdzXxbxict0pMenwMsEFp4jCSV_WuNGqGsAAAtpeKrrzBpQlymghYtueIuwPDP3kasOVnExuo_35LSB458v8mA4sIj8OhyCmVM7wc7IghPQ9VcQEmvJx1wSEJ4MwgFvxObZZ8T9Bw1nrdRc2vWnCF1sWhEFqcs/s320/IMG_3725.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5qp6nfrI6ylr0g8eqf2OU5q0dwevZ5qRbqOSy-LFp8qdUzuWpXAVqin7Mi5pJR5n5bvS6Lr042utKL92G7iO9NMZQemwzF6FmHDomzKEtGlnpFYkyRvVTYLkV1CevmGTbWV_fdin6OD1HYkSSvhKusXHm9jWnTisAu-5MeuVHdkolncZ_1lcjMWDk8hI/s4032/IMG_3727.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5qp6nfrI6ylr0g8eqf2OU5q0dwevZ5qRbqOSy-LFp8qdUzuWpXAVqin7Mi5pJR5n5bvS6Lr042utKL92G7iO9NMZQemwzF6FmHDomzKEtGlnpFYkyRvVTYLkV1CevmGTbWV_fdin6OD1HYkSSvhKusXHm9jWnTisAu-5MeuVHdkolncZ_1lcjMWDk8hI/s320/IMG_3727.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The English is actually an accurate translation of the Chinese. My daughter was wondering why there was a large photograph of a man considering the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qipao" target="_blank">subject matter</a>:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_2ewm9VqpXGRy1ii0R6o8HvjCZECZXnvuRo-A-hOsZOmTfP7h62sEriY1gnhcwCWxWr8gXJXxLtMB8lkMrhgpKei77l4q8Q9Ol5OiEWsx3NN8lsxCK7vlhDGhPdo3cySaUGL4uZsqXhLGqfZVGJjmU0moYwS2TXE0JuZ_rc3ThMlFLxEs3ICe6_qhY3I/s4032/IMG_3729.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_2ewm9VqpXGRy1ii0R6o8HvjCZECZXnvuRo-A-hOsZOmTfP7h62sEriY1gnhcwCWxWr8gXJXxLtMB8lkMrhgpKei77l4q8Q9Ol5OiEWsx3NN8lsxCK7vlhDGhPdo3cySaUGL4uZsqXhLGqfZVGJjmU0moYwS2TXE0JuZ_rc3ThMlFLxEs3ICe6_qhY3I/s320/IMG_3729.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU_n72V6DKDPZD5Ac4aairZ6UI2vhoFOv3QAW0h2eKWIuxB1armEIJKOaCdToLXosW-ajE-oX6tCQnOzCYAzoiywlQZNuNRc8QxSLrCq6QYjBlqLB-4vxVAQeiFhQ_4Q9d4Hgp0RgawS_XjFd__WRsXce5ZXEt4nAdnYFea2FboYQLKDJst4zXlfMukyA/s4032/IMG_3730.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU_n72V6DKDPZD5Ac4aairZ6UI2vhoFOv3QAW0h2eKWIuxB1armEIJKOaCdToLXosW-ajE-oX6tCQnOzCYAzoiywlQZNuNRc8QxSLrCq6QYjBlqLB-4vxVAQeiFhQ_4Q9d4Hgp0RgawS_XjFd__WRsXce5ZXEt4nAdnYFea2FboYQLKDJst4zXlfMukyA/s320/IMG_3730.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigovnlnJC8M84Phax_bsI6pupxxTMPJNQlx7y1ROiOcyBE1qrPxuKqhX4DfdT_1GiGrqAzQ_eoiorXU2HhAVV1_NHYwyVw6OMFg1o9jmS5VoJ1mt7xakQgRPYrL9dTg17lZa3qRqaNZgr3fg__sYt0bnLws9VVageqQ3vKmVtdIgD6qqMme9ovpSoosA4/s4032/IMG_3732.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigovnlnJC8M84Phax_bsI6pupxxTMPJNQlx7y1ROiOcyBE1qrPxuKqhX4DfdT_1GiGrqAzQ_eoiorXU2HhAVV1_NHYwyVw6OMFg1o9jmS5VoJ1mt7xakQgRPYrL9dTg17lZa3qRqaNZgr3fg__sYt0bnLws9VVageqQ3vKmVtdIgD6qqMme9ovpSoosA4/s320/IMG_3732.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCjzBPuNzXWiOx0o1_3ws4_YYnnFXnV2fzV03WSgqBmcPQRISshmG2n4GGxpIK7OhLMObOxREjBbd0G7hcH_2hpYEpBUewQcfw9z-YSHjpevtHIZHS88Wwf9vopqkicUHNy5vmULsrncWUYNBRa8muknbx66bpqQNk_FyazOp3zDtvHdOh8BjH6Q5HXlE/s4032/IMG_3793.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCjzBPuNzXWiOx0o1_3ws4_YYnnFXnV2fzV03WSgqBmcPQRISshmG2n4GGxpIK7OhLMObOxREjBbd0G7hcH_2hpYEpBUewQcfw9z-YSHjpevtHIZHS88Wwf9vopqkicUHNy5vmULsrncWUYNBRa8muknbx66bpqQNk_FyazOp3zDtvHdOh8BjH6Q5HXlE/s320/IMG_3793.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Trying to keep one step ahead of a tour group:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuABJN-dgb7O9qyVWpNXKf0aUlKajvQ2KQzAS1TFQsKuOYcygSWgJviWwcIugt796SYc-RfQm1g1-L6ltTkmeaBrVJd7n2kZU2CRgIIvEBUYb_0gnUttB5avAkZTmoPgUuX-iOcVQJssknfgqxX5aC2ndxodY72xFL4_j8mSqAeWoHtBOPIDVqJ9OGqIM/s3088/IMG_3794.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2320" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuABJN-dgb7O9qyVWpNXKf0aUlKajvQ2KQzAS1TFQsKuOYcygSWgJviWwcIugt796SYc-RfQm1g1-L6ltTkmeaBrVJd7n2kZU2CRgIIvEBUYb_0gnUttB5avAkZTmoPgUuX-iOcVQJssknfgqxX5aC2ndxodY72xFL4_j8mSqAeWoHtBOPIDVqJ9OGqIM/s320/IMG_3794.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijc5IfYQG0hik82nIxQYAMhlYaKya5_RRj7UjqxP26bMPyeEkYvAZqb36RhxZ9_xSzOiTEOG_-yW3kbV3hnzwQi2_L6f1lLUxwA040H2w_XCKKx3lPWFySIsWwDEW9-fcJdX0zceUYcna7O_Xeol77ejx0vgQiJaLkTf2SLzKveWtUrsCCMuTSocZXJB0/s4032/IMG_3795.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijc5IfYQG0hik82nIxQYAMhlYaKya5_RRj7UjqxP26bMPyeEkYvAZqb36RhxZ9_xSzOiTEOG_-yW3kbV3hnzwQi2_L6f1lLUxwA040H2w_XCKKx3lPWFySIsWwDEW9-fcJdX0zceUYcna7O_Xeol77ejx0vgQiJaLkTf2SLzKveWtUrsCCMuTSocZXJB0/s320/IMG_3795.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Honesty in advertising:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW6nISxSlxQiN9vxKsRBdKhc5a2akfeQe1qG_zwsS3lECRdfLjGah0eJIlJB9Oy2dNF_aJiLKQzSDCP6MsJJpH4txJSq8BKkOJ4zJQ7RuwV-TeYx5bCrXWhZ-S9NCPCvfZ2HOFVpMyCvYMIgkNTlINxCvBCyyjcd4iHINenNdjap926FO4XHgr3GEHH6o/s4032/IMG_3796.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW6nISxSlxQiN9vxKsRBdKhc5a2akfeQe1qG_zwsS3lECRdfLjGah0eJIlJB9Oy2dNF_aJiLKQzSDCP6MsJJpH4txJSq8BKkOJ4zJQ7RuwV-TeYx5bCrXWhZ-S9NCPCvfZ2HOFVpMyCvYMIgkNTlINxCvBCyyjcd4iHINenNdjap926FO4XHgr3GEHH6o/s320/IMG_3796.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Of course we had to go inside, and my colleagues at work were all the happier for it after the weekend:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIUbVLNOM0G_59uX_j1xZr6bLxNR0qDxMBkNYipLVy6vArh8Ce9xGfaHq-SCb3wI7cxCnNh9gkHbWoWVlyB3VLAbYEOmVmj3ivbTwI9zAye1aSGKomq1-Hu1GiOOXtR9Rc2l0nWpK7_b2rn8beL1X2IYDRX5G1EoP5a27hdfJyqEpojkQ1yHrcfKX1kiw/s4032/IMG_3797.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIUbVLNOM0G_59uX_j1xZr6bLxNR0qDxMBkNYipLVy6vArh8Ce9xGfaHq-SCb3wI7cxCnNh9gkHbWoWVlyB3VLAbYEOmVmj3ivbTwI9zAye1aSGKomq1-Hu1GiOOXtR9Rc2l0nWpK7_b2rn8beL1X2IYDRX5G1EoP5a27hdfJyqEpojkQ1yHrcfKX1kiw/s320/IMG_3797.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLdOo7qm0ItP8mGd42gcfh0Onf_YUxs7pCvIhu3fmKdEbPH7UZXkyQSclVLz3H1z2HCNccOYmPUTeeRN5ks0bF90lqszhEJGhkUnGbrdYBV-cK0RZWdJaa6IwdyvGGxHj4tONIMOSvqwKymLNDFf2R0OCLtcCkintOoaufts6I6eIcUOmhXIPvVraFPWc/s4032/IMG_3798.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLdOo7qm0ItP8mGd42gcfh0Onf_YUxs7pCvIhu3fmKdEbPH7UZXkyQSclVLz3H1z2HCNccOYmPUTeeRN5ks0bF90lqszhEJGhkUnGbrdYBV-cK0RZWdJaa6IwdyvGGxHj4tONIMOSvqwKymLNDFf2R0OCLtcCkintOoaufts6I6eIcUOmhXIPvVraFPWc/s320/IMG_3798.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgelemJgvS0HJ_55PSk6vYJP3p1hSROx-vbYWhF5bILagcninSwLliWfiWYxgre_1ndZIpvqR1_ReCzJXMzadb2negfnr155sCUkROuxj9yRW-AhI1h__Z68faPJQf3JYp_xp4ZxddJ3_CtmD4L8ka_veatSGOSBOzkwY3Q-4QVo8a0gPcIs7Q-X8LUiQ4/s4032/IMG_3799.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgelemJgvS0HJ_55PSk6vYJP3p1hSROx-vbYWhF5bILagcninSwLliWfiWYxgre_1ndZIpvqR1_ReCzJXMzadb2negfnr155sCUkROuxj9yRW-AhI1h__Z68faPJQf3JYp_xp4ZxddJ3_CtmD4L8ka_veatSGOSBOzkwY3Q-4QVo8a0gPcIs7Q-X8LUiQ4/s320/IMG_3799.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_g_J5HhFBb0WUfxqcHXLrznBxzDtFRqIJY5M7a6ygHVkuc_8zs9_wIu1Zu7R9WtIB4_oZle0pPmOU1sqOTKRwSyjSF6bbpS9VhyyMdV4MKi6zdBkStfVndy4FkgvBnjy1jR7OboRhkXxhNvKupNKqRIa4XrFg2IpSszYa0LleYKP2hG_j24gvBUSYHqg/s4032/IMG_3800.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_g_J5HhFBb0WUfxqcHXLrznBxzDtFRqIJY5M7a6ygHVkuc_8zs9_wIu1Zu7R9WtIB4_oZle0pPmOU1sqOTKRwSyjSF6bbpS9VhyyMdV4MKi6zdBkStfVndy4FkgvBnjy1jR7OboRhkXxhNvKupNKqRIa4XrFg2IpSszYa0LleYKP2hG_j24gvBUSYHqg/s320/IMG_3800.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Eventually it was time to get to the station, and catch the train back to Beijing. It was in Tianjin that this native Californian discovered his state was famous for beef noodles:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLfC4oHTCvO0GuFeh1OhCdoIgI1D2ru-fHAub6wA9f1AlU-mw_lU0zKNXeQibic2vQQIDBZfbXpYmLxQgZGUUX7ZDvsSo6u3pu4bnhmdWKA5_ozfcUOXvcY3SyBdAGijHjKEcrN7opLyNR8dt9SRJ_1jAOeMAoPjO1S2wGv4jFGebJiC7QbglkwjmMhIk/s4032/IMG_3804.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLfC4oHTCvO0GuFeh1OhCdoIgI1D2ru-fHAub6wA9f1AlU-mw_lU0zKNXeQibic2vQQIDBZfbXpYmLxQgZGUUX7ZDvsSo6u3pu4bnhmdWKA5_ozfcUOXvcY3SyBdAGijHjKEcrN7opLyNR8dt9SRJ_1jAOeMAoPjO1S2wGv4jFGebJiC7QbglkwjmMhIk/s320/IMG_3804.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0oXXA50l5xhCHn7Xm_Uo28bx9QBaLI3baLAwPouQBfyWDmMU-76JpmtDTq_XRcpQrTAsheBTi8mK0Vu-wpp1a_scRbGpSWPGom2_ti-VExLiaakN_xBOoSq6kNalckNKJWD3FugaUREp_b9YoHxb-gKUSzt-5XmFkwjBJhNEAGM3EhWPeYyyb0Gra6FQ/s4032/IMG_3805.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0oXXA50l5xhCHn7Xm_Uo28bx9QBaLI3baLAwPouQBfyWDmMU-76JpmtDTq_XRcpQrTAsheBTi8mK0Vu-wpp1a_scRbGpSWPGom2_ti-VExLiaakN_xBOoSq6kNalckNKJWD3FugaUREp_b9YoHxb-gKUSzt-5XmFkwjBJhNEAGM3EhWPeYyyb0Gra6FQ/s320/IMG_3805.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPNzVT3H-8TczM1ScaY7huf8XYmOUSCwhg5Bo1jBC3dnJAXjTNNl2z_QmfN-YcovpM6Q1OSw3T7QM-cQXkJyPg7buhYEqthCt3e7ipU_p1IDYFlvgf7Iaa9gRxjvnD-zSqdeKMMQcMW6V2y7LqhA-Ti-MU8gbojojq3Sr6f_r20JsP7ABeBGi1VBWNrW4/s4032/IMG_3806.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPNzVT3H-8TczM1ScaY7huf8XYmOUSCwhg5Bo1jBC3dnJAXjTNNl2z_QmfN-YcovpM6Q1OSw3T7QM-cQXkJyPg7buhYEqthCt3e7ipU_p1IDYFlvgf7Iaa9gRxjvnD-zSqdeKMMQcMW6V2y7LqhA-Ti-MU8gbojojq3Sr6f_r20JsP7ABeBGi1VBWNrW4/s320/IMG_3806.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>We were pleasantly surprised to learn Shu-E had booked the first-class car for us. Of course the cost came out of my salary, but that didn't stop me from savoring the guilt nonetheless:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjheopsrAEFTtUfBvZ5Mj2dDReD3F4CmcjxGO4zI5d3bqFviqKm16EwNhjY6t2tCeKEo2rw-sjJSEgqO8-suHbxQXnn-qRDC-fQ31CirHR80CkY3cGtzhdkQ1rlhiUmsqQRfMkWZh8Vo6hQDH2owtWI5-3gHEvGwrvxepQrwZkLjNjH1dFYVQocq8v4v_M/s4032/IMG_3807.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjheopsrAEFTtUfBvZ5Mj2dDReD3F4CmcjxGO4zI5d3bqFviqKm16EwNhjY6t2tCeKEo2rw-sjJSEgqO8-suHbxQXnn-qRDC-fQ31CirHR80CkY3cGtzhdkQ1rlhiUmsqQRfMkWZh8Vo6hQDH2owtWI5-3gHEvGwrvxepQrwZkLjNjH1dFYVQocq8v4v_M/s320/IMG_3807.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div>And so the weekend was salvaged...sort of. Frankly speaking, the bitterness of not being able to go to Tokyo still lingers, and it's going to take some time before I can look back on all this and laugh, especially considering the financial penalties involved in changing flights and canceling hotel rooms. On the other hand, my wife did her best to make it up to Amber and me, and most likely we'll travel to Japan during the Lunar New Year early next year. And I have wanted to visit Tianjin.</div><div><br /></div><div>Just not this soon.</div><div><br /></div><div>Life since the <a href="https://kaminoge.blogspot.com/2023/10/qiutian-almanac.html" target="_blank">last blog post</a> hasn't all been related to canceled plans and last-minute trips. Before Shu-E left for Taiwan, the three of us went out on a very polluted day for lunch at a Korean BBQ, followed by a visit to Chaoyang Park 朝阳公园:</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcMJFs6756-RyzcwQTaIO3f7vzYtWgZPtNpSGP7M_MinGbZvAnobeQxXxQWkrkddIB39plzlSbL0nK86u9iGVmcrDY2qkJ-ELBHG8LMOHjuqJ_sRtYZP-XgwOsWcldRYO_WyBCa-WLhnn-LTJM5DkkeVnsJZiI6VLr0wFmF3zPB-Kxw6QAoQzwC80AKkE/s3845/IMG_3454.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3845" data-original-width="2974" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcMJFs6756-RyzcwQTaIO3f7vzYtWgZPtNpSGP7M_MinGbZvAnobeQxXxQWkrkddIB39plzlSbL0nK86u9iGVmcrDY2qkJ-ELBHG8LMOHjuqJ_sRtYZP-XgwOsWcldRYO_WyBCa-WLhnn-LTJM5DkkeVnsJZiI6VLr0wFmF3zPB-Kxw6QAoQzwC80AKkE/s320/IMG_3454.jpg" width="248" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmHZnw5PH-0t6RzBHcqT4fF-IDRM6BeeqLdGnleOv6jN-3d_lXXq3-SoiHFs0LEM0yznPYMomiMzTJady4woLJp19b8SwFlwpn_XZi41Hv49XiEves9l9zor4HbF5crApTDHKmW9YMXtwNyehU-OnB2I8fK0pSaKl3yoiTyqFCZ-dgjCiCl_E0n7nhp-A/s3722/IMG_3455.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3722" data-original-width="2610" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmHZnw5PH-0t6RzBHcqT4fF-IDRM6BeeqLdGnleOv6jN-3d_lXXq3-SoiHFs0LEM0yznPYMomiMzTJady4woLJp19b8SwFlwpn_XZi41Hv49XiEves9l9zor4HbF5crApTDHKmW9YMXtwNyehU-OnB2I8fK0pSaKl3yoiTyqFCZ-dgjCiCl_E0n7nhp-A/s320/IMG_3455.jpg" width="224" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8AuXyNTr03Y_DjYdY3Zq9y-cBxG4CyXaEEAjYsJE6QFCfaYAG14d9SL_qCkBuWYg6L2JpIbJfmrdLyHnFwlDtZrTPKigqjXXkSotEG6nhHNdVDJ5asHGvhNN_1lMR-k-akCZN52RenpS73agHwlg3dpUvRUQHor67TqZOxruO6-rEOxloO5yhFi1Q4do/s3303/IMG_3458.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="3303" height="293" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8AuXyNTr03Y_DjYdY3Zq9y-cBxG4CyXaEEAjYsJE6QFCfaYAG14d9SL_qCkBuWYg6L2JpIbJfmrdLyHnFwlDtZrTPKigqjXXkSotEG6nhHNdVDJ5asHGvhNN_1lMR-k-akCZN52RenpS73agHwlg3dpUvRUQHor67TqZOxruO6-rEOxloO5yhFi1Q4do/s320/IMG_3458.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPLit4AOtBDV-HAde6o6YfnttTW3zFQZDPsEMNfU40da8LlODE9V6yxderQmjNadp2myaGhghp0KIwXKcnRYODd3nhmrR_UT8b_VZuJIGBSVZWwlNlMxAtTGNGwbUEtVdvbiUbz20yvnTh6hhxY-w265sX5abdcirMurb9nrxqk_qQZlPOLa9bEiZ-Tjo/s3788/IMG_3459.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3021" data-original-width="3788" height="255" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPLit4AOtBDV-HAde6o6YfnttTW3zFQZDPsEMNfU40da8LlODE9V6yxderQmjNadp2myaGhghp0KIwXKcnRYODd3nhmrR_UT8b_VZuJIGBSVZWwlNlMxAtTGNGwbUEtVdvbiUbz20yvnTh6hhxY-w265sX5abdcirMurb9nrxqk_qQZlPOLa9bEiZ-Tjo/s320/IMG_3459.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>For the park we rented a couple of golf carts to get around:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvw_nET5BNXs9q0fOI-rLQyBLUiWdQ80PlZszLSns1KlPbSYNUHu__SVBKaQd9fnthQoiPNNboD5k8upfhlpOx4kJtAe2SPnXdhHVCTPVOZsZC-224C0PMUy2aRQwmInx0k-YpAgLBWb6sAGqow9Qd53y_fXS22JjWHXqmMRV7d_kAHK1AogVMcfb95bk/s1640/19818b73fc9af687c8cf1f693cc93858.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1640" data-original-width="1192" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvw_nET5BNXs9q0fOI-rLQyBLUiWdQ80PlZszLSns1KlPbSYNUHu__SVBKaQd9fnthQoiPNNboD5k8upfhlpOx4kJtAe2SPnXdhHVCTPVOZsZC-224C0PMUy2aRQwmInx0k-YpAgLBWb6sAGqow9Qd53y_fXS22JjWHXqmMRV7d_kAHK1AogVMcfb95bk/s320/19818b73fc9af687c8cf1f693cc93858.JPG" width="233" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggU-v3mcrH5knK4UovWdkB0PffqWyTRH-8X5CVNDELcwPEHx5WEoqSEXprW6MtHbwzWkXQ9Tz1HQEyJ91rfNcsKVI22ug1WIGT4DiMsQP6_Pws6pRY2-ml2WFa5QT0mgtQ33eSpV1YX6lnWQTqDoU9d1fp4wefhjDuIXN_5MfwRRBz0HLjsKtGsV_ioWg/s4032/IMG_3462.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggU-v3mcrH5knK4UovWdkB0PffqWyTRH-8X5CVNDELcwPEHx5WEoqSEXprW6MtHbwzWkXQ9Tz1HQEyJ91rfNcsKVI22ug1WIGT4DiMsQP6_Pws6pRY2-ml2WFa5QT0mgtQ33eSpV1YX6lnWQTqDoU9d1fp4wefhjDuIXN_5MfwRRBz0HLjsKtGsV_ioWg/s320/IMG_3462.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Looking for adventure, in whatever comes our way:</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxtbV_frbzSYqpgGiMtDV-KvRXgb06VnFeitT-L9kemjzIbKBnflrLkuQSmurtHo3cjNfK47gyDNfQg9uozGg' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div><br /></div>Not a day to be doing anything strenous: <br /><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioLznYVvSM1g35adtTVn_le4ZLZB-qxS5PDbIu7Zn5TO3TUDXe6mYv_FpOGUyi4Igki4c5nw89K65FFbDhDu6mKueA6WBcEApLTlCTBHBU7SvoasmAJp3_nrJeOj9oe6JajCqHVdvT_uIa0D3QYj1WQSLdgnCFCXdtLiM2AR3u2B0xxUfJNNeGIaRmwWU/s1702/2c544ab99c1650b6aa28ea793dbf65ba.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1276" data-original-width="1702" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioLznYVvSM1g35adtTVn_le4ZLZB-qxS5PDbIu7Zn5TO3TUDXe6mYv_FpOGUyi4Igki4c5nw89K65FFbDhDu6mKueA6WBcEApLTlCTBHBU7SvoasmAJp3_nrJeOj9oe6JajCqHVdvT_uIa0D3QYj1WQSLdgnCFCXdtLiM2AR3u2B0xxUfJNNeGIaRmwWU/s320/2c544ab99c1650b6aa28ea793dbf65ba.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9lhbYD-CUY12CvSFX4aJXVzZvhHUpE8s8qH_lBDVMhvIjuSsqfm3N1jIjeDZOOxbqVWFPuh-eFR5Eeq7fmTN9Gbf8Ultses844Pr1gwWBZp70npkMJFH-W0s2HL-4EZ2XX6_61k9pOZKCa5rMEg7v0iRNKM9ti5Z5Mj-m7ik0qkClmmxEcIPfMKgIGmE/s4032/IMG_3461.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9lhbYD-CUY12CvSFX4aJXVzZvhHUpE8s8qH_lBDVMhvIjuSsqfm3N1jIjeDZOOxbqVWFPuh-eFR5Eeq7fmTN9Gbf8Ultses844Pr1gwWBZp70npkMJFH-W0s2HL-4EZ2XX6_61k9pOZKCa5rMEg7v0iRNKM9ti5Z5Mj-m7ik0qkClmmxEcIPfMKgIGmE/s320/IMG_3461.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVtv8mR9DGSaiWFqjU5vKQO5GAMKO_KjjwpAqfs34wr1cqtGecXxN4cQ1HkSIF84tkMuDtuCtdLFeYJ-DgHc_mEjiSsjMCpMje_9tfcC_2gWOHLhiqTTsUuuA5SLdRXOHr_OsoidNtN2ANQRvWcQ4LkTISCnrsRYMTR6-fUZjhwaR-3tKtz05HHwDI0Nk/s4032/IMG_3463.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVtv8mR9DGSaiWFqjU5vKQO5GAMKO_KjjwpAqfs34wr1cqtGecXxN4cQ1HkSIF84tkMuDtuCtdLFeYJ-DgHc_mEjiSsjMCpMje_9tfcC_2gWOHLhiqTTsUuuA5SLdRXOHr_OsoidNtN2ANQRvWcQ4LkTISCnrsRYMTR6-fUZjhwaR-3tKtz05HHwDI0Nk/s320/IMG_3463.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div>For Halloween the missus and I dressed as the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heibai_Wuchang" target="_blank">Heibai Wuchang</a> 黑白无常, charged with escorting the spirits of the dead to the underworld. But not before first giving them candy:</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioUy2-tokKB2Cb5Sns9mslEMl18lfjBndW8Ojxa28a16mFQxILDYqL8bNdV_7s6BKED-FPoZIfVqHmnsSsitqXCWYzrePeUjuLRk1KpgE_xhhbd2HhWSVR92eSe_SvT5GxDUChG1Fy-aJD4bZ2yDymY5OZKvXGwsIPquxqFEidhZwkcjGaL7FL3c3vjoI/s1649/08039ed48a8b146717b4ce70b1e13a20.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1649" data-original-width="1280" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioUy2-tokKB2Cb5Sns9mslEMl18lfjBndW8Ojxa28a16mFQxILDYqL8bNdV_7s6BKED-FPoZIfVqHmnsSsitqXCWYzrePeUjuLRk1KpgE_xhhbd2HhWSVR92eSe_SvT5GxDUChG1Fy-aJD4bZ2yDymY5OZKvXGwsIPquxqFEidhZwkcjGaL7FL3c3vjoI/s320/08039ed48a8b146717b4ce70b1e13a20.JPG" width="248" /></a></div><div><br /></div>"Become rich upon encountering me":</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiA-bVerHPL2Lrzi2hqvRyiofh8lINBYpSbROtQgWtaxb3CI2XJr2VVTzLhwwv09mbdT6MJ9AqhpvXXq8u6NxI9W3Sv2GDMC-kOPOzzive1xWXqo1YI3IQjHut_TQIjUWwXodfYvLTRAcuIe854N0kzm3MIUbQrwaA8B4LPc6cb-6KQdrHYMq0SQKXxlA/s4032/IMG_3468.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiA-bVerHPL2Lrzi2hqvRyiofh8lINBYpSbROtQgWtaxb3CI2XJr2VVTzLhwwv09mbdT6MJ9AqhpvXXq8u6NxI9W3Sv2GDMC-kOPOzzive1xWXqo1YI3IQjHut_TQIjUWwXodfYvLTRAcuIe854N0kzm3MIUbQrwaA8B4LPc6cb-6KQdrHYMq0SQKXxlA/s320/IMG_3468.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Please don't ask me to buy some for you:<br /><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF-HPsWIr-CuGANRsVo27wU3R3VesiZi3b2IqlcZ-_w_EAGRXLa4bmMjpha56oJerM094KaR6r6lqDBQakgpVse0QXBU5s3WYphT6u4Qgwak1fsPpSi8LC1waM9J3dKHTHQYTt8D9igj9Smz9f2jWArOwwxqpLQYnLAy9RY2zB86hFkSbDk6wjdX3EAAg/s2985/IMG_3475.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2369" data-original-width="2985" height="254" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF-HPsWIr-CuGANRsVo27wU3R3VesiZi3b2IqlcZ-_w_EAGRXLa4bmMjpha56oJerM094KaR6r6lqDBQakgpVse0QXBU5s3WYphT6u4Qgwak1fsPpSi8LC1waM9J3dKHTHQYTt8D9igj9Smz9f2jWArOwwxqpLQYnLAy9RY2zB86hFkSbDk6wjdX3EAAg/s320/IMG_3475.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div>My wife came across a site on <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taobao" target="_blank">Taobao</a> 淘宝网 where you could see what your child would look like wearing different fashion styles. The results are yet further evidence that when my daughter grows up she'll be serving her AI overlords:</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTVForQg6uOpXApZ58_g4PK_pZXt34ujk2KnS1Q_jvMVB_CuLkVevrqS3kLs3Rr8I4kBTIgQ7iv7KukmvPqyBY2khiWSUr0o3xiddISPCMCl1sxmfdz4t7WoxKuPswfCS18nNcjqhfUATM7Ep78X1C9Z_5GnLKC4I9LmwGo8Kwl5_ND0vOougVfTrlvNw/s1583/4e30d141749e8d9ed8e408019cdb8202.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1583" data-original-width="1278" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTVForQg6uOpXApZ58_g4PK_pZXt34ujk2KnS1Q_jvMVB_CuLkVevrqS3kLs3Rr8I4kBTIgQ7iv7KukmvPqyBY2khiWSUr0o3xiddISPCMCl1sxmfdz4t7WoxKuPswfCS18nNcjqhfUATM7Ep78X1C9Z_5GnLKC4I9LmwGo8Kwl5_ND0vOougVfTrlvNw/s320/4e30d141749e8d9ed8e408019cdb8202.JPG" width="258" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div>Another family weekend outing pre-Taiwan. I can think of two reasons for not wanting to swim in the Liangma River 亮马河: 1. the cool autumn weather; and 2. it's a body of water in a densely-populated Chinese urban environment. Dude, just because <a href="https://thechinaproject.com/2021/07/14/power-of-symbolism-the-swim-that-changed-chinese-history/" target="_blank">Mao swam in human waste</a> doesn't mean you have to*:</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2JNifzcN4ID74tswrTMTDu32e0L8Sq0CGIchF95HPWEx7gVynhxVewc2n4oCH0BX9osyBB3gDNYSXd-s8_SitbQG5EoD6TiGBFNRhgw9sfc8wrkKi713-i6325PTndcoACE-7bU7ryBkI2Kvek73ICeOYbwWtruW-KJsRpJxs9PsuriZWqNncVG_ObnQ/s4032/IMG_3482.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2868" data-original-width="4032" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2JNifzcN4ID74tswrTMTDu32e0L8Sq0CGIchF95HPWEx7gVynhxVewc2n4oCH0BX9osyBB3gDNYSXd-s8_SitbQG5EoD6TiGBFNRhgw9sfc8wrkKi713-i6325PTndcoACE-7bU7ryBkI2Kvek73ICeOYbwWtruW-KJsRpJxs9PsuriZWqNncVG_ObnQ/s320/IMG_3482.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>These colorful leaves were changing on trees lining the street in a diplomatic quarter (not ours). Shu-E was disappointed she couldn't go in to have a closer look:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis7CK-ywvlDz1Nzp92x7x85vNkSOjfdGpFnwzdk7gB315BUmXNdmoZD7okltm5fYQav0bbPNU2yVT2LNDGy-NfRH8aKYmRRDf6bwQq-LD0vfFoII-9YY6GFPW-84ZZ0DrEN1yVJ9y7KgiYvMl1DB_tHivEUU8KzE5-6gaChcigFFnST7U7Jm30C1qmhe8/s3657/IMG_3483.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3657" data-original-width="2940" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis7CK-ywvlDz1Nzp92x7x85vNkSOjfdGpFnwzdk7gB315BUmXNdmoZD7okltm5fYQav0bbPNU2yVT2LNDGy-NfRH8aKYmRRDf6bwQq-LD0vfFoII-9YY6GFPW-84ZZ0DrEN1yVJ9y7KgiYvMl1DB_tHivEUU8KzE5-6gaChcigFFnST7U7Jm30C1qmhe8/s320/IMG_3483.jpg" width="257" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Lunch was all Greek to me (witty observations like this one make my daughter groan in amusement and appreciation):</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioOgQ3lAUHp6xbchuiKjhNoN9yINkK3HLhnRUBuuxPstnnZ6bKHQoYeTU3HPsQ17eDPlXuqI6JSjhnKWn3cAcWJx2Zbnf67mDcvVH-CidNbDIJEaSz5T2Bmb8ndyFl2KZvVERFaHJrVoLBJPZ80C8xxXvZuZ2MGzUmPiwucjEKJ3NNvde4tm65nmthoTY/s3848/IMG_3485.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2886" data-original-width="3848" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioOgQ3lAUHp6xbchuiKjhNoN9yINkK3HLhnRUBuuxPstnnZ6bKHQoYeTU3HPsQ17eDPlXuqI6JSjhnKWn3cAcWJx2Zbnf67mDcvVH-CidNbDIJEaSz5T2Bmb8ndyFl2KZvVERFaHJrVoLBJPZ80C8xxXvZuZ2MGzUmPiwucjEKJ3NNvde4tm65nmthoTY/s320/IMG_3485.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEielbBYKh7fzqYI2KOh9w9jAJM80XB_jv3kqzIBRq19WuqOSFzrDw4X3uM_F1EX__kyVZhtjXQvYPQQLlHW6jgJKm-z2svy6n-iNKNXOJN9b4ChrkmfZzgIaniAE4Vt_Oag3rVI0_1-TkiHF93borId72v-AcvoSwFo1sIMsu-hZfAE1y8MJMsbcq71cKw/s3701/IMG_3487.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3701" data-original-width="2849" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEielbBYKh7fzqYI2KOh9w9jAJM80XB_jv3kqzIBRq19WuqOSFzrDw4X3uM_F1EX__kyVZhtjXQvYPQQLlHW6jgJKm-z2svy6n-iNKNXOJN9b4ChrkmfZzgIaniAE4Vt_Oag3rVI0_1-TkiHF93borId72v-AcvoSwFo1sIMsu-hZfAE1y8MJMsbcq71cKw/s320/IMG_3487.jpg" width="246" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiizMlZ5LhBxXQJPKVMPnqCYGwqKUjJq5uULhAfXczDBZFwnA6IwtFbyK8K_qjKOLl0VjlhXqVHdKr_KRxgO7zXyOzfjzVx6jRYsEHFvRbVdYYX6e376IOL5OOHQcMjBVIEA_3zw1fJ0jJxAAYFZgS5tbt_vYtqgUhFpx_K_DtMb2GNHWCAPFPWPoN89m0/s2956/IMG_3490.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2956" data-original-width="2736" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiizMlZ5LhBxXQJPKVMPnqCYGwqKUjJq5uULhAfXczDBZFwnA6IwtFbyK8K_qjKOLl0VjlhXqVHdKr_KRxgO7zXyOzfjzVx6jRYsEHFvRbVdYYX6e376IOL5OOHQcMjBVIEA_3zw1fJ0jJxAAYFZgS5tbt_vYtqgUhFpx_K_DtMb2GNHWCAPFPWPoN89m0/s320/IMG_3490.jpg" width="296" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOE2qotqWylkB62S_zG3t0yIk3cTjvFatqeQ7oo9ksK4aEPHeKq0YhalyXXOdt6g_vYEpICiPK4Lc_1EytUZCGoPQTA2dbcPR4Ybg6ELS0jNR9Sgtln-MOfHbDc8b0RLFYUrVLHY92QXaC3dt-RmWz0QgdL59bzM0pWDLxKKan4abKbdAGqbKwgPX_oHE/s4032/IMG_3491.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOE2qotqWylkB62S_zG3t0yIk3cTjvFatqeQ7oo9ksK4aEPHeKq0YhalyXXOdt6g_vYEpICiPK4Lc_1EytUZCGoPQTA2dbcPR4Ybg6ELS0jNR9Sgtln-MOfHbDc8b0RLFYUrVLHY92QXaC3dt-RmWz0QgdL59bzM0pWDLxKKan4abKbdAGqbKwgPX_oHE/s320/IMG_3491.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuOTyPpZYhyu3avyCnw6HU0kTFjiOhhqVOnGNunnx9TiDYcuHIGC2mZ-fobrgWpxh98-llD9olBu5rFSVKFA0PVt7YAyzWHQMUJzG11DjZrwlAIj_S8A4Bao3NTmOaq7NSGA2mUwaaZK8d9-U-Nguizmsc9i5xY10B-CeY3gyj0GaQF6YsPEHZG8URXcw/s4032/IMG_3492.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuOTyPpZYhyu3avyCnw6HU0kTFjiOhhqVOnGNunnx9TiDYcuHIGC2mZ-fobrgWpxh98-llD9olBu5rFSVKFA0PVt7YAyzWHQMUJzG11DjZrwlAIj_S8A4Bao3NTmOaq7NSGA2mUwaaZK8d9-U-Nguizmsc9i5xY10B-CeY3gyj0GaQF6YsPEHZG8URXcw/s320/IMG_3492.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjba4rO53EiKadbhfKeJ_0ezn3bLB-EX60FslhBxPXpycNQcVYl970pM4Veqa-aTmKJLPKWZiHtaorAHutkou7pKJUnipiwmu2O2GlNTqZAooklFp_4t1E8M1zDtK3SOhVB2FmaeS8qdhZJE7AHvh3_cwzisR8BdLihcY50f9CeaE65HXj5dj7vG0bvM1c/s4032/IMG_3493.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjba4rO53EiKadbhfKeJ_0ezn3bLB-EX60FslhBxPXpycNQcVYl970pM4Veqa-aTmKJLPKWZiHtaorAHutkou7pKJUnipiwmu2O2GlNTqZAooklFp_4t1E8M1zDtK3SOhVB2FmaeS8qdhZJE7AHvh3_cwzisR8BdLihcY50f9CeaE65HXj5dj7vG0bvM1c/s320/IMG_3493.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvsaeM_Mj2gCuX0xMszZ4QI349fU4xo_MVY-Juabp4n9UDpGIq-Uc1sa1wlsXb0oN18pf-Kxoh4tdxunvD6PAL9tHKviJWwCClKVuwnFfqr_l1cSCWk85_7xTl7F-QBvC09aTqivo_HmFBtEfuS71G_qEBJ5ijQTzLjJZiMpNG2oOsujxBEHUIROTjpDU/s4032/IMG_3495.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvsaeM_Mj2gCuX0xMszZ4QI349fU4xo_MVY-Juabp4n9UDpGIq-Uc1sa1wlsXb0oN18pf-Kxoh4tdxunvD6PAL9tHKviJWwCClKVuwnFfqr_l1cSCWk85_7xTl7F-QBvC09aTqivo_HmFBtEfuS71G_qEBJ5ijQTzLjJZiMpNG2oOsujxBEHUIROTjpDU/s320/IMG_3495.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh96IePkxxRJ31N_U8RqgfNRj0PXd2z70cDjoBDvl1Oqi5xZoQBKRv3CXlM_mApHJox_LBOVcQQb9p0peU1B867KR5TVDCl2uf8GE6be9H9KviQFLb6Aa1TJEZJ26F-CknFPDjw_uvVLArrwigLQdwpJJ2nS2_s1wyO2tSYAtXy_hIPej4XNSjcFroT41o/s1706/6684ad0326fc696837e198fd6f4a8e2d.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1706" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh96IePkxxRJ31N_U8RqgfNRj0PXd2z70cDjoBDvl1Oqi5xZoQBKRv3CXlM_mApHJox_LBOVcQQb9p0peU1B867KR5TVDCl2uf8GE6be9H9KviQFLb6Aa1TJEZJ26F-CknFPDjw_uvVLArrwigLQdwpJJ2nS2_s1wyO2tSYAtXy_hIPej4XNSjcFroT41o/s320/6684ad0326fc696837e198fd6f4a8e2d.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh015jkwoaBkivplmGzTW2-EUczvfHoxlVqX6gT-dH5OJw5_-gsivHIr1DxmAfVyID0kuI5YnPPlXD1NOmkUT6psdFMxS9-n18bFR7qnbcj_xfCI6exl6xrJRtTk9SxWgfHt3nzjPeu_inMGpfZA_Kkw6hRpuuL3_rsGk5EdxYLDwYNzgw8RaKyGPVdh2U/s1706/ec16fef201b40683779f03ed7728b0dc.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1706" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh015jkwoaBkivplmGzTW2-EUczvfHoxlVqX6gT-dH5OJw5_-gsivHIr1DxmAfVyID0kuI5YnPPlXD1NOmkUT6psdFMxS9-n18bFR7qnbcj_xfCI6exl6xrJRtTk9SxWgfHt3nzjPeu_inMGpfZA_Kkw6hRpuuL3_rsGk5EdxYLDwYNzgw8RaKyGPVdh2U/s320/ec16fef201b40683779f03ed7728b0dc.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Local beers purchased at a grocery store popular with expats:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4clSl-4UPdHVRXo06LtQWNahaJSGy4gqewmT9BZZZ5Obxo5_z9B7SRE0vumn6L6GL0KBUQmglwQV2rNvxwFwEF-PsScwCH3vl5ENdkck60S5JqJha7y67RaoFFNV8z_ufRYUhyrwoylp_9Sz21B8JGg2JQKO6dMaiGjHlVs0Wq88DGqgHDYj_uQaj5EI/s4032/IMG_3498.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4clSl-4UPdHVRXo06LtQWNahaJSGy4gqewmT9BZZZ5Obxo5_z9B7SRE0vumn6L6GL0KBUQmglwQV2rNvxwFwEF-PsScwCH3vl5ENdkck60S5JqJha7y67RaoFFNV8z_ufRYUhyrwoylp_9Sz21B8JGg2JQKO6dMaiGjHlVs0Wq88DGqgHDYj_uQaj5EI/s320/IMG_3498.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Modern art:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR6zTpaZh94_jsUwd0Ex22xl2H0GtOscSaTCJuRi5qGp6DcRc6azpZbLrMtw3kGUfMuiYnFjRpmb9yju3pQQkhjbE8N5n4KI88TnviVMlRMW8FrBVYY98vyMoRgiBKFoIjA2DO6E7mT_2xpCjH_iVeTuojk5p3Hdq3p8phU0nIo5c_MMxsCfuaDvzOCb4/s4032/IMG_3509.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR6zTpaZh94_jsUwd0Ex22xl2H0GtOscSaTCJuRi5qGp6DcRc6azpZbLrMtw3kGUfMuiYnFjRpmb9yju3pQQkhjbE8N5n4KI88TnviVMlRMW8FrBVYY98vyMoRgiBKFoIjA2DO6E7mT_2xpCjH_iVeTuojk5p3Hdq3p8phU0nIo5c_MMxsCfuaDvzOCb4/s320/IMG_3509.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The Socialist Values:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgycioo7exL4hMoMFyp9FOJoJjjpKRRK00NmDDnsSL8zNH5vXex5XNwVLt_oqUga9vMxbPyxVQEdnFSbm0kNlFbaOH9d0hE-xMXnfL4XGlCEjMHLr0bXrziL0mMvJu5K_8NyELJEtcrLoAvpur8KFc65dtkD5MNYC3YvLxFL1iVDtC3ckCRI7Yzn58-7z0/s4032/IMG_3511.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgycioo7exL4hMoMFyp9FOJoJjjpKRRK00NmDDnsSL8zNH5vXex5XNwVLt_oqUga9vMxbPyxVQEdnFSbm0kNlFbaOH9d0hE-xMXnfL4XGlCEjMHLr0bXrziL0mMvJu5K_8NyELJEtcrLoAvpur8KFc65dtkD5MNYC3YvLxFL1iVDtC3ckCRI7Yzn58-7z0/s320/IMG_3511.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>A restaurant with an eye-catching facade:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWT7qTeSu8HQH7I6KRr0cHGA42W0bIkrc07chOZZepGQHd7qkmM0n80YMVNS4t5B6x98Eq78ITu_tmXth8tEOLTezko37biFz6NvQ6oF0lXuRFweBT9SrQWmuOqdIaCmYsPEN_2s9ymXzGRtVnqpcwCFe9j5BXj3PIZ_eM18tO_rZFKNQd2lTOQIgAxt0/s4032/IMG_3512.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWT7qTeSu8HQH7I6KRr0cHGA42W0bIkrc07chOZZepGQHd7qkmM0n80YMVNS4t5B6x98Eq78ITu_tmXth8tEOLTezko37biFz6NvQ6oF0lXuRFweBT9SrQWmuOqdIaCmYsPEN_2s9ymXzGRtVnqpcwCFe9j5BXj3PIZ_eM18tO_rZFKNQd2lTOQIgAxt0/s320/IMG_3512.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>With Shu-E back in Taiwan, Amber and I have been ordering out for many of our meals. One night we had Vietnamese. Unfortunately, I couldn't order from the restaurant called PHOking Good as it was too far away:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLNvSuo736JTAT7pF2b3AtHGUfzYOTNePNKzm9jbGFmx9sIie5i8FSGj3WwySh1Y0a9SJCHt_k_AuwHabjStomc65Fey8-MGF8CWXeqUlj87uyI6la302XmlvOM86qO1DSkNvEOr5y7PehJWUK67Ch4FxhiGL46WbmX6SpOMSMtz6yJuWnu5K0jFCwoAI/s4032/IMG_3515.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2519" data-original-width="4032" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLNvSuo736JTAT7pF2b3AtHGUfzYOTNePNKzm9jbGFmx9sIie5i8FSGj3WwySh1Y0a9SJCHt_k_AuwHabjStomc65Fey8-MGF8CWXeqUlj87uyI6la302XmlvOM86qO1DSkNvEOr5y7PehJWUK67Ch4FxhiGL46WbmX6SpOMSMtz6yJuWnu5K0jFCwoAI/s320/IMG_3515.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>On another evening the two of us went for a meal at a German restaurant:<br /><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguX6ctaLAaev2_-Fe_0rtaqS5LwdYd6l57upOetfyTTjz-rJmB4EHrNrLIe0Lq3ktgh3Gu0zKPHZANpNtlukXp7yQneq5hV9AuECnGH7Dxf48h15LZ5qDqfgFcu0wZEc2_BFnwKbuzh754koxjQgGfqwtc3OjuDjkGbIbdBY_p1zI2DxaWmGVpPtDUzn8/s4032/IMG_3520.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguX6ctaLAaev2_-Fe_0rtaqS5LwdYd6l57upOetfyTTjz-rJmB4EHrNrLIe0Lq3ktgh3Gu0zKPHZANpNtlukXp7yQneq5hV9AuECnGH7Dxf48h15LZ5qDqfgFcu0wZEc2_BFnwKbuzh754koxjQgGfqwtc3OjuDjkGbIbdBY_p1zI2DxaWmGVpPtDUzn8/s320/IMG_3520.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj29nxnVFJTvzPIXoJlX5ZDi1CfOglhCr8d8KpE-vmt9QY-akUbWgmnhgfBHtoIymWgVGmzx2Pr_RnVfY2Dfvvjt0tTch_EXXwW3XfC1h1Mxe-QfXFZAIXtGoWq7-lTAn4ONJ3giDs0NQznugaKlUqy0SSxeE4tPmu2GUpkbRLCTgpMkwQerT0_o4IgiBw/s4032/IMG_3521.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj29nxnVFJTvzPIXoJlX5ZDi1CfOglhCr8d8KpE-vmt9QY-akUbWgmnhgfBHtoIymWgVGmzx2Pr_RnVfY2Dfvvjt0tTch_EXXwW3XfC1h1Mxe-QfXFZAIXtGoWq7-lTAn4ONJ3giDs0NQznugaKlUqy0SSxeE4tPmu2GUpkbRLCTgpMkwQerT0_o4IgiBw/s320/IMG_3521.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKxf0WsrbSUJbuCnRwqcBOquFj-TQEjRKnQbQi1-lDyfC6ZD1YwSea-Svte9BMxFwC_eg2ThoRd-lb7XYeVZXrm8pCtF8hTRjdY0CY8NW3VUDT-PbdgXNuC44SgIQKa7Vfz6PT10Rqw4s6cLSxYEtcK7EkdgbKpOoZ75keNRQH30MxLNjIISI2mjr0PVY/s4032/IMG_3522.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKxf0WsrbSUJbuCnRwqcBOquFj-TQEjRKnQbQi1-lDyfC6ZD1YwSea-Svte9BMxFwC_eg2ThoRd-lb7XYeVZXrm8pCtF8hTRjdY0CY8NW3VUDT-PbdgXNuC44SgIQKa7Vfz6PT10Rqw4s6cLSxYEtcK7EkdgbKpOoZ75keNRQH30MxLNjIISI2mjr0PVY/s320/IMG_3522.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkOE_cHM9liSTbBlQ8sOeoL4FoLMR4qu7IcQItHjS8zyuUpLFtDGaXsN-oEE3ZqzCe3YWqmqS9d5FVZ6vemB_d5j6_iz_eFHqczc8VPRosVS7GgAMuU0qcE37_MsTu-P3BORbFjjZtGBPEM5GvdTcoXuTjJtmthaK0aQljcnzxI4TNjLVF2lszpMCW0XI/s3760/IMG_3523.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2181" data-original-width="3760" height="186" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkOE_cHM9liSTbBlQ8sOeoL4FoLMR4qu7IcQItHjS8zyuUpLFtDGaXsN-oEE3ZqzCe3YWqmqS9d5FVZ6vemB_d5j6_iz_eFHqczc8VPRosVS7GgAMuU0qcE37_MsTu-P3BORbFjjZtGBPEM5GvdTcoXuTjJtmthaK0aQljcnzxI4TNjLVF2lszpMCW0XI/s320/IMG_3523.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWL33jDZ3fEGQRUn0Unplr7A5vrNRSKsD7b9vE_gSYCpy4JvMkiLgut0ShRnQcscXrK22cC-keZhEu7q_bDIxQbIiqHrtvzKYhWSvCaRWS_1kyMw6dwurR6S0cR5zBgdDkSb0LgGxt_7qEjnWxMbBakWxqZOK3dv2T-DoYCvgireWXB1LFkOFpH0SC2KE/s3024/IMG_3524.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2723" data-original-width="3024" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWL33jDZ3fEGQRUn0Unplr7A5vrNRSKsD7b9vE_gSYCpy4JvMkiLgut0ShRnQcscXrK22cC-keZhEu7q_bDIxQbIiqHrtvzKYhWSvCaRWS_1kyMw6dwurR6S0cR5zBgdDkSb0LgGxt_7qEjnWxMbBakWxqZOK3dv2T-DoYCvgireWXB1LFkOFpH0SC2KE/s320/IMG_3524.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCRGgJamvPIVkjVhND0-oH3WHNVjS3wuyc6NgzADrtKix8F_gfKTYO8tzUTVkJIswg-YRO-3wu2DGxBYCImLTaRsAxeUV_Iuaqqz7MuIieEukEw-IgnWchPQxY9OlxiSNGwivN6KCY8a1d06U6l1BhmPCr1n3suuX7trW6spXIr4hLXNdEcEqSOJuqxGw/s4032/IMG_3525.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCRGgJamvPIVkjVhND0-oH3WHNVjS3wuyc6NgzADrtKix8F_gfKTYO8tzUTVkJIswg-YRO-3wu2DGxBYCImLTaRsAxeUV_Iuaqqz7MuIieEukEw-IgnWchPQxY9OlxiSNGwivN6KCY8a1d06U6l1BhmPCr1n3suuX7trW6spXIr4hLXNdEcEqSOJuqxGw/s320/IMG_3525.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div>Yet another dinner that arrived courtesy of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meituan" target="_blank">Meituan</a> 美团:</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggkBXMdkRKdYAFJTzlgNq3waSTCfnV3CF5L29t61xC-S7UoJ54L9HVBGYzYbsp2kDE1g6N-7etQQIVQX0Yx_5-1_HcQdyVooRbGmw6gahh59qfbAbu9VYspOB9z8H5ih49C4HbhQiQ-_mIbV6-QlrIbvK2sqtp02rx3D0HCV8O9NvnoaZLSD915fxWhfU/s3889/IMG_3529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3889" data-original-width="2963" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggkBXMdkRKdYAFJTzlgNq3waSTCfnV3CF5L29t61xC-S7UoJ54L9HVBGYzYbsp2kDE1g6N-7etQQIVQX0Yx_5-1_HcQdyVooRbGmw6gahh59qfbAbu9VYspOB9z8H5ih49C4HbhQiQ-_mIbV6-QlrIbvK2sqtp02rx3D0HCV8O9NvnoaZLSD915fxWhfU/s320/IMG_3529.jpg" width="244" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Timi looking at the birds outside the window:<br /><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXZh4rqcjrqH-yaU0XkF_GbRoAdqXIOQm5fZ-mW7yrKPmUVYxDGeVwVpIFVRP2XmIRITlFYtUaZ4IJi1go_6Osomvnr57ydlSvXCqdiAkL7Dse3E8i1-ZWq_yrJocz6KlqXOs2RZxI32mWIPdZVDPgYEoTv9n6wEh_eMrDddpCyp598rB1lkljeIJ8nRk/s1706/9762f1027a09ad03ccbf8b923a294452.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1706" data-original-width="1280" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXZh4rqcjrqH-yaU0XkF_GbRoAdqXIOQm5fZ-mW7yrKPmUVYxDGeVwVpIFVRP2XmIRITlFYtUaZ4IJi1go_6Osomvnr57ydlSvXCqdiAkL7Dse3E8i1-ZWq_yrJocz6KlqXOs2RZxI32mWIPdZVDPgYEoTv9n6wEh_eMrDddpCyp598rB1lkljeIJ8nRk/s320/9762f1027a09ad03ccbf8b923a294452.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>On the Friday before going to Tianjin (i.e. the day we were supposed to fly to Tokyo), the girl and I had nothing to do. So we rode the metro to visit a cafe called Bear Brew, which unfortunately is no longer located in the scenic spot mentioned in <a href="https://sprudge.com/bear-brew-is-beijings-gay-friendly-specialty-coffee-bar-142510.html" target="_blank">this article</a>. Still, the carrot cake and the coffee made it a worthwhile trip:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBiNH8_JIumYeHcP4-deo-MmOYAffS_T-uv2ZSR__dyTiwFZ44P0XrhxwxXYVfGeZwVC5eW5rDpvMVCvvjEK_kUwet0k3QFtv8Jt-H_4b74XgnlwwfMh3IRm5hwx-Dr0jf1irxDPGePFk8jjef7xSyuy4djN-PHDCsKF7fbJlNxBDJrhuCvJr-qVLjf6A/s2515/IMG_3531.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2515" data-original-width="2303" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBiNH8_JIumYeHcP4-deo-MmOYAffS_T-uv2ZSR__dyTiwFZ44P0XrhxwxXYVfGeZwVC5eW5rDpvMVCvvjEK_kUwet0k3QFtv8Jt-H_4b74XgnlwwfMh3IRm5hwx-Dr0jf1irxDPGePFk8jjef7xSyuy4djN-PHDCsKF7fbJlNxBDJrhuCvJr-qVLjf6A/s320/IMG_3531.jpg" width="293" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1fH0EODLZCBrvv-SBTzh9KB3HtnfcJHGdq2rmr_5GfIrONIJSBNZ4OSCGNvvsIiA5TllE307rgy89qAI6w0Wjq6mcxdnAluo7w8tSE-v_D4ZTLJLRGX3xnfRUyNxk8RkmuQkdyIkqdrAHApcLCNGjYo9u_E_UJcEeNjXmYfKrq8kCWOkA8Nn1XB391kI/s3354/IMG_3532.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3354" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1fH0EODLZCBrvv-SBTzh9KB3HtnfcJHGdq2rmr_5GfIrONIJSBNZ4OSCGNvvsIiA5TllE307rgy89qAI6w0Wjq6mcxdnAluo7w8tSE-v_D4ZTLJLRGX3xnfRUyNxk8RkmuQkdyIkqdrAHApcLCNGjYo9u_E_UJcEeNjXmYfKrq8kCWOkA8Nn1XB391kI/s320/IMG_3532.jpg" width="289" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj94yOW1tiicaOv14aMJx3DR1Ev2s_hteXfOriGpXYMvkbYheZqby8hI5CCLgZZK63kR1KbNBThk3nPhGNS2toIVNbmWssUCzichrfduOzq3kjlZsLR-zP5t27DNysIZzwn_4eapl9X_x4izmzpzHqB0U-iz4V55g1rlYfrrjR7AT3lRXbv2CPZWpkM9H8/s4032/IMG_3534.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj94yOW1tiicaOv14aMJx3DR1Ev2s_hteXfOriGpXYMvkbYheZqby8hI5CCLgZZK63kR1KbNBThk3nPhGNS2toIVNbmWssUCzichrfduOzq3kjlZsLR-zP5t27DNysIZzwn_4eapl9X_x4izmzpzHqB0U-iz4V55g1rlYfrrjR7AT3lRXbv2CPZWpkM9H8/s320/IMG_3534.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgawGLmEdD125n8iaMhuoQqML22Qh-zBG6h51wUnacnQ6HwEGrXH26l9CtSbIpWT5PhluQNYEPPsmSPTOo_wiqKTbvZIlTfBIfIiSLPlCGygwjYT1UDfFnWsMwiHnD8qF5GdoPZrNtT0u-wWH52U6U_ZhUJzWn35U9GlI5RIOhL7nyWMSwl6x7nRmssYGY/s3761/IMG_3535.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2678" data-original-width="3761" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgawGLmEdD125n8iaMhuoQqML22Qh-zBG6h51wUnacnQ6HwEGrXH26l9CtSbIpWT5PhluQNYEPPsmSPTOo_wiqKTbvZIlTfBIfIiSLPlCGygwjYT1UDfFnWsMwiHnD8qF5GdoPZrNtT0u-wWH52U6U_ZhUJzWn35U9GlI5RIOhL7nyWMSwl6x7nRmssYGY/s320/IMG_3535.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid5YHy7V18iO1DelCMhIR9UsPmZlprtddC2ok__HIaYWMWY-Md24Rwd-FSmB_YNE1Ng3p97aWd320dvJvGO2OwAxOztotLgHXr5vRTv4y52DFbbFagYAyLezY8nPZ3XkQM7KOkDGPG-Rb9NWc9J1Evod3adP4Jv-PXih81qDEDDv2-CnxUZZSz2YknljY/s3225/IMG_3537.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3225" data-original-width="2272" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid5YHy7V18iO1DelCMhIR9UsPmZlprtddC2ok__HIaYWMWY-Md24Rwd-FSmB_YNE1Ng3p97aWd320dvJvGO2OwAxOztotLgHXr5vRTv4y52DFbbFagYAyLezY8nPZ3XkQM7KOkDGPG-Rb9NWc9J1Evod3adP4Jv-PXih81qDEDDv2-CnxUZZSz2YknljY/s320/IMG_3537.jpg" width="225" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The friendly owner spoke excellent English, and presented me with this pin which I now have on my backpack:<div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3udhYZfgJ5HU-EKtUiwl_YOUtZ5b4HBdrlkfXWFnDqw_VDvT0nNg_yR_bwhgZ1oBiMhrcMiuIdYqZkQp2I6OTrl5-cna5vTRwuyPLixhgFC98y2j45JxGAMyE17jGSeJ8kOvGwbOciwpXzwXcAC4EVUCDzChTqReP1YWa8gjJauJWF95IJPUe8lqMlLE/s2824/IMG_3544.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2824" data-original-width="2781" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3udhYZfgJ5HU-EKtUiwl_YOUtZ5b4HBdrlkfXWFnDqw_VDvT0nNg_yR_bwhgZ1oBiMhrcMiuIdYqZkQp2I6OTrl5-cna5vTRwuyPLixhgFC98y2j45JxGAMyE17jGSeJ8kOvGwbOciwpXzwXcAC4EVUCDzChTqReP1YWa8gjJauJWF95IJPUe8lqMlLE/s320/IMG_3544.jpg" width="315" /></a></div><div><br /></div>That evening we went to a Mexican restaurant for dinner:<br /><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm6_0IbFdkMMkUSnNgPiXT6R_tCQu0i7pccYI-gI-XmYDqzRu1VNxibgTAoARVA20wd4ZdeFto18wXb0BnPNURlVnJ-GBZhEVRrKDM5lu_k_TboK70sP62ybktQ8sziGj52BGKDPVfS583n1PfgUDWZP5thTC0jI3im_Okd_bPOBYFKhCUVRi3cM14Wog/s4032/IMG_3541.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm6_0IbFdkMMkUSnNgPiXT6R_tCQu0i7pccYI-gI-XmYDqzRu1VNxibgTAoARVA20wd4ZdeFto18wXb0BnPNURlVnJ-GBZhEVRrKDM5lu_k_TboK70sP62ybktQ8sziGj52BGKDPVfS583n1PfgUDWZP5thTC0jI3im_Okd_bPOBYFKhCUVRi3cM14Wog/s320/IMG_3541.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie-U0PX1Nr9oUHaVeXIYVC2RQkiyArY5riBssjcGMvXwi2HVs5nPS6k9GHQU3UfXv0ZsrZSTME68r6MDLMdCZoyy94pP8tqIg2py0kLo-1oKF7AxtlyYrIYGckvUkfSLHRN_MTYnbbiTUwq4Y2JkdKoIRW4obOtmLaTo-Fauv-e7fN0tKdrBdHxCXvt4c/s3965/IMG_3543.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3965" data-original-width="2974" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie-U0PX1Nr9oUHaVeXIYVC2RQkiyArY5riBssjcGMvXwi2HVs5nPS6k9GHQU3UfXv0ZsrZSTME68r6MDLMdCZoyy94pP8tqIg2py0kLo-1oKF7AxtlyYrIYGckvUkfSLHRN_MTYnbbiTUwq4Y2JkdKoIRW4obOtmLaTo-Fauv-e7fN0tKdrBdHxCXvt4c/s320/IMG_3543.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Post-Tianjin, and an evening repast at a neighborhood Punjabi restaurant:</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVf_uTn4ZFqOJZ9J7032seJgTLOLDFvgE3QU6quuxzaTFKBEnzmeumrNNnvMDliDVoR0U4JMAot04wPDSTJII7EV5iWrlPxPWEbTT9sO04vZlVnuiOG8A-4NzRAFs_dPEoy0OmJavQ-8JQjZ54ya6U4lQnbdk0WQYrc-9Wn-Saj8Li6w8Jx2mJ8pSRG4o/s4032/IMG_3812.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVf_uTn4ZFqOJZ9J7032seJgTLOLDFvgE3QU6quuxzaTFKBEnzmeumrNNnvMDliDVoR0U4JMAot04wPDSTJII7EV5iWrlPxPWEbTT9sO04vZlVnuiOG8A-4NzRAFs_dPEoy0OmJavQ-8JQjZ54ya6U4lQnbdk0WQYrc-9Wn-Saj8Li6w8Jx2mJ8pSRG4o/s320/IMG_3812.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Cricket World Cup highlights were of course being played on the TV:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir7KAusm5BgbSWMZbfY8bQBJ6yRPR4r3X1cNt1Mtae7S5WDv-LUmTKHXqr-rGpEzXbfSJ2tgzbCKFbfsQKjOdUZuOWUWJavN45wM83q6izzOklCTW4toBZqeJtw_xSMm2Z7ClSaKp_eO7L-qKjUtazKhVx9yONdjfbUOEF7kMwreZwSW1vdmpQECfJSg8/s3940/IMG_3813.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2514" data-original-width="3940" height="204" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir7KAusm5BgbSWMZbfY8bQBJ6yRPR4r3X1cNt1Mtae7S5WDv-LUmTKHXqr-rGpEzXbfSJ2tgzbCKFbfsQKjOdUZuOWUWJavN45wM83q6izzOklCTW4toBZqeJtw_xSMm2Z7ClSaKp_eO7L-qKjUtazKhVx9yONdjfbUOEF7kMwreZwSW1vdmpQECfJSg8/s320/IMG_3813.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieRpd7qyhfVX0cb3HPiURVjH-Jh1gB7YLaqHcriwdo-iWIDCLXuzPKGUACkMFwynMVPvLMxMP5O9MGY9o53JcLz-UQ-0l47QgmYHrOvR4yRj8A_Qu1T7qJtoOGlYTbMH3By3PdXaj4FKfPVBDqap8jRvPF08l9chatjZOx_Kkex_fF6m5-F_m6MxLvVZY/s4032/IMG_3814.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieRpd7qyhfVX0cb3HPiURVjH-Jh1gB7YLaqHcriwdo-iWIDCLXuzPKGUACkMFwynMVPvLMxMP5O9MGY9o53JcLz-UQ-0l47QgmYHrOvR4yRj8A_Qu1T7qJtoOGlYTbMH3By3PdXaj4FKfPVBDqap8jRvPF08l9chatjZOx_Kkex_fF6m5-F_m6MxLvVZY/s320/IMG_3814.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>This weekend it's just been the cat and me, as Amber has gone to Bangkok with her school swim team to take part in a meet. So yesterday I took advantage of the slightly warmer temperature (and relatively cleaner air quality) to visit one of Beijing <i><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hutong" target="_blank">hutong</a></i> 胡同 neighborhoods: <div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ4gE4rVqQOrEiFQCRuiivJMJ3JVvH3VgLh5soQOCdcLFgbA1rG6Lh0umUd8a5PxQVOIqYfD2jQKX1Gq4AkeTjTGVaNp3PktHdD4CRVgCbbpIcVFMU6n3jIkXGHvz5P1vEyjsK5YAA5cyIP6xPm9dgBSHFiIEkjTNis9JxaXgn6qRz5KG8t8hFjQJq7Rc/s2335/IMG_3841.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2029" data-original-width="2335" height="278" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ4gE4rVqQOrEiFQCRuiivJMJ3JVvH3VgLh5soQOCdcLFgbA1rG6Lh0umUd8a5PxQVOIqYfD2jQKX1Gq4AkeTjTGVaNp3PktHdD4CRVgCbbpIcVFMU6n3jIkXGHvz5P1vEyjsK5YAA5cyIP6xPm9dgBSHFiIEkjTNis9JxaXgn6qRz5KG8t8hFjQJq7Rc/s320/IMG_3841.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRRcdSD7hiaUp7qifTzh8LvjnZy5PkET2B_bLtjnWFJkulbkHSSIkdeydoAZJ0yDu3K6WSCvZpC1OsQuo5r2XruKo716POeOYzK68LoYuCEW-rIqQ52uBxO0gjHACOJJCrjU-tKYbkt8QULUga0dmdpjiznRMYl0FotBpmqXrcfS0Orp82hJbW_mbkdS8/s4032/IMG_3842.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRRcdSD7hiaUp7qifTzh8LvjnZy5PkET2B_bLtjnWFJkulbkHSSIkdeydoAZJ0yDu3K6WSCvZpC1OsQuo5r2XruKo716POeOYzK68LoYuCEW-rIqQ52uBxO0gjHACOJJCrjU-tKYbkt8QULUga0dmdpjiznRMYl0FotBpmqXrcfS0Orp82hJbW_mbkdS8/s320/IMG_3842.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN5TaSY-d8tGDjtrEik3tkpBkPzhmkT7GdB11aHhvV8II4FzyT-Bxo3UGdH_c4SX2kRkd0_6NPFZKZ5U8QnQlivtFuO2sNDZommsUbwXyvV2uy-mPT0vHdllQniHfurVaz5o6LFfZs_Tfz4VFUS8Ipg4wWYz6lKEaYwJyLzFZbZnG0BOKj2TFX5W4i16U/s3795/IMG_3844.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2909" data-original-width="3795" height="245" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN5TaSY-d8tGDjtrEik3tkpBkPzhmkT7GdB11aHhvV8II4FzyT-Bxo3UGdH_c4SX2kRkd0_6NPFZKZ5U8QnQlivtFuO2sNDZommsUbwXyvV2uy-mPT0vHdllQniHfurVaz5o6LFfZs_Tfz4VFUS8Ipg4wWYz6lKEaYwJyLzFZbZnG0BOKj2TFX5W4i16U/s320/IMG_3844.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>I popped into the <a href="https://soloistcoffee.com/" target="_blank">Soloist Coffee Co.</a> cafe for a break:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6n2gPixd4zsqlcIFKtIxihW2Kd7TKhI1fzIXmVVGuCER8nuJj5GPA8RCQCdTkzAoQ88j0FdxftYp3m-wl6rnRwtNONm18IsFTV0gqNPjrm7VLGa5UL-rEptqQWITzFrBadvOVwYO7v69QRLgQ2RaMttWvygOOptfr_4UOFfJL7mknkAO3A6vS8MsqwvI/s4032/IMG_3845.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6n2gPixd4zsqlcIFKtIxihW2Kd7TKhI1fzIXmVVGuCER8nuJj5GPA8RCQCdTkzAoQ88j0FdxftYp3m-wl6rnRwtNONm18IsFTV0gqNPjrm7VLGa5UL-rEptqQWITzFrBadvOVwYO7v69QRLgQ2RaMttWvygOOptfr_4UOFfJL7mknkAO3A6vS8MsqwvI/s320/IMG_3845.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>For lunch I had a panini, to go with my rooibos latte:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAKpu4HUci5fK-OrpX4Rhr6SC6I20mL44NPI4PK_MJ22bcB6A5iptzAudA7u0QZUVZzuOWKVmrLEPlqNcHyb-gjaxH4CFktYGnUSf4D_AN9RutRrLZ6xH_h4z3pxsUCaHAXjeRBeiBlOexM1FXr2lscjfmL9o5y5I7q9u995V6CWOULaRekNrY6DYJtFw/s4032/IMG_3846.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAKpu4HUci5fK-OrpX4Rhr6SC6I20mL44NPI4PK_MJ22bcB6A5iptzAudA7u0QZUVZzuOWKVmrLEPlqNcHyb-gjaxH4CFktYGnUSf4D_AN9RutRrLZ6xH_h4z3pxsUCaHAXjeRBeiBlOexM1FXr2lscjfmL9o5y5I7q9u995V6CWOULaRekNrY6DYJtFw/s320/IMG_3846.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXP1iQRNzHqKKGDpHGiOx5pycZUCurp-wyEm8ymcsjTtlTiQSvQxAtNn0jXX9KKUfrdZG2zNrijsbU7meQH5izoDHUnSEEEXfD6IfCnDGYk7sL7I_2Q_W4jI1IezynMU0SvEK63AOVT43-1HjzD_xrEzd14NAGCUelaUUefOSwgDYO2NcfFuDxrx0fviI/s4032/IMG_3847.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXP1iQRNzHqKKGDpHGiOx5pycZUCurp-wyEm8ymcsjTtlTiQSvQxAtNn0jXX9KKUfrdZG2zNrijsbU7meQH5izoDHUnSEEEXfD6IfCnDGYk7sL7I_2Q_W4jI1IezynMU0SvEK63AOVT43-1HjzD_xrEzd14NAGCUelaUUefOSwgDYO2NcfFuDxrx0fviI/s320/IMG_3847.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Afterward I took a stroll along the <a href="https://www.travelchinaguide.com/attraction/beijing/dashilan-street.htm" target="_blank">Dashilar Commercial Street</a> 大栅栏商业街. It may be centuries old (though its present appearance dates from the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republic_of_China_(1912%E2%80%931949)" target="_blank">Republic of China period</a>) but these days it clearly caters to the tourists:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPn4eaDMArqY1ToqVWsddNET5NJX5X16H7TxwFgrJDzqmD4bs-rRE7aknrUFzYhGp5dMgx646YkxGHEFnAR6-RMXk-QZm-Bm_DSH6IngibkbU9_pWy7kyj05LTaU2Kj0BVKrvD-dOqeZwht2v7a36M3C6DHlGg2hQQPNf_oW80yMSq5Nlhn5jEojH5BzM/s4032/IMG_3850.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPn4eaDMArqY1ToqVWsddNET5NJX5X16H7TxwFgrJDzqmD4bs-rRE7aknrUFzYhGp5dMgx646YkxGHEFnAR6-RMXk-QZm-Bm_DSH6IngibkbU9_pWy7kyj05LTaU2Kj0BVKrvD-dOqeZwht2v7a36M3C6DHlGg2hQQPNf_oW80yMSq5Nlhn5jEojH5BzM/s320/IMG_3850.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnTOGoILqAFyCyhp2MEGw5mq33tgNi7c6maD0AZ78xGamhOV8U3sYwYIxwqi-wN2SxJShTUy-6rvCn8J312bs5bHodQgApzR92gLkf8jvn7vqjUhr_FItoba_5Q-mp1TR5ohegnrcGtwI1oTDu632YKnxUAloEL6RYsibijjvEYqIWG6w4Ryp9YEY6VqY/s4032/IMG_3851.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnTOGoILqAFyCyhp2MEGw5mq33tgNi7c6maD0AZ78xGamhOV8U3sYwYIxwqi-wN2SxJShTUy-6rvCn8J312bs5bHodQgApzR92gLkf8jvn7vqjUhr_FItoba_5Q-mp1TR5ohegnrcGtwI1oTDu632YKnxUAloEL6RYsibijjvEYqIWG6w4Ryp9YEY6VqY/s320/IMG_3851.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzd_Tzj_zwUemDftf34ijWCA0UpO682zfFjsROX0qs9XnXLkah806Js5s0218Gph_cGY2iHxButmntX1HXqyQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br /><div>There are businesses selling goods other than snack foods, such as this shop:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaSvm_itLVZM-3wKQqPUYfs2NeO12QpYV4BWtzD3-DiaYL82g2-EDCmjiCuRv_2N9_iH5_Tsd7r_Ta5mJk9c3gCf7DlTgx5Y1W4NSizLvCLqLha1eihs_krVKwtg2jApd1ZEv4DW8XRwHGl14DkKeuin5M8XjOJ2Lgw-p4qeIOKghUmdYKDeiLJHWjH6k/s4032/IMG_3853.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaSvm_itLVZM-3wKQqPUYfs2NeO12QpYV4BWtzD3-DiaYL82g2-EDCmjiCuRv_2N9_iH5_Tsd7r_Ta5mJk9c3gCf7DlTgx5Y1W4NSizLvCLqLha1eihs_krVKwtg2jApd1ZEv4DW8XRwHGl14DkKeuin5M8XjOJ2Lgw-p4qeIOKghUmdYKDeiLJHWjH6k/s320/IMG_3853.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUpPukt-0v63f2CJ6S-Qj5xaDiBcrLGDS2DWMc1F1R-O2i8qTguBuePk_gtI5ZhG8S2h3JXmImB1wpMTBdFe53lOega8R413IR_E0IaWwKjHPO5kt8RWsSw0HJ0hn8-_kzqHLhSJMQA58RDI80ioIbdY_dHS5V1Ai6guW9mrOu54fs-iiO28YhiwHxcd4/s4032/IMG_3854.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUpPukt-0v63f2CJ6S-Qj5xaDiBcrLGDS2DWMc1F1R-O2i8qTguBuePk_gtI5ZhG8S2h3JXmImB1wpMTBdFe53lOega8R413IR_E0IaWwKjHPO5kt8RWsSw0HJ0hn8-_kzqHLhSJMQA58RDI80ioIbdY_dHS5V1Ai6guW9mrOu54fs-iiO28YhiwHxcd4/s320/IMG_3854.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvx1ufd1ZUjgiMBcxEyBtasxO8bYL-LvCrCo0jTh6yJkHvOeIrwbbYPJCJ6ytgh2gHPwk2qSFv9WgAIfBi-EIhHP9EgDi4U5ty57dSmqh41ZKmBkbmlruSm00XQ3GuYCY83Z8GpZCSBXwP4mVl81Nq6fwTVdmiKZX7MlEdFlAj8OQ2FGTFss4yqVff3tQ/s4032/IMG_3856.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvx1ufd1ZUjgiMBcxEyBtasxO8bYL-LvCrCo0jTh6yJkHvOeIrwbbYPJCJ6ytgh2gHPwk2qSFv9WgAIfBi-EIhHP9EgDi4U5ty57dSmqh41ZKmBkbmlruSm00XQ3GuYCY83Z8GpZCSBXwP4mVl81Nq6fwTVdmiKZX7MlEdFlAj8OQ2FGTFss4yqVff3tQ/s320/IMG_3856.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_n5DiRw-e8j1HH0nyLmrnydJRFmMqwojE62nAU2jbfMSM8GaVtvohXUtBdWMcfXjqyhHgww0RTZs7wIuPKoyutEStoMs-bqsxYaXubWG8SUqqlrOUMtXCxUuWgjue33GDGBNi_nxrHZNUJbLjS9l2ui4Lr2Olc4OOWWj4IJv4rdyalXp6zJl1qNq4ezc/s3088/IMG_3859.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2320" data-original-width="3088" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_n5DiRw-e8j1HH0nyLmrnydJRFmMqwojE62nAU2jbfMSM8GaVtvohXUtBdWMcfXjqyhHgww0RTZs7wIuPKoyutEStoMs-bqsxYaXubWG8SUqqlrOUMtXCxUuWgjue33GDGBNi_nxrHZNUJbLjS9l2ui4Lr2Olc4OOWWj4IJv4rdyalXp6zJl1qNq4ezc/s320/IMG_3859.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAlYb4mfZcXmqpHQItNygF6Hg_1i57bdRba4GnlShNIHSSSokkQLzUNL0ZX2sq0YRXB6eyHkUfhhWozso-JcSHNM7Qb4d_Iy36Rsu4QyTVV_eylN7yxVryZGhIGn8uoXZ6XJylfkq6XgPmvyHDjee6FbV7Id5TrJ02f5jRcmvq1k3YzkrOXah_pcg6Qe4/s3251/IMG_3860.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2194" data-original-width="3251" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAlYb4mfZcXmqpHQItNygF6Hg_1i57bdRba4GnlShNIHSSSokkQLzUNL0ZX2sq0YRXB6eyHkUfhhWozso-JcSHNM7Qb4d_Iy36Rsu4QyTVV_eylN7yxVryZGhIGn8uoXZ6XJylfkq6XgPmvyHDjee6FbV7Id5TrJ02f5jRcmvq1k3YzkrOXah_pcg6Qe4/s320/IMG_3860.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfj7Wi0j-zE5NxWP5k3QHUzyNRnH-Ta5UyDGjUWYTo8IPASmCFlrZrJbV9mxEeLfSt06jTqFTnVHP5n56Abijcc7-Fx5r9AHHW8PBCqdIgYUjuu0gYh_sXuDCp_lw_8VKQFpqTuvvCYasxYKQ77xbxFwPEsnAMwwBRxmduCf3Mhthy4NO6eb6rB663eNo/s3639/IMG_3861.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3639" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfj7Wi0j-zE5NxWP5k3QHUzyNRnH-Ta5UyDGjUWYTo8IPASmCFlrZrJbV9mxEeLfSt06jTqFTnVHP5n56Abijcc7-Fx5r9AHHW8PBCqdIgYUjuu0gYh_sXuDCp_lw_8VKQFpqTuvvCYasxYKQ77xbxFwPEsnAMwwBRxmduCf3Mhthy4NO6eb6rB663eNo/s320/IMG_3861.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><br /><div>Today (Sunday) turned out to be a nice one - sunny, with a high of 16°C/61°F. With time in the afternoon before my daughter returns to Beijing, I used the ideal conditions to go for a bike ride. A little over 30 minutes on the Trek took me to Beijing's supposedly most haunted house, <a href="https://moonmausoleum.com/chaonei-no-81-beijing-horror-house/" target="_blank">Chaonei No. 81</a> 朝内81号. Of course, in reality there wasn't much to see and entrance was verboten, so for now don't believe the hype:</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw8oviRwp6_dx3TGiWE9MUy39mpft_OPt1rU9nSKX15GkbthT0pBg5rVlpvMprRdUtwBK20UBkl9bP7_oOOkUtOJ1-KVm835LbIBIMLYT8Af-z1eemJQvzzx-AdLd82ynZXKd7KfPI-Ki475BcHghUkIsAhcdgilBtiKQi37ZjeInlggULeuwFMZjVufI/s4032/IMG_3884.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw8oviRwp6_dx3TGiWE9MUy39mpft_OPt1rU9nSKX15GkbthT0pBg5rVlpvMprRdUtwBK20UBkl9bP7_oOOkUtOJ1-KVm835LbIBIMLYT8Af-z1eemJQvzzx-AdLd82ynZXKd7KfPI-Ki475BcHghUkIsAhcdgilBtiKQi37ZjeInlggULeuwFMZjVufI/s320/IMG_3884.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>I did take a walk around the neighborhood, passing by the kind of residences most Beijingers call home, a fact that often eludes expats expecting an American-style house with all the familiar comforts, and writers who until recently confidently predicted China's economic juggernaut would soon rule the world. Don't believe the hype:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDfbcutxGcYpkcIDtboLdWbzBpZesqyzDvrILz99a1tbnlb63sATKzXKpHDtEgV0MqurIFvPxoeDMJZ788qFrQ_Q72MuihxP-wlxw9HUOYh61N_6-e9Sg0ByldSUy_ganhAr3-RlBOOJ8mBMbbGmXLA2e1EHmwVM3xAv57_4YZvqcMAF3ZJlRIuXXe_ac/s4032/IMG_3885.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDfbcutxGcYpkcIDtboLdWbzBpZesqyzDvrILz99a1tbnlb63sATKzXKpHDtEgV0MqurIFvPxoeDMJZ788qFrQ_Q72MuihxP-wlxw9HUOYh61N_6-e9Sg0ByldSUy_ganhAr3-RlBOOJ8mBMbbGmXLA2e1EHmwVM3xAv57_4YZvqcMAF3ZJlRIuXXe_ac/s320/IMG_3885.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjumI4tm2lxZolznZ501vR9Eb0YjwAZLWzDOXfEf-nbEZsHKloZPi4FDl3uVg4pIeBRbv5HDI19F0cgyTiEahCT6AztZzlHQst8FfcFKIjxB1pANdY7R-eF6f6rkyPLOzKceGVp7Jxm7afJFkold7jFqMeuHArsnhxH0I2Gsnr-ju-DJiVdnHwxyjATJLY/s4032/IMG_3886.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjumI4tm2lxZolznZ501vR9Eb0YjwAZLWzDOXfEf-nbEZsHKloZPi4FDl3uVg4pIeBRbv5HDI19F0cgyTiEahCT6AztZzlHQst8FfcFKIjxB1pANdY7R-eF6f6rkyPLOzKceGVp7Jxm7afJFkold7jFqMeuHArsnhxH0I2Gsnr-ju-DJiVdnHwxyjATJLY/s320/IMG_3886.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Funei Avenue 复内大街 on a sunny Sunday:</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF-WuqS9eUeSDA_a-xu26YFzMAW3SFUrKif63Q3oXXA9jYN097KDrc7T2Z9SGpq_i25HInauJ5bPCG3OBO8yUGWmE3qqIQZfVT6oF2EP1_pGDi4gPR27TSRg3G1oAtvKSUnjStJXFpv2mVlDDL8D-P4ygIPIBYVf9vYeI0L8dqv8W93CdagsLpY_-UwZ0/s3634/IMG_3887.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2946" data-original-width="3634" height="259" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF-WuqS9eUeSDA_a-xu26YFzMAW3SFUrKif63Q3oXXA9jYN097KDrc7T2Z9SGpq_i25HInauJ5bPCG3OBO8yUGWmE3qqIQZfVT6oF2EP1_pGDi4gPR27TSRg3G1oAtvKSUnjStJXFpv2mVlDDL8D-P4ygIPIBYVf9vYeI0L8dqv8W93CdagsLpY_-UwZ0/s320/IMG_3887.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>It's good to have her back from Thailand, though the cat seems less than overjoyed:</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqSAVRSYtq1gzJE69Coj4L-PGjtDnRE9yJ5_4vm2Oap0AxIak85ekS5iwAimGxg2UW6pCuJBWvCSOrG5ms7J9p5HvBAw3ZcUZP9rJwvKyAsL15__W4vW9-o5p2h9pRldBX5wfZapIxTv1PqXzXeZ0mEMfCdi1I4NZt5bO9eLWGkgnXsmYJ6t28U_LtTBk/s3703/IMG_3890.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3703" data-original-width="2715" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqSAVRSYtq1gzJE69Coj4L-PGjtDnRE9yJ5_4vm2Oap0AxIak85ekS5iwAimGxg2UW6pCuJBWvCSOrG5ms7J9p5HvBAw3ZcUZP9rJwvKyAsL15__W4vW9-o5p2h9pRldBX5wfZapIxTv1PqXzXeZ0mEMfCdi1I4NZt5bO9eLWGkgnXsmYJ6t28U_LtTBk/s320/IMG_3890.jpg" width="235" /></a></div><br /><div>*OK, the water quality of the Liangma River in 2023 is no doubt much better than that of the Yangtze in 1966, but I still wouldn't go for a dip in it. </div><div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /><p><br /></p></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Kaminogehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07925637671913689331noreply@blogger.com0Wudadao Neighborhood, Heping, Tianjin, China, 30005039.110499999999988 117.2008510.800266163821142 82.0446 67.42073383617884 152.3571tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2497220891386919340.post-22070638361761318582023-10-26T12:11:00.001+08:002023-10-26T12:11:57.339+08:00Qiūtiān Almanac<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRgL0X1dy9tUGtUxk37Bn9qljyHl9xJcumj_b_iTppEVBt3m_A2ZtVxwvmQSzgurWmlJPYlenXbDy3VtuYdZ9LDDOqypVcnnA46_tVhMzI4cJdyoyugTT_HuIXGHSJSNKLigWh0mYoeGZ1UuGoVQFG_jAA-etMSkfMIbT6mKr-xQbCunjWe8qfsZfyTqs/s3995/IMG_3318.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2996" data-original-width="3995" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRgL0X1dy9tUGtUxk37Bn9qljyHl9xJcumj_b_iTppEVBt3m_A2ZtVxwvmQSzgurWmlJPYlenXbDy3VtuYdZ9LDDOqypVcnnA46_tVhMzI4cJdyoyugTT_HuIXGHSJSNKLigWh0mYoeGZ1UuGoVQFG_jAA-etMSkfMIbT6mKr-xQbCunjWe8qfsZfyTqs/s320/IMG_3318.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><i><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Dishuihu 滴水壶</i></div></i><p></p><p>Beijing 北京 is a large city, with a population approaching 22 million. When you think of China's capital city, images of Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City and the Temple of Heaven probably come to mind. Getting away from the urban areas might conjure up visions of the Great Wall of China 长城, like the popular restored section at <a href="https://www.badalinggreatwall.com/" target="_blank">Badaling</a>. But there is another, unexpected side to Beijing, that of dramatic mountains, clear rivers and small villages. This past weekend we drove for over three hours on Saturday morning to the <a href="https://www.mafengwo.cn/poi/6929451.html" target="_blank">Baili Landscape Gallery Scenic Spot</a> 百里山水画廊, located in the northwest <a href="https://english.beijing.gov.cn/investinginbeijing/WhyBeijing/DistrictsParks/Yanqing/Introduction/202005/t20200519_1902343.html#:~:text=Lying%20in%20the%20northwest%20of,away%20from%20Deshengmen%20in%20Beijing." target="_blank">Yanqing District</a> 延庆区 of the Beijing municipality. All that time on the road, in traffic that wasn't particularly heavy, and yet we never left the city:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfPRZCroYDCbWoOc6ct6I50FGPheHFf8WE_gsMqtfjh5g7EYYo8hh8tdXIs8etPBlO8PP3KdEYi360eikuFoOSE9Gq7vFawyNbEAMvf-EAeq5iHqR6ucDdMu2VvLJmXn2az5dYfJxI3OHKul1sqKS8HASl2hS3o20HoWXw-8la1Ojic0pKMfvcdOOoXqY/s1284/9f6df9a47c06b513360715f6adbfab2d.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="953" data-original-width="1284" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfPRZCroYDCbWoOc6ct6I50FGPheHFf8WE_gsMqtfjh5g7EYYo8hh8tdXIs8etPBlO8PP3KdEYi360eikuFoOSE9Gq7vFawyNbEAMvf-EAeq5iHqR6ucDdMu2VvLJmXn2az5dYfJxI3OHKul1sqKS8HASl2hS3o20HoWXw-8la1Ojic0pKMfvcdOOoXqY/s320/9f6df9a47c06b513360715f6adbfab2d.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Getting out of town was my wife's idea, for autumn has come and Shu-E loves seeing fall foliage, be it in Japan, Taiwan, Virginia or, yes, China. But as we reached the region containing the densest collection of autumn colors, it was the remains of one of the more original (i.e. unrestored) sections of the Great Wall that stood out for me, as we stopped for lunch in a small settlement beside the road:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdyJ-XlCx2c-yGDpTKRDbCbiRBNHni_M-f6TLq-xjZXwCMhR5ZtshOFufsHmoRLFSy36BNqXYIVNg5GrASZNWMzGmty14WjgsMX0_6BE_9Qrf6ABhNNMbm5HpZSkWPgXJM2WiTmqKAYuihBR8phaPwKzj61QzrcazEdg818OWR0CuG5Fo4NFXuj247nYo/s4032/IMG_3293.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdyJ-XlCx2c-yGDpTKRDbCbiRBNHni_M-f6TLq-xjZXwCMhR5ZtshOFufsHmoRLFSy36BNqXYIVNg5GrASZNWMzGmty14WjgsMX0_6BE_9Qrf6ABhNNMbm5HpZSkWPgXJM2WiTmqKAYuihBR8phaPwKzj61QzrcazEdg818OWR0CuG5Fo4NFXuj247nYo/s320/IMG_3293.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqU-mCP59SN9MWiRgZTX-KGqB6eG1nXWvAKieibnwe7khuxgS2ytb8XwTATkFLCqaEDUWrhMXVxN6whJarmViuqPoBKnHphcFRbXELZiCzdPZAYVjFmaDMYWkvGCGNMHSrdqRQAbIqbVWsAmd948LB7gi4b9hSpmBkPntvpRtV6AA27CAcyBEo6miL-ak/s1706/41c3ecddb9a5250940307f748433046f.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1706" data-original-width="1280" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqU-mCP59SN9MWiRgZTX-KGqB6eG1nXWvAKieibnwe7khuxgS2ytb8XwTATkFLCqaEDUWrhMXVxN6whJarmViuqPoBKnHphcFRbXELZiCzdPZAYVjFmaDMYWkvGCGNMHSrdqRQAbIqbVWsAmd948LB7gi4b9hSpmBkPntvpRtV6AA27CAcyBEo6miL-ak/s320/41c3ecddb9a5250940307f748433046f.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>"North African-style" hotpot:<div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht22Sl0a7of8O7R18yGFKoq3qnvwxGFvUpz5422DGjsNPB47n4X0O_uM-rilSTolcL_KdDZH9ldZu6R6jIq-MFL1KaVcGLIaNrtGyZ0qurM3frzwT9fOaIrvRg-PAlrtnAn4FmC6PjcM-XNNcAvJI1vlWFtP6o6m0ET_r_hX2mDWOhkxHhFpFBD2eV7iQ/s4032/IMG_3301.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht22Sl0a7of8O7R18yGFKoq3qnvwxGFvUpz5422DGjsNPB47n4X0O_uM-rilSTolcL_KdDZH9ldZu6R6jIq-MFL1KaVcGLIaNrtGyZ0qurM3frzwT9fOaIrvRg-PAlrtnAn4FmC6PjcM-XNNcAvJI1vlWFtP6o6m0ET_r_hX2mDWOhkxHhFpFBD2eV7iQ/s320/IMG_3301.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Not much remained of the wall in this area:</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1iC5W6En2P_FhwxwsIE3yXUFhWjUdd0gXH-YtyjwKyR45YAh2KbVrJV7H0YNdrbGxluygppeFJx7WIWEuuU7Sc3BSPTGQe0Z3o5vQ6ZfEkp1c1s6ePDkZGRVNRccshrKH9qudhgod7WLSjALl4EOSM66DSMsIN9GM-430Ak9YJzN5FRx7CWDp2fr-Dv4/s1305/9ebd4f77fd3d377425b9e85903eacc77.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1305" data-original-width="936" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1iC5W6En2P_FhwxwsIE3yXUFhWjUdd0gXH-YtyjwKyR45YAh2KbVrJV7H0YNdrbGxluygppeFJx7WIWEuuU7Sc3BSPTGQe0Z3o5vQ6ZfEkp1c1s6ePDkZGRVNRccshrKH9qudhgod7WLSjALl4EOSM66DSMsIN9GM-430Ak9YJzN5FRx7CWDp2fr-Dv4/s320/9ebd4f77fd3d377425b9e85903eacc77.JPG" width="230" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWtkOhzFIA4DowEmUgmIucdEEa4cePomnyWwedk8rID1z8smuzluV4FpOG_4qx1-5F-wbQ0uICaqcesOU9BoP9_TBQEQ-mpRkA8_npzhcj82sE2UVi4EX9GL9v_E-mgAaAceSkptFUajfKVj6sgxA6RTWiQIyV5YsJc_ckfHQvntVxKHyZKzYfmRQodVg/s1684/ca800a05a55dd3ef7efc4573d3f0e7d9.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="964" data-original-width="1684" height="183" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWtkOhzFIA4DowEmUgmIucdEEa4cePomnyWwedk8rID1z8smuzluV4FpOG_4qx1-5F-wbQ0uICaqcesOU9BoP9_TBQEQ-mpRkA8_npzhcj82sE2UVi4EX9GL9v_E-mgAaAceSkptFUajfKVj6sgxA6RTWiQIyV5YsJc_ckfHQvntVxKHyZKzYfmRQodVg/s320/ca800a05a55dd3ef7efc4573d3f0e7d9.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbtnxYNQXwVC5Y7yO1ThFOURYoEDMw7CBhyDkqGsG4NScbr87t9LwAOBr7zNGaLtt7C2RUuOyEf7XPY4qcuuGwOTJZKzJw5VYEAvtk0e9KVEdaf7okD1Dh6L9pUuFBvA2rOMZej8WMxMbhYnMiibyivNUXkaXL4HrKFY8iHjvpQGDloCGi51dzINnAG0o/s4032/IMG_3302.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbtnxYNQXwVC5Y7yO1ThFOURYoEDMw7CBhyDkqGsG4NScbr87t9LwAOBr7zNGaLtt7C2RUuOyEf7XPY4qcuuGwOTJZKzJw5VYEAvtk0e9KVEdaf7okD1Dh6L9pUuFBvA2rOMZej8WMxMbhYnMiibyivNUXkaXL4HrKFY8iHjvpQGDloCGi51dzINnAG0o/s320/IMG_3302.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPcGGaX6I6OLvcqSPyOFwUWgIbBgdnnwXbQePyayZL59ww7RagDWJwAJz9sm-WLH0BJkQVOTqZbMUj_1r23_hzMmBb9LOms9IqelXheaf2W7699Hq7_WTGcKI6N3xFzptSPW3i_fK6TPquMYOfi_QE-6pJU5UmxPi-pB6ZD7kXtX8VOU_Myhr7lg8m9Ao/s4032/IMG_3304.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPcGGaX6I6OLvcqSPyOFwUWgIbBgdnnwXbQePyayZL59ww7RagDWJwAJz9sm-WLH0BJkQVOTqZbMUj_1r23_hzMmBb9LOms9IqelXheaf2W7699Hq7_WTGcKI6N3xFzptSPW3i_fK6TPquMYOfi_QE-6pJU5UmxPi-pB6ZD7kXtX8VOU_Myhr7lg8m9Ao/s320/IMG_3304.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-Iv-BT1Y7yB3H_Vs533HeOEnyhxGt9sQAfCnCCtRTMJlUIuddh0kgcnFwzQsbuHDZuGjlbymr0pI136AUHgLtXN0OegAzJQsjkrfDquTL_8CoCs0SDR4ccnYCW6zZpU9y1wu7v4HOKUl9fSEzm8LsCsvtpJPi_WFnjSyULkmbljvR_pPzrpQfUcdI1ro/s4032/IMG_3305.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-Iv-BT1Y7yB3H_Vs533HeOEnyhxGt9sQAfCnCCtRTMJlUIuddh0kgcnFwzQsbuHDZuGjlbymr0pI136AUHgLtXN0OegAzJQsjkrfDquTL_8CoCs0SDR4ccnYCW6zZpU9y1wu7v4HOKUl9fSEzm8LsCsvtpJPi_WFnjSyULkmbljvR_pPzrpQfUcdI1ro/s320/IMG_3305.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The scenery as seen from the car. The weather was uncharacteristically (for Beijing) gorgeous:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaUR65tg_ZMyIv0zJd7H6bLe8-IkA7vOYuFAAtkm9kveO9jZ3gs3TtYxau03uJLThxl4RsmPso8YF4AXE6ZYZvlkyp5Ssr6-zG5VPovMfo3dtJxxr8Q2mB1MpqyDfYkNxBwoPsbFtAjRshqJ_FYLFRSLu2XwOdPkiFpLeo0AJtkfHIDofT46-HwIj1AuI/s4032/IMG_3310.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaUR65tg_ZMyIv0zJd7H6bLe8-IkA7vOYuFAAtkm9kveO9jZ3gs3TtYxau03uJLThxl4RsmPso8YF4AXE6ZYZvlkyp5Ssr6-zG5VPovMfo3dtJxxr8Q2mB1MpqyDfYkNxBwoPsbFtAjRshqJ_FYLFRSLu2XwOdPkiFpLeo0AJtkfHIDofT46-HwIj1AuI/s320/IMG_3310.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ0YLxx-uJTe7DYjt683RBQ5oN9h2aXh8z7DovMXyf4VWq2xh8v_n9_iXxqApo1zM12mjMmVNB_akhL9ApltmjH759lUQznCmA0_iRQ6cIAN9bz6nnSGNVb774r8BeR6E-GHp9STwQ3Y6a9_IpWiMOelNtlTCmU83SiAhW8EHpSK4D5OCtfPVi-f-VcxY/s3364/IMG_3313.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2363" data-original-width="3364" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ0YLxx-uJTe7DYjt683RBQ5oN9h2aXh8z7DovMXyf4VWq2xh8v_n9_iXxqApo1zM12mjMmVNB_akhL9ApltmjH759lUQznCmA0_iRQ6cIAN9bz6nnSGNVb774r8BeR6E-GHp9STwQ3Y6a9_IpWiMOelNtlTCmU83SiAhW8EHpSK4D5OCtfPVi-f-VcxY/s320/IMG_3313.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Our next stop was at the <a href="https://english.visitbeijing.com.cn/article/4AJvub2XAMR" target="_blank">Dishuihu Waterfall Scenic Area</a>. Best to let the signage do some of the talking:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd2o_oMa4abpkpIuWZMuk94LD1aPqWl4z916odX9lt-Zk5BJIF_ndT14QOU3D6CjsXzDTsagpDpIvLU1Q9zBsPlDTDN04iTOO2NQ-vV43JEMqoaw0SFEsMPETM9z5oy0L5mMXsXpSB5wVrwipRmAy_dvPw-epCUQQXwvCZB18zzhuXGNO2Gnbd9wNHd24/s3499/IMG_3316.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3499" data-original-width="2742" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd2o_oMa4abpkpIuWZMuk94LD1aPqWl4z916odX9lt-Zk5BJIF_ndT14QOU3D6CjsXzDTsagpDpIvLU1Q9zBsPlDTDN04iTOO2NQ-vV43JEMqoaw0SFEsMPETM9z5oy0L5mMXsXpSB5wVrwipRmAy_dvPw-epCUQQXwvCZB18zzhuXGNO2Gnbd9wNHd24/s320/IMG_3316.jpg" width="251" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR5S5t52cvsZhuXEhR92U0ayQHNMlZ2VjuO0PLz8UZceLK7u0lUTXOyfe_JUGAhTr6wed8DxUg2WITWTDnvEePErlMO6dCbE6nOtR5kMBD8-GXz_7Ymcm_qp3ne3GJoBWLRf9DMmq03fb5sdlMGLIVly_1Y5A3e3FhBANi9ks7Dzb-wyZDTZt7lkOfKrw/s4032/IMG_3317.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2777" data-original-width="4032" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR5S5t52cvsZhuXEhR92U0ayQHNMlZ2VjuO0PLz8UZceLK7u0lUTXOyfe_JUGAhTr6wed8DxUg2WITWTDnvEePErlMO6dCbE6nOtR5kMBD8-GXz_7Ymcm_qp3ne3GJoBWLRf9DMmq03fb5sdlMGLIVly_1Y5A3e3FhBANi9ks7Dzb-wyZDTZt7lkOfKrw/s320/IMG_3317.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4rIINvSq3_vZSmrPdh810uO9ROprz6XrYwuENpcArqqfXlZ5AIn23C9s_ZOEoB0oRT7M_s_asaW5rggEtSqZIMSRTOWI006yNtrpcNDwLPBJNoEdfh24CKHNhNYVOAlM2mR2R2IAg8EVER96gajzt5jGrnr4KbitBlSGCADNxIP66oqAmLll5Fbei3Pc/s1706/77dc9fa9cab08915c722e082adac370e.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1706" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4rIINvSq3_vZSmrPdh810uO9ROprz6XrYwuENpcArqqfXlZ5AIn23C9s_ZOEoB0oRT7M_s_asaW5rggEtSqZIMSRTOWI006yNtrpcNDwLPBJNoEdfh24CKHNhNYVOAlM2mR2R2IAg8EVER96gajzt5jGrnr4KbitBlSGCADNxIP66oqAmLll5Fbei3Pc/s320/77dc9fa9cab08915c722e082adac370e.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBLeVfqNzzBrtmOxYWV_JzZnD_5yh3ihJb5J0dK4WLiU9C-jPGJ5LU84hn4Tbdv8SlBKFCqWa89Tnk70fzzUKPJqBLsbV2Ofs3UiVbzWAOl4lToOAYjcn3r9qbwZnsoUx1zrzCmJxOYCrtQjSFINi8IyG_1FtdFvV9eJlGp_Hg3ZS-Nz9Wwi3NYe_wLME/s4032/IMG_3321.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2760" data-original-width="4032" height="219" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBLeVfqNzzBrtmOxYWV_JzZnD_5yh3ihJb5J0dK4WLiU9C-jPGJ5LU84hn4Tbdv8SlBKFCqWa89Tnk70fzzUKPJqBLsbV2Ofs3UiVbzWAOl4lToOAYjcn3r9qbwZnsoUx1zrzCmJxOYCrtQjSFINi8IyG_1FtdFvV9eJlGp_Hg3ZS-Nz9Wwi3NYe_wLME/s320/IMG_3321.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0xTi3PLlVRuOAZnL8HoLMzXrBtjYId0HgU6bxioCQk1PmPjxtFbk-YCFNvdeTUCEo4apJ0lJVzMtz-strgmMPhjHxcso3DqDK9OeDyMCYmcho-KKZy7GY179oJvdznCWfb2dPNFawAuSMjuV5p0b2YUaJqvQ129YsQCqNHagu7nRbJqMpQlzIfFnOVzA/s3983/IMG_3324.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2987" data-original-width="3983" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0xTi3PLlVRuOAZnL8HoLMzXrBtjYId0HgU6bxioCQk1PmPjxtFbk-YCFNvdeTUCEo4apJ0lJVzMtz-strgmMPhjHxcso3DqDK9OeDyMCYmcho-KKZy7GY179oJvdznCWfb2dPNFawAuSMjuV5p0b2YUaJqvQ129YsQCqNHagu7nRbJqMpQlzIfFnOVzA/s320/IMG_3324.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWVYdxtbyipUeKH0_YWeIY_EDCcmrzfw5tblTujCZkjZ1FSAkpEp9izyZIoQjImjV4609O33R2xBB6VOLg259a4MjC3ZEhaJePcwefJ0VihK_0cbi_F3kc9dOwUDPwSO0KK4z6NhaifxYvkSedoc-2erQQpjbZgULk5kn0s3BaPu39rKeHNz80ntJfAaw/s1573/972381d8095b0192e52eb735100bb604.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1573" data-original-width="1234" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWVYdxtbyipUeKH0_YWeIY_EDCcmrzfw5tblTujCZkjZ1FSAkpEp9izyZIoQjImjV4609O33R2xBB6VOLg259a4MjC3ZEhaJePcwefJ0VihK_0cbi_F3kc9dOwUDPwSO0KK4z6NhaifxYvkSedoc-2erQQpjbZgULk5kn0s3BaPu39rKeHNz80ntJfAaw/s320/972381d8095b0192e52eb735100bb604.JPG" width="251" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Approaching the waterfall:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJO0OADx6chLjP3eyUFOgK4SFQWAvP7KpnxRc9lcwylPe8vKnqdLvtpaWHFHLvtoNrVIwgjYCAEj_owPM2znoQZ_34z7DqBLTUNjbB5FJhv19SoaMIb6JnanSFH43CCbAWpPpyN2V86Jyva7TtGsdlMo5TFCq2Y8Ft9iX6AG7GEN86WRfczOKDn3V68Fc/s4032/IMG_3327.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJO0OADx6chLjP3eyUFOgK4SFQWAvP7KpnxRc9lcwylPe8vKnqdLvtpaWHFHLvtoNrVIwgjYCAEj_owPM2znoQZ_34z7DqBLTUNjbB5FJhv19SoaMIb6JnanSFH43CCbAWpPpyN2V86Jyva7TtGsdlMo5TFCq2Y8Ft9iX6AG7GEN86WRfczOKDn3V68Fc/s320/IMG_3327.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>A short walk uphill led to the Dishuihu Lianhua Cave 滴水壶莲花洞. Again, I'll defer to the signs for a description of what we were about to see:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx6w7wSGnZAW79sBduwjZCSOvk7WEyZ_RkBFx4ShwS4bLEL-vXLTNrIYzE9EmZjKSgHf7IFO-ApEqhLYasL1IxmtpSn8f0qUlefm_jA_eqV34qGwm6-Swwmd7VMc5PC9ecQAznUSh4Zx7pe4yU5Wu2m5NvjU9JwjvlZpsX657DDPtN9S47hlfW3h8MhKA/s3288/IMG_3329.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3288" data-original-width="2663" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx6w7wSGnZAW79sBduwjZCSOvk7WEyZ_RkBFx4ShwS4bLEL-vXLTNrIYzE9EmZjKSgHf7IFO-ApEqhLYasL1IxmtpSn8f0qUlefm_jA_eqV34qGwm6-Swwmd7VMc5PC9ecQAznUSh4Zx7pe4yU5Wu2m5NvjU9JwjvlZpsX657DDPtN9S47hlfW3h8MhKA/s320/IMG_3329.jpg" width="259" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The cave was short and cramped, and visiting it was not much of a pleasant experience, especially as the way in was also the route out, creating logjams in narrow openings. The lighting was meant to make the cavern more spectacular in appearance than it actually was:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8IAkDEqlj2_Udb-goK9xttnq9oPtQwcO1f0tY9lR7hyphenhyphenRiKCfRvbMMLPEHlmsz191if6UzUqreGG8_kcM32n1GZnSB6w76MkgqsUiEIMDaoIkcGzkpDNzUvg2I9QjiRir9OoaSqRh-YMKbame0UuYI-EnuMRCidbufNH-VpSJeNmvsju5vsFmYLimacW8/s1706/7cb4e87f3d52472c3eeae49045e56d16.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1706" data-original-width="1280" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8IAkDEqlj2_Udb-goK9xttnq9oPtQwcO1f0tY9lR7hyphenhyphenRiKCfRvbMMLPEHlmsz191if6UzUqreGG8_kcM32n1GZnSB6w76MkgqsUiEIMDaoIkcGzkpDNzUvg2I9QjiRir9OoaSqRh-YMKbame0UuYI-EnuMRCidbufNH-VpSJeNmvsju5vsFmYLimacW8/s320/7cb4e87f3d52472c3eeae49045e56d16.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioO26RiWjcZPCi_zuRMJJuYKqGexnn2I7Y4E1K407Z4pXeG2NZ4181ItRYK8_UPZIvhc0-f0H6Afx0Wylya8R5WlXuRqZnMKbGubZVedfHT-YAV-jgDLhh6FZAFMUWfT3f3bYh-C-z8baJ_rOjZz9-Sz3ycV3DImpiWUGut-WbhEti7UlwO0qdhPWi_Jo/s1706/ced056b2ad83a058487f875f7111f38e.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1706" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioO26RiWjcZPCi_zuRMJJuYKqGexnn2I7Y4E1K407Z4pXeG2NZ4181ItRYK8_UPZIvhc0-f0H6Afx0Wylya8R5WlXuRqZnMKbGubZVedfHT-YAV-jgDLhh6FZAFMUWfT3f3bYh-C-z8baJ_rOjZz9-Sz3ycV3DImpiWUGut-WbhEti7UlwO0qdhPWi_Jo/s320/ced056b2ad83a058487f875f7111f38e.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBfFb84TgtUi4CszHz7bu37BJAEqQN4QYjY0-M2sPCQLd48_fREXt3m6P31vwqc4ismifx7uu4m4HuIqvnccp8RRxHB7yR1JVkR7NkeAlJMuY9N-23fBbBRXXgb41h7SFbCqpMnVxKIQpo3sERGKA-uWekRU1JzW_-LZ6M6Qt_LMZhD22ZsoRPCKBT5DU/s1706/d9eb42429bb7e96ba74a2a8211e6922c.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1706" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBfFb84TgtUi4CszHz7bu37BJAEqQN4QYjY0-M2sPCQLd48_fREXt3m6P31vwqc4ismifx7uu4m4HuIqvnccp8RRxHB7yR1JVkR7NkeAlJMuY9N-23fBbBRXXgb41h7SFbCqpMnVxKIQpo3sERGKA-uWekRU1JzW_-LZ6M6Qt_LMZhD22ZsoRPCKBT5DU/s320/d9eb42429bb7e96ba74a2a8211e6922c.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Much better was the view of the landscape from outside the entrance to the cave:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEims_MYmoOFpgh-PMHjmzpDQWnQmPvjTAkf1AzwNWPP2VxOJrEQaID8n2VYzM-XsKzzWvQV1EiKRSJW10kBmQXmtduRVoIh8z0FCR3UyHO49OgkQQn29zBxK7NpwkJRqy8G4mmbN0ZtXyrJQGYlVDYd_7YEVKkxR99L9aYbPgvl9nH1S4CGOdUNdZIchIs/s4032/IMG_3330.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEims_MYmoOFpgh-PMHjmzpDQWnQmPvjTAkf1AzwNWPP2VxOJrEQaID8n2VYzM-XsKzzWvQV1EiKRSJW10kBmQXmtduRVoIh8z0FCR3UyHO49OgkQQn29zBxK7NpwkJRqy8G4mmbN0ZtXyrJQGYlVDYd_7YEVKkxR99L9aYbPgvl9nH1S4CGOdUNdZIchIs/s320/IMG_3330.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The girls make their way back down to the lake:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhMA3tCpQJNkCCn8syssflFUA85-89pYZ42ssTrSqQBpk-BBz7LMDd7j8xcdNrHStdIwG4AgFcMqvNmqlC4RLHjsavehkWwYOXUiGt8_X384ucV_oy7NPRVlWDH5mEVjWao7ybn9zOcJWG0FW6BOBfnJgV5TpSXvarEiqN77zcZ3N7oMkwb7BTj8Fz8Ac/s4032/IMG_3331.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhMA3tCpQJNkCCn8syssflFUA85-89pYZ42ssTrSqQBpk-BBz7LMDd7j8xcdNrHStdIwG4AgFcMqvNmqlC4RLHjsavehkWwYOXUiGt8_X384ucV_oy7NPRVlWDH5mEVjWao7ybn9zOcJWG0FW6BOBfnJgV5TpSXvarEiqN77zcZ3N7oMkwb7BTj8Fz8Ac/s320/IMG_3331.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>We crossed the stone bridge pictured above to "Squirrel Island", an artificial isle located in the artificial lake. Amber was amused by the residents, who scurried around inside elevated caged walkways connecting several trees, occasionally stopping to have a look at the tourists with their phones:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT2xvHtzrNluhRMpBTWIpzg9n6QTbsSVOV_5UttEcscuxY8NziYxERbwFlRDzE2lnWsieLCEiPaLJ6Ej0hzGi-rLl6pkfcQFcv-dK6kM1DrorHJBDXnUsmGs9kt18CpxEvOHYNt4hKS7_g_WWocg5j6fpQNKyBeCBtAHK-IIu6pfm64sfRQQMiysgAc4M/s4032/IMG_3333.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT2xvHtzrNluhRMpBTWIpzg9n6QTbsSVOV_5UttEcscuxY8NziYxERbwFlRDzE2lnWsieLCEiPaLJ6Ej0hzGi-rLl6pkfcQFcv-dK6kM1DrorHJBDXnUsmGs9kt18CpxEvOHYNt4hKS7_g_WWocg5j6fpQNKyBeCBtAHK-IIu6pfm64sfRQQMiysgAc4M/s320/IMG_3333.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyqTiBrLqwc6qWHS9b1wRyJCw-bfjj-QOkrlsSphPwEZWokurUUQhknAdEc2FXR_RjT4Le3JH00mBIL4QtCe5zwnh8rDCK1IdjWvZpBUH-yEoolc8VO96aztDxZZcmgfZdXO89loawAtOtF1ZzEiFbNMT6Iwa_bq87L3Zf3lEq00sD-Yz02SusWfVPNoE/s1706/3f029c0f4facd94f6d3de874e772b14f.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1706" data-original-width="1280" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyqTiBrLqwc6qWHS9b1wRyJCw-bfjj-QOkrlsSphPwEZWokurUUQhknAdEc2FXR_RjT4Le3JH00mBIL4QtCe5zwnh8rDCK1IdjWvZpBUH-yEoolc8VO96aztDxZZcmgfZdXO89loawAtOtF1ZzEiFbNMT6Iwa_bq87L3Zf3lEq00sD-Yz02SusWfVPNoE/s320/3f029c0f4facd94f6d3de874e772b14f.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Back on the road as the mountains began to close in:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtj2FNyQ-xg2dLWlYRBSmWl2Y5eNaT4g6F0ziTlpbiCoog3igJ3xtymt0DRBA_cj1L3oAAD_BTvkq9hKdZs-FV5WT3gT_HetHSgh_7kHK2HaAwI2AV5yyx-zvhQo8Ci6fHeE1mqjYulDgx-KgDHF92VgJL9T8_41ga4Eb5vkIOHoVKjH6Yqr6ADeU6Khw/s4032/IMG_3345.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtj2FNyQ-xg2dLWlYRBSmWl2Y5eNaT4g6F0ziTlpbiCoog3igJ3xtymt0DRBA_cj1L3oAAD_BTvkq9hKdZs-FV5WT3gT_HetHSgh_7kHK2HaAwI2AV5yyx-zvhQo8Ci6fHeE1mqjYulDgx-KgDHF92VgJL9T8_41ga4Eb5vkIOHoVKjH6Yqr6ADeU6Khw/s320/IMG_3345.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Shu-E stopped the car at several points to get out and have a look at the kind of scenery you don't get to see in central Beijing:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd0j4KyPK4oWT8KX7FLBXJQAyrx5CFJ0merLW0HwOwmv2rdcS8YeqpDFd8P4RxpZwkKxCaiZ72KTbod709qSvVTuv0PUy9_Pcs9LIOqHfC87hElb-Wx_1338JCeUOMAlYi0sfNJLBBFiL606ShimUunvVb9k0VQ058A2UGx84DspFYPOZW6OqW5lUbJb0/s4032/IMG_3346.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd0j4KyPK4oWT8KX7FLBXJQAyrx5CFJ0merLW0HwOwmv2rdcS8YeqpDFd8P4RxpZwkKxCaiZ72KTbod709qSvVTuv0PUy9_Pcs9LIOqHfC87hElb-Wx_1338JCeUOMAlYi0sfNJLBBFiL606ShimUunvVb9k0VQ058A2UGx84DspFYPOZW6OqW5lUbJb0/s320/IMG_3346.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg90Nrbfw8QyzsG0SAgeZBJnX-hFo8KzTO0OR9-Ii0_N-IGd7q7PJpmagN2eFADX5li5TH12xbD1rtyzQGLOJ7ym2y_Jm3E9orhr-csWn3ZmVXauNjra2JcvI-i36cK3N__F7e1qgrR-XuVghb111hhnuJLfm8_2CUHqZRa5RvHALnGRKd0oCJREGlwsO0/s4032/IMG_3347.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg90Nrbfw8QyzsG0SAgeZBJnX-hFo8KzTO0OR9-Ii0_N-IGd7q7PJpmagN2eFADX5li5TH12xbD1rtyzQGLOJ7ym2y_Jm3E9orhr-csWn3ZmVXauNjra2JcvI-i36cK3N__F7e1qgrR-XuVghb111hhnuJLfm8_2CUHqZRa5RvHALnGRKd0oCJREGlwsO0/s320/IMG_3347.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx8SIsnrunT9F5u-bXzVjG3I7ee7wRlDOyS3EoxwuhyphenhyphenYHTqMqvcX227HaWUkM_XjALDtvqDnJAab_BYO0Rg9Lz1A4rIeFK-iHw05dtlf2Ti0tokWOLavkha_xITH3O87o4Kbm_t01lUK43C-Y16DPewabnYnlkwBUqdX4JIkYX_KBt7RfAVO7F9o7p-6U/s3811/IMG_3348.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3811" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx8SIsnrunT9F5u-bXzVjG3I7ee7wRlDOyS3EoxwuhyphenhyphenYHTqMqvcX227HaWUkM_XjALDtvqDnJAab_BYO0Rg9Lz1A4rIeFK-iHw05dtlf2Ti0tokWOLavkha_xITH3O87o4Kbm_t01lUK43C-Y16DPewabnYnlkwBUqdX4JIkYX_KBt7RfAVO7F9o7p-6U/s320/IMG_3348.jpg" width="254" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja9GUvlXVvuQJSxWW0fAawawtFx2P9GFa-SwWOJuukaLVf0wjOvCre-j-Fc1fv9uwY8liRcUOxrJLmOmPqJzrIziQkcW8-KUj5hLmHIP1SUuXZ_Ep4KKtXnu9EBZvkG9iRfxiTq7EPwKwKABqA0jXR_XyRRMDx5gFEV3Os25D_vj5LyTYn6KrOrkqP5jM/s4032/IMG_3350.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja9GUvlXVvuQJSxWW0fAawawtFx2P9GFa-SwWOJuukaLVf0wjOvCre-j-Fc1fv9uwY8liRcUOxrJLmOmPqJzrIziQkcW8-KUj5hLmHIP1SUuXZ_Ep4KKtXnu9EBZvkG9iRfxiTq7EPwKwKABqA0jXR_XyRRMDx5gFEV3Os25D_vj5LyTYn6KrOrkqP5jM/s320/IMG_3350.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-yenPfIr1mfEUBr8vhem7ldl0zL9GfpuXj5T9RZGgitoCQmMf9PgvAr70ysxJFTYgA4IaO2ySbe8f5pqAz96u0_VmjwTtoDZib524JYvSHloTKaT2k3bsuls3K0Mb63p8YxKLEJQYTPaNU-wQrmCEzH7to6bhn0UqLnQ7gc4sTp3PxkPGZNssu2QhMZQ/s4032/IMG_3353.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-yenPfIr1mfEUBr8vhem7ldl0zL9GfpuXj5T9RZGgitoCQmMf9PgvAr70ysxJFTYgA4IaO2ySbe8f5pqAz96u0_VmjwTtoDZib524JYvSHloTKaT2k3bsuls3K0Mb63p8YxKLEJQYTPaNU-wQrmCEzH7to6bhn0UqLnQ7gc4sTp3PxkPGZNssu2QhMZQ/s320/IMG_3353.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>In the late afternoon we reached the village of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qianjiadian" target="_blank">Qianjiadian</a> 千家店, the largest settlement we came across that weekend, where my wife had reserved a room for us in one of the many <i>mínsù</i> 民宿 (similar to B&B's) located there. Ours was called Qianbaimo 千百陌</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu5Ubx2aaEcLyJcZ9vcLcb58VcXPrxA9ocRF6c-gbHtuubR07agQQfHFZTOb0PLJUCHHD2AzpEo8xD-x_o_qLzpVit_GCTDZqXMB9xeEvDvsqXMdrxGItR8e9qfmXAoEsXAMysLF4WhopGxOdUTMJH7qdsQgoYJ6H4mDq1RXVhsmXPwDTaDMw4Uh5buFg/s4032/IMG_3356.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu5Ubx2aaEcLyJcZ9vcLcb58VcXPrxA9ocRF6c-gbHtuubR07agQQfHFZTOb0PLJUCHHD2AzpEo8xD-x_o_qLzpVit_GCTDZqXMB9xeEvDvsqXMdrxGItR8e9qfmXAoEsXAMysLF4WhopGxOdUTMJH7qdsQgoYJ6H4mDq1RXVhsmXPwDTaDMw4Uh5buFg/s320/IMG_3356.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij-ibbTXG_zZhRmiMeItx8zB5tKgryJY2JpRA4_H7wgC5dXtn2x3PtN6oIU5oN9c7YKdb8qage6htv0wSJaHGCzVdopZ9qfFqbswJBhvOfSfgpG8E4DxC45bzHFEZ9bD7wNLIbetz9qhWtPiFtKWgRKq3DAO9iWVxi79ZbL7ld5lkwDHLuHB6NRwgPjhQ/s4032/IMG_3358.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij-ibbTXG_zZhRmiMeItx8zB5tKgryJY2JpRA4_H7wgC5dXtn2x3PtN6oIU5oN9c7YKdb8qage6htv0wSJaHGCzVdopZ9qfFqbswJBhvOfSfgpG8E4DxC45bzHFEZ9bD7wNLIbetz9qhWtPiFtKWgRKq3DAO9iWVxi79ZbL7ld5lkwDHLuHB6NRwgPjhQ/s320/IMG_3358.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Having dinner at the end of a long day of driving:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXkFNz_kQn2HuntziUcy3WYQFth3grLKCLhbZ_fJMP9iDPZKIeld1x-YqwbT8g2Y2LHvGNLV2-m3hfbShQLyAatbW4uH0mfyKY8CfVhLwbBfnDcSEybB0KzBYLzQbrlb3avieDXrtb182WQOuLIV6hCrXCuxFdlfS8WxdmxJOJoaN3cNy6wKtEMHM8mk8/s4032/IMG_3362.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXkFNz_kQn2HuntziUcy3WYQFth3grLKCLhbZ_fJMP9iDPZKIeld1x-YqwbT8g2Y2LHvGNLV2-m3hfbShQLyAatbW4uH0mfyKY8CfVhLwbBfnDcSEybB0KzBYLzQbrlb3avieDXrtb182WQOuLIV6hCrXCuxFdlfS8WxdmxJOJoaN3cNy6wKtEMHM8mk8/s320/IMG_3362.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Barbecued <i><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mantou" target="_blank">mantou</a></i> was a first for me. 很好吃了!:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixNGzEdz_-1ONa0l1adUB7kW-jINwj3DKJ2MhwYdm5qz9yUd07yWj9sBGb7aF-OSvH3jneemwKbf1Q28f76SOng62r1n_OPGn_SkrV1jbfu10zSWSpzBvwer1uuPNrLodxEs6dB7V3QsQUj9JXQOId4QN9Uk1KUC4ToKjd-8VbFteJmp3a9Rx-bD_HYAc/s4032/IMG_3364.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixNGzEdz_-1ONa0l1adUB7kW-jINwj3DKJ2MhwYdm5qz9yUd07yWj9sBGb7aF-OSvH3jneemwKbf1Q28f76SOng62r1n_OPGn_SkrV1jbfu10zSWSpzBvwer1uuPNrLodxEs6dB7V3QsQUj9JXQOId4QN9Uk1KUC4ToKjd-8VbFteJmp3a9Rx-bD_HYAc/s320/IMG_3364.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDVQndxO4alVHPq9FHKX2uUkeFPjVQSSuE7S3LjRY9qNjCgYh98dmFRScJBXGnp_MqSoLRnqasvzv92eNi8hud1Pm02QqbOPDvtnlZBqPFJqSn3c1gU0o4HsuT6DqOg_G5sGF891sXxYXf4hMANreVVa1N1JD3F3nsfYr5bcEr6szOIzczEzIK4mXKvTg/s3907/IMG_3365.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3907" data-original-width="2930" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDVQndxO4alVHPq9FHKX2uUkeFPjVQSSuE7S3LjRY9qNjCgYh98dmFRScJBXGnp_MqSoLRnqasvzv92eNi8hud1Pm02QqbOPDvtnlZBqPFJqSn3c1gU0o4HsuT6DqOg_G5sGF891sXxYXf4hMANreVVa1N1JD3F3nsfYr5bcEr6szOIzczEzIK4mXKvTg/s320/IMG_3365.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Sunday was another clear day, but the morning was chilly, just 4°C/39°F. Shu-E had made a mistake with the starting time for breakfast, thinking it was 0700 instead of 0730, so we took a walk around the village while we waited for the dining room to open:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxJkbbabZXGgP55m68xeuswlLPtQn-HGShsMT2zPRB5TNk_CK6V0ne-cNYdIVbNiq0PmHKdIpfori04MmXiWd05sGGc92pnwOKUoMLXs7q2_cVFfRCJB1tnv1KhrBHErSrq4G0wXMt1HA9SRSIeMICyFYIDiJ6By8xMjCOu48J6vYyVsLq8S5UNXPVl0Y/s1702/ce0d5e497d56d3ae677145c66e8eeedc.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1119" data-original-width="1702" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxJkbbabZXGgP55m68xeuswlLPtQn-HGShsMT2zPRB5TNk_CK6V0ne-cNYdIVbNiq0PmHKdIpfori04MmXiWd05sGGc92pnwOKUoMLXs7q2_cVFfRCJB1tnv1KhrBHErSrq4G0wXMt1HA9SRSIeMICyFYIDiJ6By8xMjCOu48J6vYyVsLq8S5UNXPVl0Y/s320/ce0d5e497d56d3ae677145c66e8eeedc.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgASDQpwcBtlAdymO0VlJ2TyIhc4DdaZqYH5kws2wgxh2eqzYaV5lKXwEdf2r2DpZMH5xfVX-Ncm4hQa72jmDJ_jsXwQ8cgB6E1vFIyCOESRhJu0Bz29iy7ybz-Zs-iU6xYwlgQVv7QCBGZPWS4DWuOI7EXGOe2euuOsJHzbG_4_nTAqqaP_QjLtiXmxPc/s1702/531d7d79b9a063ac8282a8bb13d765a8.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1276" data-original-width="1702" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgASDQpwcBtlAdymO0VlJ2TyIhc4DdaZqYH5kws2wgxh2eqzYaV5lKXwEdf2r2DpZMH5xfVX-Ncm4hQa72jmDJ_jsXwQ8cgB6E1vFIyCOESRhJu0Bz29iy7ybz-Zs-iU6xYwlgQVv7QCBGZPWS4DWuOI7EXGOe2euuOsJHzbG_4_nTAqqaP_QjLtiXmxPc/s320/531d7d79b9a063ac8282a8bb13d765a8.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjroRH9JxdPnjwlZ7R58_zUEDn_b410jk12G_Y1CdhySVKAKNfUTht_eGlPdbIWvd7jQR2CR47ILLvcOiDmfZbq7_rTK4hhDIgJyCiAFQ1rxUJGsEkGfnP3K9NUYIwD5elFcVpGOBZF6DhJifqKBh_aOzXF_iIt4gXtZFV3ewvEWIQ5ldidx5b5pBsLuNA/s1702/a6bfe09d14b5b07b1cc5a62dceb0218f.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1702" data-original-width="1276" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjroRH9JxdPnjwlZ7R58_zUEDn_b410jk12G_Y1CdhySVKAKNfUTht_eGlPdbIWvd7jQR2CR47ILLvcOiDmfZbq7_rTK4hhDIgJyCiAFQ1rxUJGsEkGfnP3K9NUYIwD5elFcVpGOBZF6DhJifqKBh_aOzXF_iIt4gXtZFV3ewvEWIQ5ldidx5b5pBsLuNA/s320/a6bfe09d14b5b07b1cc5a62dceb0218f.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimy7M2oapU52Wg-2pDx_98Vb0D-I3dUDE-Ru8UDZRvSTlepKvM66SGB3uE6J-D3wUbLN_jY8fTAxqmz0hpysjfhyV3YwAjLsDJKPk3JOmk-n1B0QzOCFrwEAwq4eg4m0j4km7iTw7hvZ9fErQWQ8dlLhJRx-ZgssCDBB8Z0ylXe2L5woZffMmqmiErIGI/s1706/29904cc668707ad9efefa85c0418ebca.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1706" data-original-width="1280" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimy7M2oapU52Wg-2pDx_98Vb0D-I3dUDE-Ru8UDZRvSTlepKvM66SGB3uE6J-D3wUbLN_jY8fTAxqmz0hpysjfhyV3YwAjLsDJKPk3JOmk-n1B0QzOCFrwEAwq4eg4m0j4km7iTw7hvZ9fErQWQ8dlLhJRx-ZgssCDBB8Z0ylXe2L5woZffMmqmiErIGI/s320/29904cc668707ad9efefa85c0418ebca.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNF4byzTed3C4plZQ85LdUMrDOPRBFBFas7wdplOjGg3pByqTJQSqvYq80bzq-B8DHKVtppms_QlPYavnh1aXeVcengyoq7mMne4gV3_Oqnwm3SLO-oZ-K5kmNFiEyxRkaGIPiP9XCTNY0HxQnQ3EATVHJflBcwpg9NmEBm3HgTwsgZ_NTzIwAlUQ8xro/s1661/65981491350926e76af2463aa8c2672c.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1661" data-original-width="1172" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNF4byzTed3C4plZQ85LdUMrDOPRBFBFas7wdplOjGg3pByqTJQSqvYq80bzq-B8DHKVtppms_QlPYavnh1aXeVcengyoq7mMne4gV3_Oqnwm3SLO-oZ-K5kmNFiEyxRkaGIPiP9XCTNY0HxQnQ3EATVHJflBcwpg9NmEBm3HgTwsgZ_NTzIwAlUQ8xro/s320/65981491350926e76af2463aa8c2672c.JPG" width="226" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAsi36zLj15VMtn62LyaJQtJYIcUrOOB8KGl0Z2zgMHzVmX1lYr_Lrh6JG3k748PCgmUt5I4gOUUZJ0L1NSk3qwLbeKApqfICquQoU_qOoXKScVLzY2pV8eqb6_nWdZM1xGgynVVp8WtUGUKWBSDcaoEkkknZF1w_OGNXFjHO_CkUv5Q7YiRj5GC-u9es/s1706/df6d34aa83a8c9247f5315d690c8bb5a.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1706" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAsi36zLj15VMtn62LyaJQtJYIcUrOOB8KGl0Z2zgMHzVmX1lYr_Lrh6JG3k748PCgmUt5I4gOUUZJ0L1NSk3qwLbeKApqfICquQoU_qOoXKScVLzY2pV8eqb6_nWdZM1xGgynVVp8WtUGUKWBSDcaoEkkknZF1w_OGNXFjHO_CkUv5Q7YiRj5GC-u9es/s320/df6d34aa83a8c9247f5315d690c8bb5a.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKTeVFAYCMGv5SPCxtVfndXIsVvniH-03_4foeMk3RNorx-4vnjwbAwRPO2cqq4_Wla38Ml9S3-kWvCGFT7Qfy1VWWpv0QD8_Ir4_IL9c9VgsoR6wvar84vxALbs6Ylnv0sggZjPFnlvFNflNn_nwXqt4RHhn7BtwJZIc3ic8tgVhSFehprsY3MYC5o0A/s1702/0ac02449d83f725f06c682242ecde9f6.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1702" data-original-width="1276" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKTeVFAYCMGv5SPCxtVfndXIsVvniH-03_4foeMk3RNorx-4vnjwbAwRPO2cqq4_Wla38Ml9S3-kWvCGFT7Qfy1VWWpv0QD8_Ir4_IL9c9VgsoR6wvar84vxALbs6Ylnv0sggZjPFnlvFNflNn_nwXqt4RHhn7BtwJZIc3ic8tgVhSFehprsY3MYC5o0A/s320/0ac02449d83f725f06c682242ecde9f6.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Breakfast was Chinese-style, which I normally don't much care for (see the below photo for evidence as to why), but hunger has a way of changing minds:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQzGb6X0FZZgzps0hj61_Rf_8_q16k3w19enl60QSHUEWjknBJ_ebG1_oS03CbBSO-RDPIs_VWK8XEDLcL-gS0kUMKTbrgFSdhGP-8S8ESv-2xNwBFiMs2_gi2iSs7T6LRMHC23Jkwqmxp0UAa0cqhVmRQ3yDa1JEDOn_JMvpozYh1THzQp5S1oGhHSFo/s1706/5e5c882767c7e1608812ae12c600cea9.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1706" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQzGb6X0FZZgzps0hj61_Rf_8_q16k3w19enl60QSHUEWjknBJ_ebG1_oS03CbBSO-RDPIs_VWK8XEDLcL-gS0kUMKTbrgFSdhGP-8S8ESv-2xNwBFiMs2_gi2iSs7T6LRMHC23Jkwqmxp0UAa0cqhVmRQ3yDa1JEDOn_JMvpozYh1THzQp5S1oGhHSFo/s320/5e5c882767c7e1608812ae12c600cea9.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>As we were putting our things in the car in preparation for continuing our trip, Amber made friends with one of the locals:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKkY_9BkKoPUgK8p0Cqod5PGV0Fzb0z1gF06BY7yWq1w8OjvlDz80dNgrDZSuEtR6cMbFel8NaGyWQrUa-jBXf4OCPSLGVy8unXpkzaKmeE-g9hdHgWUo_kqrBxA0e8G7w5zd7Y4oz59gRZ5nh5NSQB8ecbs-4_yFC6wdbhXlhw_6zxF0tbK10BNlVSQA/s1706/9a55ae462d57da1014d79ed3719ec789.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1706" data-original-width="1280" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKkY_9BkKoPUgK8p0Cqod5PGV0Fzb0z1gF06BY7yWq1w8OjvlDz80dNgrDZSuEtR6cMbFel8NaGyWQrUa-jBXf4OCPSLGVy8unXpkzaKmeE-g9hdHgWUo_kqrBxA0e8G7w5zd7Y4oz59gRZ5nh5NSQB8ecbs-4_yFC6wdbhXlhw_6zxF0tbK10BNlVSQA/s320/9a55ae462d57da1014d79ed3719ec789.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The proprietress of the <i>minsu</i> suggested we visit a "red village" called <a href="https://www.sohu.com/a/474881382_163278" target="_blank">Huapen</a> 花盆, the site of a fierce battle during the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Sino-Japanese_War" target="_blank">Second Sino-Japanese War</a> 中国抗日战争, and around a 20-minute drive from Qianjiadian. I was expecting a rustic rural relic, the walls of which adorned with fading <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chengyu" target="_blank">four-character slogans</a> 成语 left over from the Cultural Revolution 文化大革命. Instead, all I could see were modern-day renditions of Communist propaganda, complete with inspiring quotes from Xi Jinping 习近平. It was a bit of a letdown for a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@TheColdWarTV" target="_blank">Cold War</a> buff such as myself:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKo02PopiIVghfRiz8AZD6_N6KkrzurquPuLhoKkmMKkGHApFVDJwcagJuEfHZ1V6LI5BTEBGA8mucbzQVVaOZuJKKFRoAwNXSDKeIi6cC4aCDJGyRAfApWUkwgzoZzC9bbWLiFCK6sGzmi7KEQfV3OsCHI_HEhRatqz30sM2H5iQNK0XgPNc7rB-hS6U/s4032/IMG_3379.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKo02PopiIVghfRiz8AZD6_N6KkrzurquPuLhoKkmMKkGHApFVDJwcagJuEfHZ1V6LI5BTEBGA8mucbzQVVaOZuJKKFRoAwNXSDKeIi6cC4aCDJGyRAfApWUkwgzoZzC9bbWLiFCK6sGzmi7KEQfV3OsCHI_HEhRatqz30sM2H5iQNK0XgPNc7rB-hS6U/s320/IMG_3379.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>All three of us were wondering why the Guandi Temple 关帝庙 was still standing in a village so supposedly "red":</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiSw937tUN_YNVXBAHcTBvcWgJmDj7dmL6u4VG5coHLYBEbTh6k8AgrQGv_wfoIwG1NiTTZ494qCZMsrQeDVZIJeMlRpACD-LVZxPZMPMhw3juNJgHB8nX3Cbl6NSeWMdyTYiRuuNOp1ro8GYefT041RPMhr9NCTWElcKlMXs4CfRm0AhlkfOdZj0OxG4/s3751/IMG_3381.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3751" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiSw937tUN_YNVXBAHcTBvcWgJmDj7dmL6u4VG5coHLYBEbTh6k8AgrQGv_wfoIwG1NiTTZ494qCZMsrQeDVZIJeMlRpACD-LVZxPZMPMhw3juNJgHB8nX3Cbl6NSeWMdyTYiRuuNOp1ro8GYefT041RPMhr9NCTWElcKlMXs4CfRm0AhlkfOdZj0OxG4/s320/IMG_3381.jpg" width="258" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi504X9GzQ7eygUyM7wOursJPcEeIxlUSoMgJg9gYl7XsN5iKxZEhaiG2wH8wNHHAQRlE2P2nGhldKKmIS8NybBB82c1Xr_hLaeMeSojYm3WerpmtOhQTFb-281aQWiip4Qhk5jQOGCqt85G0fdCtj9lsKR2DtugLoMeHQmRDDxjKi1h1azYi4CAqZm9bs/s4032/IMG_3382.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi504X9GzQ7eygUyM7wOursJPcEeIxlUSoMgJg9gYl7XsN5iKxZEhaiG2wH8wNHHAQRlE2P2nGhldKKmIS8NybBB82c1Xr_hLaeMeSojYm3WerpmtOhQTFb-281aQWiip4Qhk5jQOGCqt85G0fdCtj9lsKR2DtugLoMeHQmRDDxjKi1h1azYi4CAqZm9bs/s320/IMG_3382.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOlX7PngpIsbXG1JxHKMlUV-vQqBpB9x9eEBEo81D9-KjAqPnOxmlOYpy5IpHU_6hbdH-5V6AWpgbq9m9WaGKLq3PoDEEq8XZGtXV-S0wJLZ6sjCujgB-vFd1BF9qNOZtrhmpp3pjUWmCrLylux_S3-yI44GbqjeBcqXWNwxNxnp2a8oMA7xFuV3lAe7w/s4032/IMG_3383.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOlX7PngpIsbXG1JxHKMlUV-vQqBpB9x9eEBEo81D9-KjAqPnOxmlOYpy5IpHU_6hbdH-5V6AWpgbq9m9WaGKLq3PoDEEq8XZGtXV-S0wJLZ6sjCujgB-vFd1BF9qNOZtrhmpp3pjUWmCrLylux_S3-yI44GbqjeBcqXWNwxNxnp2a8oMA7xFuV3lAe7w/s320/IMG_3383.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQfQ-aEe8alQpgZ90is_RlMD_PSZ6WI-yXfzs7oRZEYHatmtse2YKMPfh0FH3XsfN0wZYgxgCMyil1IKzrWm-gK4TCimnkNrMVM0oyERBs5wohx2OmrjIXwQjzpb_MpaCUiV_uVI1uHIR3tXj4xgeB1gAjDhT7OeY942xIq4lLF9f7aJ85FuWh2X5eL4A/s4032/IMG_3384.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQfQ-aEe8alQpgZ90is_RlMD_PSZ6WI-yXfzs7oRZEYHatmtse2YKMPfh0FH3XsfN0wZYgxgCMyil1IKzrWm-gK4TCimnkNrMVM0oyERBs5wohx2OmrjIXwQjzpb_MpaCUiV_uVI1uHIR3tXj4xgeB1gAjDhT7OeY942xIq4lLF9f7aJ85FuWh2X5eL4A/s320/IMG_3384.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS2fbCWPD6FY_VQnDMvM34DjpaWwJy6BGqDoz_T_HjETk-bF1bWQOJL3nUbvh6-s18zR3zjR-4mqSyX-Q4I3rPq5DneJbLVLWcugoICM0o-o3sDPJRWN9KJsIRC6Tvw3y9jjBPWz5nt0HdxTz66aP6PXmkuqt9nvOTBZh2iV0lXDil8a3_VqR83J6qtL8/s4032/IMG_3385.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS2fbCWPD6FY_VQnDMvM34DjpaWwJy6BGqDoz_T_HjETk-bF1bWQOJL3nUbvh6-s18zR3zjR-4mqSyX-Q4I3rPq5DneJbLVLWcugoICM0o-o3sDPJRWN9KJsIRC6Tvw3y9jjBPWz5nt0HdxTz66aP6PXmkuqt9nvOTBZh2iV0lXDil8a3_VqR83J6qtL8/s320/IMG_3385.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijbgfQky0-cAU9ToRctjsB9pNRUjS_2xt__enxhJ30vRAxbWq3u7M1fPxhB5wzaspB9M3_9NrdhiDvQyLR3QaLXHne_hI06rVKUxYQKr41QyGflzyHJ2ZEppECd6np6NYHy2HfXj5e50iL3JvEgifSHm6Sdwyq4sfbOD9ZNR8XNRwHbY6f1JVpNvCLd1o/s4032/IMG_3386.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijbgfQky0-cAU9ToRctjsB9pNRUjS_2xt__enxhJ30vRAxbWq3u7M1fPxhB5wzaspB9M3_9NrdhiDvQyLR3QaLXHne_hI06rVKUxYQKr41QyGflzyHJ2ZEppECd6np6NYHy2HfXj5e50iL3JvEgifSHm6Sdwyq4sfbOD9ZNR8XNRwHbY6f1JVpNvCLd1o/s320/IMG_3386.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6ljmv7whyphenhyphenS9wwCTlTxTPnk9GBUGCSUqIx3nec6xumxRoL1bK0WybTvqzkKDqvM6xOkq7g9BgCPqYVU1SbX_eRYAdjsPPlG31WJCX49LfVrC5HILzl2KeDIb2h75Wk3Bp0LqT_Wp-uvs_8ABZ0cIOszxJZknA4OEf0RP7cWE2bkf0CQPlkxeqlES5PpN0/s4032/IMG_3388.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6ljmv7whyphenhyphenS9wwCTlTxTPnk9GBUGCSUqIx3nec6xumxRoL1bK0WybTvqzkKDqvM6xOkq7g9BgCPqYVU1SbX_eRYAdjsPPlG31WJCX49LfVrC5HILzl2KeDIb2h75Wk3Bp0LqT_Wp-uvs_8ABZ0cIOszxJZknA4OEf0RP7cWE2bkf0CQPlkxeqlES5PpN0/s320/IMG_3388.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAkMo1mSFQsqI4mzaVen_-7tszefZ97v2RC2GycqUoQZ0vyWw173dEvz6Wi0QMGgoAS9dFzlHW9VA-WYgGn_3b8g3edevvFOs3L0R4BOA7IRgnePlaCtkiGBCTfKyUSNdogFsCNbdDL90JReGd1SNMxDv4wIDBD9u40MbbgwYRhicV0U26cPVobMdUsw4/s4032/IMG_3389.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAkMo1mSFQsqI4mzaVen_-7tszefZ97v2RC2GycqUoQZ0vyWw173dEvz6Wi0QMGgoAS9dFzlHW9VA-WYgGn_3b8g3edevvFOs3L0R4BOA7IRgnePlaCtkiGBCTfKyUSNdogFsCNbdDL90JReGd1SNMxDv4wIDBD9u40MbbgwYRhicV0U26cPVobMdUsw4/s320/IMG_3389.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSwONuD0FjWJ5C-7E8KsYyG2F2vHKhtZ9-H4yVkkxpWeV0ZDpdIR_r1-uxYG015GTmSDUgSPf_Tm9PzQNV1DkSTnFPV9GW2r-H2basL_r3H2E2RVI6Gqa3UHtYDo1TrXH5LQMr5DfR_X5u4CWbERBpKYtOuuKghzPQcRAjGUedqXvBpGKNzCAR4UZd8lw/s4032/IMG_3391.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSwONuD0FjWJ5C-7E8KsYyG2F2vHKhtZ9-H4yVkkxpWeV0ZDpdIR_r1-uxYG015GTmSDUgSPf_Tm9PzQNV1DkSTnFPV9GW2r-H2basL_r3H2E2RVI6Gqa3UHtYDo1TrXH5LQMr5DfR_X5u4CWbERBpKYtOuuKghzPQcRAjGUedqXvBpGKNzCAR4UZd8lw/s320/IMG_3391.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJt5Du86u2H89jDCcPLJbvABg2QZB91h3OPEM7IqPytm5HhkU34-DcXD7Pg8-J89EoPWyhkFOjvsfgQK6dzmS9lXv_iuPwIh7HcWcsAu04T0amdrfRD6os8lJl5V1udnVGZeU5vWS4dq-2h-beIz0uj7rmUb3V-mZW6ESNLynjF8DjdYbSvpfcwZ6ydTk/s4032/IMG_3394.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJt5Du86u2H89jDCcPLJbvABg2QZB91h3OPEM7IqPytm5HhkU34-DcXD7Pg8-J89EoPWyhkFOjvsfgQK6dzmS9lXv_iuPwIh7HcWcsAu04T0amdrfRD6os8lJl5V1udnVGZeU5vWS4dq-2h-beIz0uj7rmUb3V-mZW6ESNLynjF8DjdYbSvpfcwZ6ydTk/s320/IMG_3394.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVw-6toAD3o_Lk13SckynGGI1CK8NefbbxDXCyWkSNndne7HGOsKhJBKYguRSGC1Iw1PA3XRD0PaJShdN35oUiHKB5IAJhDS68ASYcImvRamh3nxsu8F15zRkiuBTn3gmrPiWl82kJL4OZe9xDzFrA7ZB4Et48inh9zRyjvOECLxcgw-93PjrcdICbAuw/s4032/IMG_3395.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVw-6toAD3o_Lk13SckynGGI1CK8NefbbxDXCyWkSNndne7HGOsKhJBKYguRSGC1Iw1PA3XRD0PaJShdN35oUiHKB5IAJhDS68ASYcImvRamh3nxsu8F15zRkiuBTn3gmrPiWl82kJL4OZe9xDzFrA7ZB4Et48inh9zRyjvOECLxcgw-93PjrcdICbAuw/s320/IMG_3395.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3IXKS5Y_KCkGNidNZrzscyxmLEcGyWKKCZJ248hZ0wuYHKGJGchsus7vVnCTQPShVZqz8Etl7seZVwW99vq2SAS9GIVm7AcMyDA43SKqWOlEaEc6agJE99BsUEo9Sc4hhnoaYWerzSgQCdvXLsXczhRmuDaVzx9zbg0pfhmFD-pkk6U_VOrCgZ6emhNo/s4032/IMG_3396.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3IXKS5Y_KCkGNidNZrzscyxmLEcGyWKKCZJ248hZ0wuYHKGJGchsus7vVnCTQPShVZqz8Etl7seZVwW99vq2SAS9GIVm7AcMyDA43SKqWOlEaEc6agJE99BsUEo9Sc4hhnoaYWerzSgQCdvXLsXczhRmuDaVzx9zbg0pfhmFD-pkk6U_VOrCgZ6emhNo/s320/IMG_3396.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-GwD64kpRR3cWCoXz-lRYzMDbhXNMfaWB7K9HKLnY6gj0b2CHdr1Fms80TiYwNnxcmyq5_MPy1_OqUicXe-ua8nHnZJXpKlykrtl8f9b6RrX_eHmA9zQh3sbR8rcTMJ9a5_V9eUPMgpTQdfHXPpwRvQLrccHVGaTMcW42oIaJ_XUoZjKXsJjEviLgphk/s4032/IMG_3397.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-GwD64kpRR3cWCoXz-lRYzMDbhXNMfaWB7K9HKLnY6gj0b2CHdr1Fms80TiYwNnxcmyq5_MPy1_OqUicXe-ua8nHnZJXpKlykrtl8f9b6RrX_eHmA9zQh3sbR8rcTMJ9a5_V9eUPMgpTQdfHXPpwRvQLrccHVGaTMcW42oIaJ_XUoZjKXsJjEviLgphk/s320/IMG_3397.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOVUxWaSXL4xDF6gSAf_0aOq_KH9ZxS7kpe55RTyDz9ubR2rDD0lPJ7yyO-VYry9uTDTJcRGK_KagzBirPajkub9MVVwjuMLH1DCpnacRUZk3bJ9ph5MVwrQXbdHJtlapoc-fZ1AhP2YzZrPt8bVFYRYgLq8IfcRp7lP8HuLaSF2itKmdaAdvb_hglo1k/s4032/IMG_3398.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOVUxWaSXL4xDF6gSAf_0aOq_KH9ZxS7kpe55RTyDz9ubR2rDD0lPJ7yyO-VYry9uTDTJcRGK_KagzBirPajkub9MVVwjuMLH1DCpnacRUZk3bJ9ph5MVwrQXbdHJtlapoc-fZ1AhP2YzZrPt8bVFYRYgLq8IfcRp7lP8HuLaSF2itKmdaAdvb_hglo1k/s320/IMG_3398.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Stopping to take in the view from a lookout as we made our way back to the main road:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOyacE0DcMYx_mbtQtkQVlWhOqp2-RuhjDLuTLqWdfQ1HjPfvn9qIv6V8AhF7a3L-Jj-Ek44wAy8F6e0oNljrSGWa6XyzR57DwgkMySeGazSUOIAHmwadRQ6mLW_vKUdoEU95IaqQQpgGd1e2aN_I5esGDYOZaDhIO8qyNYz35e8BLPf-OR9FRPig2HOs/s4032/IMG_3400.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOyacE0DcMYx_mbtQtkQVlWhOqp2-RuhjDLuTLqWdfQ1HjPfvn9qIv6V8AhF7a3L-Jj-Ek44wAy8F6e0oNljrSGWa6XyzR57DwgkMySeGazSUOIAHmwadRQ6mLW_vKUdoEU95IaqQQpgGd1e2aN_I5esGDYOZaDhIO8qyNYz35e8BLPf-OR9FRPig2HOs/s320/IMG_3400.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>With Shu-E behind the wheel, we would make frequent stops:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaWOBtAb3i2GZklJIbPYo_VseVOjDOyB3j5oZmz-FsKi5Tye7dOKWSW1ZB1vKghD5yKCdtbdzOMZiko6vGPvUTFEfk8FoCtN65qan2MDyVZ4kevxdxh79f5-UGgmzfpXoZFgRy1rnuTH4rufsbTAXjN0141XCdEslnNWWDVKT0FX8Pa99cMgC1yyCxNwI/s4032/IMG_3402.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaWOBtAb3i2GZklJIbPYo_VseVOjDOyB3j5oZmz-FsKi5Tye7dOKWSW1ZB1vKghD5yKCdtbdzOMZiko6vGPvUTFEfk8FoCtN65qan2MDyVZ4kevxdxh79f5-UGgmzfpXoZFgRy1rnuTH4rufsbTAXjN0141XCdEslnNWWDVKT0FX8Pa99cMgC1yyCxNwI/s320/IMG_3402.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioGDKS_iL1E1yLIZVkfd9cNI6Qgl9puQyH0-B4lfutt4OCg6LrEijnI99qYEJhxMSEVigUhMv8KB-gvmlUGEuww0r5aAHwmskPd6gCHTZI0QqZW748N-t9j50cdsPTHAb-aTQHEAkUNwg7Re_LNHHIK4K4Mj9_eLz14yDMYubvaD_RVc9ewFLTSH4Ok1k/s1706/e291a9758c516d584b17c464ead51c7a.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1706" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioGDKS_iL1E1yLIZVkfd9cNI6Qgl9puQyH0-B4lfutt4OCg6LrEijnI99qYEJhxMSEVigUhMv8KB-gvmlUGEuww0r5aAHwmskPd6gCHTZI0QqZW748N-t9j50cdsPTHAb-aTQHEAkUNwg7Re_LNHHIK4K4Mj9_eLz14yDMYubvaD_RVc9ewFLTSH4Ok1k/s320/e291a9758c516d584b17c464ead51c7a.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsCHmunqXmgTeX_Ch53YtN2ls6MhHhrTaFznk5gEUa5bUSpGq9lQCjkdiImcMN2uA7gkSi6FjOeJi2MBWBhwAxDHAwFRwn91XrJEZBmIxWwq4rv9ubjktzFAR86rn-hsc0BVbkkeukRg3cb0Z_BPqU763SDU6DgoR7qAIu3awiYHLktEVFCKOUyjKL7bo/s4032/IMG_3412.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2732" data-original-width="4032" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsCHmunqXmgTeX_Ch53YtN2ls6MhHhrTaFznk5gEUa5bUSpGq9lQCjkdiImcMN2uA7gkSi6FjOeJi2MBWBhwAxDHAwFRwn91XrJEZBmIxWwq4rv9ubjktzFAR86rn-hsc0BVbkkeukRg3cb0Z_BPqU763SDU6DgoR7qAIu3awiYHLktEVFCKOUyjKL7bo/s320/IMG_3412.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgikSDKyDAXH5WsaFntt7Kx_rOHMyuQi3slRebHurnXOy_C9mfxshbpv63Gb3B4kaDRSq701NcLP25ag0Dq7IlxgP3KkDKy7RBtNBnlLPkv9NyO1dUX4x9kqJrzFYPIdzfvLqT1Foi1i-bmCMVey4vDNuHzJ7u7tZsVKKncni-PXOX38rr429TFiMl38Qo/s4032/IMG_3414.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgikSDKyDAXH5WsaFntt7Kx_rOHMyuQi3slRebHurnXOy_C9mfxshbpv63Gb3B4kaDRSq701NcLP25ag0Dq7IlxgP3KkDKy7RBtNBnlLPkv9NyO1dUX4x9kqJrzFYPIdzfvLqT1Foi1i-bmCMVey4vDNuHzJ7u7tZsVKKncni-PXOX38rr429TFiMl38Qo/s320/IMG_3414.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0y1BWDE0JXPHWge3TTi_iUoNUxXHEbLJzqaFkFiZQROb86edTbIaijMpbNCelHKqd00Iv8N0N5XKTJFQvrCLbuVtHutt4BMhsMbWYzcQSlOjP9ozHKBy6WOHH_FBSvHWpFLRRfWf2peWWjkg71lnQrIrFXA93HhJyX-ksNvwQzfEjfPEFe7vGbbgEseo/s3088/IMG_3418.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2320" data-original-width="3088" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0y1BWDE0JXPHWge3TTi_iUoNUxXHEbLJzqaFkFiZQROb86edTbIaijMpbNCelHKqd00Iv8N0N5XKTJFQvrCLbuVtHutt4BMhsMbWYzcQSlOjP9ozHKBy6WOHH_FBSvHWpFLRRfWf2peWWjkg71lnQrIrFXA93HhJyX-ksNvwQzfEjfPEFe7vGbbgEseo/s320/IMG_3418.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSQJu-HK6jIFxAyVO2m3dbr9bJZRkqzEn0p-wfFNGNeRYH6y5oYWMkBz2sAZ68VH2Yq4MwnGz04HESYpPUbfXAgfPTrAfb9Stw7A9U9t2HKsDuSH7XN1CcWMmBt4gsvfX6QmHS91iVnYHi2ggPfnJCSblufsZLMzSExO6w_r1CcVMDOxQhDuigOQmWHJI/s4032/IMG_3419.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSQJu-HK6jIFxAyVO2m3dbr9bJZRkqzEn0p-wfFNGNeRYH6y5oYWMkBz2sAZ68VH2Yq4MwnGz04HESYpPUbfXAgfPTrAfb9Stw7A9U9t2HKsDuSH7XN1CcWMmBt4gsvfX6QmHS91iVnYHi2ggPfnJCSblufsZLMzSExO6w_r1CcVMDOxQhDuigOQmWHJI/s320/IMG_3419.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>We eventually reached the opposite end of the Baili Landscape Gallery Scenic Area, which was actually the starting point for the majority of visitors from the urban and suburban parts of Beijing:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBz2W3GP3VQfaVma7HiPBej77HypBD3LxFf3ecIUX6g8hJRdK0Z9SJ_SfAKEnOfQxcRVeEAz2lYhl2aHXNAz4BXaSTB7s_CG3e06eU0gV8CD6sNesnlcOPDnvVXQDwbbADoZspj73BtrAO_ujJBLGJiYKqsLJTktI0sCF-hFTxuZRGiLacmHZ3EMKwrIY/s1706/d4f417dbff1b840c62d4ca991aca4996.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="994" data-original-width="1706" height="186" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBz2W3GP3VQfaVma7HiPBej77HypBD3LxFf3ecIUX6g8hJRdK0Z9SJ_SfAKEnOfQxcRVeEAz2lYhl2aHXNAz4BXaSTB7s_CG3e06eU0gV8CD6sNesnlcOPDnvVXQDwbbADoZspj73BtrAO_ujJBLGJiYKqsLJTktI0sCF-hFTxuZRGiLacmHZ3EMKwrIY/s320/d4f417dbff1b840c62d4ca991aca4996.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifiSxIMMWpk_srB89cbEDiHOfzkWCI7LqdtMc3TLn20ggXmAQLK6a55Lfkbo-hi15v51mk5qChI_w2Zwfz_xWHyadkW7XzyLuiixHXwD72ALQLOiv4g3_WtmCH2hzAPokz54vCXDJpcHksZp338jkQ5bxHmQy1n510ralP206TJ2wpL4Hv4ijOsiVwpEg/s4032/IMG_3422.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifiSxIMMWpk_srB89cbEDiHOfzkWCI7LqdtMc3TLn20ggXmAQLK6a55Lfkbo-hi15v51mk5qChI_w2Zwfz_xWHyadkW7XzyLuiixHXwD72ALQLOiv4g3_WtmCH2hzAPokz54vCXDJpcHksZp338jkQ5bxHmQy1n510ralP206TJ2wpL4Hv4ijOsiVwpEg/s320/IMG_3422.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Making sure only my wife would be behind the wheel for the rest of this day:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipw51EQKAn7BsCgKG71uPclNVKLsFToCgsEsCdjvGec9Drxy5fMOfM8lT31X37yoG8PoYYzSpLARitZ6gbNcggzb5gvHJKgF5BDWHd6kC_IkTtb7FmaObWxt1wKk12_1dkzTVUjdwQGlZZ5DiDYdUCr2JVFlQZq_SfryD4qoAmF68TBaKIBd11t6NxqIs/s3774/IMG_3424.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3774" data-original-width="2831" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipw51EQKAn7BsCgKG71uPclNVKLsFToCgsEsCdjvGec9Drxy5fMOfM8lT31X37yoG8PoYYzSpLARitZ6gbNcggzb5gvHJKgF5BDWHd6kC_IkTtb7FmaObWxt1wKk12_1dkzTVUjdwQGlZZ5DiDYdUCr2JVFlQZq_SfryD4qoAmF68TBaKIBd11t6NxqIs/s320/IMG_3424.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>"Love live Chairman Mao!" Finally!:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyuehvITFGv0dRt9z4YUu8QO3xuIqEcTRKcXVd8NlnrjxMWJkJM3bLrGoBkbSreHwoJxVZxSBNhiKqYHDM0jY8wfPXtc5mIsTlKCOIKKgT7WQLpq2ABxY_ZmcwwVSPVdwD0iXJjxpHRQ2aaGbnfTzDYdPXMwd9Po5juFOdW0WmwkQYBvT7OpmsQr_zg4M/s4032/IMG_3426.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyuehvITFGv0dRt9z4YUu8QO3xuIqEcTRKcXVd8NlnrjxMWJkJM3bLrGoBkbSreHwoJxVZxSBNhiKqYHDM0jY8wfPXtc5mIsTlKCOIKKgT7WQLpq2ABxY_ZmcwwVSPVdwD0iXJjxpHRQ2aaGbnfTzDYdPXMwd9Po5juFOdW0WmwkQYBvT7OpmsQr_zg4M/s320/IMG_3426.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>I was impressed with the efforts made by the tourism authorities to explain what it was we were seeing as we drove through the region:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG3xiRih-3x2KvEsWhF2sfwOXiq3utpBKezf9mZ2xpnPOb80-SySiSHJDtojufWo7iowKDIEYbJBWkSFQclvWO6sR2Ddt04yH039-g1jywy5T74sJoUQ5TcGmWfMp8nBmpLa7WDPjPuW2ucYg1Gg_VUhEWUqp-GNLNMynXOj8Bz67kymneye5Gog5CeWM/s3608/IMG_3428.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3608" data-original-width="2584" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG3xiRih-3x2KvEsWhF2sfwOXiq3utpBKezf9mZ2xpnPOb80-SySiSHJDtojufWo7iowKDIEYbJBWkSFQclvWO6sR2Ddt04yH039-g1jywy5T74sJoUQ5TcGmWfMp8nBmpLa7WDPjPuW2ucYg1Gg_VUhEWUqp-GNLNMynXOj8Bz67kymneye5Gog5CeWM/s320/IMG_3428.jpg" width="229" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghT1Mnut9zBPBE3ZW-4Q4K2_4wSSrEQSESRXwgRtZrYgyEKT6VsTgSKFpahsUvy6nTx5wCvW-9bgudOkcjDi8VBFwm1ry9_sgJjnPwRY9_Wq2qJa4KjtCTeRTyqUqLyuTU42n-eQP-PahfUCsRF11pfbfV4D5LKDgAtLfJy-X83h0g5CVMD5ZIAseLhUg/s4032/IMG_3429.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghT1Mnut9zBPBE3ZW-4Q4K2_4wSSrEQSESRXwgRtZrYgyEKT6VsTgSKFpahsUvy6nTx5wCvW-9bgudOkcjDi8VBFwm1ry9_sgJjnPwRY9_Wq2qJa4KjtCTeRTyqUqLyuTU42n-eQP-PahfUCsRF11pfbfV4D5LKDgAtLfJy-X83h0g5CVMD5ZIAseLhUg/s320/IMG_3429.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW_65Sp16L__lQIFD9begLDEJlTHldN3JR-g_7ZqPRJy37KbZYXLvSEr8LeIsMU_DSYgX9Vd2rH_LXt_6aFva-AtwrBwbyWzylNEpVs9HiBJidUQWPbkgRP31uSQUXy2BqGe41gWiWwLO1Bqs7gvFLeTHMuKa_M9EcnEl6iciKMoDDBoXZKaA-RTvl2zU/s4032/IMG_3430.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW_65Sp16L__lQIFD9begLDEJlTHldN3JR-g_7ZqPRJy37KbZYXLvSEr8LeIsMU_DSYgX9Vd2rH_LXt_6aFva-AtwrBwbyWzylNEpVs9HiBJidUQWPbkgRP31uSQUXy2BqGe41gWiWwLO1Bqs7gvFLeTHMuKa_M9EcnEl6iciKMoDDBoXZKaA-RTvl2zU/s320/IMG_3430.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Stopping at a large reservoir created by a small dam:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi52i_D3lpGGYKrn12y1a2df-Oy5SvE2F3ZWgV7AyTCnXTLrA_GFlgN7zniyRaPGpdP3XKD-1-K_eha727_17Wcs-3zTpivslRJIRendn9_MegncFjG3yrQUKHNICx6ecR0LIP34BzOdscdojiVcm30CqYncJpB8w9pJRseLE5t0QuRlqh8HDxe89dyZ8I/s4032/IMG_3432.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi52i_D3lpGGYKrn12y1a2df-Oy5SvE2F3ZWgV7AyTCnXTLrA_GFlgN7zniyRaPGpdP3XKD-1-K_eha727_17Wcs-3zTpivslRJIRendn9_MegncFjG3yrQUKHNICx6ecR0LIP34BzOdscdojiVcm30CqYncJpB8w9pJRseLE5t0QuRlqh8HDxe89dyZ8I/s320/IMG_3432.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Facing one side of the dam...:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSG_n9EZ3rQfKti09Cw7-VGUUROtnjn8jis4uJPyCwxp7COhXLzVuICWJ5G4Oh6Uocg16YxpVz-XDKTgjDdNCnH5imjAWrqnlhXJ8rbGTAJr6PBjaIzF95FBo6jEC6ZGS1CxXjnkfG6hPuH6shJBxLy_l-949zo2-k7xi02IFR683YD5OeQixrbL8biCQ/s1706/8d3e03287ecd3b523222ab9ea485a14b.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1706" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSG_n9EZ3rQfKti09Cw7-VGUUROtnjn8jis4uJPyCwxp7COhXLzVuICWJ5G4Oh6Uocg16YxpVz-XDKTgjDdNCnH5imjAWrqnlhXJ8rbGTAJr6PBjaIzF95FBo6jEC6ZGS1CxXjnkfG6hPuH6shJBxLy_l-949zo2-k7xi02IFR683YD5OeQixrbL8biCQ/s320/8d3e03287ecd3b523222ab9ea485a14b.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>...and the other side:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9uw_Lb9yFvnlMkXKrxTAbDa5Fse8iuTORfOGHIU0GhkA2kUEdE3j6R48ha5lOFYMnf7K5XOX3fY0WPiF-ElWwddARwbqzQBFucW_6acuQAbIfvPY0xFZP1G8iuc1B6rGY2TND4b_wbfXBaPdNpDJyBsqe-8tMryblmsSkIJOowJsIKqe9pDK79zDHCWM/s4032/IMG_3433.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9uw_Lb9yFvnlMkXKrxTAbDa5Fse8iuTORfOGHIU0GhkA2kUEdE3j6R48ha5lOFYMnf7K5XOX3fY0WPiF-ElWwddARwbqzQBFucW_6acuQAbIfvPY0xFZP1G8iuc1B6rGY2TND4b_wbfXBaPdNpDJyBsqe-8tMryblmsSkIJOowJsIKqe9pDK79zDHCWM/s320/IMG_3433.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>As we began the long drive back into the city, we drove through some pleasantly lowkey scenery. I do hope for more opportunities to see the rural side of China, instead of just its teeming urban environments:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWWY3hOU7enle44V3FzQGjU5HJSuH_Mmd1YxofFj2ohi3qgPmpTH4pYk7QPzikzJpE4jxv2lLemMKGVAtJkF2jY-vgSH2GKPJs-jb9dFvro-iJxpRtoAXJTIEH2DyhKEbmikD0DC1LBgl4L_AOjUkKu5gVvnMyheqwtSnmmcf23T7qn0avL4LSbrkZc5E/s3950/IMG_3434.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2963" data-original-width="3950" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWWY3hOU7enle44V3FzQGjU5HJSuH_Mmd1YxofFj2ohi3qgPmpTH4pYk7QPzikzJpE4jxv2lLemMKGVAtJkF2jY-vgSH2GKPJs-jb9dFvro-iJxpRtoAXJTIEH2DyhKEbmikD0DC1LBgl4L_AOjUkKu5gVvnMyheqwtSnmmcf23T7qn0avL4LSbrkZc5E/s320/IMG_3434.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi78AE5mQOtd0UZOixEas0N7gC6YZQHeF9M7-auo1e4FyWQ1cdp7dtQrXm1GT0MlAO2qsCRYrkWDH7nLmCPGflDw6MDT9OuCzDVK67HFustKCyuQUTsQgOKVqeygdMNJhZYf7BDKK1m9PT3dnxGcBttFi5PGB4pL0PWVttndnuJ1olxUJq-PQuCj3MfQ_g/s4032/IMG_3436.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi78AE5mQOtd0UZOixEas0N7gC6YZQHeF9M7-auo1e4FyWQ1cdp7dtQrXm1GT0MlAO2qsCRYrkWDH7nLmCPGflDw6MDT9OuCzDVK67HFustKCyuQUTsQgOKVqeygdMNJhZYf7BDKK1m9PT3dnxGcBttFi5PGB4pL0PWVttndnuJ1olxUJq-PQuCj3MfQ_g/s320/IMG_3436.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Eventually, though, we found ourselves back in the concrete jungle, crawling along in traffic as everyone and their dogs made their way home on the expressways on a Sunday afternoon:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgx9j9gVg5JeTdGEnjg4NZmpckGl4A83LrvEv7TNPQwP-Bzr9D8hmlyeFOndfArYuEF-KSpJIDpTID9lbAjMXsUESyVCh8Uopg4gugO3HGzt9JI3afoRiTQqgNe5BJHSGmk62oO2UW-BXz10tcDfjyqFwRMjJdTB4pbeL0no5UfzXExFWJZ42AXtmSXjs/s4032/IMG_3438.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgx9j9gVg5JeTdGEnjg4NZmpckGl4A83LrvEv7TNPQwP-Bzr9D8hmlyeFOndfArYuEF-KSpJIDpTID9lbAjMXsUESyVCh8Uopg4gugO3HGzt9JI3afoRiTQqgNe5BJHSGmk62oO2UW-BXz10tcDfjyqFwRMjJdTB4pbeL0no5UfzXExFWJZ42AXtmSXjs/s320/IMG_3438.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>It was at this point that we learned of the coffee icon on our dashboard, a signal to the driver that they might want to take a break. By this point we were almost home, however:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1Rr2UfXhgGk9LVNDWPhsVwEre0OxwTVcT4076hxgH4g7leeOk4DP1hQphRkUueRXxyD2eAqStxCIvTio9THQ4Sc7X2blAaJKYHR8n5Z2EFq5mVOvYgrAckabiMoBz2e7nLgARehM1OZiwQydDitD_AIDWSncuqvCNv7hyejZefYArrYlQbCeSapunUsI/s3651/IMG_3441.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2549" data-original-width="3651" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1Rr2UfXhgGk9LVNDWPhsVwEre0OxwTVcT4076hxgH4g7leeOk4DP1hQphRkUueRXxyD2eAqStxCIvTio9THQ4Sc7X2blAaJKYHR8n5Z2EFq5mVOvYgrAckabiMoBz2e7nLgARehM1OZiwQydDitD_AIDWSncuqvCNv7hyejZefYArrYlQbCeSapunUsI/s320/IMG_3441.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Driving through the northeast reaches of Beijing was the undoubted highlight of our time since the end of the <a href="https://kaminoge.blogspot.com/2023/10/happy-mid-autumn-national-golden-week.html" target="_blank">Golden Week holiday</a>, but it wasn't the only thing we've done. The following is a brief roundup of some other recent activities, like when our daughter takes Timi outside for some fresh air and sunshine (the former not always a certainty in this city):</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc_-WvdjCXiTYCbl9cBpF7oyLO_fNgWXjSb3aApnnrOnpN1BTY76lTxGS9_3xKNDzIH47iaJ4HGmR_kaWs8i-NgNRuVoqwFSVnvHG2pYdWmQCtOGLXUU7w6HjxqTd4j9uPWXOCHnhk4SS7DY4Q2TsI216lH9YScE39mb8iMxLIu5baH9qCXiPkz2-Vq7U/s1706/c11359002ed76c634b9788e8a25557d1.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1706" data-original-width="1280" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc_-WvdjCXiTYCbl9cBpF7oyLO_fNgWXjSb3aApnnrOnpN1BTY76lTxGS9_3xKNDzIH47iaJ4HGmR_kaWs8i-NgNRuVoqwFSVnvHG2pYdWmQCtOGLXUU7w6HjxqTd4j9uPWXOCHnhk4SS7DY4Q2TsI216lH9YScE39mb8iMxLIu5baH9qCXiPkz2-Vq7U/s320/c11359002ed76c634b9788e8a25557d1.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghGTvi3o0TLANFiKZdoPd-kAF3KfVXfKONc8eVx7YOcLPQikF7PmjfGhZJhKdkSInTPRoa3b6xVUVA7L9uP_8D04wIGqOI9WWjbeee1miRZgPRq_ZiVYxFmBqbRoJWcRC28kYJZJjofA7GqemWvnUz6DkWahc6DeLTHIwwwe35ewm5EIycxmc2PcVIa_k/s1654/eb84d0504161e2ebaebc66a6de281f88.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1654" data-original-width="1280" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghGTvi3o0TLANFiKZdoPd-kAF3KfVXfKONc8eVx7YOcLPQikF7PmjfGhZJhKdkSInTPRoa3b6xVUVA7L9uP_8D04wIGqOI9WWjbeee1miRZgPRq_ZiVYxFmBqbRoJWcRC28kYJZJjofA7GqemWvnUz6DkWahc6DeLTHIwwwe35ewm5EIycxmc2PcVIa_k/s320/eb84d0504161e2ebaebc66a6de281f88.JPG" width="248" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Amber and I rode bikes one weekend afternoon to <a href="http://www.taikoolisanlitun.com/en/" target="_blank">Taikoo Li Sanlitun</a> 三里屯太古里, one of Beijing's more well-known shopping centers. Here, a crowd lines up outside a bakery:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinKEti1rTUVhl4DqZd8KKQwYYOqCI0jIIHA7eLyFUhLgTpNKfp11t5AxUhUWsSku6hadw6pMEVCb_70hLi0OntsI_H1LC2YB4yZl649DdyO428i68T1ubvSzBBYsU2R7kDvXEEXnivSMy53pvB5KlR3buIognc4BLtAYxPnIc4JGtyzRrQDMSCU68Vkk4/s4032/IMG_3220.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinKEti1rTUVhl4DqZd8KKQwYYOqCI0jIIHA7eLyFUhLgTpNKfp11t5AxUhUWsSku6hadw6pMEVCb_70hLi0OntsI_H1LC2YB4yZl649DdyO428i68T1ubvSzBBYsU2R7kDvXEEXnivSMy53pvB5KlR3buIognc4BLtAYxPnIc4JGtyzRrQDMSCU68Vkk4/s320/IMG_3220.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Another business employs a somewhat bizarre method to attract custom:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzbBWNyemKKyGLvSfq9-Ht6-pDY7gggHFTHGhJGlZW09H6w8ZuGYwBToHCk140iGubXAaR2OqnfhTjLeoFXPQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div><br /></div><div>Near a sign telling shoppers they have rights if photographed, a gauntlet of middle-aged men with expensive-looking cameras waited for attractive young women to walk by:</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRItV6jqq6h1jjVodKTjOcdammdyr7eCxhbeoAkZHqpc4z9M6PdJqfJRluWq21Vp5u4v4PBLkl8J3IMRu1I5Hz88jaRg6FtBviFXC6XICYh9OX5gXBja63Q9ZhkFLny7UvovmPJn7kUeurbyEm_TRPthRiJ6o0cv3JZTfpTBSyVSRN_WXm2eAQpQWjHzE/s3634/IMG_3223.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1888" data-original-width="3634" height="166" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRItV6jqq6h1jjVodKTjOcdammdyr7eCxhbeoAkZHqpc4z9M6PdJqfJRluWq21Vp5u4v4PBLkl8J3IMRu1I5Hz88jaRg6FtBviFXC6XICYh9OX5gXBja63Q9ZhkFLny7UvovmPJn7kUeurbyEm_TRPthRiJ6o0cv3JZTfpTBSyVSRN_WXm2eAQpQWjHzE/s320/IMG_3223.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Doing some, er, "research" on YouTube, I found evidence of similar activities at the Taikoo Li complex in Chengdu 成都:</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/GEk1BA2TUzI" width="320" youtube-src-id="GEk1BA2TUzI"></iframe></div><div><br /></div><div>These installations were placed in a boutique selling overpriced sunglasses:</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_A46k81JSoXh3DC4YcQJSSZFxGpk_wDzTtykSqG8eG6NM-Y8iecj3_VwUNmmkcmOyAIaY7T_Z-_qgJjXKIOOvvfF-nrrhmMI2Q8VxGvr-Oxwe2fYAs47OuvpKIUclehIsbekaO5x7QzCqbVptIGxn_G-26LWIqGzwLABkPDLYDfUSYlxYc7-E9X6kr20/s4032/IMG_3225.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_A46k81JSoXh3DC4YcQJSSZFxGpk_wDzTtykSqG8eG6NM-Y8iecj3_VwUNmmkcmOyAIaY7T_Z-_qgJjXKIOOvvfF-nrrhmMI2Q8VxGvr-Oxwe2fYAs47OuvpKIUclehIsbekaO5x7QzCqbVptIGxn_G-26LWIqGzwLABkPDLYDfUSYlxYc7-E9X6kr20/s320/IMG_3225.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Fun with mirrors:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsVt14pTNQa4XEaMStTQt1LZph4v2-cV4yYa-kGQ3247l49dbkDxHYhjOusUpzO3v236v0Jf3WBVJYjOqfXcH_yUOuXndbMQN3E3iBc1MnZTuGkVs4AtzDW0csU7isRqbnMvWvbolzXB76yTU9kprkAFueH6bDWV1D9rXenzAba8xD9jaOET5EIiLD_g0/s4032/IMG_3227.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsVt14pTNQa4XEaMStTQt1LZph4v2-cV4yYa-kGQ3247l49dbkDxHYhjOusUpzO3v236v0Jf3WBVJYjOqfXcH_yUOuXndbMQN3E3iBc1MnZTuGkVs4AtzDW0csU7isRqbnMvWvbolzXB76yTU9kprkAFueH6bDWV1D9rXenzAba8xD9jaOET5EIiLD_g0/s320/IMG_3227.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>This <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hatsune_Miku" target="_blank">Hatsune Miku</a> 初音ミク-decorated tuk-tuk is seemingly always parked in our residential compound:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpgpb6_IDz2DBTqxPup-I6C7pPx13eSdKY8AAkubq6rUpildB1rAh9k1vCoyr6Gu-oZ5lUFt8hQ4ePgol3zl0Pq11_tL4ADjVFQRfG4e_U0YV4Pe8JmGSc88oBngkZnPQQZEgtl5k5rC4ElarYwMKqYOn0SDhWA2gLdvIZ5VGY69TXvSxQF-NkxLDfEh0/s3366/IMG_3229.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2745" data-original-width="3366" height="261" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpgpb6_IDz2DBTqxPup-I6C7pPx13eSdKY8AAkubq6rUpildB1rAh9k1vCoyr6Gu-oZ5lUFt8hQ4ePgol3zl0Pq11_tL4ADjVFQRfG4e_U0YV4Pe8JmGSc88oBngkZnPQQZEgtl5k5rC4ElarYwMKqYOn0SDhWA2gLdvIZ5VGY69TXvSxQF-NkxLDfEh0/s320/IMG_3229.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Chaoyang Park 朝阳公园, great for a stroll on those days when I'm free thanks to illness or federal holidays (i.e. on days when most Chinese have school or work):</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEits0No8LcUeuN-nq9iY3IsHYId-8n_3wlvgwR2M_GxAtqz8urx8keUGjG_lBY2g4J9uExnlsfCjl_iTq8gUk2NLaEO-QWI9kVpKbM3UCbvwGNN4auYoGk7QtisXB0ftGsLIdVLTUl_SHVSrLQgPF6nmbzAdYbzpGrdAvzR9n_UXtsBA50bORhHzkEuNLs/s4032/IMG_3230.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEits0No8LcUeuN-nq9iY3IsHYId-8n_3wlvgwR2M_GxAtqz8urx8keUGjG_lBY2g4J9uExnlsfCjl_iTq8gUk2NLaEO-QWI9kVpKbM3UCbvwGNN4auYoGk7QtisXB0ftGsLIdVLTUl_SHVSrLQgPF6nmbzAdYbzpGrdAvzR9n_UXtsBA50bORhHzkEuNLs/s320/IMG_3230.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Bag o' Beer. Takeaway from a neighborhood brew pub:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLCL-PAEPmEaj_xIHwFlnzfdNu_aGcDPAyOGvE09ks5Kg-opP_frk8tpL57VplNPLf4ly_Uzlxh1HsP8aM52nBJv6E1wdQz87f0dPJFTA1x8Tq5Ap7Q4UNqL0WUuivb1RgRBM2hLA-hkGu7aExLHcXhw3AWp1hBXEuYZPjzXFLVlXkl_vnCwA5cKoWE0U/s1706/bd660e3292095959282a99354ee0e58b.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1706" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLCL-PAEPmEaj_xIHwFlnzfdNu_aGcDPAyOGvE09ks5Kg-opP_frk8tpL57VplNPLf4ly_Uzlxh1HsP8aM52nBJv6E1wdQz87f0dPJFTA1x8Tq5Ap7Q4UNqL0WUuivb1RgRBM2hLA-hkGu7aExLHcXhw3AWp1hBXEuYZPjzXFLVlXkl_vnCwA5cKoWE0U/s320/bd660e3292095959282a99354ee0e58b.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>A Sunday afternoon lunch at a Mongolian restaurant called <i>Mengjya</i> 蒙吉雅:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikD98YFrFwffJUi5xSi1WSdFoM3ARKXmoXDulg3PRvLdkhJAJcTE70N2GuibQ2fh9lNoqubtNxq-JXX0-QtC4owE7wmEELsZKftSks9s35DXQirM05J21o-6WmKNyAOh3pccMnSpiRydmqTWXxc0B52Wuuo2IjCAfI8-Be2n_kS-YeWwPDhMVDN0tOsuk/s3669/IMG_3245.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3669" data-original-width="2302" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikD98YFrFwffJUi5xSi1WSdFoM3ARKXmoXDulg3PRvLdkhJAJcTE70N2GuibQ2fh9lNoqubtNxq-JXX0-QtC4owE7wmEELsZKftSks9s35DXQirM05J21o-6WmKNyAOh3pccMnSpiRydmqTWXxc0B52Wuuo2IjCAfI8-Be2n_kS-YeWwPDhMVDN0tOsuk/s320/IMG_3245.jpg" width="201" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">"Great Beautiful Grasslands"; "Perfect Taste":</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3jA13Nd8Z3GpMzn2Q7vQ6bK5_zfC3j_MnSqhf1iIgchC4PlnOp78v8rbxbtRs7c9JLHbAQobRsIYKnseB8hcsBYxaNAsZt5-4Spte61fKZQrSCzNs0hlI6RfXoRhvyq6q0eXnlzx7gYXnQ6ueCgLMRZo7xUq8LIsoYqMoBaDDJp0CmoGgELsLffiWR4c/s3468/IMG_3250.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3468" data-original-width="1495" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3jA13Nd8Z3GpMzn2Q7vQ6bK5_zfC3j_MnSqhf1iIgchC4PlnOp78v8rbxbtRs7c9JLHbAQobRsIYKnseB8hcsBYxaNAsZt5-4Spte61fKZQrSCzNs0hlI6RfXoRhvyq6q0eXnlzx7gYXnQ6ueCgLMRZo7xUq8LIsoYqMoBaDDJp0CmoGgELsLffiWR4c/s320/IMG_3250.jpg" width="138" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Mongolian-style milk tea:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyRsxJ0DdWNiRJmnmhW0YeuS4DN8Ol69r4J2CNMj9__LPVsPI1l6d3Udy524am225n67qJJsCBZEJ1CxUjSzCc9PreHnk6S5KZc5R5Ob194OSs0DKkpXNJciTwdNtq6QY7gWYH65U7NWHk26l8V6RE4R_N332kejahDWz0-Qxpz0Mtl4t7pYjbzPPmEvE/s4032/IMG_3251.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyRsxJ0DdWNiRJmnmhW0YeuS4DN8Ol69r4J2CNMj9__LPVsPI1l6d3Udy524am225n67qJJsCBZEJ1CxUjSzCc9PreHnk6S5KZc5R5Ob194OSs0DKkpXNJciTwdNtq6QY7gWYH65U7NWHk26l8V6RE4R_N332kejahDWz0-Qxpz0Mtl4t7pYjbzPPmEvE/s320/IMG_3251.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Meat. Lots and lots of meat:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuDRrWva_tMeZ2NxqklrX1aOedcnwGbZ8j-7ktAIq8oXsAT_09AifMhYdtnXwhqxhL-Kb3LtsUbLwi-fyF_Trp0XBhUaVDbhQtEMT0QZcDPGuF9Wx_LpalTI96hr4aeh2cL5vGINbeKkTZzUKz352k-J6PLN-k0kBptLzlWEyu0FRq-l3V8scoSQKRHfY/s4032/IMG_3252.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuDRrWva_tMeZ2NxqklrX1aOedcnwGbZ8j-7ktAIq8oXsAT_09AifMhYdtnXwhqxhL-Kb3LtsUbLwi-fyF_Trp0XBhUaVDbhQtEMT0QZcDPGuF9Wx_LpalTI96hr4aeh2cL5vGINbeKkTZzUKz352k-J6PLN-k0kBptLzlWEyu0FRq-l3V8scoSQKRHfY/s320/IMG_3252.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Mongolian-style <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shumai" target="_blank">shumai</a> 烧卖:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBvUR5PXqkWkMGKc9zy4_TURy_oJB6EVCu7X022gi-FKQIoWSBtZnOqluJtvDwXsfzktahFgmBQbnFP06wCkmauoaj-58OWvQKBPTr-RKZvIrq0vHT5EOB0cy-j3saJIhqFCRfh8OeKBSSDpKA9Bc2O8mmW2pCuFidGIqgBHiZrWK21dZ5oeeaTrHvfHc/s4032/IMG_3254.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2514" data-original-width="4032" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBvUR5PXqkWkMGKc9zy4_TURy_oJB6EVCu7X022gi-FKQIoWSBtZnOqluJtvDwXsfzktahFgmBQbnFP06wCkmauoaj-58OWvQKBPTr-RKZvIrq0vHT5EOB0cy-j3saJIhqFCRfh8OeKBSSDpKA9Bc2O8mmW2pCuFidGIqgBHiZrWK21dZ5oeeaTrHvfHc/s320/IMG_3254.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The house specialty was (surprise!) meat pies:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4RdgzcvZ_-7ZhZKrfowlTj2v53X4Urg4pT2gDrEKJkuKnC8M9C47EqRH9hyqQF0RrysR9UksrCdYouHUHIkjJEtnfg37Dp1pOiFMrW6Rx7iAA9pRu3GaTRYqCVEMWT-2dndXOooEz4borHP-3x8XUP294EghSE9N1H9UR0JVI6LSlrorvcnb_ej1F_9w/s3163/IMG_3255.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3163" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4RdgzcvZ_-7ZhZKrfowlTj2v53X4Urg4pT2gDrEKJkuKnC8M9C47EqRH9hyqQF0RrysR9UksrCdYouHUHIkjJEtnfg37Dp1pOiFMrW6Rx7iAA9pRu3GaTRYqCVEMWT-2dndXOooEz4borHP-3x8XUP294EghSE9N1H9UR0JVI6LSlrorvcnb_ej1F_9w/s320/IMG_3255.jpg" width="306" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Mongolian-style yoghurt:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgklQtuP5VlLkG60MBfghjHTNEiWAQ0o8NZ64_WEm2VC1b0rArZ3Th8gN3nDH28ZqPj_h_RfbiiHNDlvkF5uI7RGWDPQVgDaAV_sGW2P10eaEKb-BQz6KlSWV49UlfZ8reHGgkGGQtsQVcpK-TSVCLMWzFMKXG7KRbSnbEcSCbLea684DbThut54QYBz6I/s4032/IMG_3257.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgklQtuP5VlLkG60MBfghjHTNEiWAQ0o8NZ64_WEm2VC1b0rArZ3Th8gN3nDH28ZqPj_h_RfbiiHNDlvkF5uI7RGWDPQVgDaAV_sGW2P10eaEKb-BQz6KlSWV49UlfZ8reHGgkGGQtsQVcpK-TSVCLMWzFMKXG7KRbSnbEcSCbLea684DbThut54QYBz6I/s320/IMG_3257.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX26bMsVPumbrySUyjIIiRkX8YVB-3BwpmjXxC1p92TpNne8owQrkm433V-8DVFalPGGERGTmxNZvGEscEQtMiPWCGyFlj3voHzM72el_RoE4ZPU_j3nhknlAu7YeLGnQD1rqRxzGtGo9gnYHQkoIupcIyhUt1gW107Fw2GpUmOupCJ54i3ldEFXRbufo/s4032/IMG_3258.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX26bMsVPumbrySUyjIIiRkX8YVB-3BwpmjXxC1p92TpNne8owQrkm433V-8DVFalPGGERGTmxNZvGEscEQtMiPWCGyFlj3voHzM72el_RoE4ZPU_j3nhknlAu7YeLGnQD1rqRxzGtGo9gnYHQkoIupcIyhUt1gW107Fw2GpUmOupCJ54i3ldEFXRbufo/s320/IMG_3258.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV0g4e8CBZuTNrD2SkVXaWnZW00FmQ0spZ_9u_jvZqKg-jEQ-1zpP5aExIDKRGXTOvFAilnRnjTTmNItUjFMZGtlxyh9JoDkHEE3vIJf7nf4b7aw03h1YXvYz5jqtHAHGxI2WHtTzXWFJ-eIZKewPm1tPKT7juzq_OpjAu87jeOjmdmGHv2C1rTV4Q7Mo/s4032/IMG_3261.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV0g4e8CBZuTNrD2SkVXaWnZW00FmQ0spZ_9u_jvZqKg-jEQ-1zpP5aExIDKRGXTOvFAilnRnjTTmNItUjFMZGtlxyh9JoDkHEE3vIJf7nf4b7aw03h1YXvYz5jqtHAHGxI2WHtTzXWFJ-eIZKewPm1tPKT7juzq_OpjAu87jeOjmdmGHv2C1rTV4Q7Mo/s320/IMG_3261.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinBEbzDmDixcOZUjIUY9MWW0F-F9BQOXYghc2B6koxX6HWFNixxFr6gJu4hnJ1GNCOi5n1XUf6Vv5uWoZr7t4nWWTRWYyP3rDkfrJbTXWAyLuzi5EYRI_5gfCuA4OFMAdWRzUnfYcySFCqhcThs8HxUkSyVrrHRBbt4dVJ7n02BAE1by-KOAvRnkxy5VA/s2760/IMG_3262.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2711" data-original-width="2760" height="314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinBEbzDmDixcOZUjIUY9MWW0F-F9BQOXYghc2B6koxX6HWFNixxFr6gJu4hnJ1GNCOi5n1XUf6Vv5uWoZr7t4nWWTRWYyP3rDkfrJbTXWAyLuzi5EYRI_5gfCuA4OFMAdWRzUnfYcySFCqhcThs8HxUkSyVrrHRBbt4dVJ7n02BAE1by-KOAvRnkxy5VA/s320/IMG_3262.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Meal over, we took advantage of the clothes rack by the cashier to do some dressing up. When in Rome, do as the Han Chinese tourists:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm1tS3FbPC6AKlWiwYzB0AYg-7NLEzkH9gtyPAc2EtmtPzEr3-FMlbu6cpSj6158NW4p0GvM-9QBpGkoPykQ2bOB5ysaky83RkFUxBYyNoH7Jx5qogymlU1N50Z9_Qev5J2j0uK1riPMdRX-EB8f8zj5880gik-gHgP72FkWc4-0M9Rvogj60uWJPvR6E/s1706/2030501ae185983bb13f1a1bc0f4504d.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1706" data-original-width="1280" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm1tS3FbPC6AKlWiwYzB0AYg-7NLEzkH9gtyPAc2EtmtPzEr3-FMlbu6cpSj6158NW4p0GvM-9QBpGkoPykQ2bOB5ysaky83RkFUxBYyNoH7Jx5qogymlU1N50Z9_Qev5J2j0uK1riPMdRX-EB8f8zj5880gik-gHgP72FkWc4-0M9Rvogj60uWJPvR6E/s320/2030501ae185983bb13f1a1bc0f4504d.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUxD1eq4YjRK7xuE-mqviXZEMlRYCsRc6-z1YWIY3PPA9sKTuItCEak-eocV-1X6dkTPA6c0AHz1YNRuGgkkTT9AqhtBTFdcYbS_-0mkbAyoOYrBySNVTPIpDH8II7U5zBokcRVDlB1HlLIIqAyItkHe-I2DT7pWDsT4Sq318DlBKdwQe8Do0zwqTo3-w/s1696/a356741af689ad876b433d63ad795213.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1696" data-original-width="1272" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUxD1eq4YjRK7xuE-mqviXZEMlRYCsRc6-z1YWIY3PPA9sKTuItCEak-eocV-1X6dkTPA6c0AHz1YNRuGgkkTT9AqhtBTFdcYbS_-0mkbAyoOYrBySNVTPIpDH8II7U5zBokcRVDlB1HlLIIqAyItkHe-I2DT7pWDsT4Sq318DlBKdwQe8Do0zwqTo3-w/s320/a356741af689ad876b433d63ad795213.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5R8jCCOdlc5O3762hWwVo6-LwtjOn5l0YIvR0VbZRkdI1fv6obA2LoiZLan2b-LtusXbBQ6nl65kfg9SIX1NyzR-5GM5RWtQprJGAan1t3JN4BNFasPMnqEmNZTQO7p2AmIvRO0msAffWKj43Gcia5DlNveo1_ZmZDCP7r7z6LdZcmUijbSSTuMfa7EI/s1706/b721c10361cd0ebefb4114f672ed3ea2.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1706" data-original-width="1280" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5R8jCCOdlc5O3762hWwVo6-LwtjOn5l0YIvR0VbZRkdI1fv6obA2LoiZLan2b-LtusXbBQ6nl65kfg9SIX1NyzR-5GM5RWtQprJGAan1t3JN4BNFasPMnqEmNZTQO7p2AmIvRO0msAffWKj43Gcia5DlNveo1_ZmZDCP7r7z6LdZcmUijbSSTuMfa7EI/s320/b721c10361cd0ebefb4114f672ed3ea2.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPovnP91St3uid7mlPFuV-szMJcw40fxellFUcTi6G4ADlgJSpKPIXW1K4GfHZy9AL5PKH6pdDSL4D-qyKAsv2aip3Pm_E7pCyWg-TCunepfgPwtQE_SM3wp19u0LL1HYyAInvCSuQH0PmKJpH-KQw4PGd-jMkUP_Qu9hsG1Nv63oncKVsVHcSuM1WPZw/s3799/IMG_3264.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3799" data-original-width="2976" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPovnP91St3uid7mlPFuV-szMJcw40fxellFUcTi6G4ADlgJSpKPIXW1K4GfHZy9AL5PKH6pdDSL4D-qyKAsv2aip3Pm_E7pCyWg-TCunepfgPwtQE_SM3wp19u0LL1HYyAInvCSuQH0PmKJpH-KQw4PGd-jMkUP_Qu9hsG1Nv63oncKVsVHcSuM1WPZw/s320/IMG_3264.jpg" width="251" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Hu are you? Hu? Hu? Hu? Hu? I really want to know:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/jM8dCGIm6yc" width="320" youtube-src-id="jM8dCGIm6yc"></iframe></div><div><br /></div>The writing was on the walls of a building where I had lunch with some coworkers. From left to right: "Always follow Chairman Mao!"; "Long live Chairman Mao Zedong!"; "Long live the Communist Party of China!"; and "Always follow the Communist Party". For a complex housing some nice restaurants and trendy cafes, one can't help but wonder is these are meant to be ironic:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3nr2X1nNJ3G5CiDeNQIl4s5FB_AbKb24IUu_6WJAI_TnXcLYgZGQ320DClO7Gmdx9LrRRFMv8DaMba_4TGvhAVyALmYqAlm_nLsh9eZfytaIOeOlH0lE66n_JoSHCEYiCSysDhlnYPcdapp5OYMPtW48YZts-KJKgUmU6EmX7pCRQSsFd4XYoHqZAGrw/s4032/IMG_3287.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3nr2X1nNJ3G5CiDeNQIl4s5FB_AbKb24IUu_6WJAI_TnXcLYgZGQ320DClO7Gmdx9LrRRFMv8DaMba_4TGvhAVyALmYqAlm_nLsh9eZfytaIOeOlH0lE66n_JoSHCEYiCSysDhlnYPcdapp5OYMPtW48YZts-KJKgUmU6EmX7pCRQSsFd4XYoHqZAGrw/s320/IMG_3287.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Locals say fall is the best time to be in Beijing. I would agree, except that the AQI for much of this workweek has been over 170. You know what they say: You can take the PM2.5 out of Beijing, but you can't take Beijing out of the PM2.5.</div><div><br /></div><div>Or something to that effect...</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/b_NJt3Ao_TE" width="320" youtube-src-id="b_NJt3Ao_TE"></iframe></div><br /><div><br /></div></div>Kaminogehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07925637671913689331noreply@blogger.com0Qianjiadian, Yanqing District, Beijing, China, 10210840.693859 116.34683512.383625163821158 81.190585 69.004092836178842 151.503085tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2497220891386919340.post-79327507791916874582023-10-04T22:03:00.003+08:002023-10-05T10:06:33.156+08:00Happy Mid-Autumn National Golden Week! <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxQ8ENJcZkUd9gJI42CrgU_stPV4KpL4GiBAIhlzVn-Aqr0xNQ6cTIAnBG4IACmrtnVpHVzAtepk-YRMpKqmW2WuWLNtjN0FInYIGNY254XF1BUVLHYRsW4Cl7tnBGoMr52dgbWKQCoqqPCS3MtX3DRQu5-EL0HRwQEMDCv9C2bjZPytxnDj_axgYSpxo/s1510/7c904e86659a7c3b6a59c8cd4f9e20f5.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="822" data-original-width="1510" height="174" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxQ8ENJcZkUd9gJI42CrgU_stPV4KpL4GiBAIhlzVn-Aqr0xNQ6cTIAnBG4IACmrtnVpHVzAtepk-YRMpKqmW2WuWLNtjN0FInYIGNY254XF1BUVLHYRsW4Cl7tnBGoMr52dgbWKQCoqqPCS3MtX3DRQu5-EL0HRwQEMDCv9C2bjZPytxnDj_axgYSpxo/s320/7c904e86659a7c3b6a59c8cd4f9e20f5.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><i><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Old Dragon Head</i></div></i><div><br /></div><div>By a quirk of the calendar that hasn't happened since a date in the past that I can't be bothered to look up, the lunar <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mid-Autumn_Festival" target="_blank">Mid-Autumn Festival</a> holiday attached itself to the start of China's "<a href="https://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/china-thailand-october-golden-week-tourism-intl-hnk/index.html" target="_blank">Golden Week</a>" 黄金周, the latter anchored by the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Day_of_the_People%27s_Republic_of_China" target="_blank">National Day of the People's Republic of China</a>. The result was an <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-66956625" target="_blank">extended holiday for millions of people in this country</a>, us included - six consecutive days off from work, while my daughter is in the middle of enjoying a full ten days free from school (though she has assignments due the day she returns to class next week - 12th grade can really suck at times). What follows if a brief summary of how we joined millions of others (or at least that's how it felt at times) in kicking off our autumn almanac. </div><div><br /></div><div>Before taking off for the holidays, I treated some of the staff to lunch at a Taiwanese restaurant called Lugang 鹿港 (named after a historic town and overly popular tourist spot in central Taiwan). The non-Chinese name of the establishment is the confusingly Italian-sounding Bellagio Cafe:</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXwqW6FWswahWGf_tDdnoTLLKMhPWOo77m6ACT-bZl9iJRTRDwr5JHj__cTYGYYrkbCShR50trT9dlrasA01p-JtMRARfAwXbGxexGXNgTvq4FxpOZ9Dcp-8-XIkQlP9Lpkq5v1wO1lLyKTC2f4XgacFwuQ5gmmUKO5Os9sbOTRYKaGYmX9rjD-78W0WY/s3757/IMG_2977.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2851" data-original-width="3757" height="243" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXwqW6FWswahWGf_tDdnoTLLKMhPWOo77m6ACT-bZl9iJRTRDwr5JHj__cTYGYYrkbCShR50trT9dlrasA01p-JtMRARfAwXbGxexGXNgTvq4FxpOZ9Dcp-8-XIkQlP9Lpkq5v1wO1lLyKTC2f4XgacFwuQ5gmmUKO5Os9sbOTRYKaGYmX9rjD-78W0WY/s320/IMG_2977.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><b><u>Mid-Autumn Festival 中秋节</u></b></div><div><b><u><br /></u></b></div><div>Regular followers of my Facebook posts are probably aware that I have an ongoing fascination with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. I've always wanted to see the real-life Orwellian state for myself, but my nationality and current line of work have colluded to prevent that from becoming a reality. So instead I have to content myself in other ways, most recently by ordering this replica jersey of North Korea's 1966 national soccer team that participated in the World Cup in England that year. If you know your football history, you'll recall this squad shocked Italy 1-0 in the group stage, then went up 3-0 on Portugal before eventually succumbing 5-3 to the eventual third-place finishers. During their time in England, the <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2010/jun/08/north-korea-world-cup-middlesbrough" target="_blank">North Koreans formed a memorable bond with the city of Middlesbrough</a>, where the team was based during the tournament. Unfortunately, it's probably better I wait until retirement to wear this jersey in public. At least it fits: </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaOEzQjVcl_NTSvOa4kdKI4Z7zj3ZHJdwxWjeOl0nvEVqWBD6ZgmXYJeLKh1I5IO5fxYZDFzEGsY1by1Ij2xE3qSVab7-AyP15-U_s0wZ5ue1WNSmtrxwJT78EkF417CL35kLQcP48OflAhDFE8LdVwquRmdgzAGbHpk3ddeLVwchBWqmMaHKB87GKXjk/s3775/IMG_2975.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1589" data-original-width="3775" height="135" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaOEzQjVcl_NTSvOa4kdKI4Z7zj3ZHJdwxWjeOl0nvEVqWBD6ZgmXYJeLKh1I5IO5fxYZDFzEGsY1by1Ij2xE3qSVab7-AyP15-U_s0wZ5ue1WNSmtrxwJT78EkF417CL35kLQcP48OflAhDFE8LdVwquRmdgzAGbHpk3ddeLVwchBWqmMaHKB87GKXjk/s320/IMG_2975.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitHMATxXTbG6kYSIAVJXEHZxt0WdFkWOUs9pe2ZcsGCVScIFXLRpqVM8tNuLO27aQlEwtI67qhUUNliDeyaI5XCBPdRmfjwzo38HK3k4zKe6dhfytjCQHbKeSw2g3ap-NtXa1YIUPkX14tFxYmBlfIgB_GaLBTCkTasm4Z3pdO4YycnLh8H_BDl843uyk/s2419/IMG_2976.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2419" data-original-width="2152" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitHMATxXTbG6kYSIAVJXEHZxt0WdFkWOUs9pe2ZcsGCVScIFXLRpqVM8tNuLO27aQlEwtI67qhUUNliDeyaI5XCBPdRmfjwzo38HK3k4zKe6dhfytjCQHbKeSw2g3ap-NtXa1YIUPkX14tFxYmBlfIgB_GaLBTCkTasm4Z3pdO4YycnLh8H_BDl843uyk/s320/IMG_2976.jpg" width="285" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/eGSJGPUWVQQ" width="320" youtube-src-id="eGSJGPUWVQQ"></iframe></div><br /><div>With Pak Doo-Ik in mind, on the Mid-Autumn Festival holiday, I road my bike to the area where the DPRK embassy is located, around a half-hour from our residence. Not wanting to draw unwarranted attention to myself (let alone a full-blown diplomatic incident), I didn't linger, or attempt to take any photos of the main building as I cycled past - I let the Internet do that for me:</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVkyf_BEjPQjcU_BCh7UPrc6DfyAxqlHvUib-yw6Bibs3mC6GfAoesCkMQ5qQmQimLnwf5VG0W8e1zU3lCUwiDNG6yRMN0dANTKveJf3z7GKPnkF4z6ophFM1SR4c-GnD77rmoLRJNkSlRIErB0vMm1dpvrg4goWLNqeAX-61f_bThhHjJq8r-32vrM5c/s493/North_Korean_Embassy_in_Beijing.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="318" data-original-width="493" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVkyf_BEjPQjcU_BCh7UPrc6DfyAxqlHvUib-yw6Bibs3mC6GfAoesCkMQ5qQmQimLnwf5VG0W8e1zU3lCUwiDNG6yRMN0dANTKveJf3z7GKPnkF4z6ophFM1SR4c-GnD77rmoLRJNkSlRIErB0vMm1dpvrg4goWLNqeAX-61f_bThhHjJq8r-32vrM5c/s320/North_Korean_Embassy_in_Beijing.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Embassy_of_North_Korea,_Beijing" target="_blank">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Embassy_of_North_Korea,_Beijing</a></i></div><div><br /></div><div>I did ride around the complex, noting what appeared to be apartment blocks in the rear:</div><div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiRz2TU8g3E_lYJtDskuofG_x0NKAXErBre27DvqxKFi1s3cpm1DggXsLF0x6Qlbh4DcKvCb2eD2K-yftflhPjqIStTQa55f3GtoLn9jMqvpu3NpIZxkOp9YMAcfo3tluwNaCrdcgvlZzIemHNBXl9DXcx-d1l_ry1HJYkH84ME6OaexN8laeQmfzX3to/s1280/dprkemb_bprc_28312_281112.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="726" data-original-width="1280" height="182" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiRz2TU8g3E_lYJtDskuofG_x0NKAXErBre27DvqxKFi1s3cpm1DggXsLF0x6Qlbh4DcKvCb2eD2K-yftflhPjqIStTQa55f3GtoLn9jMqvpu3NpIZxkOp9YMAcfo3tluwNaCrdcgvlZzIemHNBXl9DXcx-d1l_ry1HJYkH84ME6OaexN8laeQmfzX3to/s320/dprkemb_bprc_28312_281112.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><i><div style="text-align: left;"><i><a href="https://nkleadershipwatch.files.wordpress.com/2012/11/dprkemb_bprc_28312_281112.jpg">https://nkleadershipwatch.files.wordpress.com/2012/11/dprkemb_bprc_28312_281112.jpg</a></i></div></i><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>Rather than dismounting and taking a walk around the area (there were photographs on public display just to the side of the main entrance), I continued my ride. A short distance to the west of the embassy I came across a district of restaurants and shops aimed at Russian expats. Just a coincidence?: </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZXhyphenhyphenP3-m-Cry7W_OMqSaJ7CnRQUaepu-0tG4vYynVGjx5XOT9ruu5kwCtr-b5rFq-afiyNk8NEYNAg3lBQ09zqXMAftTFuxx-xRIsWzFmk4A1Bb9DAQxjkHataYljuLBFXLYOUb9ChcNIKEhCN-Mw6LRxpq2Au0VWbvfR_KyGkSSQPovTUlF5EaJwvzo/s3471/IMG_2981.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3471" data-original-width="2684" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZXhyphenhyphenP3-m-Cry7W_OMqSaJ7CnRQUaepu-0tG4vYynVGjx5XOT9ruu5kwCtr-b5rFq-afiyNk8NEYNAg3lBQ09zqXMAftTFuxx-xRIsWzFmk4A1Bb9DAQxjkHataYljuLBFXLYOUb9ChcNIKEhCN-Mw6LRxpq2Au0VWbvfR_KyGkSSQPovTUlF5EaJwvzo/s320/IMG_2981.jpg" width="247" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfQ987Rpuq-4lG-JyX2WMxbxbTulS0JegRAe6pRDz5UPhn3Y8FHVZuj1FznALpIEKMdlZ0lBcWzqOnt9EzH0z-e0Lh4sEkHbTkcPv80hKdw4N_4pZSCyeQPX8vpQURHTnTfUoKbL2ujeApahsgUMr3v-_PwwLDP6feNiZaNSu2kMMk7IZO-Z-Cl9tlmGc/s3193/IMG_2982.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2014" data-original-width="3193" height="202" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfQ987Rpuq-4lG-JyX2WMxbxbTulS0JegRAe6pRDz5UPhn3Y8FHVZuj1FznALpIEKMdlZ0lBcWzqOnt9EzH0z-e0Lh4sEkHbTkcPv80hKdw4N_4pZSCyeQPX8vpQURHTnTfUoKbL2ujeApahsgUMr3v-_PwwLDP6feNiZaNSu2kMMk7IZO-Z-Cl9tlmGc/s320/IMG_2982.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcpwYbvLEiAsFoBxX2s5z0QLsymQQ4_jDYF2LAXPRmTF2iq7zW68WPi9kyfUe5neoIcLIyuUtA0uAc-YZ91zr4KTghRZwYgpGzSeYpsmpaWSXmxKTLPM8RGGodBRdagYszEVkxGncFhsIDbAVRAVIOA_VhuMtbBvBXwS-PjW9ekUH-CgiHJXowrxkA_QU/s3047/IMG_2985.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1876" data-original-width="3047" height="197" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcpwYbvLEiAsFoBxX2s5z0QLsymQQ4_jDYF2LAXPRmTF2iq7zW68WPi9kyfUe5neoIcLIyuUtA0uAc-YZ91zr4KTghRZwYgpGzSeYpsmpaWSXmxKTLPM8RGGodBRdagYszEVkxGncFhsIDbAVRAVIOA_VhuMtbBvBXwS-PjW9ekUH-CgiHJXowrxkA_QU/s320/IMG_2985.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>On my return to the more familiar comforts of Beijing 北京 I passed by a Rolls-Royce dealership, and noticed what appeared to be a mock-up of a high-speed train on the upper floor of the showroom. Is the company involved in the manufacture of rail engines?:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_66KxjYIQr3-o3SznUgfoRA8U4dXmc4yKbQOnyOrdJLIJzaHEr0knVnW-_10102dJzl3-UlUYW7tIqf1GxnnDmWbo5SvE5Qr4qckWC-EBg3m0yElZlxnEA7VzcfC-dCALwd_KRk4FopYlYWYHCu9iElsj1CvWmkfB8ismil5CoPp5dj-MeIQpQnB8Vos/s3992/IMG_2987.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2162" data-original-width="3992" height="173" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_66KxjYIQr3-o3SznUgfoRA8U4dXmc4yKbQOnyOrdJLIJzaHEr0knVnW-_10102dJzl3-UlUYW7tIqf1GxnnDmWbo5SvE5Qr4qckWC-EBg3m0yElZlxnEA7VzcfC-dCALwd_KRk4FopYlYWYHCu9iElsj1CvWmkfB8ismil5CoPp5dj-MeIQpQnB8Vos/s320/IMG_2987.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Back home, and observing the peculiar Taiwanese custom of <a href="https://ferrebeekeeper.wordpress.com/2011/09/12/the-pomelo-and-the-mid-autumn-lunar-festival/" target="_blank">wearing pomelo skins on one's head</a>. Holding cats is optional:</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnVM7AsEGRLirzyyq2RuA7IPK2-0HTpPta9X5eCoSU_HfcuhfGvHLIZ23OjwOsKX93QAhkoA3rmdzamo8rvd5o-LYoKr2Ul91sHZvR6YKsliZoTFi8ooDcHLBWCDtQxh0qyxjKE6odhi54g5Rwvd6IFpB82wcXRgWWCzRvTpUsQ58xQ8hffuFB8QwhlDU/s1684/bb77e12de86d6fe28930be9dafab2a23.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1264" data-original-width="1684" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnVM7AsEGRLirzyyq2RuA7IPK2-0HTpPta9X5eCoSU_HfcuhfGvHLIZ23OjwOsKX93QAhkoA3rmdzamo8rvd5o-LYoKr2Ul91sHZvR6YKsliZoTFi8ooDcHLBWCDtQxh0qyxjKE6odhi54g5Rwvd6IFpB82wcXRgWWCzRvTpUsQ58xQ8hffuFB8QwhlDU/s320/bb77e12de86d6fe28930be9dafab2a23.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIDxo3kGeoAKMf3QOQTICJYqr3RIFXzT2zDOM7vOBt_yErOERv8FMRj1YuNJMuUCjVW82S_3LKHSKKGDwnpXUQ2QuAInjjslrAciLDmk1t6umkV-kaA3zH-jmGnBTuxD2_5R9i-WE2TMK_QG2F-jDS8q3u-Ax8KUGauTnrjeFqLhszn52d1XW_AtEFaTw/s4032/IMG_2992.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIDxo3kGeoAKMf3QOQTICJYqr3RIFXzT2zDOM7vOBt_yErOERv8FMRj1YuNJMuUCjVW82S_3LKHSKKGDwnpXUQ2QuAInjjslrAciLDmk1t6umkV-kaA3zH-jmGnBTuxD2_5R9i-WE2TMK_QG2F-jDS8q3u-Ax8KUGauTnrjeFqLhszn52d1XW_AtEFaTw/s320/IMG_2992.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><b><u>The Mid-Autumn Festival plus one</u></b></div><div><b><u><br /></u></b></div><div>The day following the Mid-Autumn Festival holiday the family and I set out of a brief trip to the seaside, organized by my wife. Traffic getting out of Beijing was slow moving, but once we entered Hebei Province 河北省 the expressway opened up, allowing me to reach the maximum 120kph speed limit at times. There were roadside service stations along the way, but food options at these stops were extremely limited, a far cry from driving in Japan or Taiwan:</div><div><b><u><br /></u></b></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq26YmzU3xUJu1S2u-__MhYzWMrSJowjVees0muaKCwDt9Xa-CLNzDo-xBlCPywbwdLMUdL_yzCAldNxq9YdNu6YE7vtJeXSlLZlS09ZV2m3Ncwysbxbo6Bg3BNPS2zTJLLpQQwq8xI2QmPOy4yiWYTVrJKVtmEmpJPPDtr6jQEBa3pPXM2NtAdw3OYAw/s3499/IMG_2999.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3499" data-original-width="2617" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq26YmzU3xUJu1S2u-__MhYzWMrSJowjVees0muaKCwDt9Xa-CLNzDo-xBlCPywbwdLMUdL_yzCAldNxq9YdNu6YE7vtJeXSlLZlS09ZV2m3Ncwysbxbo6Bg3BNPS2zTJLLpQQwq8xI2QmPOy4yiWYTVrJKVtmEmpJPPDtr6jQEBa3pPXM2NtAdw3OYAw/s320/IMG_2999.jpg" width="239" /></a></div><div style="font-weight: bold;"><b><br /></b></div>The scenery on the nearly four-hour drive left little to get excited about, being roughly similar to what you see while passing through the American Midwest, or along Interstate 5 between Los Angeles and Sacramento:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz6NHJ20-9sd-IdX6-SnhDBuMuek51zFfdrULL7OjxU07o5E_Q7ey0hFu9m68T3jdwetM7FK5VfrbLMWoRX3BR4o-e-TUAMyGjuqGqfLpevPX9u9_ZtKULsY0bUfB-R2ABM7fe_frc7h4AUGZhyphenhyphenoEnJKJOvXDJRRCYO_iHEy8vHKTlzpDaQ5G-a48nt4c/s4032/IMG_3005.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2136" data-original-width="4032" height="170" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz6NHJ20-9sd-IdX6-SnhDBuMuek51zFfdrULL7OjxU07o5E_Q7ey0hFu9m68T3jdwetM7FK5VfrbLMWoRX3BR4o-e-TUAMyGjuqGqfLpevPX9u9_ZtKULsY0bUfB-R2ABM7fe_frc7h4AUGZhyphenhyphenoEnJKJOvXDJRRCYO_iHEy8vHKTlzpDaQ5G-a48nt4c/s320/IMG_3005.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>In the early afternoon we reached our destination for the evening, the walled town of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shanhai_Pass" target="_blank">Shanhaiguan</a> 山海关, now a district of the city of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qinhuangdao" target="_blank">Qinhuangdao</a> 秦皇岛 in Hebei. Our accommodation for the night was the charming Xianting Calligraphy Hotel, located just outside the <a href="https://artsandculture.google.com/story/%E2%80%9Cfirst-pass-under-heaven%E2%80%9D-the-shanhai-pass-simatai-great-wall-tourist-area/MwWhBZEOAqWBCQ?hl=en" target="_blank">First Pass Under Heaven</a> 天下第一关 historic site:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfze2Kr7Sn-i5oNfAeQkncmsx-O_aAIiWCCZNN-IgKGaBayaFuSrBmKWzsm5hMlaxbnRELtQEFCIJJMLOcIDxB02j1fd0uWnn24JysJ-x0OgYxRGvFWXvF_0MU2bWxJCs9CivjwwSh0z32PhfZREIyYKIL66ZYPpwJ2HBfM70suwMYuBgBl6ANUgsbMkE/s4032/IMG_3012.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfze2Kr7Sn-i5oNfAeQkncmsx-O_aAIiWCCZNN-IgKGaBayaFuSrBmKWzsm5hMlaxbnRELtQEFCIJJMLOcIDxB02j1fd0uWnn24JysJ-x0OgYxRGvFWXvF_0MU2bWxJCs9CivjwwSh0z32PhfZREIyYKIL66ZYPpwJ2HBfM70suwMYuBgBl6ANUgsbMkE/s320/IMG_3012.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Our room came with a calligraphic pad:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNK4ia1JtRZYd3gOoaJFhYuOHKY4ISHX_KuhCFfcaCA7uPcZCIcp4L5RJ9BGS8aBBbBq55GBlcy7peIggEkYR9oYo_rzC90Ky3iuA7eIyqq2A-WSjgbUzZ3VeIRL3DRPmihoE6HLhI6CvLw4kNMjkeshcLloaZ5pGE-DZJaV4TF-XWAjbuOidb8yPZqY4/s4032/IMG_3009.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNK4ia1JtRZYd3gOoaJFhYuOHKY4ISHX_KuhCFfcaCA7uPcZCIcp4L5RJ9BGS8aBBbBq55GBlcy7peIggEkYR9oYo_rzC90Ky3iuA7eIyqq2A-WSjgbUzZ3VeIRL3DRPmihoE6HLhI6CvLw4kNMjkeshcLloaZ5pGE-DZJaV4TF-XWAjbuOidb8yPZqY4/s320/IMG_3009.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The First Pass Under Heaven was visible from the window on the left:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwTX_nc8JlJ_zKGaWx2W3FqQ5yZHJdRe7TOu9wzYIfwjTCPTavooCh_-qKZK-U98Iqvd8nV4mjbtl9wWE-e_NUUF3VSNnNTQ7jXR7Hm-paM0-eTi_E5_WxOzcq7zjfQuq7XcQnF6j2sIpes5h9SmIa9O8OHPdeftBqFwr7x3CRnUlfudtPH_4ZmzlNORs/s4032/IMG_3010.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwTX_nc8JlJ_zKGaWx2W3FqQ5yZHJdRe7TOu9wzYIfwjTCPTavooCh_-qKZK-U98Iqvd8nV4mjbtl9wWE-e_NUUF3VSNnNTQ7jXR7Hm-paM0-eTi_E5_WxOzcq7zjfQuq7XcQnF6j2sIpes5h9SmIa9O8OHPdeftBqFwr7x3CRnUlfudtPH_4ZmzlNORs/s320/IMG_3010.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7mzXGLgmtsEqRcb6KLBNH14kSLXkWyG96jYxUD-76ecyTypl_NDYFm-Hqa87U30S1xzPL3K5QkI9jT-HSrYUTeduCr8MGsX2yZxcswuL7ZKM203hLRG10DPTxHSCmmCC2IbmbC4_Oya8VuLjAyfZvmeuPdsA3qI3sJRUWO7DuuOufTXilJzyt5geQ-4o/s4032/IMG_3011.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7mzXGLgmtsEqRcb6KLBNH14kSLXkWyG96jYxUD-76ecyTypl_NDYFm-Hqa87U30S1xzPL3K5QkI9jT-HSrYUTeduCr8MGsX2yZxcswuL7ZKM203hLRG10DPTxHSCmmCC2IbmbC4_Oya8VuLjAyfZvmeuPdsA3qI3sJRUWO7DuuOufTXilJzyt5geQ-4o/s320/IMG_3011.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>After checking in and dropping off our bags we took a walk through Shanhaiguan, famous for being the eastern end of the Ming dynasty 明朝 Great Wall of China 长城 (though in actuality the Hushan Great Wall 虎山长城, located close to the North Korean border, is 380 kilometers/236 miles further east):</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPAsdyxNgwXXRX7lseoTU6gfk5wG7Xc7JMLkacRSPM8RSnJT6IFwzM1uG615LeIDot-Nfj_J_SLqYw8tJDerjwzRQkJW2iF7vggUN7InLdkb-l11WlbJ88kHssvKixC7AQ4_i_y1-MeGPLHA9Ar8jzHZztfFjrAvALTvkdemV30tnNs2ihgyLaVaCm0sY/s4032/IMG_3013.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPAsdyxNgwXXRX7lseoTU6gfk5wG7Xc7JMLkacRSPM8RSnJT6IFwzM1uG615LeIDot-Nfj_J_SLqYw8tJDerjwzRQkJW2iF7vggUN7InLdkb-l11WlbJ88kHssvKixC7AQ4_i_y1-MeGPLHA9Ar8jzHZztfFjrAvALTvkdemV30tnNs2ihgyLaVaCm0sY/s320/IMG_3013.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5kybHPcU3eObseo5dvVXH3FojAH_YcVr33XA_J16GibiVsE1ENGHs3VQh_BiGhhShpohyGCR3O40ZO_r_LOiu02IkOIAf40zG9gOpbTqbPqPSNW4zGW41Ne6V1Co8A8Ra-MUm8VT2jexLieeq-DJXAH9BzPwY56zLKyoIH8O6_p4r12FD_f6UhknEh5g/s1597/baefd7408bc7effdeaf7a6a5795e27f6.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1597" data-original-width="1218" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5kybHPcU3eObseo5dvVXH3FojAH_YcVr33XA_J16GibiVsE1ENGHs3VQh_BiGhhShpohyGCR3O40ZO_r_LOiu02IkOIAf40zG9gOpbTqbPqPSNW4zGW41Ne6V1Co8A8Ra-MUm8VT2jexLieeq-DJXAH9BzPwY56zLKyoIH8O6_p4r12FD_f6UhknEh5g/s320/baefd7408bc7effdeaf7a6a5795e27f6.JPG" width="244" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The Great Wall was visible in the distance, snaking up the hills to the west:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPy8d9klfHOhOiqq1bcqFaU5b4dy1_PpLn_dPNYeArKagcFCDgs3ezelzFvpYrYLxTC_2G8-XkZJfAl41pbSTSBm25pgudKoipfipUQ3BLjHLBsndjonsQojIQwH1__ovUjgOK8OybamEDuJxv3zZIJMndt3WGcH2D__jzhG0YKtvAA6VVXVGNZ_Y7b5A/s4608/IMG_2745.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2734" data-original-width="4608" height="190" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPy8d9klfHOhOiqq1bcqFaU5b4dy1_PpLn_dPNYeArKagcFCDgs3ezelzFvpYrYLxTC_2G8-XkZJfAl41pbSTSBm25pgudKoipfipUQ3BLjHLBsndjonsQojIQwH1__ovUjgOK8OybamEDuJxv3zZIJMndt3WGcH2D__jzhG0YKtvAA6VVXVGNZ_Y7b5A/s320/IMG_2745.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvaWc2Vyw22-4dBDMuYqjV-415RtKp7-f9nAVDDq6VMqAjKfWjeU16id6eYhxuGPQID1mnZdwR51DPQR5RWfAmXsCZNZujN7KsH9xymw190Q_EyiaOAP8wmomAvARptdQK9Wso8bwG1y33e2fSyB031YVvg4DasQk7ViqGZ1MZltI28gOqClN7Cx7AK90/s1706/8695502ff20c59c4cf84c81f95178873.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1706" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvaWc2Vyw22-4dBDMuYqjV-415RtKp7-f9nAVDDq6VMqAjKfWjeU16id6eYhxuGPQID1mnZdwR51DPQR5RWfAmXsCZNZujN7KsH9xymw190Q_EyiaOAP8wmomAvARptdQK9Wso8bwG1y33e2fSyB031YVvg4DasQk7ViqGZ1MZltI28gOqClN7Cx7AK90/s320/8695502ff20c59c4cf84c81f95178873.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ_6FXXhyl0pQBiErpXKr4MmVmOZxyLLhY4uiPK9Q_L8zjZiRFUiOnappU6GiIpwqpCAG1mo0ANVfeYA725eAdSFOnbJnSjaYvbUyFXHDL8VDXi9BNa4YPNzG93uIq4yqCnip8nNUNjn0VTWAAuFfVmWIireRFes5MGRDErC8qyuL_MXrVDnk4zB9duo0/s3989/IMG_3014.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3989" data-original-width="2992" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ_6FXXhyl0pQBiErpXKr4MmVmOZxyLLhY4uiPK9Q_L8zjZiRFUiOnappU6GiIpwqpCAG1mo0ANVfeYA725eAdSFOnbJnSjaYvbUyFXHDL8VDXi9BNa4YPNzG93uIq4yqCnip8nNUNjn0VTWAAuFfVmWIireRFes5MGRDErC8qyuL_MXrVDnk4zB9duo0/s320/IMG_3014.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl96RTTIOkI897sCOruoSfPsuEyeq2L_po8ohejAwnnEYfDzgNhGX-yLlPKQHgpcLUBJwcl5VTWmF34s5Rz9aMa3mxT1vTafEunyAzDbUJbv0chGj4EtAQh6cNVH183OHpuWfVqygUYM8n62E0Z12dOsY3Vok0fKpFKggpxUxQHZkPN3Sd9Kbb3npsaNE/s3083/IMG_3015.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2807" data-original-width="3083" height="291" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl96RTTIOkI897sCOruoSfPsuEyeq2L_po8ohejAwnnEYfDzgNhGX-yLlPKQHgpcLUBJwcl5VTWmF34s5Rz9aMa3mxT1vTafEunyAzDbUJbv0chGj4EtAQh6cNVH183OHpuWfVqygUYM8n62E0Z12dOsY3Vok0fKpFKggpxUxQHZkPN3Sd9Kbb3npsaNE/s320/IMG_3015.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnLtj8gHA6-mphTcyI6-rOeQNoUOpHWJ9vPqujDm-XbAjAqWteUMeLgvkwkuRH-3NdXGGUZtv69PCueXoYILDC08DuXvhyphenhyphenKhnWHDcShX9RfsrSF-vVHOixUhu99-cDU6dh6UsQpiTAmxXwRlS7KxNaG1e6A9b5razCuwhB6xVvRT0XWvjfpwGrJFrF3eI/s4032/IMG_3016.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnLtj8gHA6-mphTcyI6-rOeQNoUOpHWJ9vPqujDm-XbAjAqWteUMeLgvkwkuRH-3NdXGGUZtv69PCueXoYILDC08DuXvhyphenhyphenKhnWHDcShX9RfsrSF-vVHOixUhu99-cDU6dh6UsQpiTAmxXwRlS7KxNaG1e6A9b5razCuwhB6xVvRT0XWvjfpwGrJFrF3eI/s320/IMG_3016.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJCzx9JEMzNOC1voNJlXFVjybKWZdK9rLtT-TT5PFFX1j7jxGjDrKPJnp7GF6WKcMJYWL1aSRyU6wHH6cOZ_10z0NOB4Vx7sfDKAy0JMdduQPpvNpaAr-oqyP_jD_ElfJJj_Wnf0utpncYpKLlrwepBVZ7Cmcwyeyyc4QhpkvQpUOUGGbSgtKSECjGlXw/s3756/IMG_3018.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2321" data-original-width="3756" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJCzx9JEMzNOC1voNJlXFVjybKWZdK9rLtT-TT5PFFX1j7jxGjDrKPJnp7GF6WKcMJYWL1aSRyU6wHH6cOZ_10z0NOB4Vx7sfDKAy0JMdduQPpvNpaAr-oqyP_jD_ElfJJj_Wnf0utpncYpKLlrwepBVZ7Cmcwyeyyc4QhpkvQpUOUGGbSgtKSECjGlXw/s320/IMG_3018.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimToj0GXcLiXTE6Ynm9EojwR2-JProM8_PYvdKdkCdg6M3IEJ1X1Vs63nsVrIu-u9dr3SYNZcJpDB5pGQbHbcrilpc_WUZZumPz-5Ax2ysvPCEtiTve6uMEQHSw4JR8peItos6Ej1uXUwBJbMD448SETRzf3eGIXRGB5-oeN2BWKbwU8CSkcJHatG4lu4/s4032/IMG_3019.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimToj0GXcLiXTE6Ynm9EojwR2-JProM8_PYvdKdkCdg6M3IEJ1X1Vs63nsVrIu-u9dr3SYNZcJpDB5pGQbHbcrilpc_WUZZumPz-5Ax2ysvPCEtiTve6uMEQHSw4JR8peItos6Ej1uXUwBJbMD448SETRzf3eGIXRGB5-oeN2BWKbwU8CSkcJHatG4lu4/s320/IMG_3019.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>This building, constructed in 1920 during the early years of the Republic of China 中华民国, stood out from the surrounding Qing-era 清朝 architecture:</div><div> <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl1VGbTfoXd9pE2w59ikecKgeHP9w8tdUgiXP-HVRXqXOSPmAVRgxitnUbreouZrf_QZBBUBYUV1YygrN0aoK0MG-pfBVwuDLKYc7pF8riezO2EJxGRCdLYAkGdH9KrzexhBJBsNIlLeIzzj7A-zwpMS0of1L9ZnRZ2J8qryWQsYYZwLq5UyqSxMpTK3E/s4032/IMG_3020.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2370" data-original-width="4032" height="188" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl1VGbTfoXd9pE2w59ikecKgeHP9w8tdUgiXP-HVRXqXOSPmAVRgxitnUbreouZrf_QZBBUBYUV1YygrN0aoK0MG-pfBVwuDLKYc7pF8riezO2EJxGRCdLYAkGdH9KrzexhBJBsNIlLeIzzj7A-zwpMS0of1L9ZnRZ2J8qryWQsYYZwLq5UyqSxMpTK3E/s320/IMG_3020.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Stopping for some Chinese-style <i>takoyaki</i> たこ焼き, a favorite snack of my daughter's:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTgVMgyqkRgv3_rGXw0ZcXmXFELLSjUz4qgGESQ_gPUgHArLOnZkVgzJxYzPKJLRDjcjfM3ULhoxcJ57iKFBasnPpWI27YTO-cYkDcuIJ_LC3j8j_2sGwtNANqR3nNcsfU44E28_olYE0RtRsq9rRnf2VGMMMbpxaTxc-yUMTj6LGv6rHrqWN6r1HUe4g/s4032/IMG_3021.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTgVMgyqkRgv3_rGXw0ZcXmXFELLSjUz4qgGESQ_gPUgHArLOnZkVgzJxYzPKJLRDjcjfM3ULhoxcJ57iKFBasnPpWI27YTO-cYkDcuIJ_LC3j8j_2sGwtNANqR3nNcsfU44E28_olYE0RtRsq9rRnf2VGMMMbpxaTxc-yUMTj6LGv6rHrqWN6r1HUe4g/s320/IMG_3021.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Shu-E had some tofu skin on skewers:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5xQGBSB1VajNxU6UWnX6COhCTj7JYBhLr71xd4O6dKVuAfz1jGPZHOPQuOP003sFbcu_oI9Th2gI2vXbGdOnN-0y1_42P0L_gvW1th50EAErFCEa6xJH86ptQNYowq2uzo6DjIg0rJmNNqX4fZKVGeTIDtXzuu7cRQV4gDUqpEbVqjosHFyNu8zNFeoI/s4032/IMG_3023.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5xQGBSB1VajNxU6UWnX6COhCTj7JYBhLr71xd4O6dKVuAfz1jGPZHOPQuOP003sFbcu_oI9Th2gI2vXbGdOnN-0y1_42P0L_gvW1th50EAErFCEa6xJH86ptQNYowq2uzo6DjIg0rJmNNqX4fZKVGeTIDtXzuu7cRQV4gDUqpEbVqjosHFyNu8zNFeoI/s320/IMG_3023.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qianlong_Emperor" target="_blank">Qianlong Emperor</a> 乾隆帝, considered one of China's most capable and cultured rulers:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPLRrznS6eifB1ok27wEIYiw0e7F0rqXm1iw7z5szUZo84oAVFl8ppA8uHbYusilkxKlQt4DI3tbW0e7kIJ2wcOa213zqSoY3ePrCB_S2Qh-IcO_Lhu6ioVEJAqqLFmrdRLIXfhUWTl3NFrywIsO_8B6z1fA72YvFCGCHPIObff0BZ9Yafz3BnyZ0WLkM/s4032/IMG_3025.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPLRrznS6eifB1ok27wEIYiw0e7F0rqXm1iw7z5szUZo84oAVFl8ppA8uHbYusilkxKlQt4DI3tbW0e7kIJ2wcOa213zqSoY3ePrCB_S2Qh-IcO_Lhu6ioVEJAqqLFmrdRLIXfhUWTl3NFrywIsO_8B6z1fA72YvFCGCHPIObff0BZ9Yafz3BnyZ0WLkM/s320/IMG_3025.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtYeo8EXNJssxGCBqDveA1PqOR3vdVplFdeP2adCaFWohEXuaCoh6QEYfbyiW6SN6MY6pGPyVd21JabQuAMLIiuRX7EXRKx9XmIKt8AxWAeG_bMG4UJmhKdz_IMkQhofibs92Rr3C4qJ-xZTt4zMaFivZXf3f3UJZYkPPXECPjA78392OzWR3FiEn1IXQ/s3980/IMG_3026.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2985" data-original-width="3980" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtYeo8EXNJssxGCBqDveA1PqOR3vdVplFdeP2adCaFWohEXuaCoh6QEYfbyiW6SN6MY6pGPyVd21JabQuAMLIiuRX7EXRKx9XmIKt8AxWAeG_bMG4UJmhKdz_IMkQhofibs92Rr3C4qJ-xZTt4zMaFivZXf3f3UJZYkPPXECPjA78392OzWR3FiEn1IXQ/s320/IMG_3026.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO21h9A9kHba_enlEIbA0JtGZcK2Zyswfik7Xa-plS3vr_2p5_0ZQ_hLt-EdH9-bDOHMvDjtWWQ6ngg87QGY4Qppu80VYzldHKIeyRgMC5R3HEs1nzSjnA2u4j1pU3MNGAM-7po866YqzIy_fXMID67hCi8zbUHNCTBK-xFxAAsCM-AqcudxLaRF9vgdQ/s3956/IMG_3029.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3956" data-original-width="2967" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO21h9A9kHba_enlEIbA0JtGZcK2Zyswfik7Xa-plS3vr_2p5_0ZQ_hLt-EdH9-bDOHMvDjtWWQ6ngg87QGY4Qppu80VYzldHKIeyRgMC5R3HEs1nzSjnA2u4j1pU3MNGAM-7po866YqzIy_fXMID67hCi8zbUHNCTBK-xFxAAsCM-AqcudxLaRF9vgdQ/s320/IMG_3029.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>As evening approached we watched a performance consisting of music and acrobatic choreography. The plot was difficult to follow, something to do with <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qin_Shi_Huang" target="_blank">Qin Shi Huang</a> 秦始皇 and the construction of the Great Wall, tying in with a pair of young lovers, the man whom of course dies in an accident while working on the barrier. It was nevertheless entertaining:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg6QI9hcksmuglp6TBWVKuxC8RSAZmd2ThCbMPGwGpOC8KG-l6UaC23Je3KaCKKC_Sks9YM6i6DbSN_tWAgJ3SyT45ky9CgWy6A2wqdHwI6M6mZas0lRcTTDveiTAFntUNDQa7FKKWxcNnQmT811_ejuQhfwaie-vUZUJ0TUIo7JfuFr0oYzbUjKbxR6Y/s4032/IMG_3031.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg6QI9hcksmuglp6TBWVKuxC8RSAZmd2ThCbMPGwGpOC8KG-l6UaC23Je3KaCKKC_Sks9YM6i6DbSN_tWAgJ3SyT45ky9CgWy6A2wqdHwI6M6mZas0lRcTTDveiTAFntUNDQa7FKKWxcNnQmT811_ejuQhfwaie-vUZUJ0TUIo7JfuFr0oYzbUjKbxR6Y/s320/IMG_3031.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCwX3mcfA0zQTiqf_DY3iuwR2vAoos-O3OHq4vabUr5Wb0CiBHmKPCQWNZ5ET7nbKtK5lA7w-_GlwgGx9MpzEKBf8X2EMGdGDj4v6XMn9FAs1r2Zapyj-D7TOogvELdpWoycZ8M4j0JiEMVctP736QovmgB3bogc4qXbc_9LouZQXHsTBSB5l3Asn1p1s/s4032/IMG_3035.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1571" data-original-width="4032" height="125" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCwX3mcfA0zQTiqf_DY3iuwR2vAoos-O3OHq4vabUr5Wb0CiBHmKPCQWNZ5ET7nbKtK5lA7w-_GlwgGx9MpzEKBf8X2EMGdGDj4v6XMn9FAs1r2Zapyj-D7TOogvELdpWoycZ8M4j0JiEMVctP736QovmgB3bogc4qXbc_9LouZQXHsTBSB5l3Asn1p1s/s320/IMG_3035.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggeI0MPQCZEYSekD731M8Jj4WzFL3PoJCuHbqftr7pSfmfuj70TZlh7-liWMX36i3IwqSJk5RB2CrPOz3aCat4iCimvS3NM6PkPoHddZPLzqU5sErcSmgvfHbhAjc-ujtSsw4vzbGj36aAyDVTFHwcXNAwm37wxMaxFlEGIy5h4oC-sLhwjwNqXBHLW-4/s4032/IMG_3038.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2261" data-original-width="4032" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggeI0MPQCZEYSekD731M8Jj4WzFL3PoJCuHbqftr7pSfmfuj70TZlh7-liWMX36i3IwqSJk5RB2CrPOz3aCat4iCimvS3NM6PkPoHddZPLzqU5sErcSmgvfHbhAjc-ujtSsw4vzbGj36aAyDVTFHwcXNAwm37wxMaxFlEGIy5h4oC-sLhwjwNqXBHLW-4/s320/IMG_3038.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQtO43gRaFNwuXYTPlxsmHO3epkBH2pps3OoGFrZ4-kAJ53CvHtcHkk44H4SoXJ2NFmgLFM0jIJx7-U5Ls3xVKUPpAH4UcS0YnczrXqFYCU6loJwlSfBwQoMFP8UB6Dfkd9cyYSgZkLX00nO_Xq1BLbObOU2me1mchQHiXvKzTa9HzmOC_umgySzFFwHc/s4032/IMG_3039.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2621" data-original-width="4032" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQtO43gRaFNwuXYTPlxsmHO3epkBH2pps3OoGFrZ4-kAJ53CvHtcHkk44H4SoXJ2NFmgLFM0jIJx7-U5Ls3xVKUPpAH4UcS0YnczrXqFYCU6loJwlSfBwQoMFP8UB6Dfkd9cyYSgZkLX00nO_Xq1BLbObOU2me1mchQHiXvKzTa9HzmOC_umgySzFFwHc/s320/IMG_3039.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk1kmIPqgcdjzX13FMecphOjiL7LKdsSfJ6LQgeIxsM8BwAEn5LBsOsgCrLaXfPTi1i1GY_gajNUtGByU9G_CLnRcagazz29A7ehxdgd8LvQ2_NP-VXRoKR2e2RLVWHtNVyjga7aIC-reFXuIaXObCOYbFAYs9My2Kg_owYprVNW4pTTPxthpuZw8hPAY/s4032/IMG_3041.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk1kmIPqgcdjzX13FMecphOjiL7LKdsSfJ6LQgeIxsM8BwAEn5LBsOsgCrLaXfPTi1i1GY_gajNUtGByU9G_CLnRcagazz29A7ehxdgd8LvQ2_NP-VXRoKR2e2RLVWHtNVyjga7aIC-reFXuIaXObCOYbFAYs9My2Kg_owYprVNW4pTTPxthpuZw8hPAY/s320/IMG_3041.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy8e7kpoDy4rXnjRAPd-XP9Ug0E9HqS-Gnm_TVHA-WOr1qDZ62KlljI2k1j2T9C-HdS_qPRX5pPbXL3NjN91g-25KqxeXW52wwxOyXZLDgdivkXxfstOl6yickeUJ_3232AyYTuVa3rwKOtA5QOU4qs3E7qPb82mFxGM4GFTQ4vIxXzilj0fvbOesKGig/s4032/IMG_3042.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy8e7kpoDy4rXnjRAPd-XP9Ug0E9HqS-Gnm_TVHA-WOr1qDZ62KlljI2k1j2T9C-HdS_qPRX5pPbXL3NjN91g-25KqxeXW52wwxOyXZLDgdivkXxfstOl6yickeUJ_3232AyYTuVa3rwKOtA5QOU4qs3E7qPb82mFxGM4GFTQ4vIxXzilj0fvbOesKGig/s320/IMG_3042.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5wpUFj8uPS4E0fZpTQsLG22M18r2CZSVy3ijHzW_naYmklrQndm0dd4JeOJFZsGJQ8jYmWjVIfhK6cIrpDr6liGaH-cxwFNU5-kkfIhQ924-wCPUocWZmBNGon91_DqVb1rKGYWQdJXCweaLhXBfm1MP47Q60qq9QnEoSVlj0xMtbakul84pu1BKvvy0/s3608/IMG_3044.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2268" data-original-width="3608" height="201" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5wpUFj8uPS4E0fZpTQsLG22M18r2CZSVy3ijHzW_naYmklrQndm0dd4JeOJFZsGJQ8jYmWjVIfhK6cIrpDr6liGaH-cxwFNU5-kkfIhQ924-wCPUocWZmBNGon91_DqVb1rKGYWQdJXCweaLhXBfm1MP47Q60qq9QnEoSVlj0xMtbakul84pu1BKvvy0/s320/IMG_3044.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Dinner time after the show. Why is Chinese beer so weak?:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS6gv8dsvPr4dBtb1gDfHQD1D8R3ATNe307b4CN4uRXhuBtq47Dcrf35R-3KcneCVtH9IKHS_6z00txkhNcS2VJgWeQGGQVKl3aTB-oPlIVXWxQYctSe2TRZvOGCT4M3D4jipbZPJ4H3zUKsNB0Pp94gNEHaecWy_R8ntFBrOA-b6sUHItIAcT5Tfw4bI/s4032/IMG_3045.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS6gv8dsvPr4dBtb1gDfHQD1D8R3ATNe307b4CN4uRXhuBtq47Dcrf35R-3KcneCVtH9IKHS_6z00txkhNcS2VJgWeQGGQVKl3aTB-oPlIVXWxQYctSe2TRZvOGCT4M3D4jipbZPJ4H3zUKsNB0Pp94gNEHaecWy_R8ntFBrOA-b6sUHItIAcT5Tfw4bI/s320/IMG_3045.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEFxbqDoIZNQsJQQQBMgcZHGGv2ks8hYw_3EkRrze5DTKztL6bcNrm_3uYKySbbGLye_dIiEcRpItU0-6KwyvDDOLZ9Kk9SpZ5x9nfnthaQicwRmTsDBF7K3Z9naK18bxdI0wlLax5xMHfvC-ichuFrrKgwwMdvT5274Ag4E08ZgIk5UaOTAqlcUhaX0Y/s4032/IMG_3048.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEFxbqDoIZNQsJQQQBMgcZHGGv2ks8hYw_3EkRrze5DTKztL6bcNrm_3uYKySbbGLye_dIiEcRpItU0-6KwyvDDOLZ9Kk9SpZ5x9nfnthaQicwRmTsDBF7K3Z9naK18bxdI0wlLax5xMHfvC-ichuFrrKgwwMdvT5274Ag4E08ZgIk5UaOTAqlcUhaX0Y/s320/IMG_3048.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBhpGw-TSBq8GRUaEXVRiACHyJPsQf-6C_wPUQL4LDLrcT7S4tx8TltPD3RisQEu0pYus07_MYAAnYjkvX0bQCZfVdaN6Ne-KzuFCtJrgWb9_Svsc-n3DD0SpM2H9QQ4rmeNpNCRIltmxwpe2e-_vwh4rSCC-AFo_KRLgX2B7R37eaMryF0XJx8Cq2ZHQ/s4032/IMG_3049.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBhpGw-TSBq8GRUaEXVRiACHyJPsQf-6C_wPUQL4LDLrcT7S4tx8TltPD3RisQEu0pYus07_MYAAnYjkvX0bQCZfVdaN6Ne-KzuFCtJrgWb9_Svsc-n3DD0SpM2H9QQ4rmeNpNCRIltmxwpe2e-_vwh4rSCC-AFo_KRLgX2B7R37eaMryF0XJx8Cq2ZHQ/s320/IMG_3049.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The First Pass of Heaven as seen from the courtyard in front of our hotel...:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3BbJsuUDQSqkvY4E-cojYUoxQeGhUub-dInZS3dh05ip1kmaROkEmegVGxFKKGJIuA6SxSAlLxTyQiJ-2WkF1LifzBb6lhxHrcjxYL6uFOT2n9GH4cA_boEWh_TV5QXuRnl5XqSk43XbLqvIHsjUkUBn-uxe5tkvtXRN0wxwBc3pRg6lqW4NjXWiAP1o/s3913/IMG_3050.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2934" data-original-width="3913" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3BbJsuUDQSqkvY4E-cojYUoxQeGhUub-dInZS3dh05ip1kmaROkEmegVGxFKKGJIuA6SxSAlLxTyQiJ-2WkF1LifzBb6lhxHrcjxYL6uFOT2n9GH4cA_boEWh_TV5QXuRnl5XqSk43XbLqvIHsjUkUBn-uxe5tkvtXRN0wxwBc3pRg6lqW4NjXWiAP1o/s320/IMG_3050.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>...and from our room:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaezhk5nWVhwuTWHOINco7xP3SqTmMFwaFXkOUixP3JnBvLuJTrGkLyBaFY7HwfHchDm3EwMGo1GZgkrDZJow1ej5MRNV2cdHoHnbB3qNMFlNLYzgzOgGNFrDvsoNxjxdAbfGt9XfA0NnZstJjBF5U2NUKIhdRONvs4FQlf-TAXjTuRtfK4VCARagrNpY/s4032/IMG_3051.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2404" data-original-width="4032" height="191" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaezhk5nWVhwuTWHOINco7xP3SqTmMFwaFXkOUixP3JnBvLuJTrGkLyBaFY7HwfHchDm3EwMGo1GZgkrDZJow1ej5MRNV2cdHoHnbB3qNMFlNLYzgzOgGNFrDvsoNxjxdAbfGt9XfA0NnZstJjBF5U2NUKIhdRONvs4FQlf-TAXjTuRtfK4VCARagrNpY/s320/IMG_3051.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The First Pass Under Heaven served as Shanhaiguan's east gate and main watchtower. It was also considered the Great Wall's main gate as it made its way from the mountains to the sea. It towers 13.7 meters (45 feet) high, with 68 narrow-slit windows:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCfh5kqr1KTJGcH5i7wIZBrwZjWwV842Jr7EUjYIAvBILGLEDXftuFT-Zvnp0HZ7iE1JvSp1M0Y-Zg0uR8q72GVQ8Kd51rVo1wPOIRbZFHFbSq8Xk-jVYuwfATB5G7ODZtxiMyZpzkQxL0GCafA2BRCYX7jWbdr91OOvK90Z2HBpct4u4MaZsVY_R7BCk/s4032/IMG_3052.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2743" data-original-width="4032" height="218" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCfh5kqr1KTJGcH5i7wIZBrwZjWwV842Jr7EUjYIAvBILGLEDXftuFT-Zvnp0HZ7iE1JvSp1M0Y-Zg0uR8q72GVQ8Kd51rVo1wPOIRbZFHFbSq8Xk-jVYuwfATB5G7ODZtxiMyZpzkQxL0GCafA2BRCYX7jWbdr91OOvK90Z2HBpct4u4MaZsVY_R7BCk/s320/IMG_3052.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>A colorful food market was set up in front of the gate:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXsLiwDfcz8JtB45Op2cxg2c54Ah23lcpfcHctbeXQxcfPWlKD_lTQgeo5dHFJhsFAUMUAEwpZmRjWUOQAF2j4UNPuopMJO6zi6iqBHeSeoPaMNWuRVlEMGzN-VjVkyQguXjDnqkrm9ozLPPUpOa1teZTNaqn-nW_3LWL1SNevP_brKv1nAws0CfuIqdg/s3953/IMG_3055.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2965" data-original-width="3953" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXsLiwDfcz8JtB45Op2cxg2c54Ah23lcpfcHctbeXQxcfPWlKD_lTQgeo5dHFJhsFAUMUAEwpZmRjWUOQAF2j4UNPuopMJO6zi6iqBHeSeoPaMNWuRVlEMGzN-VjVkyQguXjDnqkrm9ozLPPUpOa1teZTNaqn-nW_3LWL1SNevP_brKv1nAws0CfuIqdg/s320/IMG_3055.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Standing on the Great Wall and looking down on the plaza below. Our hotel was just off to the right, out of view:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEaQ4p_jHvMz5GcvSQ87A5EK70fu_xy2NekfmxZtzEtMz2qZkIrFPnY48WukvdEOM8e5Jccr_h3cPg9K0IGHe3_uK4yIC9ggxNaU08jKuGStztsPSpJMWzHrZ4SllS-XXiUrUpfp6TaPSVsVoIrhdu5XomRohwK54xw2uF69ukjnm2bjMTUNr-_hYF5tw/s4032/IMG_3057.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2299" data-original-width="4032" height="182" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEaQ4p_jHvMz5GcvSQ87A5EK70fu_xy2NekfmxZtzEtMz2qZkIrFPnY48WukvdEOM8e5Jccr_h3cPg9K0IGHe3_uK4yIC9ggxNaU08jKuGStztsPSpJMWzHrZ4SllS-XXiUrUpfp6TaPSVsVoIrhdu5XomRohwK54xw2uF69ukjnm2bjMTUNr-_hYF5tw/s320/IMG_3057.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBLNpYk828VPIy4CMnfXYN8h8doWg34tH3dGJrPnIZHNjHQIgcB_x-a1rHQACXuMGtBi1gSn5uoawhV6z0-6JE7mgwsGgN9PrAIvhX8rdrh9e5cWP_Z24gImNEe2dILO_Q0tgJ7qwAT_LS_PQL_8AJRblkxCZ5gavcNf1PeFM1vZEASSIQSPCINJrny_I/s2698/IMG_3058.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2531" data-original-width="2698" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBLNpYk828VPIy4CMnfXYN8h8doWg34tH3dGJrPnIZHNjHQIgcB_x-a1rHQACXuMGtBi1gSn5uoawhV6z0-6JE7mgwsGgN9PrAIvhX8rdrh9e5cWP_Z24gImNEe2dILO_Q0tgJ7qwAT_LS_PQL_8AJRblkxCZ5gavcNf1PeFM1vZEASSIQSPCINJrny_I/s320/IMG_3058.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Atop the wall and appreciating the full moon, all the while sporting a <a href="https://fortune.com/2023/09/30/john-fetterman-hoodie-shorts-senate-dress-code-fashion-historian/" target="_blank">John Fetterman</a> look (minus the beard):</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm2zbCbXwJOys4FBXpxsfEnUaDFgenuNf4J01iaCkt3w6L0fLpTlAVlcnkFjpQQSiP9RtSq45SspKP-V72UuibLuDzR_Z1y71jws2qwvgxPB5gUFTTuXZjiTxChPOEW90QAu387h9n3Sc-40AojdiV8nCY4XAMZTGKR8gui-7n5aQHQRGZ4Li5_AFUupc/s1706/731040f46db6d498cc9c4e303059f05e.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1706" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm2zbCbXwJOys4FBXpxsfEnUaDFgenuNf4J01iaCkt3w6L0fLpTlAVlcnkFjpQQSiP9RtSq45SspKP-V72UuibLuDzR_Z1y71jws2qwvgxPB5gUFTTuXZjiTxChPOEW90QAu387h9n3Sc-40AojdiV8nCY4XAMZTGKR8gui-7n5aQHQRGZ4Li5_AFUupc/s320/731040f46db6d498cc9c4e303059f05e.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihjwliOfdPNB7dDZXMNNMtHT6sp-diB9YAowPWOzA3AvMQPI7_8H8pmPerbJBncweIWQKGJFWU1GG1GQsVp0cdK9zfhQ-u_9M_1y5stUqsJeV-yyQO1eODTuD16T3jRzijMN5rHIGxqdUL8zxfWl6qv4qvqf2l2cEoWlfjuw-z20aOUfLRbjiEznKy5fA/s4032/IMG_3060.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihjwliOfdPNB7dDZXMNNMtHT6sp-diB9YAowPWOzA3AvMQPI7_8H8pmPerbJBncweIWQKGJFWU1GG1GQsVp0cdK9zfhQ-u_9M_1y5stUqsJeV-yyQO1eODTuD16T3jRzijMN5rHIGxqdUL8zxfWl6qv4qvqf2l2cEoWlfjuw-z20aOUfLRbjiEznKy5fA/s320/IMG_3060.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div>The evening culminated with a somewhat underwhelming light show, but all in all it was an enjoyable day:</div></div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpf2aRzlQ7T21GRNGaCFPFFAACXvOhLKLoILIcgmWppBpkt4NcSq35oo2I84Tk6o2aNywt4M0W3wZd-ylfOavDtUBWgrKTlAdrhas0qz6uzlZlDpA9j4X2Vhaohd5jerIAkv_MK2ydZeRnl7f8sXrV1zFLG2U-wy05Gfsa4g_zCKx9dtO4a0T7ss-yxcs/s4032/IMG_3068.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpf2aRzlQ7T21GRNGaCFPFFAACXvOhLKLoILIcgmWppBpkt4NcSq35oo2I84Tk6o2aNywt4M0W3wZd-ylfOavDtUBWgrKTlAdrhas0qz6uzlZlDpA9j4X2Vhaohd5jerIAkv_MK2ydZeRnl7f8sXrV1zFLG2U-wy05Gfsa4g_zCKx9dtO4a0T7ss-yxcs/s320/IMG_3068.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><u style="font-weight: bold;">National Day 国庆节</u></div><div><b><u><br /></u></b></div><div>The People's Republic of China 中国人民共和国 turned 74 on Sunday, and to celebrate we were off to the beach and <a href="https://www.chinahighlights.com/greatwall/section/old-dragon-head.htm" target="_blank">Old Dragon Head</a> 老龙头, where the Great Wall meets the sea. The main parking lot was jammed with vehicles, and so we gave up, instead driving through the Great Wall itself to a section of sand on the other side. Entry here was free of charge, and came with a view of the huge shipping port:</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUe1ndbbjvPlRqQe0yX7KRAVU9M3U7tMn9oUwkHVrcL7MLSfZCzvGLGLhSWMX7fipgNZcPT5afkwFjSE7eqBEH6rbUtfyfPghh_x8qp2E1qm_l50LuJ5SEXg5td0VnjffHCKV2uuaZB0FLQbW1qC7rCHHt7oXR5wOCmCBBd1-HillsNuDDXvHl-AeF2yw/s4032/IMG_3070.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUe1ndbbjvPlRqQe0yX7KRAVU9M3U7tMn9oUwkHVrcL7MLSfZCzvGLGLhSWMX7fipgNZcPT5afkwFjSE7eqBEH6rbUtfyfPghh_x8qp2E1qm_l50LuJ5SEXg5td0VnjffHCKV2uuaZB0FLQbW1qC7rCHHt7oXR5wOCmCBBd1-HillsNuDDXvHl-AeF2yw/s320/IMG_3070.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir2v7Y6y_IFH7m-zuyQ2Z84uTFCZJEc66GT-DRGW3zpWe2tOi1SQCa5_HVaYmjgAEATWnRrh5Jyu9Tu1t8jDPZWLXj5RKU5jkQ98awTz_45-zk8Z6O1HGTpgTkqaPYPO_LjyJ0Isy4Y8k0sQtE7dA4qLpLmg-s7PJR2p29YGyiXn5ZlT8HiC5MV5uRlHo/s4032/IMG_3071.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1414" data-original-width="4032" height="112" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir2v7Y6y_IFH7m-zuyQ2Z84uTFCZJEc66GT-DRGW3zpWe2tOi1SQCa5_HVaYmjgAEATWnRrh5Jyu9Tu1t8jDPZWLXj5RKU5jkQ98awTz_45-zk8Z6O1HGTpgTkqaPYPO_LjyJ0Isy4Y8k0sQtE7dA4qLpLmg-s7PJR2p29YGyiXn5ZlT8HiC5MV5uRlHo/s320/IMG_3071.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Amber wore a mask to, um, mask the effects of the cold. Shu-E dressed as an oppressed woman living under Taliban rule because, you know, the sun...:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiXflIlFJPZZOTaMrAkTIgnMi7v5jXUEXuUS1qra3XzQuoLa8YuI2EXsLRL02KSvQYy9axgylagxXYVtKCg7JbcvNSLqFATwHagjqxr-1_Jgs0uLZuX85iRD1w4Q8_jPshl3uIG7pQcAkIrT7UCncsWxDj4XbMFX9o_gO1G_WsfoZ2HvY8Nu-vCvZcx5Y/s2577/IMG_3072.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2268" data-original-width="2577" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiXflIlFJPZZOTaMrAkTIgnMi7v5jXUEXuUS1qra3XzQuoLa8YuI2EXsLRL02KSvQYy9axgylagxXYVtKCg7JbcvNSLqFATwHagjqxr-1_Jgs0uLZuX85iRD1w4Q8_jPshl3uIG7pQcAkIrT7UCncsWxDj4XbMFX9o_gO1G_WsfoZ2HvY8Nu-vCvZcx5Y/s320/IMG_3072.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/8shJqHFPYFo" width="320" youtube-src-id="8shJqHFPYFo"></iframe></div><div><br /></div>A section of the Great Wall at the beach:<div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFVdUh6P-5ODVQlIMvYuLTLfO39RX_QneAlQN6vKG3GYlM3jaPi1Ru6T9-f_mL2bOY6M9xXcXCHHFSnFBkTVNwmb9UZhimqk7yuRRhbqWHtxHevETPcTS_MsFC0CYqMjCJKLRneR23V37_9xowu1JwrnROBm7cDYOZPKE8vygZIKNWUm-LF6kN35m3US8/s4608/IMG_2747.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2788" data-original-width="4608" height="194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFVdUh6P-5ODVQlIMvYuLTLfO39RX_QneAlQN6vKG3GYlM3jaPi1Ru6T9-f_mL2bOY6M9xXcXCHHFSnFBkTVNwmb9UZhimqk7yuRRhbqWHtxHevETPcTS_MsFC0CYqMjCJKLRneR23V37_9xowu1JwrnROBm7cDYOZPKE8vygZIKNWUm-LF6kN35m3US8/s320/IMG_2747.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Lawrence of Dorkrabia boldly makes his way across the burning sands:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAVKsmWPzXHyPFDegwAEjo8d6YVIjdfmbzHmznS5AuM4ZJiW4jni9jkSexxTuMp_1w7X7d_ozMTwX4IciYy8uAYtCJxgAKs8IAQP8LSrDCeUylh6NVTJ3AFxefMq998mvqKVT1R-4fW6Mp1AxoiECSZo8_NmDuzg8LNC630scXHzgNwap3qOXT6RK3u8Y/s1706/2536bd91f9048de38c063642568e0802.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1706" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAVKsmWPzXHyPFDegwAEjo8d6YVIjdfmbzHmznS5AuM4ZJiW4jni9jkSexxTuMp_1w7X7d_ozMTwX4IciYy8uAYtCJxgAKs8IAQP8LSrDCeUylh6NVTJ3AFxefMq998mvqKVT1R-4fW6Mp1AxoiECSZo8_NmDuzg8LNC630scXHzgNwap3qOXT6RK3u8Y/s320/2536bd91f9048de38c063642568e0802.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Old Dragon Head is famous in China for its dramatic location. Reality, however, dictates that while the Great Wall did end at the sea here, it long ago succumbed to the elements. What is seen today is a reconstruction dating back to the 1980's. It's still photogenic:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnD-GQm83xBnVv7jfKskiI0EVvPFgkTyA1N0_5q9VUFx9hW5bIE_lCsdhVbNPFqGnbQLzAfP1LsJNtbilqEVHq68UUsiVYWvQbIvs2jdc9W33rVLUBMURqxZLXmF629ZGN_pJ38rj0utYEkZsDHBp3RYOxg10LMFYxF4LB8KLZJ8pMv6kQGJGSh9XqwgU/s4608/IMG_2749.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2840" data-original-width="4608" height="197" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnD-GQm83xBnVv7jfKskiI0EVvPFgkTyA1N0_5q9VUFx9hW5bIE_lCsdhVbNPFqGnbQLzAfP1LsJNtbilqEVHq68UUsiVYWvQbIvs2jdc9W33rVLUBMURqxZLXmF629ZGN_pJ38rj0utYEkZsDHBp3RYOxg10LMFYxF4LB8KLZJ8pMv6kQGJGSh9XqwgU/s320/IMG_2749.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Because we didn't pay the entrance fee on the other side, this was as close as we could get to Old Dragon Head:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG1xILoF1w0yY2nSCeqo8ESinGPGp6Dj2ntlL4YpXn3MMfsiZhQYac4JWjbeIMfYVcjS6aPDtgJpUAcaE_KKnra-9431PaTPHDlKtjJyGmgga4DodH9DzcPdBZv8ToakQp4BE4TSsknddnmv8R59kT9m2oyrH_PukwLewyKlOXhJnDEFur75QBdGLGk_w/s3959/IMG_3076.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2969" data-original-width="3959" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG1xILoF1w0yY2nSCeqo8ESinGPGp6Dj2ntlL4YpXn3MMfsiZhQYac4JWjbeIMfYVcjS6aPDtgJpUAcaE_KKnra-9431PaTPHDlKtjJyGmgga4DodH9DzcPdBZv8ToakQp4BE4TSsknddnmv8R59kT9m2oyrH_PukwLewyKlOXhJnDEFur75QBdGLGk_w/s320/IMG_3076.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibokUfqb4gme6mTviChCKiWKfd7DAbS9uvK5NZo7uZPoh-u8qaflPFPx1POBOsNNAlViCyNggohCLty1Z9azToDJbIL10hyphenhyphenS_USlrk86iA291hlRg4TqxdYFY6wYEhtX5Q-HrlOLOr4fbi-F3dTtDDjgOxDnSnSrOdOUCVzr9XS-v-WpcuntdA8LZxVo0/s4032/IMG_3077.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2341" data-original-width="4032" height="186" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibokUfqb4gme6mTviChCKiWKfd7DAbS9uvK5NZo7uZPoh-u8qaflPFPx1POBOsNNAlViCyNggohCLty1Z9azToDJbIL10hyphenhyphenS_USlrk86iA291hlRg4TqxdYFY6wYEhtX5Q-HrlOLOr4fbi-F3dTtDDjgOxDnSnSrOdOUCVzr9XS-v-WpcuntdA8LZxVo0/s320/IMG_3077.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>From Old Dragon Head, and with Shu-E behind the wheel, we made our way south along the coast. There wasn't much in the way of seaside scenery to behold:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht7D7erCbRebCJJ1oluV_IqV2s8Fz2xG8p5diYTuWjfnmZdMmFpfkTHIMFO5eVBL7z02wutU0aTnRDulHX-iY15lVjVGIAATWEyYLWQhqyqTqQHTGFPNdmKThqsa4cf-XGkFK1ctSNFkWssdK0BKQyqAnKenZs9RMw13JJmmrVhqIBcNRvMAPULcuUOYw/s4032/IMG_3084.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1687" data-original-width="4032" height="134" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht7D7erCbRebCJJ1oluV_IqV2s8Fz2xG8p5diYTuWjfnmZdMmFpfkTHIMFO5eVBL7z02wutU0aTnRDulHX-iY15lVjVGIAATWEyYLWQhqyqTqQHTGFPNdmKThqsa4cf-XGkFK1ctSNFkWssdK0BKQyqAnKenZs9RMw13JJmmrVhqIBcNRvMAPULcuUOYw/s320/IMG_3084.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Qinhuangdao is famous for being the launching pad of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xu_Fu" target="_blank">Xu Fu</a> 徐福, an alchemist who was tasked by Qin Shi Huang to lead an expedition east in search of an elixir of immortality. He was never seen again, though a legend in Japan has it that he landed in what is now the city of Shingū 新宮 in Wakayama Prefecture 和歌山県, where <a href="https://www.shinguu.jp/en/spots/detail/A0005" target="_blank">Jofuku Park</a> 徐福公園 is dedicated to him. As Shu-E and I had visited the park while traveling around the Kii Peninsula 紀伊半島 back in the summer of 2004, I thought it was only proper to see where Xu Fu set out from. What we discovered was a classic tourist trap, best skipped if you're ever in the area:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS6CtNkzr-u1wYv3p8l04Yi1OdjthuoLY0wR7vloS9QZS4Y_R7k4ut2XPGnW9ysXy-6xrlkAaNXnRuUHxGrBryz2asRWjXbU09htIR6j7KU-lO0zlTydXr5snq4a87MKMe2FnkbC-pwV9ksJrsJCA3VAQ4L3-Vokt3UglPWT5FrSkKiAO8ub4Iuzzz4dg/s4032/IMG_3088.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2505" data-original-width="4032" height="199" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS6CtNkzr-u1wYv3p8l04Yi1OdjthuoLY0wR7vloS9QZS4Y_R7k4ut2XPGnW9ysXy-6xrlkAaNXnRuUHxGrBryz2asRWjXbU09htIR6j7KU-lO0zlTydXr5snq4a87MKMe2FnkbC-pwV9ksJrsJCA3VAQ4L3-Vokt3UglPWT5FrSkKiAO8ub4Iuzzz4dg/s320/IMG_3088.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Nothing on sale here, folks, move along:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-Q5bXnhmXMqZyoD6Fx9GxKnVNvrgtvU8Zy8ykO9Xy_WlyzdJlqKjwumXgebUTRPZEyAVxL0LkYnwM9RPXIAyROEy0FHkvOP74z89ZjPgcJHutEMeAC6qepIopfvDOYRwgt0ppj9ujqjSDrMCEgf8EQStk5HEuoUVNWeAKIrpo2IFVl7_yFWfYcGMX11w/s4032/IMG_3090.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-Q5bXnhmXMqZyoD6Fx9GxKnVNvrgtvU8Zy8ykO9Xy_WlyzdJlqKjwumXgebUTRPZEyAVxL0LkYnwM9RPXIAyROEy0FHkvOP74z89ZjPgcJHutEMeAC6qepIopfvDOYRwgt0ppj9ujqjSDrMCEgf8EQStk5HEuoUVNWeAKIrpo2IFVl7_yFWfYcGMX11w/s320/IMG_3090.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>A giant statue of Qin Shi Huang looks out to the sea:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhP90rsvMVA6F6NT7ypBWx6NKqpdJ3edS9DMqgssoaZfZw8FDCDb08lgyHMVMv0rrU94GVtGdnro_j94vNobap_lvbjD4A4Hj7rfxMigS0Mxbp_bS8woQLB2FS27hrFr8v9B3nMk9_7o0XkLHN4932xsV8P-OYiK09xRjU-ww2Npi4exOWhlJZeOEEeJM/s3440/IMG_3091.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3440" data-original-width="2971" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhP90rsvMVA6F6NT7ypBWx6NKqpdJ3edS9DMqgssoaZfZw8FDCDb08lgyHMVMv0rrU94GVtGdnro_j94vNobap_lvbjD4A4Hj7rfxMigS0Mxbp_bS8woQLB2FS27hrFr8v9B3nMk9_7o0XkLHN4932xsV8P-OYiK09xRjU-ww2Npi4exOWhlJZeOEEeJM/s320/IMG_3091.jpg" width="276" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLdDZ42giLuA5ntlqVaFDScQA7jHEHUTHFPuZyDol_FQjkcnRYpwwI7dbmoUrBj70ng9aH9bcbKamfA_zqRIGqqUyMpqMXZuz4VUY_BQTFqYSoSFqMzR6SMABexmUQ2mv9xOZ-ex44PO54A9fexOPxDcd-bYGxtC16GfSrAnpXORhoxvdeXOG1RNFwseI/s3965/IMG_3093.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2289" data-original-width="3965" height="185" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLdDZ42giLuA5ntlqVaFDScQA7jHEHUTHFPuZyDol_FQjkcnRYpwwI7dbmoUrBj70ng9aH9bcbKamfA_zqRIGqqUyMpqMXZuz4VUY_BQTFqYSoSFqMzR6SMABexmUQ2mv9xOZ-ex44PO54A9fexOPxDcd-bYGxtC16GfSrAnpXORhoxvdeXOG1RNFwseI/s320/IMG_3093.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>A much more worthwhile stopover was the <a href="https://www.trip.com/travel-guide/foods/qinhuangdao-132-restaurant/qinhuang-alley-92953434" target="_blank">Qinhuang Xiaoshang</a> 秦皇小巷 food market, in the Haigang 海港 district of Qinhuangdao (which turned out to be a surprisingly big city, at least in terms of area):</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc_lsEWIGGir7NOoKpfTa2ravc0jJEdcGcoMMce-SAzXvtHBHiF23Qmy408DLA6g2XL_34RRfvWQfxH0K8tv6tFTBjsEqdOZuDQwZeK7UiHR5oVgK0_V3m7vwvHgx2jnPLHS-akQBH403W6xteGoYn3roq3pIcEjn3hVaucYD4kPZ9b4SA2vg8bJ5b4rk/s4032/IMG_3094.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc_lsEWIGGir7NOoKpfTa2ravc0jJEdcGcoMMce-SAzXvtHBHiF23Qmy408DLA6g2XL_34RRfvWQfxH0K8tv6tFTBjsEqdOZuDQwZeK7UiHR5oVgK0_V3m7vwvHgx2jnPLHS-akQBH403W6xteGoYn3roq3pIcEjn3hVaucYD4kPZ9b4SA2vg8bJ5b4rk/s320/IMG_3094.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>With a sign like this, and needing a break from Chinese cuisine, I insisted on making our lunch a Borf Burger one!:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCQfgRATa4ucRXB3-m1VQX_SLG_JDVz7GgM6hL3boT7iFMJyTeTlz9lpLBqW0-LZLb_avzIN_9m9Kf0Y7-_mUf-4tnbMAmYcUmPQw7IwTxTdrLBNgJTbrGcGMUOFjLct_AOh_QgxC0tMxJ7x7WYCwalZvnaNYLSqkCT-dN5orzEsvuctAY1QHdwkMJQDo/s3539/IMG_3095.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3539" data-original-width="2357" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCQfgRATa4ucRXB3-m1VQX_SLG_JDVz7GgM6hL3boT7iFMJyTeTlz9lpLBqW0-LZLb_avzIN_9m9Kf0Y7-_mUf-4tnbMAmYcUmPQw7IwTxTdrLBNgJTbrGcGMUOFjLct_AOh_QgxC0tMxJ7x7WYCwalZvnaNYLSqkCT-dN5orzEsvuctAY1QHdwkMJQDo/s320/IMG_3095.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><div><br /></div>I ordered the "Sin Double Layer Beef Cheese Burger", which turned out to be pretty good. A 100% Beef Party indeed!:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijMSZb8mjiDPmpGka_H3mu_4PpTezbQ-LerhGmU0dAmnx8QHOKQiJLNciqu2Pr7Jm_IpZiu6-JGct99KJkjlH72afemztQ4Bj3SWemNOf4bpAc0Es0cqTEzzeNVzr-omCVJXNtauPpom8syCT1HU2KJgj_hHj2Cu2lMCGdAW5-HdVXvXx6B3xfNeCJchY/s4032/IMG_3098.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijMSZb8mjiDPmpGka_H3mu_4PpTezbQ-LerhGmU0dAmnx8QHOKQiJLNciqu2Pr7Jm_IpZiu6-JGct99KJkjlH72afemztQ4Bj3SWemNOf4bpAc0Es0cqTEzzeNVzr-omCVJXNtauPpom8syCT1HU2KJgj_hHj2Cu2lMCGdAW5-HdVXvXx6B3xfNeCJchY/s320/IMG_3098.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL093wYL4Hm7dahzWA1LUXXmcOsrW5GadntrboH9JcwexjkYdjaOIixsQXf4-eLXFXvB8jP1cevE5xJ27u8gkKFqVjWgFi6iKTO138Cvz2Z8gmmxCe2T1tnrf4CIr5tJVJXFOiUW1ksKBCfGUETTeCKY4XolcoJeILIiG44DtaRCuRVpVGEp3dMhyphenhyphenyP3o/s4032/IMG_3099.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL093wYL4Hm7dahzWA1LUXXmcOsrW5GadntrboH9JcwexjkYdjaOIixsQXf4-eLXFXvB8jP1cevE5xJ27u8gkKFqVjWgFi6iKTO138Cvz2Z8gmmxCe2T1tnrf4CIr5tJVJXFOiUW1ksKBCfGUETTeCKY4XolcoJeILIiG44DtaRCuRVpVGEp3dMhyphenhyphenyP3o/s320/IMG_3099.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Across from Borf Burger was a store dealing in nostalgia-themed Chinese drinks and snacks, like these bottles of propaganda poster-themed <i><a href="https://asiasociety.org/reference/what-baijiu-primer-chinas-infamous-alcoholic-staple-2#:~:text=Baijiu%20is%20a%20clear%20grain,(55%20percent%20alcohol%20content)." target="_blank">baijiu</a></i> 白酒:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDkAQfnWtJFxQ50t3miBdhkQtB2ET5ykm5vVIhNccnhc_AD0Fk9n1NLwOQ6yXemRMTAviauo9VpXC_w4Ok91ALJ9Pflau8JKWNWsGetHhUbngKNSnMtPZRB7-g8Rhyphenhyphen7jy4OeLrcLR23IiQR-avKKX6Y7HaZ6WYOInRsSN2ubkOGHkhyphenhyphenz3GRypiJQjhX8c/s3950/IMG_3102.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2963" data-original-width="3950" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDkAQfnWtJFxQ50t3miBdhkQtB2ET5ykm5vVIhNccnhc_AD0Fk9n1NLwOQ6yXemRMTAviauo9VpXC_w4Ok91ALJ9Pflau8JKWNWsGetHhUbngKNSnMtPZRB7-g8Rhyphenhyphen7jy4OeLrcLR23IiQR-avKKX6Y7HaZ6WYOInRsSN2ubkOGHkhyphenhyphenz3GRypiJQjhX8c/s320/IMG_3102.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Amber sits in a period living room that more resembles an American TV talk show set from the 1970's:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2ne4SYzQarCA1IVT2vJCmh0KSpeXcAyx81aai3K9_6tn-4XW81nnKOxRi-MLIrwWX5C-Xzu9rMxaIpJWnk289wxAHjXB9F74Vn3F_z0BR2bt2xbaDlRV8nx0W-Hzh_wxS0XV2A3969mMFq4HHSZ0S5AA9CsfQb_oFQz7MnzepRH_8l3FOhqmDfiAOnLs/s3153/IMG_3103.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2719" data-original-width="3153" height="276" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2ne4SYzQarCA1IVT2vJCmh0KSpeXcAyx81aai3K9_6tn-4XW81nnKOxRi-MLIrwWX5C-Xzu9rMxaIpJWnk289wxAHjXB9F74Vn3F_z0BR2bt2xbaDlRV8nx0W-Hzh_wxS0XV2A3969mMFq4HHSZ0S5AA9CsfQb_oFQz7MnzepRH_8l3FOhqmDfiAOnLs/s320/IMG_3103.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The Commie swag I ended up purchasing, complete with complimentary PRC flag. My daughter pointed out that I was wearing a State Department T-shirt, so I can probably say <i>zaijian</i> 再见 to whatever remains of my diplomatic career:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUf2pTu2cwhRaCmssm5Sf-qSG2x86zo1JDDRxHfAtt-Mffcd9JrQTrcKXcDK0jOa4Qgw5A-xolQa5v6kB6BZVdizQRWSvHFIWTQzaJeJG-qsNNx7WtrIRnwgDOWbN0ZNUSs2ZF8eJkCe7Co8lvC4bqsVQvcJx-ksmxzFqBEWgYSPP2iR-eo1o5vI6isyI/s1462/7937a9f70ee68e0697a3e90cd83e66bb.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1462" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUf2pTu2cwhRaCmssm5Sf-qSG2x86zo1JDDRxHfAtt-Mffcd9JrQTrcKXcDK0jOa4Qgw5A-xolQa5v6kB6BZVdizQRWSvHFIWTQzaJeJG-qsNNx7WtrIRnwgDOWbN0ZNUSs2ZF8eJkCe7Co8lvC4bqsVQvcJx-ksmxzFqBEWgYSPP2iR-eo1o5vI6isyI/s320/7937a9f70ee68e0697a3e90cd83e66bb.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaHSxAccTyBBbb-YkJ1mac5HJXaTVURz5RFDzw4WBVU5pmxVrZP5dZ5qEOWjYnrKOD1g9aDJxaqp60NAJy2vfDOhJUMHUaAvIyEqtsdFEvImJIZkSjuOVHYc1obml_Q6weLH492u2l-yXto555GmHvAodc07vWGPaj7lX_eSlTgxxX6eCmXBr6rl6S_8Y/s1649/6af2fb7190e4a3ee1fb9ae7266594a4c.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1649" data-original-width="1214" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaHSxAccTyBBbb-YkJ1mac5HJXaTVURz5RFDzw4WBVU5pmxVrZP5dZ5qEOWjYnrKOD1g9aDJxaqp60NAJy2vfDOhJUMHUaAvIyEqtsdFEvImJIZkSjuOVHYc1obml_Q6weLH492u2l-yXto555GmHvAodc07vWGPaj7lX_eSlTgxxX6eCmXBr6rl6S_8Y/s320/6af2fb7190e4a3ee1fb9ae7266594a4c.JPG" width="236" /></a></div><div><br /></div>A sign above a urinal I used at the market that read "Peeing out love and hate, go back and continue to drink wine". Sage advice:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG9l17Fk3mQ1W9KNyfLmXrOqhoRfxjDzhzwUT6F4UdXrrwOHTq_qO0J74eUXPPjQB1k701WxcLuhTDTGHF1cSwC3v0aSnOa-VkUVv6wJkcIwlItYlBi9AaWtwnZ-wyZ25CaYhgcERlq3ywxQNQelu0F-5Nb-QTknbbjlpDF8-0HZ_5q_CxZiZhayEWrb0/s3394/IMG_3107.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2140" data-original-width="3394" height="202" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG9l17Fk3mQ1W9KNyfLmXrOqhoRfxjDzhzwUT6F4UdXrrwOHTq_qO0J74eUXPPjQB1k701WxcLuhTDTGHF1cSwC3v0aSnOa-VkUVv6wJkcIwlItYlBi9AaWtwnZ-wyZ25CaYhgcERlq3ywxQNQelu0F-5Nb-QTknbbjlpDF8-0HZ_5q_CxZiZhayEWrb0/s320/IMG_3107.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Seafood is a specialty is Haigang, so we ordered some grilled oysters from one of the many snack stalls:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb-tyuUdRgbmthSiopPaEuN46i5v3shWaUvJnZ-uo22dL2vgf-BXG4A1ASwZlzqfYYJeJcauk-goUP2jScZEyKT-UUzaVf0-93AzFNdhF5BWrhCzX2voVhMDWlrVtS69h1vEEnSLPSuLXCVI8LOhm1N7EST_md52WR71v5QTIJ_RCqovhZlUvsERXkbJE/s4032/IMG_3110.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb-tyuUdRgbmthSiopPaEuN46i5v3shWaUvJnZ-uo22dL2vgf-BXG4A1ASwZlzqfYYJeJcauk-goUP2jScZEyKT-UUzaVf0-93AzFNdhF5BWrhCzX2voVhMDWlrVtS69h1vEEnSLPSuLXCVI8LOhm1N7EST_md52WR71v5QTIJ_RCqovhZlUvsERXkbJE/s320/IMG_3110.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7uEN2VNig5UMUDYuFjSGeMYTggKPCMeQt6f-VdfwKoD33bNxrssRXg9NQbdcCdljCjbl_k7l_6WGBss3Vl894R6yYT1fRqT-IhLAoI-4PMhuQsboFYu7gwus-ABPStlSYZgma6XSWBTIjim2eYVA_ta29GLtRK8EtDHDtuiHmKGesPj-ot4Bg377gxcA/s3218/IMG_3111.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3218" data-original-width="2969" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7uEN2VNig5UMUDYuFjSGeMYTggKPCMeQt6f-VdfwKoD33bNxrssRXg9NQbdcCdljCjbl_k7l_6WGBss3Vl894R6yYT1fRqT-IhLAoI-4PMhuQsboFYu7gwus-ABPStlSYZgma6XSWBTIjim2eYVA_ta29GLtRK8EtDHDtuiHmKGesPj-ot4Bg377gxcA/s320/IMG_3111.jpg" width="295" /></a></div><div><br /></div>There was also "Taiwanese-style" bubble tea to sample. I had a cup minus the <i>zhenzhu</i> 珍珠:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1mgMBOnvaXA1F1SEaGiJQmjX_iNd795dL0etzUL0Kv4F3KkHqhgr224ctwDjxZ3OUmNVQWSi1gHM9DyMhbpsQi9w5jZ0thMQ4zxC1y4v4JwbvfwGDdx4cR7pUdLaw6SPGR7eGdX3m2fbnKYptU6cEYxv6ED_7fzjgSX3uxxSDopuRt-I-R0Njc5syGpE/s3867/IMG_3114.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3867" data-original-width="2900" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1mgMBOnvaXA1F1SEaGiJQmjX_iNd795dL0etzUL0Kv4F3KkHqhgr224ctwDjxZ3OUmNVQWSi1gHM9DyMhbpsQi9w5jZ0thMQ4zxC1y4v4JwbvfwGDdx4cR7pUdLaw6SPGR7eGdX3m2fbnKYptU6cEYxv6ED_7fzjgSX3uxxSDopuRt-I-R0Njc5syGpE/s320/IMG_3114.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Next stop was a seaside park the name of which presently eludes the missus. I was bemused to see this poster extoling seafood freshly delivered directly from Hokkaidō 北海道, as seafood imports from Japan are currently banned by the Chinese government due to the release of treated radioactive waste water from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant 福島第一原子力発電所. Never mind the fact China's coastline is littered with nuclear power stations also discharging water into the sea that in all probability has not been filtered to the extent being done in Japan:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifESND-Ea6Zf9yfzU6dxww1tTRejw1qsuHdkkja2Gpv2Hu3WzfhcqncG__TqJMblJSyejbwbrGxbqwt2WQECuy4njmWC3Bh3e8Mrft_Scv98IU7Vu7kuURZ2y93MYmZzrEBJhMxYCMzl6Blrp3ndC3iax9NZs7i4FRdpD3r-kWOfNI4MeDaTVY7CU4AmA/s3443/IMG_3115.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3443" data-original-width="2585" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifESND-Ea6Zf9yfzU6dxww1tTRejw1qsuHdkkja2Gpv2Hu3WzfhcqncG__TqJMblJSyejbwbrGxbqwt2WQECuy4njmWC3Bh3e8Mrft_Scv98IU7Vu7kuURZ2y93MYmZzrEBJhMxYCMzl6Blrp3ndC3iax9NZs7i4FRdpD3r-kWOfNI4MeDaTVY7CU4AmA/s320/IMG_3115.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>This particular spot proved popular with young women for some reason:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUmtbeatJgsWz3WcBsFdtRk9voO_v-i0dWS-vXQ3vpFQY29fBaVHeP5ara92kX2i_lyt5_PGC5zFBYqW-KjK8s-9lWks4FJs1eKhla-8hv0zqAbsundSDYcMj7kZJrVpFYyj-QHAh-byyokuv4M-qjUClhdOAcoY86l2mRsIRn2S_lRyoGR3ssxRxRDNg/s4032/IMG_3116.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUmtbeatJgsWz3WcBsFdtRk9voO_v-i0dWS-vXQ3vpFQY29fBaVHeP5ara92kX2i_lyt5_PGC5zFBYqW-KjK8s-9lWks4FJs1eKhla-8hv0zqAbsundSDYcMj7kZJrVpFYyj-QHAh-byyokuv4M-qjUClhdOAcoY86l2mRsIRn2S_lRyoGR3ssxRxRDNg/s320/IMG_3116.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVD1wZfaLPOdIRA6Qm4b7zBGhlQUH1AIHrBggLzHUibsu3XMEZTj4jKEPtAO0cy24QH6LpcxNb6TUkqgKyH3t0C9Bfj-MpQn28gkGgylKPGomxZYt3YcyiOS5hW3Sqr9OVa6fu61tKGHprprcUqVZV2Z-hRphB66ixGR3SqzBt3wk_emdsiTQcetpDc5w/s4032/IMG_3119.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2228" data-original-width="4032" height="177" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVD1wZfaLPOdIRA6Qm4b7zBGhlQUH1AIHrBggLzHUibsu3XMEZTj4jKEPtAO0cy24QH6LpcxNb6TUkqgKyH3t0C9Bfj-MpQn28gkGgylKPGomxZYt3YcyiOS5hW3Sqr9OVa6fu61tKGHprprcUqVZV2Z-hRphB66ixGR3SqzBt3wk_emdsiTQcetpDc5w/s320/IMG_3119.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Finally, as darkness fell, we reached our lodgings in <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beidaihe_District" target="_blank">Beihaide</a> 北戴河, yet another district in (you guessed it) Qinhuangdao. Our room at the Xuanhe Hotel 宣和酒店 was surprisingly spacious:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEaZYM1v3z57FvAcXfmDtWjXV_mAVqPgyBUaDPvT3RlrQf2RbUBpvso-B1l6_E5VJC0Y4jpDLq5PRLxp2sQbWzk75eyfjcW3SRwhz6tB6JOxdfhAkSHdUa-xu-8ozNlq4M5flREfZXnc9U_MGtFHPVO4-AMs_OUVpkiDBpkmEiMTxLoYl8SwAKIpdrfic/s3959/IMG_3120.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2969" data-original-width="3959" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEaZYM1v3z57FvAcXfmDtWjXV_mAVqPgyBUaDPvT3RlrQf2RbUBpvso-B1l6_E5VJC0Y4jpDLq5PRLxp2sQbWzk75eyfjcW3SRwhz6tB6JOxdfhAkSHdUa-xu-8ozNlq4M5flREfZXnc9U_MGtFHPVO4-AMs_OUVpkiDBpkmEiMTxLoYl8SwAKIpdrfic/s320/IMG_3120.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The view across the street, where local branches of KFC and Pizza Hut were housed:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwhuFfFW7szTIqeEDhz5r8QEG-MYG6vXPmKUcPuJg4XkyANyhPPui06q6CbIyiOwXgW1g5h7UsRhGXgBR4Dhi22OjEF_GVKziPaGv4syjrK2zv7aK9RmNPUJKwdhJCchTJ8XCIHckxqkwCKQcwsErE_BA9zqe6HDn0je-GhkjpBZ6EBErJbNhbr2jCYes/s4032/IMG_3121.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwhuFfFW7szTIqeEDhz5r8QEG-MYG6vXPmKUcPuJg4XkyANyhPPui06q6CbIyiOwXgW1g5h7UsRhGXgBR4Dhi22OjEF_GVKziPaGv4syjrK2zv7aK9RmNPUJKwdhJCchTJ8XCIHckxqkwCKQcwsErE_BA9zqe6HDn0je-GhkjpBZ6EBErJbNhbr2jCYes/s320/IMG_3121.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>A small shopping area across from the beach. Beidaihe has historically been the summer retreat of the Chinese Communist Party:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL_klIRpDtWhvKXj5ywTZhFlnrxcb2tjs9SkmxWlNqPAti67oQ-HiSUKfKMmIKuAUdH-skuxNPWJ2bDVQ6G7JsPF6zWvhFLLH6Z2SNdbP5oRNQkUMIC4WUb9knCUTICc9kRRnrDt7RmVLt7Esxog33h-efRWk_2OEpzAukIujHlzXFMFf7VU_vOmsgYpk/s4032/IMG_3124.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL_klIRpDtWhvKXj5ywTZhFlnrxcb2tjs9SkmxWlNqPAti67oQ-HiSUKfKMmIKuAUdH-skuxNPWJ2bDVQ6G7JsPF6zWvhFLLH6Z2SNdbP5oRNQkUMIC4WUb9knCUTICc9kRRnrDt7RmVLt7Esxog33h-efRWk_2OEpzAukIujHlzXFMFf7VU_vOmsgYpk/s320/IMG_3124.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Another weak bottle of Chinese piss, er, I mean beer. Just 2.5%:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjusRj5P4sAqfin1BBr_8-M1KwiBveuieArBP8PA0b_ozBldhmvf9M9IaalHEaoij-WtO3PHPqBjUD1I_gNwYnJcM3xWnl2ym6zM03eNiFXowCBcGsdQCKJlPEmmBVaJ_Swt8Lre0hL1i1SwsIaf9o5WfgNgdMjhKJp6MLCjPteK5_S0-5xSlh3l5CS7ck/s4032/IMG_3128.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjusRj5P4sAqfin1BBr_8-M1KwiBveuieArBP8PA0b_ozBldhmvf9M9IaalHEaoij-WtO3PHPqBjUD1I_gNwYnJcM3xWnl2ym6zM03eNiFXowCBcGsdQCKJlPEmmBVaJ_Swt8Lre0hL1i1SwsIaf9o5WfgNgdMjhKJp6MLCjPteK5_S0-5xSlh3l5CS7ck/s320/IMG_3128.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR0JjXTZHMUGkOQNHTh2chhRfcBxEJv8KrxJn-6MjN729XNTe0R7RSJ_tyTg0r25K3ZogvKE7IW6iiKnzWTMZSPAbGTH5JbYwx8Gl8O2IJ71rE7FP7nmBmZUw7iyuiLXdFeAq8dynSWcb-gCvC3pwJb6-NZ-kGBvJ461L3Nz4OX-0ol1aZkROn088g5i0/s4032/IMG_3129.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR0JjXTZHMUGkOQNHTh2chhRfcBxEJv8KrxJn-6MjN729XNTe0R7RSJ_tyTg0r25K3ZogvKE7IW6iiKnzWTMZSPAbGTH5JbYwx8Gl8O2IJ71rE7FP7nmBmZUw7iyuiLXdFeAq8dynSWcb-gCvC3pwJb6-NZ-kGBvJ461L3Nz4OX-0ol1aZkROn088g5i0/s320/IMG_3129.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjM9ZPW74wDgDuU9CASdSLwKT_p08RBCPgkkt2bfYK9eATVMEdI8GvIoGwK3zW-V9FWyOvu8YW-SR9fqsUJHbgXo_D2A6hiH39S0HWYYp1W-codKcZ6t2rbMGmY7BxxoAq9lgDfW1XU0P8qQvjDBq3_go9CEAHcsEUMc0kF_yUlJ4DsckeNzAz5Op-RQo/s4032/IMG_3130.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjM9ZPW74wDgDuU9CASdSLwKT_p08RBCPgkkt2bfYK9eATVMEdI8GvIoGwK3zW-V9FWyOvu8YW-SR9fqsUJHbgXo_D2A6hiH39S0HWYYp1W-codKcZ6t2rbMGmY7BxxoAq9lgDfW1XU0P8qQvjDBq3_go9CEAHcsEUMc0kF_yUlJ4DsckeNzAz5Op-RQo/s320/IMG_3130.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Looking toward our hotel, originally constructed in 1920-21:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNTVMU7WiAy08MCs7vkiSSpPyZyQZOPg49Xd5aypIh-wUX5nl_xLGgSoWg6HeFk7PH-MQqyeBE3J2u7pt8W_taTh0WfBi6wgnc24GMD97YHjSOrQrxVdxiXIthge6xbdhDvVc6yqnh0P4e_2NSB9t_rej0iHFC421i0dA7JQS78_n1k5hdOuyQgMB2UDY/s4032/IMG_3131.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNTVMU7WiAy08MCs7vkiSSpPyZyQZOPg49Xd5aypIh-wUX5nl_xLGgSoWg6HeFk7PH-MQqyeBE3J2u7pt8W_taTh0WfBi6wgnc24GMD97YHjSOrQrxVdxiXIthge6xbdhDvVc6yqnh0P4e_2NSB9t_rej0iHFC421i0dA7JQS78_n1k5hdOuyQgMB2UDY/s320/IMG_3131.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><b><u>National Day plus one</u></b><div><br /></div><div>This day would prove to be the source of some friction between Shu-E and myself. It started off well with breakfast in the ornate dining room:</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq41TZ3zBoA94cZxE7FHNDreH6yftEd7L1gDhCT3a8WDo9KoHB9yC8GXagSfZxJ78g-5sJP0hfWK6qMydSvPwnMxHTFKjitM-ChplFtdf_4VHcL7dyWTk48BDF-ilARd69B-FXL5rpG40OEvdbNcxXzgUYKqMjGa58yiikaEZ49gvFPTpc8hAq-4oSH8k/s4032/IMG_3135.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq41TZ3zBoA94cZxE7FHNDreH6yftEd7L1gDhCT3a8WDo9KoHB9yC8GXagSfZxJ78g-5sJP0hfWK6qMydSvPwnMxHTFKjitM-ChplFtdf_4VHcL7dyWTk48BDF-ilARd69B-FXL5rpG40OEvdbNcxXzgUYKqMjGa58yiikaEZ49gvFPTpc8hAq-4oSH8k/s320/IMG_3135.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMn0J0R4HZJsGCiAZGBMO9kWCYjt_8Ak7uvzAqtRSPlTx8bPfUHCPKVYsVcRwm2X3zeNxK0NKbR7ymnEi9X8-Jc5lJM1oLwoYoQfrh6HBWtJTbZhOYSxZ_-WITHYH5tt0UELJGP1ve2khtmakO4buyBHE3azUvrxYRTMxobnI9s1oG12J8ZC1ZEXp8idQ/s4032/IMG_3138.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMn0J0R4HZJsGCiAZGBMO9kWCYjt_8Ak7uvzAqtRSPlTx8bPfUHCPKVYsVcRwm2X3zeNxK0NKbR7ymnEi9X8-Jc5lJM1oLwoYoQfrh6HBWtJTbZhOYSxZ_-WITHYH5tt0UELJGP1ve2khtmakO4buyBHE3azUvrxYRTMxobnI9s1oG12J8ZC1ZEXp8idQ/s320/IMG_3138.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Following breakfast, we drove along the coast to a spot where a chair lift had been erected, taking visitors from the beach to what appeared to be an artificial island offshore, complete with an amusement park or funfair. The wife really wanted to go, but the line was extremely long, though it's difficult to tell in the video below. Being 60 years old and prone to heart and neurological issues, I didn't want to stand for 1-2 hours in the sun:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/2JrajTR4Eqs" width="320" youtube-src-id="2JrajTR4Eqs"></iframe></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzGQUhGEwTuq5LesPRmCx0h4oS3eQ1oMdHmohZePdub33Enky3VNnu3MV8yqVS07fNcbxqF3m4QgPNMJtYnzXCs8ZbRS3-QCEjoZKgbnBoZX-K0ZSnqmV0zWamatsT2bTBAl7G-TWxprVE1b0T0_Jo9LtGaPxraGDZZALDmMIo2PpYL_8LK_FLx1Y7n1c/s3956/IMG_3146.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1318" data-original-width="3956" height="107" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzGQUhGEwTuq5LesPRmCx0h4oS3eQ1oMdHmohZePdub33Enky3VNnu3MV8yqVS07fNcbxqF3m4QgPNMJtYnzXCs8ZbRS3-QCEjoZKgbnBoZX-K0ZSnqmV0zWamatsT2bTBAl7G-TWxprVE1b0T0_Jo9LtGaPxraGDZZALDmMIo2PpYL_8LK_FLx1Y7n1c/s320/IMG_3146.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The commotion and din of the throngs of tourists didn't do much to put me in a Chinese holidaying mood, so in the end I said I couldn't do it. Over lunch Shu-E would point out that I was willing to wait in long lines when we visited the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Expo_2005" target="_blank">Expo 2005</a> in Nagoya 2005年日本国際博覧会. To which I replied that 18 years ago I was in my early 40's, with a properly functioning heart and not having yet experienced any TIA's. I still think she hasn't been completely persuaded by my argument:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_SDZ0_XPDdFhrrG8Lrzf3VVMLJKXxDgq7vxe9EzCwaN1yux1ePI8lA5eZEoptUlgi68cO3451mxGCh1_fu_cFL4Qru-kemlU7Y10QlPQD4oAcxfmKn1afWSwBoy1eCbtXJ-ZkR8VemookyX85FP6MFOt3_40sCNIqDV-VMilUKloyKKQMxS-6UskV5cY/s4032/IMG_3140.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_SDZ0_XPDdFhrrG8Lrzf3VVMLJKXxDgq7vxe9EzCwaN1yux1ePI8lA5eZEoptUlgi68cO3451mxGCh1_fu_cFL4Qru-kemlU7Y10QlPQD4oAcxfmKn1afWSwBoy1eCbtXJ-ZkR8VemookyX85FP6MFOt3_40sCNIqDV-VMilUKloyKKQMxS-6UskV5cY/s320/IMG_3140.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>She was mollified somewhat during lunch, when we "enjoyed" the privilege of choosing live seafood to be slowly steamed to death in front of us at our table. Here is China, so the restaurant was full of families and groups enjoying the experience. The restaurant charged each table a "deposit" of RMB100 ($13.85) as way to ensure everyone actually finished what they steamed, ensuring that the poor sea creatures' agonizing deaths weren't entirely in vain:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzFo6sQ9yokq3RGcIZs0jPYZAku_UO-8R-1gy3wqdB01Acz7enmwgZfJfXVlMLII3s6DCpvkubfC7SdOaXTiw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div><br /></div>I have to admit the end result was delicious:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYqfaKG8I5lpM6HcmcJBf9h2OqnXHzPWqXjS7Vxsi7Fdmisd1W83PWpUrP1QgmQ5BEx6Hs1mq3Hl-9JCktt-xIba1fzZPiJDWCPw_Nn7QctG9jGzWxw4gqmVKSh9OzOoS1HewtTEDbLVoF4T597_Z6ox5h7XdbRnFxTpczPzC1EFXq8HN2UUO8l-z2XvU/s4032/IMG_3144.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYqfaKG8I5lpM6HcmcJBf9h2OqnXHzPWqXjS7Vxsi7Fdmisd1W83PWpUrP1QgmQ5BEx6Hs1mq3Hl-9JCktt-xIba1fzZPiJDWCPw_Nn7QctG9jGzWxw4gqmVKSh9OzOoS1HewtTEDbLVoF4T597_Z6ox5h7XdbRnFxTpczPzC1EFXq8HN2UUO8l-z2XvU/s320/IMG_3144.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Back in our part of Beidaihe, and looking out from the rooftop terrace of our hotel:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWOnprOMqz7U-zFU6fzCsmw7UaaDflShRaqGyWNSCYMty5jbXK3BwegmJ_QuRBk2HIBTbq6-r6MJOd5RbrxPq5pGlZr7QzzVYBZgHkCU3_Hy9GbYbgi9ISKl0HcP1OXGeHVq4R5V4CTBGFhc0Ywy4_RdrfvzNO1Pk_QwMM3PsUedSjWT0SY19JTNO1XFw/s4032/IMG_3152.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2651" data-original-width="4032" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWOnprOMqz7U-zFU6fzCsmw7UaaDflShRaqGyWNSCYMty5jbXK3BwegmJ_QuRBk2HIBTbq6-r6MJOd5RbrxPq5pGlZr7QzzVYBZgHkCU3_Hy9GbYbgi9ISKl0HcP1OXGeHVq4R5V4CTBGFhc0Ywy4_RdrfvzNO1Pk_QwMM3PsUedSjWT0SY19JTNO1XFw/s320/IMG_3152.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsgsNAPjdjOlROIZ3aQ_ji1NbPEKGRoqGJYjOWZro_tSZUZWBaaAkVgJ2Lbc9OpwpQJGsAo4YLCH6eaWSXRChDlXQ9oRd5Bbd6hE9x1tD6_rOO62CjYCGS58Zufueo3VU_kh42mz0lHoF4caKdkdAZ3yrLhNfj77wdsVbCiOzUsVhmxRFFJ-BzNTWkuTs/s3088/IMG_3153.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2320" data-original-width="3088" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsgsNAPjdjOlROIZ3aQ_ji1NbPEKGRoqGJYjOWZro_tSZUZWBaaAkVgJ2Lbc9OpwpQJGsAo4YLCH6eaWSXRChDlXQ9oRd5Bbd6hE9x1tD6_rOO62CjYCGS58Zufueo3VU_kh42mz0lHoF4caKdkdAZ3yrLhNfj77wdsVbCiOzUsVhmxRFFJ-BzNTWkuTs/s320/IMG_3153.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Walking along the main street:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCEuRNePHar3JtWwx_a_yde9wVXPWvzLTqEa6TtIunSkYcUqxerufi5JrPka8WkjGGV_NbBhQMx4oWeZYuwZ9SHhCDC5bGRBpPNyD-AXhqcjEvbVIicv8sKmmgjfSjbyXBbEzoMYJS3bB6Gwbj7heEwVNi6feteOnWQGoPqHVGguX1RMn19qB5Xs_MV24/s4032/IMG_3154.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCEuRNePHar3JtWwx_a_yde9wVXPWvzLTqEa6TtIunSkYcUqxerufi5JrPka8WkjGGV_NbBhQMx4oWeZYuwZ9SHhCDC5bGRBpPNyD-AXhqcjEvbVIicv8sKmmgjfSjbyXBbEzoMYJS3bB6Gwbj7heEwVNi6feteOnWQGoPqHVGguX1RMn19qB5Xs_MV24/s320/IMG_3154.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhd1Yw0LT401SSvf4fVmCVyeBqhslMu3K-gMyoyFai_TjiKbXUpDQLr7GV6osIrComCPueLseZmnijRL3XNOR1PMlsVbRNuo8hMSuUgeQbQZXV9IYUuRDAjFm3BV81BfM7EcpAKlmaeun3E_QATq8bL58pEKElyFBPy-OFku24bUpkZEa0iong2w4rtTM/s4032/IMG_3155.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhd1Yw0LT401SSvf4fVmCVyeBqhslMu3K-gMyoyFai_TjiKbXUpDQLr7GV6osIrComCPueLseZmnijRL3XNOR1PMlsVbRNuo8hMSuUgeQbQZXV9IYUuRDAjFm3BV81BfM7EcpAKlmaeun3E_QATq8bL58pEKElyFBPy-OFku24bUpkZEa0iong2w4rtTM/s320/IMG_3155.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Russian language signs were plentiful in the area. During dinner our server used Google Translate in order to communicate with me, except that was translating her Mandarin into Cyrillic:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-JrtZzV_qsB7rPPbezPYDRxX8kBkXH_yaDRP5QCgDCBXck0NCeOayl-1_tOEMVQIhpUzrFPG9ybY2Xv8yznZnsgKRDM2cqudEchJMbtEKVL1ne_M-HcXVVeyG9hQvGfh8PGHzLuUIf0tB8GnfTSabdcCMUB3OMubG6eCrwzZGNPJdra8B_Eo9BckbPs8/s4032/IMG_3156.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-JrtZzV_qsB7rPPbezPYDRxX8kBkXH_yaDRP5QCgDCBXck0NCeOayl-1_tOEMVQIhpUzrFPG9ybY2Xv8yznZnsgKRDM2cqudEchJMbtEKVL1ne_M-HcXVVeyG9hQvGfh8PGHzLuUIf0tB8GnfTSabdcCMUB3OMubG6eCrwzZGNPJdra8B_Eo9BckbPs8/s320/IMG_3156.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The main beach area in the late afternoon. One can only imagine the sea of humanity during the peak heat of the summer:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU3sPISyh9aNX8hoi3YKrnEiSZLGz0UE0xWlc8FlccP-UCDMMXhDY4LbKlN1Sxq7jDkTcQ3jwJWp7wMZRQUd_bH75hSlwL8ENiixjDvUPmn-ZSbvj96kXLJgv50ubDeepZqColha28iAR9IePY0-2HYhzhq5731yMDk97IErqRs7x-ZpWunQhAtpyntcM/s3939/IMG_3158.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2218" data-original-width="3939" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU3sPISyh9aNX8hoi3YKrnEiSZLGz0UE0xWlc8FlccP-UCDMMXhDY4LbKlN1Sxq7jDkTcQ3jwJWp7wMZRQUd_bH75hSlwL8ENiixjDvUPmn-ZSbvj96kXLJgv50ubDeepZqColha28iAR9IePY0-2HYhzhq5731yMDk97IErqRs7x-ZpWunQhAtpyntcM/s320/IMG_3158.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The area off in the distance was where we had traveled and had lunch earlier in the day:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNuRa7qnAenLmL904ZgBdgr2AoIxxan9mX7_D-HL4pFKDyTi3FROEndcmq35cZ86ubn-ZIYl7_3XcEeBGBnXONlmG2Gk9837_b8o6Qo_anNudVeNXMFezf-PVSc1bxTV8opYzxCL9JN_2ScYSfOEF5GtMabXWOF29hnXVOpFNvsjYsduWBBlpbwa7Ew0o/s4032/IMG_3160.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNuRa7qnAenLmL904ZgBdgr2AoIxxan9mX7_D-HL4pFKDyTi3FROEndcmq35cZ86ubn-ZIYl7_3XcEeBGBnXONlmG2Gk9837_b8o6Qo_anNudVeNXMFezf-PVSc1bxTV8opYzxCL9JN_2ScYSfOEF5GtMabXWOF29hnXVOpFNvsjYsduWBBlpbwa7Ew0o/s320/IMG_3160.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA8XrxuU1sAIpIcBb7b7d5FLcR-BcPHLAbxG1cY5HF7X6bKZMDr8qgqv5fgO25EE-9FquGI791n7QTqEy7AeDDHsyjEleD-7UKa0WvTzVG3q_BWn0FqR8EpZ86UZWlZo-AcbFg7QLj4OqBZEGrkOfy_ryUf0OZ0t-cCmZmvs2_-nfw_lnUR-uJXImzpXo/s4032/IMG_3163.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA8XrxuU1sAIpIcBb7b7d5FLcR-BcPHLAbxG1cY5HF7X6bKZMDr8qgqv5fgO25EE-9FquGI791n7QTqEy7AeDDHsyjEleD-7UKa0WvTzVG3q_BWn0FqR8EpZ86UZWlZo-AcbFg7QLj4OqBZEGrkOfy_ryUf0OZ0t-cCmZmvs2_-nfw_lnUR-uJXImzpXo/s320/IMG_3163.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Some impressive sand sculpting was going on:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO3MbO9Jv_aDaGeOS_Fo-qeoyaOLlUTnoFqQevuhRZAxPhjKoF7XgXgFdXAWbFuWC6avinsCWpi561t5cje4Werf-RKDA4soCdB06o9MvfTFnUF-dW6r63H99bRDwc326maAP4GHogNp6_QQRT6Ysla4DV0GntQdCHnJw9-mAOepUz9dXmep04_TodVos/s4032/IMG_3164.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO3MbO9Jv_aDaGeOS_Fo-qeoyaOLlUTnoFqQevuhRZAxPhjKoF7XgXgFdXAWbFuWC6avinsCWpi561t5cje4Werf-RKDA4soCdB06o9MvfTFnUF-dW6r63H99bRDwc326maAP4GHogNp6_QQRT6Ysla4DV0GntQdCHnJw9-mAOepUz9dXmep04_TodVos/s320/IMG_3164.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsJByySun-k91ezYxTgSBAghYTK7l53M6YvoZfmP5sreX-VSphbLuryweopISflbulM-_aPkR-iz6ujz2U1H9uIT1dAZPFA26Ga7MP_wg4htTsmMd73wVK1ZrFIvlyLqZz4ujjAaHXbw0VNrGJLjdz6IfwnWtwTOx6Lam6_R-Us-pVMeelglk-1MUmOpY/s4032/IMG_3165.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsJByySun-k91ezYxTgSBAghYTK7l53M6YvoZfmP5sreX-VSphbLuryweopISflbulM-_aPkR-iz6ujz2U1H9uIT1dAZPFA26Ga7MP_wg4htTsmMd73wVK1ZrFIvlyLqZz4ujjAaHXbw0VNrGJLjdz6IfwnWtwTOx6Lam6_R-Us-pVMeelglk-1MUmOpY/s320/IMG_3165.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Amber and I trying to copy the poses:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5qDfZsfBTvmQLKEUToaMdWHjCYjRbNj8aQj5F-1AtLz-84qWzjBZV2QNsFfL-VOiEViSrKgyBJN80DJjt7Uc63Umo6k3ZPiPH-ak3POtdjx8FJ0QoojhPruz1mTF-wfCx3BVAeQNCadiRJteJYT1a86NFm8Zt3qHuswG8V1aZv6T6mpHlUL95H4Y8cww/s1706/14057be4bd2598b4d439de9f5b457164.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1706" data-original-width="1280" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5qDfZsfBTvmQLKEUToaMdWHjCYjRbNj8aQj5F-1AtLz-84qWzjBZV2QNsFfL-VOiEViSrKgyBJN80DJjt7Uc63Umo6k3ZPiPH-ak3POtdjx8FJ0QoojhPruz1mTF-wfCx3BVAeQNCadiRJteJYT1a86NFm8Zt3qHuswG8V1aZv6T6mpHlUL95H4Y8cww/s320/14057be4bd2598b4d439de9f5b457164.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAeUL4bk7_m0OYI3BeTczhzAEEdya6kB-XJSOaZw_n6l1ZK254nb6e445sAFwB-JrytJiFOASLrg-zvpTOvB_KqPKiCHe-C_pf8ieqhAc5NqkIW1zZkZjC4CZ-7pla_pdW-sCokUESiAZYtpYqZwPDxszIPkH7bGTJbzz2EzS4wHW_0_DUpUn2Z3zhOSs/s1706/507d8b40bb7c89e691c2c3ac9be0e4a2.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1706" data-original-width="1280" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAeUL4bk7_m0OYI3BeTczhzAEEdya6kB-XJSOaZw_n6l1ZK254nb6e445sAFwB-JrytJiFOASLrg-zvpTOvB_KqPKiCHe-C_pf8ieqhAc5NqkIW1zZkZjC4CZ-7pla_pdW-sCokUESiAZYtpYqZwPDxszIPkH7bGTJbzz2EzS4wHW_0_DUpUn2Z3zhOSs/s320/507d8b40bb7c89e691c2c3ac9be0e4a2.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>A small section of buildings the locals call "Russian" in design. I didn't really see it:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9Tv-3AKzNuPDJN0IH-NdPHT6rhXI84Egcg9lThE9Ch5lkpJquZQR7PpEYRE350x5GBCTYEW6GT-n2nok8gft2VMH2u3LiLdLYaOw1m6Chhp4SpQuJynVYB69JiCocx0nLzkgbq8-JyQ3jbtrRnx8oAKA6ZPnHaHquQNV66MjWWsxZhC1Y3JJ7K3qLt1U/s4032/IMG_3167.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9Tv-3AKzNuPDJN0IH-NdPHT6rhXI84Egcg9lThE9Ch5lkpJquZQR7PpEYRE350x5GBCTYEW6GT-n2nok8gft2VMH2u3LiLdLYaOw1m6Chhp4SpQuJynVYB69JiCocx0nLzkgbq8-JyQ3jbtrRnx8oAKA6ZPnHaHquQNV66MjWWsxZhC1Y3JJ7K3qLt1U/s320/IMG_3167.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>I strongly suspect the so-called "legend" of the tiger rocks was conceived by the local tourism authorities:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJMxAXThZBhLGEZhmLG0xMSIUk8607Xgg5gDuAONBhGoBuAnNu_FkGTl-f3MRMhmP-6oFFLRJkwklD6PxyOMDqny-zhBb8ToJP1Vk8J_X6yHgfW7R0vRFs97Mw5WTPuaSzrZ1-BqRWH_a-VjSuKbzPOCH7OmKVlT22z5Q2XFchJIu_sRC3-dYM55NdJ3o/s4032/IMG_3168.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJMxAXThZBhLGEZhmLG0xMSIUk8607Xgg5gDuAONBhGoBuAnNu_FkGTl-f3MRMhmP-6oFFLRJkwklD6PxyOMDqny-zhBb8ToJP1Vk8J_X6yHgfW7R0vRFs97Mw5WTPuaSzrZ1-BqRWH_a-VjSuKbzPOCH7OmKVlT22z5Q2XFchJIu_sRC3-dYM55NdJ3o/s320/IMG_3168.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsp4KKbXQie6fUMHp8bRkPy8wEjlFJ87sqhqa7Yx81F8CJ-Y3hHFXxxSsM1MkBLA-N2WM3fZporFTcvlQ7YD5Wv4BNyJSY_N4CTnv8LrjTVtlU8E_TQQi85GFk14jCckPsVAslFesWnkLZx2pHUDmJtwsLlB2LVazPs0qw-K80nkAMTq55aAQAfWZA56g/s3799/IMG_3169.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2037" data-original-width="3799" height="172" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsp4KKbXQie6fUMHp8bRkPy8wEjlFJ87sqhqa7Yx81F8CJ-Y3hHFXxxSsM1MkBLA-N2WM3fZporFTcvlQ7YD5Wv4BNyJSY_N4CTnv8LrjTVtlU8E_TQQi85GFk14jCckPsVAslFesWnkLZx2pHUDmJtwsLlB2LVazPs0qw-K80nkAMTq55aAQAfWZA56g/s320/IMG_3169.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>"I asked her if she would make her 80-something mother stand in a line like that on the sand, and she said no. So why did she want me to do it? Women - can't live with 'em, can't shoot 'em. Am I right, or am I right?":</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3kTOuwwoJcZBoe6fB9oi-hxPhRJAchULezX1bfCaPa6l6lxhcq7LHgzPfr7eZ7PTHgm67AFsLIXZmBDpZ0Fe8BV2mo5v1ZPvFAOFRiHtKXmciPPNlpxESZiFf1-8L0Xfr5HO4AlfJaYxkHXPETyripCgciR8m3sJuPHLfPCVwYG7Jqfvy5OOCAb0HH_0/s3276/IMG_3170.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2783" data-original-width="3276" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3kTOuwwoJcZBoe6fB9oi-hxPhRJAchULezX1bfCaPa6l6lxhcq7LHgzPfr7eZ7PTHgm67AFsLIXZmBDpZ0Fe8BV2mo5v1ZPvFAOFRiHtKXmciPPNlpxESZiFf1-8L0Xfr5HO4AlfJaYxkHXPETyripCgciR8m3sJuPHLfPCVwYG7Jqfvy5OOCAb0HH_0/s320/IMG_3170.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Seeking a respite from all that seafood, I ordered a Japanese-style curry with fried chicken. It didn't turn out too well:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFTv7Uu-D4Su8dMOAnryxwI9Jzulwt1fX8BiKrlvMccOKn6NVdwuXhMksaEOc2l4PG-lviuTJ4g-OcmnHaPIfdBZCD4MbXF2ICyHgT0fc791IhG-508N7sx-QSbhAs_itZukr4KXOw36mmzwTsQVE9wz-tAgMiVZDgvl0yuNiyrhBsRew1e55N4_Dci2A/s3217/IMG_3173.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="3217" height="301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFTv7Uu-D4Su8dMOAnryxwI9Jzulwt1fX8BiKrlvMccOKn6NVdwuXhMksaEOc2l4PG-lviuTJ4g-OcmnHaPIfdBZCD4MbXF2ICyHgT0fc791IhG-508N7sx-QSbhAs_itZukr4KXOw36mmzwTsQVE9wz-tAgMiVZDgvl0yuNiyrhBsRew1e55N4_Dci2A/s320/IMG_3173.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>You could fill up bags with however much seafood you desire. Shu-E purchased some shrimp to snack on:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrIL1n309Mdze1I7nY7J5sMQ-TEvj5Zv9vcaZJiy7dNZYWnI8rokYZ0PN9rsPgMh_29hDau9og6z6BiBrBaXvMD_XIzKl2ZGA454XYoyr1d1G6rEj4lBZ60wcMrQ_9nyD5HODhB5Kj9FNugbM_kAWmQOB-0pvbyljNyUhGQ-4p-XAFw50wZwFpbUcoYzk/s3887/IMG_3175.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3887" data-original-width="2915" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrIL1n309Mdze1I7nY7J5sMQ-TEvj5Zv9vcaZJiy7dNZYWnI8rokYZ0PN9rsPgMh_29hDau9og6z6BiBrBaXvMD_XIzKl2ZGA454XYoyr1d1G6rEj4lBZ60wcMrQ_9nyD5HODhB5Kj9FNugbM_kAWmQOB-0pvbyljNyUhGQ-4p-XAFw50wZwFpbUcoYzk/s320/IMG_3175.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The night view from the hotel terrace:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9YnpTrt3vZGOjC-OC-4JBBizIJQEeVGC24sTjkHpq_SptuCykVCAKkbVzVohd0f7u61KrRFid4O8a6JwjtCtfXOt7tV4YtCajk0XS4zFbLpN75ffHp54u-z_-XyPbITNX3rRfMte9XfQ6_W3pesm3kiDLxdmp1YBAwY9NuurG_fNPxiR1DYKL3VKWGwI/s4032/IMG_3176.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2607" data-original-width="4032" height="207" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9YnpTrt3vZGOjC-OC-4JBBizIJQEeVGC24sTjkHpq_SptuCykVCAKkbVzVohd0f7u61KrRFid4O8a6JwjtCtfXOt7tV4YtCajk0XS4zFbLpN75ffHp54u-z_-XyPbITNX3rRfMte9XfQ6_W3pesm3kiDLxdmp1YBAwY9NuurG_fNPxiR1DYKL3VKWGwI/s320/IMG_3176.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div><b><u>National Day plus two</u></b></div><div><br /></div><div>On our last morning in Beidaihe Amber and I enjoyed breakfast on the outdoor patio:</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwKmRfzFR1OpU1tdd60Szx6ZTFhq3H4lyYakpGnM-vMrlMAyy93uWc3zznjNAkz2Y1g7xhtjdWd7a-TuQw_jwRZUhBhvlWrJHaRCTMyS-H5YGAxjG8p5j9raQHEZNHw04wVyTglZGkLA1d9ovTuItaPwgiTAsTrQ1R3Xgv0l17y6BvmRBItQuQMIwJN7k/s4032/IMG_3180.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwKmRfzFR1OpU1tdd60Szx6ZTFhq3H4lyYakpGnM-vMrlMAyy93uWc3zznjNAkz2Y1g7xhtjdWd7a-TuQw_jwRZUhBhvlWrJHaRCTMyS-H5YGAxjG8p5j9raQHEZNHw04wVyTglZGkLA1d9ovTuItaPwgiTAsTrQ1R3Xgv0l17y6BvmRBItQuQMIwJN7k/s320/IMG_3180.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>People were already filling up the space on the beach:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZdZqPO7EXVeC17JLdyV4-f8YTOD8Z9wEM-h3nwpntA5p8f8uzIWlAraYVTU8e9Ur6CtZHiDbKPD-gIObJPw8EwhHDxkjKNL1vteg7ilvuYDYImXwaEGBkd3QYPI_azpUvmfIEUEtCre-3zNshOugU3UDCo8n6P9GUa64SoxlHiPHF8d_X4l-M4Pw1vQo/s4032/IMG_3181.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZdZqPO7EXVeC17JLdyV4-f8YTOD8Z9wEM-h3nwpntA5p8f8uzIWlAraYVTU8e9Ur6CtZHiDbKPD-gIObJPw8EwhHDxkjKNL1vteg7ilvuYDYImXwaEGBkd3QYPI_azpUvmfIEUEtCre-3zNshOugU3UDCo8n6P9GUa64SoxlHiPHF8d_X4l-M4Pw1vQo/s320/IMG_3181.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-QiueDHrPDia9IDx13omsX2AaMX_jeGuYv7UsQ3mNiWWusLeJehglIYen8VVkuCV9uZmGAOzTjOcmspUX-BNT4aEP0i1iTkhe3jATyGwbCWHPoCsIWaTE5PgcNSvVBkmueK7yQDbxHPLhBjenRzYgtW3KhSPKPSasWPP35SSOLFamtN7JekzfMdZN1_8/s4032/IMG_3182.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-QiueDHrPDia9IDx13omsX2AaMX_jeGuYv7UsQ3mNiWWusLeJehglIYen8VVkuCV9uZmGAOzTjOcmspUX-BNT4aEP0i1iTkhe3jATyGwbCWHPoCsIWaTE5PgcNSvVBkmueK7yQDbxHPLhBjenRzYgtW3KhSPKPSasWPP35SSOLFamtN7JekzfMdZN1_8/s320/IMG_3182.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNLTOqCEhpY7qtjJ_m4KJfoE9cIeOy4AOhN5rC6OUj8WyFcg1y1H6vdC9GOCjSdpEKWWnnpKfjxmqbmC8zuNfdWFylewR6GNeltA15kc1nxFSo8Xo1kkvbDNo6Bl-u2-8hbb3y0PvfegHk2RN-lJupoecRJQwVFo242bZ0vYUuD3Alx7UYcnUHbgVlQrA/s4032/IMG_3185.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNLTOqCEhpY7qtjJ_m4KJfoE9cIeOy4AOhN5rC6OUj8WyFcg1y1H6vdC9GOCjSdpEKWWnnpKfjxmqbmC8zuNfdWFylewR6GNeltA15kc1nxFSo8Xo1kkvbDNo6Bl-u2-8hbb3y0PvfegHk2RN-lJupoecRJQwVFo242bZ0vYUuD3Alx7UYcnUHbgVlQrA/s320/IMG_3185.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>We were on the road heading back to Beijing by mid-morning. As most people were still on holiday until the following day (Wednesday), traffic was relatively light. The expressway we used for the return drive also had service areas with actual food courts, as opposed to what we encountered back on Saturday (see above):</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNAia6x4vYra7bbRn_s7bvsfoXQE-NL99j0PgrpVPJ3yVSoLYypXBME0-YFbv5yd-9KivRGhyphenhyphen2JThY_lQcqjjq_Dr3EYDMUfYkT7zIJpLNqx89UfhnfF7qCoHRb5z5lPcdVZpRW-hu17PWZXWiTVbyhk5UZRXDbm-d6PPFZfYE0RYPgM6q2TIFZVrtlmQ/s4032/IMG_3187.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNAia6x4vYra7bbRn_s7bvsfoXQE-NL99j0PgrpVPJ3yVSoLYypXBME0-YFbv5yd-9KivRGhyphenhyphen2JThY_lQcqjjq_Dr3EYDMUfYkT7zIJpLNqx89UfhnfF7qCoHRb5z5lPcdVZpRW-hu17PWZXWiTVbyhk5UZRXDbm-d6PPFZfYE0RYPgM6q2TIFZVrtlmQ/s320/IMG_3187.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaKIV2cib9mI_rECzsHu7zXUJlJqghSCmhhTMnMYiZjPRRotDlVywc9YqFtzTWSV70jKLWhpvwJRs0s-TAn0G5mOeXueV8hO_C7-thioe9E4Tj00IZq_GQIZAortvzObS_YcTedD_4nLOIqn2A-rKjtemzPA1jlWQn90_4iMDo0fsscSs_TIcH_newuPI/s4032/IMG_3188.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaKIV2cib9mI_rECzsHu7zXUJlJqghSCmhhTMnMYiZjPRRotDlVywc9YqFtzTWSV70jKLWhpvwJRs0s-TAn0G5mOeXueV8hO_C7-thioe9E4Tj00IZq_GQIZAortvzObS_YcTedD_4nLOIqn2A-rKjtemzPA1jlWQn90_4iMDo0fsscSs_TIcH_newuPI/s320/IMG_3188.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNEs8uLFn-p9vb4cKRvpksXXd3O47zA99jM9s-TuUrXQXrQOVEo6W4Dq52gWywA1vi-lX_iRx1d8lKhjvme_0nCw1d6xgSFjdeSFEtIYKEgn00_OuYRE7vdiKOqXpGAlhQCbRGk5OtJJeZpR_yYowFMEOjC1Iso7r82VxMEvEto9732fHMoKSA0wIkX6Q/s4032/IMG_3191.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNEs8uLFn-p9vb4cKRvpksXXd3O47zA99jM9s-TuUrXQXrQOVEo6W4Dq52gWywA1vi-lX_iRx1d8lKhjvme_0nCw1d6xgSFjdeSFEtIYKEgn00_OuYRE7vdiKOqXpGAlhQCbRGk5OtJJeZpR_yYowFMEOjC1Iso7r82VxMEvEto9732fHMoKSA0wIkX6Q/s320/IMG_3191.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Back in Beijing with some of the refreshments purchased during the trip:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6e6FJYejK_KFdwU60VNC0tFSwyJBDGsYEM1Hvvt_mAb-hy60DIpklI3QNAZbkqXMuA2gvqPGNd_BusOyWyVErQwIH0MX45vRG9Av-j2jK5WLdz9mIR7VBQtOpSnx3CJUiId7upm4rTFcfEIaRH3gdp5eljTbaAcIbCf-ijrfSi-94L8czq1OeJOyJNT0/s4032/IMG_3192.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6e6FJYejK_KFdwU60VNC0tFSwyJBDGsYEM1Hvvt_mAb-hy60DIpklI3QNAZbkqXMuA2gvqPGNd_BusOyWyVErQwIH0MX45vRG9Av-j2jK5WLdz9mIR7VBQtOpSnx3CJUiId7upm4rTFcfEIaRH3gdp5eljTbaAcIbCf-ijrfSi-94L8czq1OeJOyJNT0/s320/IMG_3192.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div><b><u>National Day plus three</u></b></div><div><br /></div><div>My six-day break ended not with a bang, but a whimper, as I had an early afternoon appointment to see a neurologist at the main international hospital I've been to more often than I care to think in the 14 months we've been in Beijing. While waiting to see the doctor I looked out the window and noticed what appeared to be walkways on the outside of a condo building across the street. I really hope it was meant to be decorative rather than utile:</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSxaZebIx7T14kJOd0gMxNjYRf1Q_ffTjRNhIjHpc6kYsVV75XSfH4dKA7zsOZ-ITCN7NKE_kvH1nTpBws_KuKd0SPSBMpA49msdX1AleYSenFCnvYaMabvs864t0WYdDqRpz58slAqm7UNEuaVN-gZ3iiRZWG6v9j4alzwOnx2vgDWMVXZRNXhVdt050/s3871/IMG_3194.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1828" data-original-width="3871" height="151" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSxaZebIx7T14kJOd0gMxNjYRf1Q_ffTjRNhIjHpc6kYsVV75XSfH4dKA7zsOZ-ITCN7NKE_kvH1nTpBws_KuKd0SPSBMpA49msdX1AleYSenFCnvYaMabvs864t0WYdDqRpz58slAqm7UNEuaVN-gZ3iiRZWG6v9j4alzwOnx2vgDWMVXZRNXhVdt050/s320/IMG_3194.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Following the appointment, the three of us (yes, I dragged my wife and daughter along to the hospital) had lunch at a <i><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malatang" target="_blank">malatang</a></i> 麻辣烫 restaurant. At these establishments you choose what you would like to have cooked:<div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhhpXiMXzRpLJCeG892h7NCxB2jLbOVMreuTCLLrPLSAVjs_x4M_muJw98-l62y6bIh4kWDzCFl2bKbtyvUcxq6B55dbJOMnnvTuQ6zAsnElVnA2E3JXWOzjdW_EicPakNAt0X37sOnjmnUDNKuxenDkH-UAi2cTdzkdTp9bPeqXWJ03Gk7uCDZK9yuV8/s3903/IMG_3196.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2763" data-original-width="3903" height="227" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhhpXiMXzRpLJCeG892h7NCxB2jLbOVMreuTCLLrPLSAVjs_x4M_muJw98-l62y6bIh4kWDzCFl2bKbtyvUcxq6B55dbJOMnnvTuQ6zAsnElVnA2E3JXWOzjdW_EicPakNAt0X37sOnjmnUDNKuxenDkH-UAi2cTdzkdTp9bPeqXWJ03Gk7uCDZK9yuV8/s320/IMG_3196.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The end result:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf8N_gyqW-x82Yed6ATWAanoxOPlki-49ktroI5Tmr5Xf9Agc0HghncSP2QkBP0DdErlc_EnqMjdCFUbMJt2RfVP8ODq0w80TJjoRiah7nZj7n0u_fXDjBegEKY0_wQTQ9xTLwlH70U5F-1LQWr9EWvy1Xyi4qsvTGSXyxcFvR1hL3jPCTdgLEqtoJpBQ/s4032/IMG_3197.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf8N_gyqW-x82Yed6ATWAanoxOPlki-49ktroI5Tmr5Xf9Agc0HghncSP2QkBP0DdErlc_EnqMjdCFUbMJt2RfVP8ODq0w80TJjoRiah7nZj7n0u_fXDjBegEKY0_wQTQ9xTLwlH70U5F-1LQWr9EWvy1Xyi4qsvTGSXyxcFvR1hL3jPCTdgLEqtoJpBQ/s320/IMG_3197.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Amber isn't familiar with Reservoir Dogs. The girls are apparently teaming up to make me feel my age:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwmdCPbTxyJhB7ytU3RxuHm5DYvqmEoRBw8oWxNb0uVNLFaU6W8G6zBEUCjJXb3RQYV2M8gDpYbuB-mARd8mj3tF1TPELaQAs_EHVajdhz9nsvWBpqhJJEHojnMth7TSt-3MM-rIoSGp0YGF8tR2z8FMBI48-rCF4eSK6vrDFjAGcE5eE2GD0Cd4lT5uQ/s3256/IMG_3199.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1196" data-original-width="3256" height="118" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwmdCPbTxyJhB7ytU3RxuHm5DYvqmEoRBw8oWxNb0uVNLFaU6W8G6zBEUCjJXb3RQYV2M8gDpYbuB-mARd8mj3tF1TPELaQAs_EHVajdhz9nsvWBpqhJJEHojnMth7TSt-3MM-rIoSGp0YGF8tR2z8FMBI48-rCF4eSK6vrDFjAGcE5eE2GD0Cd4lT5uQ/s320/IMG_3199.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>After returning home, my daughter and I took a walk to SOLANA, where we noticed this poor bear who must be going through a rough patch:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDjtGX_XOQ59XnTPYZmzSbmeiwkQ_TuOj0WwVrcEnPud2udpA8Sf1Msxj0Y0Zx9c2iu-3awNXWYhGDh_YRmbdVU_HTEpQagzm-a0Ri2akEKF1V49V48F97nOTYVTmCT6S3vkmjb8zbk_4Hf5HmihOuVZpLDwdwipSX234fSULR_25BoIO8eug97SrYdFI/s4032/IMG_3201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDjtGX_XOQ59XnTPYZmzSbmeiwkQ_TuOj0WwVrcEnPud2udpA8Sf1Msxj0Y0Zx9c2iu-3awNXWYhGDh_YRmbdVU_HTEpQagzm-a0Ri2akEKF1V49V48F97nOTYVTmCT6S3vkmjb8zbk_4Hf5HmihOuVZpLDwdwipSX234fSULR_25BoIO8eug97SrYdFI/s320/IMG_3201.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>A better solution than alcohol:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc0LCD2RVNmQ7MQJIX7i32mvYqsWqDWLnW0MyK6ac9pvA7kcoTmNDizNPAXwwvyARB7cqpUVJYoUXzlRaMNpzT2A-o9ca3p6ubh39c-nYvZK-KjNB_mV2doTw0j9MnDvk0ETsRP01asiQblYRfzVFvb-1qR1YnW6WOA55IRKXnegeveHE0vTnvI0jtCM8/s4032/IMG_3203.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc0LCD2RVNmQ7MQJIX7i32mvYqsWqDWLnW0MyK6ac9pvA7kcoTmNDizNPAXwwvyARB7cqpUVJYoUXzlRaMNpzT2A-o9ca3p6ubh39c-nYvZK-KjNB_mV2doTw0j9MnDvk0ETsRP01asiQblYRfzVFvb-1qR1YnW6WOA55IRKXnegeveHE0vTnvI0jtCM8/s320/IMG_3203.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhyphenhyphenfc3akFQc6Jv_-ZeAvM3s8IW9obJLy-6-TtoMyBEYkF3aYVzjx2gNEejnU7kw_iGduqs-4Rwxk8zvwJJXOvaBfQDiUSCTHMpXk8XnXCOP4WaMW-e7T0fJw_FlrImcGUwNVuU-PgIZm6PBzL_US6O5PkSebw3vMRP-D-ttakIliAskXaHP_RDzbfoA68/s3717/IMG_3205.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3717" data-original-width="2788" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhyphenhyphenfc3akFQc6Jv_-ZeAvM3s8IW9obJLy-6-TtoMyBEYkF3aYVzjx2gNEejnU7kw_iGduqs-4Rwxk8zvwJJXOvaBfQDiUSCTHMpXk8XnXCOP4WaMW-e7T0fJw_FlrImcGUwNVuU-PgIZm6PBzL_US6O5PkSebw3vMRP-D-ttakIliAskXaHP_RDzbfoA68/s320/IMG_3205.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Yes, I'm big in Japan:</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5LHd7VoAi09_YETQrfDxRSpoFM2MgspjXImcaJ998iARb4DlgILntCXbZBqP3jxsB90LV4TYsI1zMe15fUAcI9pb6r4uK1ap4CU3WW9FYXG-ToJUOVG-vfqbemhZK1gTaHdU2nJmGu_FSUuUcdXeFEbCQwSki0jBH9JpVV2FSSmA9KFODiRZjrav9KG8/s3810/IMG_3207.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="3810" height="254" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5LHd7VoAi09_YETQrfDxRSpoFM2MgspjXImcaJ998iARb4DlgILntCXbZBqP3jxsB90LV4TYsI1zMe15fUAcI9pb6r4uK1ap4CU3WW9FYXG-ToJUOVG-vfqbemhZK1gTaHdU2nJmGu_FSUuUcdXeFEbCQwSki0jBH9JpVV2FSSmA9KFODiRZjrav9KG8/s320/IMG_3207.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/jsMfSKX1KTw" width="320" youtube-src-id="jsMfSKX1KTw"></iframe></div><br /><div>And so on Thursday I return to work for a mere two days, followed by a three-day weekend courtesy of the politically incorrect Columbus Day federal government holiday. However, with a congressional delegation coming to town, it's bound to be a busy week ahead. So until the next time I'm free to get out and do something mildly interesting, join me in wishing the PRC all the best, with ex-Can member <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holger_Czukay" target="_blank">Holger Czukay</a>'s deconstruction of <i><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_East_Is_Red_(song)" target="_blank">The East is Red</a></i>:</div></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/QoyZ13kWhAQ" width="320" youtube-src-id="QoyZ13kWhAQ"></iframe></div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /></div></div></div></div></div>Kaminogehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07925637671913689331noreply@blogger.com0Shanhaiguan District, Qinhuangdao, Hebei, China39.9789199 119.7760611.668686063821156 84.61981 68.289153736178847 154.93231tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2497220891386919340.post-44203141479047496472023-09-24T20:55:00.001+08:002023-09-24T21:16:58.192+08:00So soon?! This one better be good...<p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcU7-ukFo2znz6pA3TdTdMB8941fCp3ihsz0kPID4edtxOM_-0-GfbibN1ttlwbiyl_VA362zKtHYrnFoQL6h3P7WfoOYSar_fTedgjMjHl3M7U4HTQyKlAu3X8TNdEsptrWLzIrtaAipdYXf7P9aGaS0UJ8Rx3j2M0jPUMtAxzchRdxMy-5CKaynWrPQ/s1706/4894d4a00722034515a85480fb152f17.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1706" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcU7-ukFo2znz6pA3TdTdMB8941fCp3ihsz0kPID4edtxOM_-0-GfbibN1ttlwbiyl_VA362zKtHYrnFoQL6h3P7WfoOYSar_fTedgjMjHl3M7U4HTQyKlAu3X8TNdEsptrWLzIrtaAipdYXf7P9aGaS0UJ8Rx3j2M0jPUMtAxzchRdxMy-5CKaynWrPQ/s320/4894d4a00722034515a85480fb152f17.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><i><div style="text-align: center;"><i>All dressed up with no place to go</i></div></i><p></p><p>I know what you're thinking - "Didn't he just upload a post only a few days ago?" And, yes, you're correct, I did post something a mere four days prior. But next Friday will be the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mid-Autumn_Festival" target="_blank">Mid-Autumn Festival</a> 中秋节, followed by <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Day_of_the_People%27s_Republic_of_China" target="_blank">National Day</a> 国庆节 on Sunday, the first of October. The latter occasion segues into what's known in China as "<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_Week_(China)" target="_blank">Golden Week</a>" 黄金周, when many students and workers receive an extended holiday lasting up to 7-8 days*. My daughter will have a total of ten days off, while yours truly is looking forward to a six-day weekend. We have plans to go out of town during part of that time (provided we don't get mired in any of <a href="https://www.dangerousroads.org/asia/china/4964-world-s-worst-traffic-jam-100km-and-12-days.html" target="_blank">China's epic traffic jams</a>), so expect a detailed blog post to follow once the holiday period ends. In anticipation of having something more interesting to write about later, here's a brief roundup of what has been happening since the last time you were perusing this blog.<br /></p><p>We're fortunate enough to live not far from one of Beijing's 北京 most pleasant public areas, the <a href="https://news.cgtn.com/news/2023-07-07/Liangma-River-Popular-summer-excursion-spot-in-Beijing-1leOD8LNGpy/index.html" target="_blank">Liangma River</a> 亮马河. If I'm not running late, I like to stroll along the pathway on my way to the office. I also take the river route home on occasion, which is when I snapped these shots:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFtlyxokGAf0EpiihhMR5nkZA7K4LXf_FBABQExgoP15Tlp3QcugRP1nApCpAT_2opBCnC1I6tydiFYgS1MojtESAm9L2vqZGAuCJLZ3NhwpHJ0PDk4Oyi7bvILME-YzupIiM7BaUppJCI3fb4mNMksYE4aNIAITclg798uvbatybgss8W3Sffu5bKQ84/s4032/IMG_2868.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFtlyxokGAf0EpiihhMR5nkZA7K4LXf_FBABQExgoP15Tlp3QcugRP1nApCpAT_2opBCnC1I6tydiFYgS1MojtESAm9L2vqZGAuCJLZ3NhwpHJ0PDk4Oyi7bvILME-YzupIiM7BaUppJCI3fb4mNMksYE4aNIAITclg798uvbatybgss8W3Sffu5bKQ84/s320/IMG_2868.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLDIvHrYyTAkYp00dqHeFxlDg_Y6hCLEU_KqJrgVHmHThXQPP3Ht49opySH-XSXN-UUCkra8Dx0dhBW_xxaPtKFaCoZ4sE2DEr5kF89cvveXQqWA4XssUGTzVSicwu3SHjgi6p4n4dc07nceVCwdY_jbogtU0xblLjWTYUJsJs0MeuB4Iythmr6NAcZkw/s4032/IMG_2869.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLDIvHrYyTAkYp00dqHeFxlDg_Y6hCLEU_KqJrgVHmHThXQPP3Ht49opySH-XSXN-UUCkra8Dx0dhBW_xxaPtKFaCoZ4sE2DEr5kF89cvveXQqWA4XssUGTzVSicwu3SHjgi6p4n4dc07nceVCwdY_jbogtU0xblLjWTYUJsJs0MeuB4Iythmr6NAcZkw/s320/IMG_2869.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Currently there's an outdoor art exhibit extolling the charms of the Liangma through photographs and artworks**. Here a few examples on display to the public:<div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6uU8t0eikqoHWkuWiXwSSy0ieDcSyLpkdL22U3s5nZREQ-4C8Cb1Z5rhLz9sVAq3uL2hwybnFoBtcNQ2fW_q2t7nefkg2LK0wQqizY8HWuxxajOzRjjcbddytNytUrQAq6J2o7ewwFX42DKoDgnKnjHCyMl0bNBAAJCIk-WJ1yju3mIOwzglGTnRE7H8/s4032/IMG_2871.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6uU8t0eikqoHWkuWiXwSSy0ieDcSyLpkdL22U3s5nZREQ-4C8Cb1Z5rhLz9sVAq3uL2hwybnFoBtcNQ2fW_q2t7nefkg2LK0wQqizY8HWuxxajOzRjjcbddytNytUrQAq6J2o7ewwFX42DKoDgnKnjHCyMl0bNBAAJCIk-WJ1yju3mIOwzglGTnRE7H8/s320/IMG_2871.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4n14wiNbRuydWIXT59e0tlt8kJcOF7biQpwDiPqDrzpLxqvN3RKkw6XRL17tnBEkI-8borfwMM64sEsNrr7Bna9JcTSKcdEf8lwhYtirakA3XCHTIcKVAuLUJlMHJIG4W5PulqZx5cMN_VOTWFM8dxVpnKUfRU6wkgIBIx5b26OgqbJ1X7J_FeLG9FdU/s3209/IMG_2872.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1816" data-original-width="3209" height="181" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4n14wiNbRuydWIXT59e0tlt8kJcOF7biQpwDiPqDrzpLxqvN3RKkw6XRL17tnBEkI-8borfwMM64sEsNrr7Bna9JcTSKcdEf8lwhYtirakA3XCHTIcKVAuLUJlMHJIG4W5PulqZx5cMN_VOTWFM8dxVpnKUfRU6wkgIBIx5b26OgqbJ1X7J_FeLG9FdU/s320/IMG_2872.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><i><div style="text-align: center;"><i>"Blue Water Clean the Liangma River" 蓝水净, Qiao Jian 乔健</i></div></i></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtxekRU-tAxQHj3URO1ihktmcLixulkErFfuGMSPI8GI6eU3j2hq6ap3J3eXEeW6W3aPcvEtCCAZeAnw6OVBA5Wzf4s5353e3AK153dX5KRGZXZspE0K2kBmdyAjjeALrYo4DyDHfF7Ur5B0dKtO65VjQb9Db5Pv41YJB4zWJDFw7puYIhaJXseo7dGrY/s3235/IMG_2874.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2035" data-original-width="3235" height="201" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtxekRU-tAxQHj3URO1ihktmcLixulkErFfuGMSPI8GI6eU3j2hq6ap3J3eXEeW6W3aPcvEtCCAZeAnw6OVBA5Wzf4s5353e3AK153dX5KRGZXZspE0K2kBmdyAjjeALrYo4DyDHfF7Ur5B0dKtO65VjQb9Db5Pv41YJB4zWJDFw7puYIhaJXseo7dGrY/s320/IMG_2874.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><i><div style="text-align: center;"><i>"Overlooking the Liangma River" 俯瞰亮马河, He Li 何丽</i></div></i><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikxheGB-vC4FnNHy_8Fe9CEuPg09bRvtIcgdxlp-urQ40-DMmhUfN-XMnd7aTYpKDLxCBoUNcvyYkh0cZj8b1E5ju263hjYvwKCNMmVaIiaZwfcjPtoxdvKBFUdGUl5UxaZvhW3ngdXi2vMYkVYFRKaiDn80SolNItpTMLnCVwnOV0msMiK_YHxlo0gSA/s3587/IMG_2878.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2495" data-original-width="3587" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikxheGB-vC4FnNHy_8Fe9CEuPg09bRvtIcgdxlp-urQ40-DMmhUfN-XMnd7aTYpKDLxCBoUNcvyYkh0cZj8b1E5ju263hjYvwKCNMmVaIiaZwfcjPtoxdvKBFUdGUl5UxaZvhW3ngdXi2vMYkVYFRKaiDn80SolNItpTMLnCVwnOV0msMiK_YHxlo0gSA/s320/IMG_2878.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><i><div style="text-align: center;"><i>"Liangma Harbor" 良马港湾, Zhao Rui 赵瑞</i></div></i></div><div><i><br /></i><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU9gfnSTULokUvUvZqFoYn7Dyj4z5lyD2WpRc-B1RjhK1vMbHzC6oB2l4FpSVKjH7nIxb3Fal_nGzCN5J7VKy26SnabuQ003V2Hiy2zMfe_iR-tF1Ea90vCozh23Z5jo7JyMW2stZIoXPxSnKwG2Vd0Lz5CTAtQM6kraIgHkl-KY2U3G4DzNT2etsuQO4/s3018/IMG_2882.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3018" data-original-width="1673" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU9gfnSTULokUvUvZqFoYn7Dyj4z5lyD2WpRc-B1RjhK1vMbHzC6oB2l4FpSVKjH7nIxb3Fal_nGzCN5J7VKy26SnabuQ003V2Hiy2zMfe_iR-tF1Ea90vCozh23Z5jo7JyMW2stZIoXPxSnKwG2Vd0Lz5CTAtQM6kraIgHkl-KY2U3G4DzNT2etsuQO4/s320/IMG_2882.jpg" width="177" /></a></div><i>"A Place for New Internet Celebrities to Check-in" 新晋网红打卡地, Wang Guobin 王国斌</i><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEXafZSYLe7X70xzTyPvpke1b6v0UXvfytTkUbYN4a3MEU3toso5wzAbGSRIlodKu6L9LgdQCE7gGBdchgyhxR43x-XC408zxU7Xmn8Q5ziht5rOv9B2HUT7R2MDZtyHO4kbdjB-tSAK_pWo6XVPKfP-WO7RtvFd2_jliRRpqYf1RStgrjnJn8eSKdY3w/s2299/IMG_2886.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1904" data-original-width="2299" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEXafZSYLe7X70xzTyPvpke1b6v0UXvfytTkUbYN4a3MEU3toso5wzAbGSRIlodKu6L9LgdQCE7gGBdchgyhxR43x-XC408zxU7Xmn8Q5ziht5rOv9B2HUT7R2MDZtyHO4kbdjB-tSAK_pWo6XVPKfP-WO7RtvFd2_jliRRpqYf1RStgrjnJn8eSKdY3w/s320/IMG_2886.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><i><div style="text-align: center;"><i>“Liangma Riverside" 亮马河畔, He Yongliang 何永亮</i></div></i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div>The management of our housing compound has put up these neon-red lights in observance of the upcoming Moon Festival. The effect is somewhat akin to that <i>Seinfeld </i>episode where a Kenny Roger's Roaster opens up across from Jerry and Kramer's apartments. Fortunately for us only the guestroom is affected: <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaRoND5ArzkTjrix9lMyaQ5UdMCpXVWix74iFu-qC4PMWNjqFjPusNuIxYr8ireT_mrU9zw_lz9zSuedLdCm-GXq8fRIosItK1wzTEEC5PooQNSzniH2zfnRhjG1dI-MnSbF4pODwNKtsm-0C7q9nFOTMAPuyaS7te0bCxv72Ex734X6EE3fyP2K4RAG4/s3245/IMG_2889.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3245" data-original-width="2195" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaRoND5ArzkTjrix9lMyaQ5UdMCpXVWix74iFu-qC4PMWNjqFjPusNuIxYr8ireT_mrU9zw_lz9zSuedLdCm-GXq8fRIosItK1wzTEEC5PooQNSzniH2zfnRhjG1dI-MnSbF4pODwNKtsm-0C7q9nFOTMAPuyaS7te0bCxv72Ex734X6EE3fyP2K4RAG4/s320/IMG_2889.jpg" width="216" /></a></div><div><br /></div>This past Saturday evening (last night, to be more precise), my increasingly active spouse suggested we drive to one of the city's most famous sightseeing spots, the <a href="https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/881/" target="_blank">Temple of Heaven</a> 天坛, to see it lit up in all its first-night-of-autumn glory. It was quite a sight, and Shu-E in particular took a lot of shots (most of the following images are from her cell phone camera):</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsbFRIRU2Ky3PtK7ktfx7MmKPTDKMDSJIolg31mqw8_NNVNwJBXEAcz6jNCxV_ew4VK1zklHyW2PqHXyFtV0qDscMgJ4UVioSDdjw3ax7z2mb2Y-VZvGz1we2sIDnSrLiFkgDMERlDRxqCszK8c1W0NuFy_i_vh8APXQvi8beGF4c42wa6LUfPPJ3LrJI/s1577/02fefa13f3bee532fe5ba5b13b383a32.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1577" data-original-width="1245" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsbFRIRU2Ky3PtK7ktfx7MmKPTDKMDSJIolg31mqw8_NNVNwJBXEAcz6jNCxV_ew4VK1zklHyW2PqHXyFtV0qDscMgJ4UVioSDdjw3ax7z2mb2Y-VZvGz1we2sIDnSrLiFkgDMERlDRxqCszK8c1W0NuFy_i_vh8APXQvi8beGF4c42wa6LUfPPJ3LrJI/s320/02fefa13f3bee532fe5ba5b13b383a32.JPG" width="253" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The overall cost of tickets to get inside to see the lights was low, namely because only my wife had to pay. Amber and I were free, as one of us is too old, and the other still too young:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYzBKJdWoqRcE7xSDopSgav-J_D7ppgdSHKY8HqHSZXVt5aDeMBfiPwtvqdG64vcfte8NE5_itSOd0kVirEcjwLILq14KeN-aJmD0RVLI8zAbxtlvIu31xX34-05tFFDHMKBD88MHNlrljpH5ZCvzU-oS8W1lOQi27AjJgWVi-rZ7CDqxSsJKK124QuhQ/s1649/7f8233236f5d9acb52181de24296934b.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1238" data-original-width="1649" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYzBKJdWoqRcE7xSDopSgav-J_D7ppgdSHKY8HqHSZXVt5aDeMBfiPwtvqdG64vcfte8NE5_itSOd0kVirEcjwLILq14KeN-aJmD0RVLI8zAbxtlvIu31xX34-05tFFDHMKBD88MHNlrljpH5ZCvzU-oS8W1lOQi27AjJgWVi-rZ7CDqxSsJKK124QuhQ/s320/7f8233236f5d9acb52181de24296934b.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimGMNHmCdrCUDvnjQ4t1m6NHB0WLwFx24ySB85WJRoVyA4dkFs7rKxKB8Hu-UtUtYwXUhxpOYYhu8YJUdT9t-wQgvpjnDMCBwq1TViaMT8_FIKyc0pzF3oZXK-FIZmDQhr2t_3gzEOBIAk8E56vQiL0BzNOcL17aqZzDUN2Noel227vDZjx44Q1hTJR7c/s1706/48c6b1b6361001cc96e020c8af20d4ac.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1706" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimGMNHmCdrCUDvnjQ4t1m6NHB0WLwFx24ySB85WJRoVyA4dkFs7rKxKB8Hu-UtUtYwXUhxpOYYhu8YJUdT9t-wQgvpjnDMCBwq1TViaMT8_FIKyc0pzF3oZXK-FIZmDQhr2t_3gzEOBIAk8E56vQiL0BzNOcL17aqZzDUN2Noel227vDZjx44Q1hTJR7c/s320/48c6b1b6361001cc96e020c8af20d4ac.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgudjf2Bvy7q0aLhVoqfaphGJ2-5c1A6D5PfSuTIPfhCdKVnhgMReoIs1Z4UMHCdlC1oN0f5yrUR17apC3nAuGi436InrUt708KJdFi8BveJ-ZePqRs1BfWMgbpXWTr5CvqMEnD8aFQmEif_sTxpEZKIcw0pBAH9bCdBvTBVwK_zk1vVNgefo-ZB4YkiXI/s1706/69b476a63c40529d580afa06c8bc4fc1.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1706" data-original-width="1280" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgudjf2Bvy7q0aLhVoqfaphGJ2-5c1A6D5PfSuTIPfhCdKVnhgMReoIs1Z4UMHCdlC1oN0f5yrUR17apC3nAuGi436InrUt708KJdFi8BveJ-ZePqRs1BfWMgbpXWTr5CvqMEnD8aFQmEif_sTxpEZKIcw0pBAH9bCdBvTBVwK_zk1vVNgefo-ZB4YkiXI/s320/69b476a63c40529d580afa06c8bc4fc1.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjltByFCTXzk3y7X9IQudbN8-BFmW4kPr9rU9E5SHJ55pakmw4vGqiKH_QsLCvQFmvrCMka7lqkafQg2VuKm4LWXShLyQCHq7hXFCK263HhkDTH6kT7jrlafVVHDz-7xvJRIbMk43HMGiJp62q19L7f5iCu0iOr0RTvNaNf9b2bQVhzRNUGsX8ZlBiOX8A/s1706/1616c6882bb86f105b2d87a1e8ba0666.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1706" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjltByFCTXzk3y7X9IQudbN8-BFmW4kPr9rU9E5SHJ55pakmw4vGqiKH_QsLCvQFmvrCMka7lqkafQg2VuKm4LWXShLyQCHq7hXFCK263HhkDTH6kT7jrlafVVHDz-7xvJRIbMk43HMGiJp62q19L7f5iCu0iOr0RTvNaNf9b2bQVhzRNUGsX8ZlBiOX8A/s320/1616c6882bb86f105b2d87a1e8ba0666.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1S0oCtQEvPX8ahmUctCvPbmWye3LpKx1zcc6tyQwUSzN6Eie4TLEKclrev6LigMV31a0vTw5PisMpTNxXFVTr8AbMwPNOdkZ5LKL6-pRiRZe6FquAXA0o9LkMA0gEjJ1vydVr0WoSEZmsM5hMZD4LoVWiCYOqEzFSQKlm-nbxKcl2RU_Z6Yj0FkMV8Nw/s1688/17757e6dab05d6f2cbe0f781300a1726.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1266" data-original-width="1688" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1S0oCtQEvPX8ahmUctCvPbmWye3LpKx1zcc6tyQwUSzN6Eie4TLEKclrev6LigMV31a0vTw5PisMpTNxXFVTr8AbMwPNOdkZ5LKL6-pRiRZe6FquAXA0o9LkMA0gEjJ1vydVr0WoSEZmsM5hMZD4LoVWiCYOqEzFSQKlm-nbxKcl2RU_Z6Yj0FkMV8Nw/s320/17757e6dab05d6f2cbe0f781300a1726.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSZINyy85P5DVNR2OMW5KcXzHwl1uBlnh7RR7Z4jb48e-VNMbMjrVsW_g7jYwLX51yN--JwGvz4UNp4ZgzFUDnH1VSpn-1RNcbTVOR8uE1e4NTA7YtgSzi2s6IHn-wrEGQV3hkNzZwvekReNcKpT0Za7TYm_sY4o4gGqolj7Xdkz0x_erJVpUBQ2JRlKA/s1706/eb52598be92c5f350efbeea2bbd381a4.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1706" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSZINyy85P5DVNR2OMW5KcXzHwl1uBlnh7RR7Z4jb48e-VNMbMjrVsW_g7jYwLX51yN--JwGvz4UNp4ZgzFUDnH1VSpn-1RNcbTVOR8uE1e4NTA7YtgSzi2s6IHn-wrEGQV3hkNzZwvekReNcKpT0Za7TYm_sY4o4gGqolj7Xdkz0x_erJVpUBQ2JRlKA/s320/eb52598be92c5f350efbeea2bbd381a4.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>By the light of the silvery moon...:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIS8puL_xX8iWy7Il8056FMDM60f-l_n5uwQT1mX5g5UpqFqi7FvELsxoqu93r9yf6GOiySufeHgyYk-AXRloTPSHUQ-_8Qtxa580SrWo2ZMxM5MQYbNwajS0-su_6nKYtVK1Xh1cnckRLaBAl3WFbWYql_f3FU1wBM_kO6x5r7ydZezIr_kU7gjpurJk/s1659/f03f92b765a0c8e827377c3637841514.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1659" data-original-width="1245" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIS8puL_xX8iWy7Il8056FMDM60f-l_n5uwQT1mX5g5UpqFqi7FvELsxoqu93r9yf6GOiySufeHgyYk-AXRloTPSHUQ-_8Qtxa580SrWo2ZMxM5MQYbNwajS0-su_6nKYtVK1Xh1cnckRLaBAl3WFbWYql_f3FU1wBM_kO6x5r7ydZezIr_kU7gjpurJk/s320/f03f92b765a0c8e827377c3637841514.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRpnOqa1v-NkwU-PDBvKo4aQZndDd6p3vySSAUpdCvetiI8VVX7lmhza4tPuf8Iaq3VgDx576jvLKwb0rkZhfdU21fAZjYEECNK1ogvlPYvtdLfrGVhF_qEpTrfghQ5pTGEX9NXCvmdq9EuJKM_QAlCYRyl_WmYRSx-xaGZq6yENFiHIN3igrWYrAwobo/s2648/IMG_2894.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2311" data-original-width="2648" height="279" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRpnOqa1v-NkwU-PDBvKo4aQZndDd6p3vySSAUpdCvetiI8VVX7lmhza4tPuf8Iaq3VgDx576jvLKwb0rkZhfdU21fAZjYEECNK1ogvlPYvtdLfrGVhF_qEpTrfghQ5pTGEX9NXCvmdq9EuJKM_QAlCYRyl_WmYRSx-xaGZq6yENFiHIN3igrWYrAwobo/s320/IMG_2894.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjESs-_0OUHKpcgGTbbcnd59KYh3cyc-Sohoy7WdftmsmyYanRdYN6hUiXZE0D5lVqzgAX7ub25Ey7fv3BDcQikUSMnR3QEgwdrIRNwrjYqFbqizLcc4vo2BHYqyYBqdIlPUj0J9Kfj1wICWBK_VZRt52Nt3LydN5nf2BNTc1ip_vyoCcun_s73q8NcqHI/s4032/IMG_2897.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1914" data-original-width="4032" height="152" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjESs-_0OUHKpcgGTbbcnd59KYh3cyc-Sohoy7WdftmsmyYanRdYN6hUiXZE0D5lVqzgAX7ub25Ey7fv3BDcQikUSMnR3QEgwdrIRNwrjYqFbqizLcc4vo2BHYqyYBqdIlPUj0J9Kfj1wICWBK_VZRt52Nt3LydN5nf2BNTc1ip_vyoCcun_s73q8NcqHI/s320/IMG_2897.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOiMdCzTMLsfWYBiJH_Z5KLbZ0Lq5M8zNcTNJk-7Uvpd8RY9aj6qoxe4kQhZ1Gh1YuIbU6pEHzGdCeFNmDNGaXKhVbBnULLMIY5PDkpkCBofHNWSYk6Oa90HGL3Vy9S84NpZVmhMXxw68_cqWHhXxb8k-GoYjo_uclz7q5CBz-oO74TarP3vlprjBBFcM/s4032/IMG_2899.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOiMdCzTMLsfWYBiJH_Z5KLbZ0Lq5M8zNcTNJk-7Uvpd8RY9aj6qoxe4kQhZ1Gh1YuIbU6pEHzGdCeFNmDNGaXKhVbBnULLMIY5PDkpkCBofHNWSYk6Oa90HGL3Vy9S84NpZVmhMXxw68_cqWHhXxb8k-GoYjo_uclz7q5CBz-oO74TarP3vlprjBBFcM/s320/IMG_2899.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFCosAzpC2fvblXseHt7-cLkAqmReSfYZo4qJDAO1QMMXWUelhzQv4tAxYnT4PUxSfg6f8pTAZxya3MsX7SCVepBsXz1FvMD2Ro72Y_Ad7NjQYutf9VxC1NNCrZQPOXlo5PWZaB_pxfUjsWz-Lws_7fxt-7212_Y1hRpkI6SgO5wmsaRQ2aZBcO405GkQ/s3909/IMG_2902.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2619" data-original-width="3909" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFCosAzpC2fvblXseHt7-cLkAqmReSfYZo4qJDAO1QMMXWUelhzQv4tAxYnT4PUxSfg6f8pTAZxya3MsX7SCVepBsXz1FvMD2Ro72Y_Ad7NjQYutf9VxC1NNCrZQPOXlo5PWZaB_pxfUjsWz-Lws_7fxt-7212_Y1hRpkI6SgO5wmsaRQ2aZBcO405GkQ/s320/IMG_2902.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO0bjPZes3nf71UifuH7keft07oZ2YheyVgyEU0Gdt-9H38h4dapWwlZ2b9RKPgtUB1PKSX3Xol9-naeiAkyZTu5qJM7wzFIvQ27y_XewUfso1Fjk7CjgM90ZlYNi4SONnv7sQ2upQXMjqKQO53-yuocdZc-z_DAQWtsE5WOd7DYjd8LcxRB5A4QS2y2Y/s4032/IMG_2907.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2898" data-original-width="4032" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO0bjPZes3nf71UifuH7keft07oZ2YheyVgyEU0Gdt-9H38h4dapWwlZ2b9RKPgtUB1PKSX3Xol9-naeiAkyZTu5qJM7wzFIvQ27y_XewUfso1Fjk7CjgM90ZlYNi4SONnv7sQ2upQXMjqKQO53-yuocdZc-z_DAQWtsE5WOd7DYjd8LcxRB5A4QS2y2Y/s320/IMG_2907.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8iBbfjbktT7WxqMsmTWfIB5z1XsqnqRSFc7P9RbGRtYaopsn3mliUV_uuSXoO0xyroLW6fegNO8gocBO3WEmWpB_IngJqgsnzLgTCieRETSkTb8cdvkgChZUQh3kZp8KwlipDJxjl7FfXFMdOQRtkND79nUkjK2dP71zw9o0phbbvCE_XvLYTo7_8PU8/s3924/IMG_2909.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2943" data-original-width="3924" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8iBbfjbktT7WxqMsmTWfIB5z1XsqnqRSFc7P9RbGRtYaopsn3mliUV_uuSXoO0xyroLW6fegNO8gocBO3WEmWpB_IngJqgsnzLgTCieRETSkTb8cdvkgChZUQh3kZp8KwlipDJxjl7FfXFMdOQRtkND79nUkjK2dP71zw9o0phbbvCE_XvLYTo7_8PU8/s320/IMG_2909.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2diMyf2WO0-HqCJxFI7KgfdICTfCf_GgukpE7zq0TcEruj2BaD2LMLBAkUdkutJTeToHnCpeFgmPGYsULPk2AoODSbz-FY8XhQ-D4HRbe9atn1sRrfN1fatZRm-pC1CJ2T-JGLd229L-nTreX3i0lTa4-5K9dZUN7e5R3qz3z96ZUUhF3cFy92HRPzJk/s4032/IMG_2913.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2145" data-original-width="4032" height="170" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2diMyf2WO0-HqCJxFI7KgfdICTfCf_GgukpE7zq0TcEruj2BaD2LMLBAkUdkutJTeToHnCpeFgmPGYsULPk2AoODSbz-FY8XhQ-D4HRbe9atn1sRrfN1fatZRm-pC1CJ2T-JGLd229L-nTreX3i0lTa4-5K9dZUN7e5R3qz3z96ZUUhF3cFy92HRPzJk/s320/IMG_2913.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh74guqs9cyfkd5Xn58GFlrv_YoMIETYv1CTaGQTowCGBRoW-1mAaXnNf_KPNO1eVxNyDq_m5tdAOkjNF5msHUaJWejccFsFlFk1T5uvG3AsNa_8mPPPTJJd_FsUpu0PjbYWs21G1uBPnSa2XGwHiZKTedSmDDOwFuDbaWwHOH3RzWTnLIdPgcHFPD4srU/s4032/IMG_2916.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh74guqs9cyfkd5Xn58GFlrv_YoMIETYv1CTaGQTowCGBRoW-1mAaXnNf_KPNO1eVxNyDq_m5tdAOkjNF5msHUaJWejccFsFlFk1T5uvG3AsNa_8mPPPTJJd_FsUpu0PjbYWs21G1uBPnSa2XGwHiZKTedSmDDOwFuDbaWwHOH3RzWTnLIdPgcHFPD4srU/s320/IMG_2916.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLGsZEYCUqgGD_WjyYHD11CH8vCZvXyO5D45oCNST0qeWOkB2Cojw3UZrj0qldZcX-YhJVnEqoaiy5uTJPrIRwRp8LyaVVmN_wlYTmXPdye0Shg81rFk-rWqMYAx4ojctBDggjIUbYnV9dsg50fiep6MEI-4AJeDsc9_ShubVZUvokbxHhcWzLjjl_dzE/s4032/IMG_2917.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLGsZEYCUqgGD_WjyYHD11CH8vCZvXyO5D45oCNST0qeWOkB2Cojw3UZrj0qldZcX-YhJVnEqoaiy5uTJPrIRwRp8LyaVVmN_wlYTmXPdye0Shg81rFk-rWqMYAx4ojctBDggjIUbYnV9dsg50fiep6MEI-4AJeDsc9_ShubVZUvokbxHhcWzLjjl_dzE/s320/IMG_2917.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF3jEoxJ3CvSVyHx21irKRDlC1s1CXCBIloTgwD6crA1e--Lf4LQuTR23nfr5sSHlPimmMsD0m9_XuH1NL15_7NKqYpx7VQONHKj_7iab3DNLDDM3W-VoKEonOZYd9N6kInthL1d3mwlE2R8A9CSTNgLS9U0WT2cJqS6yIz2nfaCtu8tyC8W79HSpNXro/s4032/IMG_2923.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2447" data-original-width="4032" height="194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF3jEoxJ3CvSVyHx21irKRDlC1s1CXCBIloTgwD6crA1e--Lf4LQuTR23nfr5sSHlPimmMsD0m9_XuH1NL15_7NKqYpx7VQONHKj_7iab3DNLDDM3W-VoKEonOZYd9N6kInthL1d3mwlE2R8A9CSTNgLS9U0WT2cJqS6yIz2nfaCtu8tyC8W79HSpNXro/s320/IMG_2923.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>In case you're wondering why we haven't yet visited the imperial religious complex in the daylight, we have...<a href="https://kaminoge.blogspot.com/2013/12/humblebrag-in-beijing-part-2-going-to.html" target="_blank">way back in December of 2013</a>. We made a couple of trips to China's capital while posted in Shanghai 上海 around a decade ago. During that time we did a lot of sightseeing in this country, operating under the assumption we wouldn't be returning following the end of our tour. Little did we know...</div><div><br /></div><div>Driving home on the East 3rd Ring Road. The strange-looking structure on the right is the <a href="https://www.archdaily.com/236175/cctv-headquarters-oma" target="_blank">CCTV Headquarters</a> building. And, yes, that is the Beatles you hear in the background while I'm driving:</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLdw5LCHGqHFSxTIHE11zJHR9wsCNsmQxYszlZ3Yi3-DVV2_oBOscHYsXpnytaytZUJtRrYFq0E2SVkPuPCRjPEo7cyYAAKBd6vIEtP-wpK7vB354tA2qCYYu6mGadrDg5zArY3IxOj4-9MUCCIBSQHaBHqmPzCzIFauMVUtEXIjT-oG0Zd4kX0zDQeiQ/s1615/0c2076eb78f3d4983b38a5f32a75c910.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1010" data-original-width="1615" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLdw5LCHGqHFSxTIHE11zJHR9wsCNsmQxYszlZ3Yi3-DVV2_oBOscHYsXpnytaytZUJtRrYFq0E2SVkPuPCRjPEo7cyYAAKBd6vIEtP-wpK7vB354tA2qCYYu6mGadrDg5zArY3IxOj4-9MUCCIBSQHaBHqmPzCzIFauMVUtEXIjT-oG0Zd4kX0zDQeiQ/s320/0c2076eb78f3d4983b38a5f32a75c910.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq2qI19Drg4EmKWiLMCUraM6hh0jqgltPDbM4GvVs1WRSdvXVmnoCwZX56c28iTwtiYzTY5xNS4n_xEMDRbuuUoZH05gKFRacW09J9iXLgPCwWnYSz4UjODx97mY117yOqnv0-3ynF8MvDYVhUhqsAhDyPJQM9iplGRuvu7bsTEUdnllvXlrf9Y7vxE7g/s1687/de385bb263a56bf5299cf482a6aea024.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="995" data-original-width="1687" height="189" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq2qI19Drg4EmKWiLMCUraM6hh0jqgltPDbM4GvVs1WRSdvXVmnoCwZX56c28iTwtiYzTY5xNS4n_xEMDRbuuUoZH05gKFRacW09J9iXLgPCwWnYSz4UjODx97mY117yOqnv0-3ynF8MvDYVhUhqsAhDyPJQM9iplGRuvu7bsTEUdnllvXlrf9Y7vxE7g/s320/de385bb263a56bf5299cf482a6aea024.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dztayzsuIonF974kjNIPB3oh2TLIPbKnu_U_RX_XhHi90YqpeUCi5IV4PFimnHsBOYJUBreMQr5RurnQkhEZQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div><br /></div><div>Something I neglected to include in <a href="https://kaminoge.blogspot.com/2023/09/going-to-hell-in-prc-and-only-thing.html" target="_blank">last week's blog entry</a> was the T-shirt I picked up in Mutianyu 慕田峪 last Sunday:</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwnh0etv7BBbhUX1WFGgOrVXJS_4Q9nSIfJVsQDmjNVN-11uY9HGIaHObqRL3N0BnXtt-uTvSZTKF-XvzT_qSEKbZfRcJWJ0C-4AESvsoWxSj5_Tvc7PyiSw79dsy3RwqKKCikSIJ40C1tZ8gVrbY5nKnjs9p83f6PZHNFOsbBxrcsTYTat4VVT84xB6A/s2825/IMG_2954.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2825" data-original-width="2351" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwnh0etv7BBbhUX1WFGgOrVXJS_4Q9nSIfJVsQDmjNVN-11uY9HGIaHObqRL3N0BnXtt-uTvSZTKF-XvzT_qSEKbZfRcJWJ0C-4AESvsoWxSj5_Tvc7PyiSw79dsy3RwqKKCikSIJ40C1tZ8gVrbY5nKnjs9p83f6PZHNFOsbBxrcsTYTat4VVT84xB6A/s320/IMG_2954.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaNkaBo0QYY9dbG1W9Fur48Wg1c7hNhYalt9xdz4j8Z5IhzXeBWZK2WjutbgrqX0gXos9eZqcSlZgrT_klE7mSsHTDn92sAhsNb64RMf1NPy59BN-mkcVh3jhQFKRSWoIRlE4LxlaO6mhF6_QJNHvgmhPrMCVNeZFlKow4hBIcVOwJY9aFBS0xrBdzu_8/s2421/IMG_2955.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2362" data-original-width="2421" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaNkaBo0QYY9dbG1W9Fur48Wg1c7hNhYalt9xdz4j8Z5IhzXeBWZK2WjutbgrqX0gXos9eZqcSlZgrT_klE7mSsHTDn92sAhsNb64RMf1NPy59BN-mkcVh3jhQFKRSWoIRlE4LxlaO6mhF6_QJNHvgmhPrMCVNeZFlKow4hBIcVOwJY9aFBS0xrBdzu_8/s320/IMG_2955.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Clad in my tourist tat, and with no special plans for this afternoon, and in conjunction with the already-cooling weather following the official end of summer yesterday, I dusted off my bike and made a tentative first attempt at getting some long-overdue, much-needed exercise. My modest goal was the 25-minute ride from our home to the <a href="https://www.stadiumguide.com/beijing-workers-stadium/" target="_blank">Beijing Workers' Sports Complex</a>, <i>aka</i> Workers' Stadium 工人体育场. I didn't go inside, but did make a circuit of the outside of the extensive grounds:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6oIHyQmlN38JRcDCvr6LXt_NRkCYZ8x05kvc_QGmXblUVNiko2UlKgGR2nBJSZdrPQz7FilrYPQ0WKxgtJW-4ys9bg7Chj8K-rvPDtKQY_7P6lEfyZsKHMdQ1PmnYZak-iB2HpkeImo-vSBMSd4xPpHGNBKe_JIy_NuAvNUvI_WKAhr7rlY0kWLnKc2o/s3885/IMG_2958.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2324" data-original-width="3885" height="191" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6oIHyQmlN38JRcDCvr6LXt_NRkCYZ8x05kvc_QGmXblUVNiko2UlKgGR2nBJSZdrPQz7FilrYPQ0WKxgtJW-4ys9bg7Chj8K-rvPDtKQY_7P6lEfyZsKHMdQ1PmnYZak-iB2HpkeImo-vSBMSd4xPpHGNBKe_JIy_NuAvNUvI_WKAhr7rlY0kWLnKc2o/s320/IMG_2958.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiknRSIEyltPzCUTxtRCRKTHsK801-6wN0bjMoo-VNcJalHLbfSvajymNf4r6KvilDADphFxNLEJDNqqxPILlgR8CbfTPE5DxGsT8aKlcwFKF8hUUkN4QHc7r3T7INgj872ko87lrtE77D8f8DclmFQuyjoVG-8qvqvKgJefmuyzGpD05aVol3IcxClrqs/s4032/IMG_2961.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1272" data-original-width="4032" height="101" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiknRSIEyltPzCUTxtRCRKTHsK801-6wN0bjMoo-VNcJalHLbfSvajymNf4r6KvilDADphFxNLEJDNqqxPILlgR8CbfTPE5DxGsT8aKlcwFKF8hUUkN4QHc7r3T7INgj872ko87lrtE77D8f8DclmFQuyjoVG-8qvqvKgJefmuyzGpD05aVol3IcxClrqs/s320/IMG_2961.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmFeEuIYd4Jy1rtaeBYGWlgfyF6Cpp-3aohgFPwupU1EICKPIPbVWqZCDafgYB6_ZkJVmh3mFikgQmA3XV5YLHC7h05qRV90eeygH7OJLNDYYwyQvu71kQQiMDPsRK1yD5BpO61bzkoWNlNhIRuSbv1d0UjTmFYNe-fQqHiV3QTpAzhBvMPPeX7JU5ywI/s4032/IMG_2963.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2773" data-original-width="4032" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmFeEuIYd4Jy1rtaeBYGWlgfyF6Cpp-3aohgFPwupU1EICKPIPbVWqZCDafgYB6_ZkJVmh3mFikgQmA3XV5YLHC7h05qRV90eeygH7OJLNDYYwyQvu71kQQiMDPsRK1yD5BpO61bzkoWNlNhIRuSbv1d0UjTmFYNe-fQqHiV3QTpAzhBvMPPeX7JU5ywI/s320/IMG_2963.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Media presented the old-fashioned socialist way...:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4xxl0tprtH7pN8nvLcYgvAkf0f6SHk4YLsyjUS-gpCuh20gbzjNW8j-RhKJx4zmDOwG8hp_i9vy4F4FJAJzfbfakdcO6K1Q56MoyQIFopUNsYgSUXI82GGo14E9eEhmfkqh-Td38-SBpnyJLhaTZTDZhWIbjySz-UYkIQntALDvsyRl66dID32bkr48Q/s3203/IMG_2964.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2553" data-original-width="3203" height="255" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4xxl0tprtH7pN8nvLcYgvAkf0f6SHk4YLsyjUS-gpCuh20gbzjNW8j-RhKJx4zmDOwG8hp_i9vy4F4FJAJzfbfakdcO6K1Q56MoyQIFopUNsYgSUXI82GGo14E9eEhmfkqh-Td38-SBpnyJLhaTZTDZhWIbjySz-UYkIQntALDvsyRl66dID32bkr48Q/s320/IMG_2964.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>...and utilizing that newfangled technology:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCIc96GApM4m-GvgmnhsOsVJlsLsFTlAFZ6sa-K-LuOnUkarvp8isEYGXkeW2-9aMW_1BDdJZSgI2Efe1780xcQLyVJc9FOowyEOzcGmo7YZJjNZiQNgFiiwUueJ8FmZKeJj6g4_w7uZBo2C6Vw-cGcn1yt45tJU2MZvsd2zP6sdQ3OPy3kU1sSlkQ4us/s3064/IMG_2965.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3064" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCIc96GApM4m-GvgmnhsOsVJlsLsFTlAFZ6sa-K-LuOnUkarvp8isEYGXkeW2-9aMW_1BDdJZSgI2Efe1780xcQLyVJc9FOowyEOzcGmo7YZJjNZiQNgFiiwUueJ8FmZKeJj6g4_w7uZBo2C6Vw-cGcn1yt45tJU2MZvsd2zP6sdQ3OPy3kU1sSlkQ4us/s320/IMG_2965.jpg" width="316" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Old men gathering to watch other elderly gentlemen play games, a very Chinese sight on holidays and weekends:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis0s8BArUTMfISwq3PwAJSgEldPgZG54R6tSiP1EwIFb49KA17Za_Rz-Q684-aviMRsimOs0XNJCrY2SntFBqoWt0g67lbJ5KHlsy1b1sLW6TwZuNcsDFq_tm6Lzo70CofJHhBsTZmZuWwLKl6yVUHEtqA5ZGp5Z9V9dtw8pCouZD_QbV9-illuSCyR6M/s3727/IMG_2966.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1426" data-original-width="3727" height="122" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis0s8BArUTMfISwq3PwAJSgEldPgZG54R6tSiP1EwIFb49KA17Za_Rz-Q684-aviMRsimOs0XNJCrY2SntFBqoWt0g67lbJ5KHlsy1b1sLW6TwZuNcsDFq_tm6Lzo70CofJHhBsTZmZuWwLKl6yVUHEtqA5ZGp5Z9V9dtw8pCouZD_QbV9-illuSCyR6M/s320/IMG_2966.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT0DcDYkC7QI6vqFbz3lB7VqUSwsUxg-95Zmp_OblRxDnkJmh80YeV2vZwbdR4VFL78Cqtj4aZ7aFFivFIpKmZCASgPXDtxGaxvX58PpQ5_19H4H0-_dep3dDLEpidMPFIvagiCYjD6qSUQpNrqLI5P4N6TjE-c_cK2vN55qQk9XJ8EM2EX--iXlmK9Fs/s3088/IMG_2967.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2320" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT0DcDYkC7QI6vqFbz3lB7VqUSwsUxg-95Zmp_OblRxDnkJmh80YeV2vZwbdR4VFL78Cqtj4aZ7aFFivFIpKmZCASgPXDtxGaxvX58PpQ5_19H4H0-_dep3dDLEpidMPFIvagiCYjD6qSUQpNrqLI5P4N6TjE-c_cK2vN55qQk9XJ8EM2EX--iXlmK9Fs/s320/IMG_2967.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>My trusty steed, which I've had since our time in Shanghai. I'd like to use it more now that the humidity is abating. But I first need to figure out where to lock it when not riding, as Beijing has a serious shortage of bike racks and other similar facilities. The municipality's convenient share bikes just lock in place wherever riders choose to park them, but my Trek isn't equipped in that manner:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTe3tysU41ydDAUTpRixAn_F6q-ubpwXpd-jABMcruDaaCMqEtHypn4FHRqnE_znuUiIucJe5mceaFe27NQxZ4pWOTfGAHOlcdy8O0XO-4-F0czbnCBg3K2xpIgfjjPsCdF62-o_hHYfIIf55_Yzk2oSVuE8Eb0Wd-z7sidDTIEWDdzcSpwcEkcpPXlNk/s4032/IMG_2969.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTe3tysU41ydDAUTpRixAn_F6q-ubpwXpd-jABMcruDaaCMqEtHypn4FHRqnE_znuUiIucJe5mceaFe27NQxZ4pWOTfGAHOlcdy8O0XO-4-F0czbnCBg3K2xpIgfjjPsCdF62-o_hHYfIIf55_Yzk2oSVuE8Eb0Wd-z7sidDTIEWDdzcSpwcEkcpPXlNk/s320/IMG_2969.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQfLRg7vunjY9EmX_3udBJTT2TiDW6nwvlunEoAmjOxvafwBooNaVinVG0NLS1Km__GUn_lFWLblN89JvbnPBQYc3dMWfDOtHopefR_Z-mZPw9sadqKDiAFMhwM1zF8xxGuOdq2omiZhlhLcO5hJVjacgAoBuuYFalntLvF0tL9CrH6Rw1_kLGOqN9NxI/s4032/IMG_2970.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQfLRg7vunjY9EmX_3udBJTT2TiDW6nwvlunEoAmjOxvafwBooNaVinVG0NLS1Km__GUn_lFWLblN89JvbnPBQYc3dMWfDOtHopefR_Z-mZPw9sadqKDiAFMhwM1zF8xxGuOdq2omiZhlhLcO5hJVjacgAoBuuYFalntLvF0tL9CrH6Rw1_kLGOqN9NxI/s320/IMG_2970.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div>As stated above, we will most likely be heading out of town for a few days during the upcoming holiday. The wife is doing all the planning, which means that I'll get all the blame should anything go wrong. Until then, remember that the love you take is equal to the love you make:</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/A5Tuu6UnEe8" width="320" youtube-src-id="A5Tuu6UnEe8"></iframe></div><br /><div>*<i>Before you start feeling envious of the Chinese, note that some of these days off have to be made up by working or going to school on a following weekend. Fortunately, this barbaric system doesn't apply to me or my daughter.</i> </div></div><div><br /></div><div>**<i>My apologies to the artists and photographers for my poor attempts at translating their works. </i></div>Kaminogehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07925637671913689331noreply@blogger.com01 Tian Tan Dong Lu, Dong Cheng Qu, China, 10006139.8821803 116.406605611.571946463821156 81.2503556 68.192414136178854 151.5628556tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2497220891386919340.post-68085820611806889162023-09-20T21:14:00.002+08:002023-09-20T21:14:51.125+08:00Going to hell in the PRC and the only thing that can save me is a YouTube video <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiixlFsTWLhB_uMSJP0tGNah2A9gQu7NKqflydtbXIRH08qRdCKhypBeBNDaTnCU9MYfFSSfLe9cxg551omyP8e4DOjrsjowC42u7zbq9gbKJ2iABtyky_RrttBFg0JG3Vc2vDsZ455KWLwcTgNDWgU8GW8dIEg8VYn_jPRW7TsqWYGRBZSIqf88foZhcM/s1702/95b1f3efe07567c0facd64cbf00a6552.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1276" data-original-width="1702" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiixlFsTWLhB_uMSJP0tGNah2A9gQu7NKqflydtbXIRH08qRdCKhypBeBNDaTnCU9MYfFSSfLe9cxg551omyP8e4DOjrsjowC42u7zbq9gbKJ2iABtyky_RrttBFg0JG3Vc2vDsZ455KWLwcTgNDWgU8GW8dIEg8VYn_jPRW7TsqWYGRBZSIqf88foZhcM/s320/95b1f3efe07567c0facd64cbf00a6552.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><i><div style="text-align: center;"><i>The Great Wall at Mutianyu </i></div></i><p>What is it about Formosa? Or, to be more specific, what is it about Taiwan that transforms more than one expatriate that I know from being a relatively open-minded foreign resident curious about their adopted mother/fatherland into a Fox News-watching negative paranoid taking the plunge down a far-right rabbit hole, and emerging into a world of ridiculous conspiracies that any sane person would just shake their heads at and keep moving along? </p><p>This intellectual trap befell a Canadian acquaintance of mine more than a decade ago. From time to time, out of curiosity, I have a look at some of his recent Facebook posts, only to see him sharing the latest anti-vax fixations, or the threat posed by "wokeness", or whatever the current threat de jour that's getting Tucker Carlson all worked up. Speaking of the latter, our reactionary Canuck was passing along the latest diatribe, this one being the alleged cover-up of Barack Obama's closet homosexuality and crack cocaine addiction. I commented about this on <i>my</i> FB page, expecting maybe a few chuckles from friends who long ago gave up trying to understand what has happened to rational political discourse in the United States. </p><p>Only one American Facebook friend didn't see any humor in this. JCR wrote that he believed the story was probably true, and that my disregard of what is just the latest in a long line of unproven politically-motivated allegations aimed at getting the MAGA hat-wearing morons riled up was evidence that I am "brainwashed". Of all the things I put on social media that should annoy the alt right crowd to no end, why was it this particular post ("Gay Obama!") that persuaded JCR to come out from under his rock and try to show the online world how "smart" he was for recognizing as "probably true" what most of the rest of us would think is another sad indication of the decline of the American education system*? </p><p>If it isn't evident by now, JCR has been in Taiwan a <i>long</i> time. How long? When I first met him on a beach in Tainan 台南 sometime in the mid-aughts, he mentioned at that time he had been living in Taiwan for the past 19 years. Assuming he's never returned to his native California, and seeing that it's now The Year of Our Lord Two thousand and twenty-three, that would mean he's been in the country for a period going on <i>30</i> years or more. </p><p>I've spent roughly a quarter of a century living in either Japan or Taiwan. During that time I've encountered countless numbers of Westerners, most of whom had points of view on current events that were unremarkably normal. A few have been conservative when it comes to political matters, but they tended to be of the rational variety that used to be prominent before Fox and Donald Trump came along. And while I do know an American living and working in Japan's rural Niigata Prefecture 新潟県 who would espouse the "white culture is under threat" claptrap spewed out by the likes of Glenn Beck (despite being married to a Japanese woman, and having two bicultural, biracial children!), all of the expats I know of who have gone from reading Ayn Rand and quoting Jordan Peterson to agreeing with the craziest of the nutbar commentators and their delusions have spent considerable time living and working in Taiwan.</p><p>Why, I can't figure out. According to one of the <a href="https://www.goteamjosh.com/blog/" target="_blank">best Taiwan-based bloggers</a>, it might be because they "are discontent with their lives, trapped in Taiwan in an unhealthy marriage with children, burnt out from teaching English, and no prospects for ever being able to leave". But I'm sure that applies to many expats in Japan as well, and yet I haven't seen the same drift to the (alt) right there that I've noticed in the Taiwan-based blogsphere. Perhaps Japan offers more opportunities to break out of the English-teaching trap. Or it could be I pay more attention to what is going in the ROC, seeing as I started blogging while living and working in Taichung 台中. Whatever the reason, it does seem to put to the lie the notion about traveling broadening the mind. </p><p>Oh, and one more thing. JCR seems to think I'm going to burn in hell. In his eyes, I must be an atheist, because I "seem to project some leftist ideals with (my) ridicule of Tucker Carlson". Which is odd, in that Jesus himself comes across as a "leftist" who would probably take issue with a lot of what's being said on Fox News and other alt-right media - I'm left with the impression that JCR's Christ is akin to that of Bill Maher's "<a href="https://youtu.be/cE0_JhLsgPQ?si=P1punk8fXvLeEveQ" target="_blank">Supply Side Jesus</a>"!. Despite the fact that whether or not I'm an atheist, agnostic or a believer in "God Almighty and what his son has done for humanity" is no one else's business (unless I choose to announce it a public forum), JCR** felt "compelled" to share a YouTube video with me. To quote, "it's on (me) if (I) refuse to watch it, but if (I) plan on dying some day, (I) would be wise to learn about what happens before it happens to (me)." Which is pretty goddamned (pun intended) arrogant of him to do - isn't pride one of the seven deadly sins? </p><p>I have no intention of watching it, of course (perusing the comments was enough!). The peculiarly conservative American take on Christianity is radically different from the <a href="https://www.churchofengland.org/" target="_blank">Anglican</a>-rooted theology that I'm more familiar with. But that's a topic for another blog post at another time. The most meaningless thing anyone can do is to "send hopes and prayers" to someone experiencing hardship, so I'll leave the likes of <i>JC</i>(!)R and the Montreal Canadienne alone, and write about what's been happening here in this <a href="https://www.cfr.org/backgrounder/religion-china#:~:text=The%20Chinese%20Communist%20Party%20is,monitor%20registered%20and%20unregistered%20groups." target="_blank">officially atheist state</a>. </p><p>For most of the past week I was out with a bad case of strep throat. I was no doubt struck down with this bacterial infection by a vengeful deity, and certainly did not randomly catch it from respiratory droplets containing said bacteria. Thanks to what must have been divine intervention, I felt well enough last Saturday to go through with the weekend itinerary my wife had worked up for us, namely an overnight excursion to that most iconic of Chinese symbols, the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Wall_of_China" target="_blank">Great Wall</a> 长城. </p><p>One of the most accessible sections of the Great Wall from Beijing is that located in <a href="https://www.travelchinaguide.com/china_great_wall/scene/beijing/mutianyu.htm" target="_blank">Mutiany</a>u 慕田峪. It was initially built in 1404 by untold numbers of laborers whose souls have been writhing in eternal damnation in the fiery pits of hell ever since, as few if any ever accepted Jesus Christ as their lord and savior. Restoration work began in 1983, and the wall was opened to visitors in the spring of 1988 (Mutianyu was chosen as a UNESCO World Heritage Site the previous year). </p><p>The hotel where we stayed on Saturday night - Shu-E chose this establishment because it was the closest spot to the entrance to the wall where we could park our car:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhXK4ksjbChXq0e1vUAcMKuKxNEBGdaSUTrGJBk42QPioEG0LKdYWkJoXzed1pjdHA53lf0Bdt8rQv2oUn47QJwdG3qhY6eskW44fddMSLi-EQS4CeJmPh9J9ySQLd1C146DRNSHNLSjzZmV8SqkCvYR8Bqs4ZGVu6k9vNYwCsHi4o6KYs-VfBXGUVojI/s4032/IMG_2740.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhXK4ksjbChXq0e1vUAcMKuKxNEBGdaSUTrGJBk42QPioEG0LKdYWkJoXzed1pjdHA53lf0Bdt8rQv2oUn47QJwdG3qhY6eskW44fddMSLi-EQS4CeJmPh9J9ySQLd1C146DRNSHNLSjzZmV8SqkCvYR8Bqs4ZGVu6k9vNYwCsHi4o6KYs-VfBXGUVojI/s320/IMG_2740.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYnIqIoc0IW-cg0KqHs2t0YYAhh2WK0N_38FWQsY7fgdCGGvY0wUUSAFa2ls-6-xkkG2GHg3mziy8qLmsrkV8zi1UGYGn_JNsdwDkSzswZ9WoBmGC_xfqBqVc92X_3Em8poHgfPu8is8WzS5CuNV4x1BUREZXDLfEzwKSUn2rtYjh8uBEHY9G8ZI9P8wQ/s4032/IMG_2741.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYnIqIoc0IW-cg0KqHs2t0YYAhh2WK0N_38FWQsY7fgdCGGvY0wUUSAFa2ls-6-xkkG2GHg3mziy8qLmsrkV8zi1UGYGn_JNsdwDkSzswZ9WoBmGC_xfqBqVc92X_3Em8poHgfPu8is8WzS5CuNV4x1BUREZXDLfEzwKSUn2rtYjh8uBEHY9G8ZI9P8wQ/s320/IMG_2741.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>For dinner the wife ordered fish. This gentleman below proceeded to use a net to capture one unlucky aquatic creature from the pool out front, clubbed it to death with the instrument held in his right hand, and then proceeded to cook it on the grill behind him. It doesn't come any fresher than that:<div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5l2oX06-x0sUcAGzafJCmzFFDk_m_fyw3L2qjBwHjjx2tcgBEsLMrLRhH8wPBU9Li1gtalfGM2KoIcm6WkFMt6Yrcrm5Li0JBkJpgIJKHNoZR82INTHz1LzhqvVXHshJijyE9i6cn6h4wMOO4gb30ENKLWlhaYHN2rJ6f-s51_o6tlP135SgZftijRGQ/s4032/IMG_2743.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5l2oX06-x0sUcAGzafJCmzFFDk_m_fyw3L2qjBwHjjx2tcgBEsLMrLRhH8wPBU9Li1gtalfGM2KoIcm6WkFMt6Yrcrm5Li0JBkJpgIJKHNoZR82INTHz1LzhqvVXHshJijyE9i6cn6h4wMOO4gb30ENKLWlhaYHN2rJ6f-s51_o6tlP135SgZftijRGQ/s320/IMG_2743.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg69Q9jLr0IFZBAEV0-5royhApqW_TB_dqnfGCiiM5cnoAGALIY0Tsa81BVrr4V2a-8UosXDGX8MkNQ20p2sWqYcuO2pi6EbLeiqlHeLCzi27f5GsK3JfnrDl6Tew67z0quamftNPcy0EucdwbAEz0Iv6kIzms_iNTbMF6e0zRmsfvRoNfZLo0du8LTjKo/s3312/IMG_2750.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3312" data-original-width="2414" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg69Q9jLr0IFZBAEV0-5royhApqW_TB_dqnfGCiiM5cnoAGALIY0Tsa81BVrr4V2a-8UosXDGX8MkNQ20p2sWqYcuO2pi6EbLeiqlHeLCzi27f5GsK3JfnrDl6Tew67z0quamftNPcy0EucdwbAEz0Iv6kIzms_iNTbMF6e0zRmsfvRoNfZLo0du8LTjKo/s320/IMG_2750.jpg" width="233" /></a></div><div><br /></div>There was a "Mutianyu beer" on the menu, but the server said they didn't have any in stock, so this is what I had to settle for:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgev9kIP3S19VPydgit6CDtAVMVWKz2AJT9dG545vx3i9620P0lMG8yB82aF1kohXDVIrVvtdz1GC2RmInNOagmrRQY0yp8_w7oL6TqHzj2KNkmAtE-J-jr59f6wBIIU8au_jGxMO6_5vPZmCuteEqh10_dszzpaPgtLIe8cfJ0X6naVJExcnnE0ZngvlE/s4032/IMG_2744.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgev9kIP3S19VPydgit6CDtAVMVWKz2AJT9dG545vx3i9620P0lMG8yB82aF1kohXDVIrVvtdz1GC2RmInNOagmrRQY0yp8_w7oL6TqHzj2KNkmAtE-J-jr59f6wBIIU8au_jGxMO6_5vPZmCuteEqh10_dszzpaPgtLIe8cfJ0X6naVJExcnnE0ZngvlE/s320/IMG_2744.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9Eloi60eoMB9nGKjDEPb91JdPuIEc87Yn4ntti2TmeXvJhBvnIc97lJ__CFt24CKn7dQ4fpWUHse9IQl-ctmx47wDnfzHWWyHAnUT9jcil-KdxgrT0YvKsSp_2GZraf1ZBlVbhREcWO89KFB73nLSQijLkZKByQf7qxyj46gc6drdyrrXBrii7AoUS1k/s4032/IMG_2749.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9Eloi60eoMB9nGKjDEPb91JdPuIEc87Yn4ntti2TmeXvJhBvnIc97lJ__CFt24CKn7dQ4fpWUHse9IQl-ctmx47wDnfzHWWyHAnUT9jcil-KdxgrT0YvKsSp_2GZraf1ZBlVbhREcWO89KFB73nLSQijLkZKByQf7qxyj46gc6drdyrrXBrii7AoUS1k/s320/IMG_2749.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>After dinner we set out on the short walk uphill from the hotel to the cable car station:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEQiiXXmzdxluNLo58ixaeR8P5O1NejpCW9hFJ7q9dkGyFw-o4MhG-yI6F8CvJ0OI3mz5A4u7LHLICtN2WOGykP7X94NQVs_PUEnBhf86OPeksOPLixGI0o5_PHpBDquR1tyjPkQy3xrHr6lEEQ8UVz6-3IpzJyfrA_xKDOj4fTxBJ-_YDaj8eIUumt2Q/s4032/IMG_2752.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2429" data-original-width="4032" height="193" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEQiiXXmzdxluNLo58ixaeR8P5O1NejpCW9hFJ7q9dkGyFw-o4MhG-yI6F8CvJ0OI3mz5A4u7LHLICtN2WOGykP7X94NQVs_PUEnBhf86OPeksOPLixGI0o5_PHpBDquR1tyjPkQy3xrHr6lEEQ8UVz6-3IpzJyfrA_xKDOj4fTxBJ-_YDaj8eIUumt2Q/s320/IMG_2752.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Approaching the wall:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3Okh6kkXyky8dh_Bk4ZxVDFUf72AgVKUbCQCJpW5aN0MvZ8Icth2A3Q1MyADJSduYOw9NcL1Zf9YU1WrIWE_6BYPsDSAl97ZdSn1uaHHPF3_gZ0p8MKqPcvy_992iM_VrwCgE9MHF10rGWTvXL4IGIMGDPw9lsVBu9CqIra6phk9cEg8lHsDK88LQuiQ/s4032/IMG_2756.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2285" data-original-width="4032" height="181" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3Okh6kkXyky8dh_Bk4ZxVDFUf72AgVKUbCQCJpW5aN0MvZ8Icth2A3Q1MyADJSduYOw9NcL1Zf9YU1WrIWE_6BYPsDSAl97ZdSn1uaHHPF3_gZ0p8MKqPcvy_992iM_VrwCgE9MHF10rGWTvXL4IGIMGDPw9lsVBu9CqIra6phk9cEg8lHsDK88LQuiQ/s320/IMG_2756.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>We were greeted at the top by this performing duo. It was impossible to ascertain if they believe in God Almighty and what his son has done for humanity. Based on the tepid reaction they unfairly received from the visitors, I would guess the answer is "not yet":</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6K2Smf1xEHViU4Vr-24eXyZjVGwQPzmFGBESWsB_L622t7ZAZLod2afOPmgyCCBZ4GfrJAkyp_kOvdN6rfY4Vv5guubBt8Jj8KNKl1ZQdhPU4vy2Ztv5czZwv1wj0GBifFpWZ0YPHBJSUrwtiu5EjKmO1Dl01vn4nDogY6P_hddSHKZfCmbDY3spR_QE/s1702/c0fed959f6730119a2a2a64113073672.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1702" data-original-width="1276" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6K2Smf1xEHViU4Vr-24eXyZjVGwQPzmFGBESWsB_L622t7ZAZLod2afOPmgyCCBZ4GfrJAkyp_kOvdN6rfY4Vv5guubBt8Jj8KNKl1ZQdhPU4vy2Ztv5czZwv1wj0GBifFpWZ0YPHBJSUrwtiu5EjKmO1Dl01vn4nDogY6P_hddSHKZfCmbDY3spR_QE/s320/c0fed959f6730119a2a2a64113073672.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwMFjwNvJTvaddz3JXbR2JjDnfeRTnf-ppLlYeRkno4wn1GX4KPmQQKZvY6xFgHpsm_u3PEhTCQpFIQ-pDd3Q' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div><br /></div>We were deposited at the No. 14 Watchtower, and spent time exploring the ramparts in both directions:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP_biYoxQO1mQ2XwDybRKwWX5VGcKm4oYgAU96caDet1tTPG-yE4Kg35gaBtk-Zj4KSf-YcTBRqY2Gj8iOrGODe84mreTTSxsNZTZPAtQbmO44k8KRsj9Kye-M7rGoYQUBU3IGI2hyhud_smrLVfSxSTi_4sTFLmCqnz5d62Ts773mmviS9zD-eicURr8/s1670/0bb30913f6fa1ac43eb4d653c5b40216.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1670" data-original-width="1252" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP_biYoxQO1mQ2XwDybRKwWX5VGcKm4oYgAU96caDet1tTPG-yE4Kg35gaBtk-Zj4KSf-YcTBRqY2Gj8iOrGODe84mreTTSxsNZTZPAtQbmO44k8KRsj9Kye-M7rGoYQUBU3IGI2hyhud_smrLVfSxSTi_4sTFLmCqnz5d62Ts773mmviS9zD-eicURr8/s320/0bb30913f6fa1ac43eb4d653c5b40216.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJWb-nCSJmVwZDY85heWEZlPvQVg_AOxfsV3jGTsWyNMsdK0mJ46LJGpzKxZBObm2b4Vd7k3IsOfvw4ROiHwdkDtq0c4ymgETRbzbWlq3tzd5bKYbRJSnUbf63R5HDAgp0Xdnpm1dU66Ubaq-8gaG_OkN0L_WaPLDJaBetqaKYI2W863DlL6ewWb_1fnI/s1479/1c4bf1a6e16070fe83a6a6912f17377f.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; 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text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEMPoeoFiQAqmazWSoffU4jcH9q42kFCYpvHw0b1JhXIpwdchagLsax3WqowGRPJGjNwhxYjKThKvd8eVm2W3HDqRQ_H0p8oy2n6Hl1IbF3nNiteSlJY5n8g1IYzCdYCfL0i_YKF-4N9LnkS3MpXRpVZWiC60YrJXpcmAQuKxCMAjEjdiZD8msbcyca0s/s4032/IMG_2764.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEMPoeoFiQAqmazWSoffU4jcH9q42kFCYpvHw0b1JhXIpwdchagLsax3WqowGRPJGjNwhxYjKThKvd8eVm2W3HDqRQ_H0p8oy2n6Hl1IbF3nNiteSlJY5n8g1IYzCdYCfL0i_YKF-4N9LnkS3MpXRpVZWiC60YrJXpcmAQuKxCMAjEjdiZD8msbcyca0s/s320/IMG_2764.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKHhmpAJh58iduqH_Sbfpc7yhi_IqHV0DopIO52Nb5W_lRICwyrmenbMSrIAZGimfdejG4D1LLGI1DIG_UlDfslwtTILbgsLGypSBuvClxasm06rWUB5SYjhg8h8v0Ex5eUDjDHZJMVuI0khoJ5GZgJrC4NnE_QYqjEHd7opnAm6A10CRgb7a6QixXeig/s4032/IMG_2765.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKHhmpAJh58iduqH_Sbfpc7yhi_IqHV0DopIO52Nb5W_lRICwyrmenbMSrIAZGimfdejG4D1LLGI1DIG_UlDfslwtTILbgsLGypSBuvClxasm06rWUB5SYjhg8h8v0Ex5eUDjDHZJMVuI0khoJ5GZgJrC4NnE_QYqjEHd7opnAm6A10CRgb7a6QixXeig/s320/IMG_2765.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFKKdOQIdUgSW4YOirN2-CAaeaArR6RSaCl-eXPiZjh-_AwLAeESsZrLTBGqIBKsHmCtIL3_A6z2zNkNh0lXQ1WUK4Mb8uIRW5GAtyiZUxgBpWYYy2NuPSWsktikyccLMoPzneMUBGcWBAgpV9b7WDXdvubXVR-WeUPENIF-hmytEZdYIbRK9huWnwMCE/s4032/IMG_2766.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFKKdOQIdUgSW4YOirN2-CAaeaArR6RSaCl-eXPiZjh-_AwLAeESsZrLTBGqIBKsHmCtIL3_A6z2zNkNh0lXQ1WUK4Mb8uIRW5GAtyiZUxgBpWYYy2NuPSWsktikyccLMoPzneMUBGcWBAgpV9b7WDXdvubXVR-WeUPENIF-hmytEZdYIbRK9huWnwMCE/s320/IMG_2766.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE8hc9AewBR8kG4rV0uSekibO9Fl-EmYTchicOefcf8bc5wHzQAmQSKW90Vt5E5M_5aC8laMS9gwT_o7pm1fcDwGuIAEKaxhYMITyWcw6AxEuvytgQnkqbvY-mwpF5cM-hgtMPGbVTVilEjJGm5FNzBqNZ_IhZtvBP0KiO-L0h1F0_5zNrZ12rtcumvvg/s4032/IMG_2770.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE8hc9AewBR8kG4rV0uSekibO9Fl-EmYTchicOefcf8bc5wHzQAmQSKW90Vt5E5M_5aC8laMS9gwT_o7pm1fcDwGuIAEKaxhYMITyWcw6AxEuvytgQnkqbvY-mwpF5cM-hgtMPGbVTVilEjJGm5FNzBqNZ_IhZtvBP0KiO-L0h1F0_5zNrZ12rtcumvvg/s320/IMG_2770.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiPR9x5hn4Z_xDiyjkoFpDqF6nYG0AqPwMc0GEwbqEcteMrZLOz-cLBrSDH3W7rXOkQiB_fCmC7P-y8Gkl5xFMR2yPYw4hlCCnJ2uNv1TaEUlvTBh7XrYJqbZoMKjZ0E5IY9mey_Htj4VG3lWyyB0_ZxWD5bymufOnV1N9iOcRxsMZfWwadsioqjvUc7I/s4032/IMG_2771.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiPR9x5hn4Z_xDiyjkoFpDqF6nYG0AqPwMc0GEwbqEcteMrZLOz-cLBrSDH3W7rXOkQiB_fCmC7P-y8Gkl5xFMR2yPYw4hlCCnJ2uNv1TaEUlvTBh7XrYJqbZoMKjZ0E5IY9mey_Htj4VG3lWyyB0_ZxWD5bymufOnV1N9iOcRxsMZfWwadsioqjvUc7I/s320/IMG_2771.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>A self-portrait:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMijA4KvLKyC3lwSSbldY_QUu_jICjsTnix9I_RlFUjvfmOVvmHkrUpw_t6-jsHnQvETo7Rp8vUrkvwAzxYgW8e1EVS4Bh2iDtGHA5naM7Vgwbc0PuPIrEedTaZC-oi5Etu0um9PvsJKbpGFwFdtsrRMWO00UoyRVSDx4REJWYX9CK9BUBad9Pl0GDtlY/s4032/IMG_2772.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMijA4KvLKyC3lwSSbldY_QUu_jICjsTnix9I_RlFUjvfmOVvmHkrUpw_t6-jsHnQvETo7Rp8vUrkvwAzxYgW8e1EVS4Bh2iDtGHA5naM7Vgwbc0PuPIrEedTaZC-oi5Etu0um9PvsJKbpGFwFdtsrRMWO00UoyRVSDx4REJWYX9CK9BUBad9Pl0GDtlY/s320/IMG_2772.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsn6SzpnhVmN-eGKl0CLPBblAmBL2uRfujP7EZwo73Sl-0mInrRvo3fmCHxHPmsMJTl_B862QZEqjDdMrnih7dYJ4by0Q2uvvs4NReGMB-7XTHX6G_CpWWW9w2oyXE7FNa9Uo6eJkVX3OGgH7ZyOchAXNTNTXx1epUbdvXa6CylOmpu9RlJ4OcULYGDbk/s4032/IMG_2773.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsn6SzpnhVmN-eGKl0CLPBblAmBL2uRfujP7EZwo73Sl-0mInrRvo3fmCHxHPmsMJTl_B862QZEqjDdMrnih7dYJ4by0Q2uvvs4NReGMB-7XTHX6G_CpWWW9w2oyXE7FNa9Uo6eJkVX3OGgH7ZyOchAXNTNTXx1epUbdvXa6CylOmpu9RlJ4OcULYGDbk/s320/IMG_2773.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Back at ground level, we learned that none other than Mike Tyson had taken the cable car on the 24th of May, 2016. One of boxing's greatest champions is doomed, having abandoned his Catholic upbringing to convert to Islam. There's still time, Iron Mike. Save yourself!:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7ij9a3hYCs3mIcBRdMDNqMLx1yHyanghlkde93s7Dxmj6a8GPHbhLrUKehZw1dWYp0ZpYRAqCp_h8ZhvYjNdI0HfqDXNhpj-xW-OIwLDEAMVF9nArRFV-6v6TT1afY2zPFQWaATMnDc8kuq2shIo4uSQ_iDldwwyblfEKhDNkmYMk3gRjoprkUtHGpu8/s4032/IMG_2774.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7ij9a3hYCs3mIcBRdMDNqMLx1yHyanghlkde93s7Dxmj6a8GPHbhLrUKehZw1dWYp0ZpYRAqCp_h8ZhvYjNdI0HfqDXNhpj-xW-OIwLDEAMVF9nArRFV-6v6TT1afY2zPFQWaATMnDc8kuq2shIo4uSQ_iDldwwyblfEKhDNkmYMk3gRjoprkUtHGpu8/s320/IMG_2774.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg5gaCaV90Qgh4g7kClItptUGzFHN8HeEWT6Z36kqBWHg1WQma0y4P-z7RY9Y_wolq4sa52DSVkUPwyKnvG_sMQ71tQRa91nLJH4zqRJF2_2NBUgNEcZT-YuDWsxw5K354D18oyASVq5UCEWzuwRGfAjWMIKFho0TcGWMMp9lOL-b9QsJ8OVcLrP0iXxI/s1706/71b72f38ea3a2145a77483f5b2c67d9f.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1706" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg5gaCaV90Qgh4g7kClItptUGzFHN8HeEWT6Z36kqBWHg1WQma0y4P-z7RY9Y_wolq4sa52DSVkUPwyKnvG_sMQ71tQRa91nLJH4zqRJF2_2NBUgNEcZT-YuDWsxw5K354D18oyASVq5UCEWzuwRGfAjWMIKFho0TcGWMMp9lOL-b9QsJ8OVcLrP0iXxI/s320/71b72f38ea3a2145a77483f5b2c67d9f.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The Great Wall of China is awash with millipedes. We would see hundreds of them the following day as they were naturally more visible in the daylight. It's a bloodbath on Mutianyu as the ramparts are covered in squished millipede bodies:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8CSm7KntD3Nk42g7EB37Wfy4QRyvd8REtZQ8CkH_TTU_n5Byh7xnFyZazSkJ6MWtNDG1kfHyeJ5EuiK1jKKB8yycCHOpO2BUz7QFsKtc0tGpJklh-9sPW3GwdJrTyiLAddHcrstpv041W_xIADKZjD1BSikYmHpJlqtfUA-pP_h1coilYN4TlsDNtNIs/s1706/ddbd88a6164d1b75dc7263201c1b464d.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1706" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8CSm7KntD3Nk42g7EB37Wfy4QRyvd8REtZQ8CkH_TTU_n5Byh7xnFyZazSkJ6MWtNDG1kfHyeJ5EuiK1jKKB8yycCHOpO2BUz7QFsKtc0tGpJklh-9sPW3GwdJrTyiLAddHcrstpv041W_xIADKZjD1BSikYmHpJlqtfUA-pP_h1coilYN4TlsDNtNIs/s320/ddbd88a6164d1b75dc7263201c1b464d.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Sunday morning breakfast. Chinese cuisine is some of the finest in the world, provided you're eating it for lunch and dinner:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5xInt3OMcnzdf0-GGdLWNEwkiBz1hZlmgwZjQPGM5a_g3t62_dyB3Z6lrj7L00KaSlO5j3lshJFKloojmh20OeHIUrXdWJWUGUIQsSC_Uq71FAtz0O1x7xSt6nI-uYUZq1vJ54JLNzvYkgb-2ZCdfjMBy-yhXySXX-XpwdIaX2llWj3HVGjMH2-MhvBA/s3547/IMG_2809.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="3547" height="273" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5xInt3OMcnzdf0-GGdLWNEwkiBz1hZlmgwZjQPGM5a_g3t62_dyB3Z6lrj7L00KaSlO5j3lshJFKloojmh20OeHIUrXdWJWUGUIQsSC_Uq71FAtz0O1x7xSt6nI-uYUZq1vJ54JLNzvYkgb-2ZCdfjMBy-yhXySXX-XpwdIaX2llWj3HVGjMH2-MhvBA/s320/IMG_2809.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>他是谁?:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR-84yIbNOP1T13D4dcz1HkxS8k7Mc_zHxNLP_9iI0IP8TxrIY3rB-NYW48EgLLByDl2viptqSquwM-KEdZyY89ihB8Fne800fKeUb8BISvBOXst4ikh1DdCTZyGNnZrd52xNNUoVCZzeHWurxd3yIMXo61ZEQRvhupx8fjaacFSO2r1to3wOPN3dZFsM/s4032/IMG_2810.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR-84yIbNOP1T13D4dcz1HkxS8k7Mc_zHxNLP_9iI0IP8TxrIY3rB-NYW48EgLLByDl2viptqSquwM-KEdZyY89ihB8Fne800fKeUb8BISvBOXst4ikh1DdCTZyGNnZrd52xNNUoVCZzeHWurxd3yIMXo61ZEQRvhupx8fjaacFSO2r1to3wOPN3dZFsM/s320/IMG_2810.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>On this morning we approached a different section of the wall via a chairlift, arriving at the No. 6 Watchtower:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi54oS0pKlE7TPZ0uzYaNj-bA281Ja_MgdSkcdsoiZBNUx84wQEsMUi9SJphrjmv6LxfUkHjDY2xm8DeiHt8-lovLsuphNWYRk_zTVkeoeSIELHpSPmUrg5VrUCgqEznLMI__8nxcqt55H-n4DUP84AsOJiH0GUitHY6kZiRb5pVzHcq5aFsBoOSUTA1G0/s1702/fcdb07b87116600bba7f90ff853d78f4.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1276" data-original-width="1702" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi54oS0pKlE7TPZ0uzYaNj-bA281Ja_MgdSkcdsoiZBNUx84wQEsMUi9SJphrjmv6LxfUkHjDY2xm8DeiHt8-lovLsuphNWYRk_zTVkeoeSIELHpSPmUrg5VrUCgqEznLMI__8nxcqt55H-n4DUP84AsOJiH0GUitHY6kZiRb5pVzHcq5aFsBoOSUTA1G0/s320/fcdb07b87116600bba7f90ff853d78f4.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPYylEIftzmw2pWPqWAJK6rBrnjAxJ2ocR2IqhqWHi1bEqxL-by5EGrWO_D14KmLsCjOpxgNENaIYN3Ze0mLU7n8Iy4GAUP4ff3Vw-PzdrR1VwH_ESytr24dkUqjaBfvkzgFZzFA3G9ijBqu_2XkfqPVKglB_LlpkiC0lqgejTjRyxKRj8hM7hYx0MWDE/s1702/4cfd5713fd719c3eec0e4ae2f86e3b51.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1702" data-original-width="1276" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPYylEIftzmw2pWPqWAJK6rBrnjAxJ2ocR2IqhqWHi1bEqxL-by5EGrWO_D14KmLsCjOpxgNENaIYN3Ze0mLU7n8Iy4GAUP4ff3Vw-PzdrR1VwH_ESytr24dkUqjaBfvkzgFZzFA3G9ijBqu_2XkfqPVKglB_LlpkiC0lqgejTjRyxKRj8hM7hYx0MWDE/s320/4cfd5713fd719c3eec0e4ae2f86e3b51.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>One of the resident felines admires the view (even if it was a little on the hazy side):</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBh_iwh88q3MkarZDjIcMiZN2dOhgqwArEiiBxJVA5y3KZi6kV31LwWTSgjiFCU11pVHnw41X3MtZV1phuaTVjVCEzeGK3bL_2KgovSaXDZ9ZlAqsaovU4IARmvunh-nCMjXEozIxJoxDAJAYFw4NMNWXU6lOKUjtI8EnjTZ8NED6T_sotkVDxhR4ReG4/s1702/8a8da91e3a21be58af4c5da12c0fc422.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1276" data-original-width="1702" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBh_iwh88q3MkarZDjIcMiZN2dOhgqwArEiiBxJVA5y3KZi6kV31LwWTSgjiFCU11pVHnw41X3MtZV1phuaTVjVCEzeGK3bL_2KgovSaXDZ9ZlAqsaovU4IARmvunh-nCMjXEozIxJoxDAJAYFw4NMNWXU6lOKUjtI8EnjTZ8NED6T_sotkVDxhR4ReG4/s320/8a8da91e3a21be58af4c5da12c0fc422.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPbdGEl1ZpCCwmWUXJXIL0tnD53ZM9trDxbLhojri7y6UgMmJIC22lw-OtRvKs4qExS-CXxUa4ZeD2zX97qyc91tmVQiFqHMj36KeWWYLt8IEbsOkfdefFlekcABcagz40ZLceehQvNVwacPVQh9eHaFPl6SDlNn9DJXoxOUaNiZhwOTmFY8cX5E8R6sY/s1702/10f1d742b7f3b85a5704f0024d563a4b.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1137" data-original-width="1702" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPbdGEl1ZpCCwmWUXJXIL0tnD53ZM9trDxbLhojri7y6UgMmJIC22lw-OtRvKs4qExS-CXxUa4ZeD2zX97qyc91tmVQiFqHMj36KeWWYLt8IEbsOkfdefFlekcABcagz40ZLceehQvNVwacPVQh9eHaFPl6SDlNn9DJXoxOUaNiZhwOTmFY8cX5E8R6sY/s320/10f1d742b7f3b85a5704f0024d563a4b.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQckOcOMtW_YxeGF6CkUFCfVDGlp76xCoZHL9Xjx3igzJLhztZN518Kt94V-Oiyeo-XAh6WLLtiy_ALO2ng3TOvxmrZYpHvByDvGcAM6RdAN0S7TMZJNkjjZN3jjDLRwmRjIvNvWABT_zvzP-25SuQ0moHOM3HP6SSsZGzSxdGlEl25_rMflTpE6E8NuY/s1702/36c26cb4b0a99c879c7c89d8340ab03f.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1702" data-original-width="1276" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQckOcOMtW_YxeGF6CkUFCfVDGlp76xCoZHL9Xjx3igzJLhztZN518Kt94V-Oiyeo-XAh6WLLtiy_ALO2ng3TOvxmrZYpHvByDvGcAM6RdAN0S7TMZJNkjjZN3jjDLRwmRjIvNvWABT_zvzP-25SuQ0moHOM3HP6SSsZGzSxdGlEl25_rMflTpE6E8NuY/s320/36c26cb4b0a99c879c7c89d8340ab03f.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU-ZN-NvFgJDooimqq1LWxObXRjZbB7oyUNsQ9fuVQEij5awTWl2Bfuyqkr5NJiQbjThjy-D7smAnPbhcSeBdOy5CoRo-tUM_iVeBgoCsfyuNKTe-WvAUnLOlmIznFfNWonZzSV5WGDiB1l7s0UFYicjRfEg-hQomPXMcTT_hVjInHxSkP3UrWJS45v5s/s1702/64c058f6cddb429766fe6d1cecc34d9b.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1702" data-original-width="1276" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU-ZN-NvFgJDooimqq1LWxObXRjZbB7oyUNsQ9fuVQEij5awTWl2Bfuyqkr5NJiQbjThjy-D7smAnPbhcSeBdOy5CoRo-tUM_iVeBgoCsfyuNKTe-WvAUnLOlmIznFfNWonZzSV5WGDiB1l7s0UFYicjRfEg-hQomPXMcTT_hVjInHxSkP3UrWJS45v5s/s320/64c058f6cddb429766fe6d1cecc34d9b.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtLCglid9Hw8HexhBgObEjvgL4gQcqEtsS7oczkqUISyD0JaI_q79F6nfhGnDpoUTUhKpz-X4--c0z8zHLh13GzpgYazCRntei65F-143U2coPjM_S0_g7IdaW2e-gMmsfmvp435niVerozJzn0SVjcaW0wwnZ0IywT_CRcQL-nZVD8V8McUUpTn1gsJc/s1702/92e084e07a385281293597d2d738ba02.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1276" data-original-width="1702" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtLCglid9Hw8HexhBgObEjvgL4gQcqEtsS7oczkqUISyD0JaI_q79F6nfhGnDpoUTUhKpz-X4--c0z8zHLh13GzpgYazCRntei65F-143U2coPjM_S0_g7IdaW2e-gMmsfmvp435niVerozJzn0SVjcaW0wwnZ0IywT_CRcQL-nZVD8V8McUUpTn1gsJc/s320/92e084e07a385281293597d2d738ba02.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1550" data-original-width="1234" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggQLmVgzYGpIOt08f8UMvVVb3g7HS2UTUi0XleJoVz0ZBKuLJKKJIay6WXdUnoA_jE0-Ka8pkjp13I8C9WvlOb8UdUgRZW9QEPJmMwel1Oo30-1fnMDV4esjDr-JancQLFQYN0oE1mVRZzhL_MrmV3pm-BflwDBtD5i4EfESAIrkI4pVFq3aqCQu8EY8A/s320/9930756d8eef40c246bcab552e2f906b.JPG" width="255" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguKKkLqXXFLwoGlaN-BCSuA03kX91qZ2fi9YhPyB7_3uubc3_PSZEyTmUJUIKPQZMipMkohBYHE-trBYXrKYVPb1ixNmoffcLCPeCyfvepO2y_jszqflxAIEx5oeoTjKNequE_zhU9izWSbrD9x4oiWcMYOFK9Y-id8wRCdCnLtox0fXmDzAcHccmZbRk/s1702/71453349dd4768f5c519687259f02dac.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1276" data-original-width="1702" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguKKkLqXXFLwoGlaN-BCSuA03kX91qZ2fi9YhPyB7_3uubc3_PSZEyTmUJUIKPQZMipMkohBYHE-trBYXrKYVPb1ixNmoffcLCPeCyfvepO2y_jszqflxAIEx5oeoTjKNequE_zhU9izWSbrD9x4oiWcMYOFK9Y-id8wRCdCnLtox0fXmDzAcHccmZbRk/s320/71453349dd4768f5c519687259f02dac.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja6Vzvo3IZgjcgAaAQcKGb6mLc77TmOIZAlQ70o3WUt9LV8thsZmRYfnOqNG07u_1qU97fZjCGhQqJ7ViDT52Lh9lElhLIRYZFEXsbnyOjmAj0FtI9by5tSPal7tMbhenD-5ij_q4fAUZVZ-mQRWZMbXjS3uS_ES-TO36okbkJwMbXwmcHgLy61Kjrdf4/s985/aaa18cbfed39b9520e9704efd931976a.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="840" data-original-width="985" height="273" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja6Vzvo3IZgjcgAaAQcKGb6mLc77TmOIZAlQ70o3WUt9LV8thsZmRYfnOqNG07u_1qU97fZjCGhQqJ7ViDT52Lh9lElhLIRYZFEXsbnyOjmAj0FtI9by5tSPal7tMbhenD-5ij_q4fAUZVZ-mQRWZMbXjS3uS_ES-TO36okbkJwMbXwmcHgLy61Kjrdf4/s320/aaa18cbfed39b9520e9704efd931976a.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNVJF-TlbniZp6slT8tumDuFL4E88Hd1bymLKSWzQ5zKSalL7CC644fDh5baSOi9LR6k5qs8ejh6WpjidS1U-K612hzTfw55bZ178KjKOL-kzglppsoJrRld2hPQ-dfX4y2UXnW1-VlZZLzl8rPhvA5_vvk4sPr0cHAv6A1un-fqI3xx5QvF8oQwe2Ttk/s1702/ab8066f791747ca62257ebaf2ec337a1.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1071" data-original-width="1702" height="201" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNVJF-TlbniZp6slT8tumDuFL4E88Hd1bymLKSWzQ5zKSalL7CC644fDh5baSOi9LR6k5qs8ejh6WpjidS1U-K612hzTfw55bZ178KjKOL-kzglppsoJrRld2hPQ-dfX4y2UXnW1-VlZZLzl8rPhvA5_vvk4sPr0cHAv6A1un-fqI3xx5QvF8oQwe2Ttk/s320/ab8066f791747ca62257ebaf2ec337a1.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>There were a surprising number of foreign visitors making their way up and down. Surprising not because they were there (Mutianyu has always been one of the more popular sections of the Great Wall), but because I wasn't aware that tourist numbers in China were beginning to approach their pre-COVID numbers. I live in an expat ghetto where most <i>waiguoren</i> 外国人 are connected to foreign diplomatic missions, so admittedly I'm ignorant on what life is like outside my Chaoyang 朝阳 comfort zone:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhi1PlVreSGiHHByJWKecNdWufvrm25Z8ZX32_-_t9eTRZSf8wK3ficgEpU1O2w6j5XRdzqkAy35k_v6k7zhbwhcs9VX3qwZ6Wxxf1px4B6IR_5VDJ6BstSCp9c6piuobN641j8wXxJT0R_rvVJKUxRJ_ct8P_5ZjfwTlnF5r6l3GynX3q3G7fsNorbHI/s1702/b1a194d2eedeb66b50500a4809effe1f.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1276" data-original-width="1702" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhi1PlVreSGiHHByJWKecNdWufvrm25Z8ZX32_-_t9eTRZSf8wK3ficgEpU1O2w6j5XRdzqkAy35k_v6k7zhbwhcs9VX3qwZ6Wxxf1px4B6IR_5VDJ6BstSCp9c6piuobN641j8wXxJT0R_rvVJKUxRJ_ct8P_5ZjfwTlnF5r6l3GynX3q3G7fsNorbHI/s320/b1a194d2eedeb66b50500a4809effe1f.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>I'm not the climber I used to be, so even on a mild September morning I was working up a sweat while running out of breath. My present health status is such that I may be meeting my maker sooner than I have anticipated:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGcPHjrJVHnH5CaQwYDRNVwdVc-n-R2D-_oLSUczVwkDuGP2NQ6r4-RxOHaYixlxyzS-LEWQkcYSfWsfIrvHwwBncOjFhmROHW1BfnanxU9jGIALUYHeOTEI70NghSHbUYmVf3Wjx6M48eHoYcNS838_qdVlJ6g9odIMI2Pdp62qC_noy3Iu4Q2mhmFzc/s1702/b7902f1ea18fbf6fd0cee7403bef265d.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1702" data-original-width="1276" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGcPHjrJVHnH5CaQwYDRNVwdVc-n-R2D-_oLSUczVwkDuGP2NQ6r4-RxOHaYixlxyzS-LEWQkcYSfWsfIrvHwwBncOjFhmROHW1BfnanxU9jGIALUYHeOTEI70NghSHbUYmVf3Wjx6M48eHoYcNS838_qdVlJ6g9odIMI2Pdp62qC_noy3Iu4Q2mhmFzc/s320/b7902f1ea18fbf6fd0cee7403bef265d.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7Gq_LfH6pW_Kg7sXlQrig0yuL9Gd5ZfRWNIvoHUWubZnSYoccx1n4qCZjegIQCcClf_V5cZjfiTKPaHGryq7AjF6AvcmSqa3mbzxnWWMoO8T5zRWOIg8E268Z4FaJMivgbLkcMYC2cVP1K1qhK9XEqahHCLmZifgCjwObAD0aFgPRK-6A53giw_QAYTw/s1688/c99647aa001a97776c7fa3b97b952ce2.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1688" data-original-width="1265" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7Gq_LfH6pW_Kg7sXlQrig0yuL9Gd5ZfRWNIvoHUWubZnSYoccx1n4qCZjegIQCcClf_V5cZjfiTKPaHGryq7AjF6AvcmSqa3mbzxnWWMoO8T5zRWOIg8E268Z4FaJMivgbLkcMYC2cVP1K1qhK9XEqahHCLmZifgCjwObAD0aFgPRK-6A53giw_QAYTw/s320/c99647aa001a97776c7fa3b97b952ce2.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Christian, Jew, Muslim, Buddhist, atheist, agnostic...whatever, cats don't give a fuck:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiRgGaZyJBI7mmokSX_Fpg_CjUsvIK0NuYqAEuYkWZEf-DtLgfpqWAeWWy5YJdo0US-B4hIs4D_oWkDKGTwm5WaxemE25lAZvWDzzqPv0-gFyWNvaLLDtqd3f4Ei6R1S6Tbay2vn_tgQ_8XJvuynsYvWM_eqKoBTulr5aWnrMqB9klxvr1GoJklkvhvtg/s1706/ced78d2b7cf49eda245a86d2b382e5bb.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1706" data-original-width="1280" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiRgGaZyJBI7mmokSX_Fpg_CjUsvIK0NuYqAEuYkWZEf-DtLgfpqWAeWWy5YJdo0US-B4hIs4D_oWkDKGTwm5WaxemE25lAZvWDzzqPv0-gFyWNvaLLDtqd3f4Ei6R1S6Tbay2vn_tgQ_8XJvuynsYvWM_eqKoBTulr5aWnrMqB9klxvr1GoJklkvhvtg/s320/ced78d2b7cf49eda245a86d2b382e5bb.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho_2zf6fxxS1730yONO_53EhSeFfZKq3xJMEluLTY-zGMgBAxXNa-ubAN2WZpZ44ZN0v9fzfdG_EuLfFnnD-Wg8fn3ctRHAiWtKmW83IE3XNqlkHJhroU_IdF7wIxVty2uKWpgHH6-5hCQ23jpvPV_TwUULFfwxUb0qtKGVx8sfZQcmm74nakuhgUcQyk/s1702/e53a18d165d358afb058119445e0dcb5.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1702" data-original-width="1276" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho_2zf6fxxS1730yONO_53EhSeFfZKq3xJMEluLTY-zGMgBAxXNa-ubAN2WZpZ44ZN0v9fzfdG_EuLfFnnD-Wg8fn3ctRHAiWtKmW83IE3XNqlkHJhroU_IdF7wIxVty2uKWpgHH6-5hCQ23jpvPV_TwUULFfwxUb0qtKGVx8sfZQcmm74nakuhgUcQyk/s320/e53a18d165d358afb058119445e0dcb5.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDt6gNdOx7CSNywSJsHpbjZMp9s4PxrCv2wJL-JfRXDyFdR6ZAjC4lK-0HcfAogbfLh5KI7fKNYvHECcrsyPKNcUFdB02RmqYnlcXLojRBA_rjMSGS8axEpe06JTv0Eqi5NsaEAYcba9Q6iE--AfTSGUqNuT3PfZk5YsInnrPrJYeQc4aPXvfqloZBtYk/s4608/IMG_2742.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDt6gNdOx7CSNywSJsHpbjZMp9s4PxrCv2wJL-JfRXDyFdR6ZAjC4lK-0HcfAogbfLh5KI7fKNYvHECcrsyPKNcUFdB02RmqYnlcXLojRBA_rjMSGS8axEpe06JTv0Eqi5NsaEAYcba9Q6iE--AfTSGUqNuT3PfZk5YsInnrPrJYeQc4aPXvfqloZBtYk/s320/IMG_2742.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguP7eOBv06qpr6OdiWiGFIWV7rv9Y4bRvqWiGG0mQWMezCZPOFvjHlqH-Ddtx10ZlOnlOJG193Lga3uN9etLbnB1UHreJgn13PLpgu8AzyqsNjVw_rgdJo0DpAL-CcxW9KQKJJcrRd34gkvEJ5f0MSWU1B8InvphtWJ0p8JIP63zEe4tVF43jtc_9KHp8/s4032/IMG_2812.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguP7eOBv06qpr6OdiWiGFIWV7rv9Y4bRvqWiGG0mQWMezCZPOFvjHlqH-Ddtx10ZlOnlOJG193Lga3uN9etLbnB1UHreJgn13PLpgu8AzyqsNjVw_rgdJo0DpAL-CcxW9KQKJJcrRd34gkvEJ5f0MSWU1B8InvphtWJ0p8JIP63zEe4tVF43jtc_9KHp8/s320/IMG_2812.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVTVfo4wZBgBGCgn1oZQbKuedzd-Xifii6sbhmBfxX_5-r8YXmho55KvxKXfj62ycP5z2r7jLNkTyNaayswiWb5Ath7_IH5BtzkRsykXmK2MGX1qzpyTAM9uIXpy0IW90qyo_ohkfr4UeyT7DgC_-GeVpK8VB8wNgTgniT7PZxQzAY7LFkIeNZ91TCcUU/s4032/IMG_2813.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVTVfo4wZBgBGCgn1oZQbKuedzd-Xifii6sbhmBfxX_5-r8YXmho55KvxKXfj62ycP5z2r7jLNkTyNaayswiWb5Ath7_IH5BtzkRsykXmK2MGX1qzpyTAM9uIXpy0IW90qyo_ohkfr4UeyT7DgC_-GeVpK8VB8wNgTgniT7PZxQzAY7LFkIeNZ91TCcUU/s320/IMG_2813.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxZORMn1yzy810dakP9K_RZe7J0_eonggyezEWRYQ0LAiiIuX9N7L0cgBiaC0a1ZU8A6nD2ZUugYqF5GhZt2ZuSQ8dM_oE7366fGnqiYYeoDwpZzEzuoU3q7eTD5RWohNrdVfm2w6qW9wizrKXUKqPZbwaFfW0A9csAMNvm0xvNRvtZlIZEOlwcmJho34/s3794/IMG_2814.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3794" data-original-width="2845" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxZORMn1yzy810dakP9K_RZe7J0_eonggyezEWRYQ0LAiiIuX9N7L0cgBiaC0a1ZU8A6nD2ZUugYqF5GhZt2ZuSQ8dM_oE7366fGnqiYYeoDwpZzEzuoU3q7eTD5RWohNrdVfm2w6qW9wizrKXUKqPZbwaFfW0A9csAMNvm0xvNRvtZlIZEOlwcmJho34/s320/IMG_2814.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWQzbN6gvuqM7cRftZXjhS-TYfjTTAZPgdZ4Q9RR8ZAXSvbprj0yeSqmblp9vTLE8lTOScnhUxUQiV07Yhs4zYtc8qgEK_9giNFMJ5_pvvVG_aYsT62OKYOUvKroRP1PdlahKL5yVC85mUFI6q5FQGSQjgCUfhTbVfcrVpKhR6V2zuysF0l6X1tlPuvog/s4032/IMG_2815.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWQzbN6gvuqM7cRftZXjhS-TYfjTTAZPgdZ4Q9RR8ZAXSvbprj0yeSqmblp9vTLE8lTOScnhUxUQiV07Yhs4zYtc8qgEK_9giNFMJ5_pvvVG_aYsT62OKYOUvKroRP1PdlahKL5yVC85mUFI6q5FQGSQjgCUfhTbVfcrVpKhR6V2zuysF0l6X1tlPuvog/s320/IMG_2815.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLwHyErv5bGDQU6o3q49Tx_9d3WGsUOJ9ZlFyod1YeX2jZDurp76mvLOssNF-GY9vlPWDUGUXw6OudzGyWgIXHaKnsz6oX84txYLFT1Rx8jDAH5NrbEjuOXl5aQcWDdCt9ggBv7A6ntLgbUN3hNGBD3TM-il9vY8bsNUM0JctZJCQ2VWS2JzPmNeK4fq0/s4032/IMG_2816.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLwHyErv5bGDQU6o3q49Tx_9d3WGsUOJ9ZlFyod1YeX2jZDurp76mvLOssNF-GY9vlPWDUGUXw6OudzGyWgIXHaKnsz6oX84txYLFT1Rx8jDAH5NrbEjuOXl5aQcWDdCt9ggBv7A6ntLgbUN3hNGBD3TM-il9vY8bsNUM0JctZJCQ2VWS2JzPmNeK4fq0/s320/IMG_2816.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNJ9M3wueL-SkU5L7BXfKOxdSjzf00tObSBlFC0P0ONTFS3rTwHSXLIvjF1R-u3XndcvwwhGLy_nHcDUjog9JMQpe-nqQTnl0KBNZ8Rm7h2bnhiNkCjcRXlFAxy9pMr8rK_NuBd5LonzTipzmaadi2_7gVFWVn_TbiuBFucRsIPbg7zeVJR5vjur8GOmg/s4032/IMG_2820.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNJ9M3wueL-SkU5L7BXfKOxdSjzf00tObSBlFC0P0ONTFS3rTwHSXLIvjF1R-u3XndcvwwhGLy_nHcDUjog9JMQpe-nqQTnl0KBNZ8Rm7h2bnhiNkCjcRXlFAxy9pMr8rK_NuBd5LonzTipzmaadi2_7gVFWVn_TbiuBFucRsIPbg7zeVJR5vjur8GOmg/s320/IMG_2820.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Shu-E struggles up...:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmCSDhBNHWTU9s7SlNgBNyAQeSd1RDJyVHDLlV-SUeNvpUEFQP8qdQ6YR53U6PvpSHDBYj8jafiiAp6xcXCF7PsP_qc8T9gZoX5lL6knYLsUglB4TnsVtugTsuz6B1e0iAPJ1IGuTYuvLtMgSojiIICHdlvGn4Nqzc_uwAqCwBiForn8TJ-3L3poxwsFo/s4032/IMG_2821.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmCSDhBNHWTU9s7SlNgBNyAQeSd1RDJyVHDLlV-SUeNvpUEFQP8qdQ6YR53U6PvpSHDBYj8jafiiAp6xcXCF7PsP_qc8T9gZoX5lL6knYLsUglB4TnsVtugTsuz6B1e0iAPJ1IGuTYuvLtMgSojiIICHdlvGn4Nqzc_uwAqCwBiForn8TJ-3L3poxwsFo/s320/IMG_2821.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>...and up:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzqty1qKZCq7d_iEFa4IA9eC-tH4s52-lfK0BdVJ2Q6Ur0eaKGV4rLuXgRubv91mWf8vRlF3Nn1VPheaYNRmaC0TCl434N4sW-rrjv76heatk4UVJjBijxzmRO_nGSOYBIcShgks4JaeUQf9xE_mqWMIOrSDHlohBpd-BiTkwqEXS0GILBagqSHkNYsfc/s4032/IMG_2822.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzqty1qKZCq7d_iEFa4IA9eC-tH4s52-lfK0BdVJ2Q6Ur0eaKGV4rLuXgRubv91mWf8vRlF3Nn1VPheaYNRmaC0TCl434N4sW-rrjv76heatk4UVJjBijxzmRO_nGSOYBIcShgks4JaeUQf9xE_mqWMIOrSDHlohBpd-BiTkwqEXS0GILBagqSHkNYsfc/s320/IMG_2822.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>End of the line:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWpFfpprM6PC2NMzQOxY07oBgKautbXwLBe7SZvbkffY980SZsnjn2-ztSZyoE2pzjJ09FauRxnCOQkl8JO4jlvT_TK5_lQU38Q4rsfN2rLy0gPr8dJFCyNw8HVc3R7NCNBW9pYyryI_4jRdQhgWumqlZk877KHI3y5-3iTpuC6zfeyMz0IZswJ2oLTlc/s4032/IMG_2824.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWpFfpprM6PC2NMzQOxY07oBgKautbXwLBe7SZvbkffY980SZsnjn2-ztSZyoE2pzjJ09FauRxnCOQkl8JO4jlvT_TK5_lQU38Q4rsfN2rLy0gPr8dJFCyNw8HVc3R7NCNBW9pYyryI_4jRdQhgWumqlZk877KHI3y5-3iTpuC6zfeyMz0IZswJ2oLTlc/s320/IMG_2824.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>For the return trip back to our starting point, we employed the traditional toboggan mode of transport first used in the 15th century by those Godless Ming soldiers guarding the empire's northern frontier against the equally doomed to burn for all eternity barbarians:</div><div> <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-87FeoRmdEraezjrvA1CsPjSaUPU7qf8171bslkfEmgIrjU2MmLLsunDyqnn51iCdTAiRy76TnDAcpkp3MlveplR3bgl53w4b8TzL0PCiSSddAdLSwzJshBRw9KVhAc4bUlT0MoaAGG6YatuBDBliFcGNUjcP8t81sOgxqOPOnKoG_R8sv_DwQzJI8YM/s2783/IMG_2863.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2185" data-original-width="2783" height="251" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-87FeoRmdEraezjrvA1CsPjSaUPU7qf8171bslkfEmgIrjU2MmLLsunDyqnn51iCdTAiRy76TnDAcpkp3MlveplR3bgl53w4b8TzL0PCiSSddAdLSwzJshBRw9KVhAc4bUlT0MoaAGG6YatuBDBliFcGNUjcP8t81sOgxqOPOnKoG_R8sv_DwQzJI8YM/s320/IMG_2863.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr0Oh92V_faKvv-6SvtX7XUFm7jFhvMmQN_plzZtOlxcjuFoQan6Zo803G52HUNPFf6tqWxm3d0RWRWiTJwSYk16VD3qz1PgbZsG3q40_P8bDdSnCXtmCio0rtz0SmD-cVljJyGF8GjQcpeCV3ZsQRve2j-kSmz7waQM5sw10c95yphZNDyHAwCOMPvI8/s3905/IMG_2859.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3905" data-original-width="2952" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr0Oh92V_faKvv-6SvtX7XUFm7jFhvMmQN_plzZtOlxcjuFoQan6Zo803G52HUNPFf6tqWxm3d0RWRWiTJwSYk16VD3qz1PgbZsG3q40_P8bDdSnCXtmCio0rtz0SmD-cVljJyGF8GjQcpeCV3ZsQRve2j-kSmz7waQM5sw10c95yphZNDyHAwCOMPvI8/s320/IMG_2859.jpg" width="242" /></a></div><div><br /></div>For a populace supposedly seething with anger over the Second World War and the release of treated water into the sea off Fukushima 福島, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maneki-neko" target="_blank">Japanese culture</a> remains stubbornly popular:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNr3Yd5r2opuEAQXMstuYI-nYXQB3fStm_BAWY3R5kczQnBagfhqiIq9vrwSDOAIAXDTUw_AyB5qPQx4TmdK2gjVYcpbwwb6GBvKe1gpuznVyohIbErD-6Nn3bzObJIjS1kII95wjPYCPKJXLG0kCEJMyqjhMxFWqwZk0N8DZjA6VyQFsEjjOy9CzrmM8/s3554/IMG_2860.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1928" data-original-width="3554" height="174" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNr3Yd5r2opuEAQXMstuYI-nYXQB3fStm_BAWY3R5kczQnBagfhqiIq9vrwSDOAIAXDTUw_AyB5qPQx4TmdK2gjVYcpbwwb6GBvKe1gpuznVyohIbErD-6Nn3bzObJIjS1kII95wjPYCPKJXLG0kCEJMyqjhMxFWqwZk0N8DZjA6VyQFsEjjOy9CzrmM8/s320/IMG_2860.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Our otherwise enjoyable weekend ended on somewhat of a sour note, unfortunately. Leaving Mutianyu, we stopped to have lunch at one of those trendy cafe restaurants you find in tourist zones - this one featured outdoor seating, a <i>faux</i> waterfall, Western dishes and a staff composed entirely of college-age women. My daughter and I both ordered the hamburger, while my wife opted to have more fish. Our drinks arrived quickly, followed by Amber's burger, but Shu-E and I waited, and waited, and waited for our entrees. Mind you, I ordered the exact same hamburger dish, and yet after 30 minutes of getting hungrier and hungrier, I was told it was still being prepared. One hour later, and still so sight of either beef or fish (and Amber having long before finished her meal), I did something I've never done at a restaurant before - we told the server to cancel the rest of our order, refund us for what hadn't yet been brought to the table (not an easy thing to do when all ordering was done via a QR code on the table), and then walked out.</div><div><br /></div><div>We didn't even get an apology from any of the staff for the long wait. Divine retribution?:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhSGSQ6BUXBf-ZoHV3TpW8_1oCLMiTGhe5bijuywpRhze4pUwmUoHSyIaFifZPwjFF6Ca8H2ArWldmn77jubOJ0RJhuEweH1B9b-xJJxmqp0SeBTutpy3y0Qhas2Y39mnohFPgmBJUzdVf49s7gr8QWfeOgYwyLMZOb7y9LIIHugl6rPluePQ77BfTno4/s4032/IMG_2862.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhSGSQ6BUXBf-ZoHV3TpW8_1oCLMiTGhe5bijuywpRhze4pUwmUoHSyIaFifZPwjFF6Ca8H2ArWldmn77jubOJ0RJhuEweH1B9b-xJJxmqp0SeBTutpy3y0Qhas2Y39mnohFPgmBJUzdVf49s7gr8QWfeOgYwyLMZOb7y9LIIHugl6rPluePQ77BfTno4/s320/IMG_2862.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>All things considered, however, it was an enjoyable weekend outing. Assuming we don't suffer heaven's wrath in the next few weeks, more trips are on the schedule as my wife seems to have rediscovered the joys of travel.</div><div><br /></div><div>The following are few scattered pics taken since the <a href="https://kaminoge.blogspot.com/2023/09/marcopolomarcopolomarco.html" target="_blank">last post</a>, like these from a lunch I had with some of my colleagues:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV3fGDZk94mVOYDs7GjlhlUGhlrh8BKffimO8Dh8CLdUx0tUPrQ40szgOmeg8GHKL6cbbGuj2Itws7Re327K0IVgOIfBAMq6HnnI5gyMEoiKKJyrZTs-6l4E4zgPAPVrsxClLV4tiL8Z2LINkCCPWiJQnHEjL7tKZoI1lHIXIAslB-bFADrwdFM1zUxgE/s1707/9d5f7ad344eada2c1b91ddfdf3b48f67.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1707" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV3fGDZk94mVOYDs7GjlhlUGhlrh8BKffimO8Dh8CLdUx0tUPrQ40szgOmeg8GHKL6cbbGuj2Itws7Re327K0IVgOIfBAMq6HnnI5gyMEoiKKJyrZTs-6l4E4zgPAPVrsxClLV4tiL8Z2LINkCCPWiJQnHEjL7tKZoI1lHIXIAslB-bFADrwdFM1zUxgE/s320/9d5f7ad344eada2c1b91ddfdf3b48f67.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWadm4F8ZmOkkuRW1dOIsUXUd1htK4kAIBOGo60El0nl2TrK-sSaTP7uX1oyigkzUlEBoYzDB7OdhNjxZMAFZOF4lRPmJQDPnIf8pekT40wHvF-kLFopqkQS5JtZ82owsnzLaQR4l803Hy-aNf_eOwyhHmb7InZ2mOFCMG9OJus1FRXoQ-dx8CYEmmq9I/s1549/99233615b45aa9016a1aa99532231b13.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1549" data-original-width="1280" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWadm4F8ZmOkkuRW1dOIsUXUd1htK4kAIBOGo60El0nl2TrK-sSaTP7uX1oyigkzUlEBoYzDB7OdhNjxZMAFZOF4lRPmJQDPnIf8pekT40wHvF-kLFopqkQS5JtZ82owsnzLaQR4l803Hy-aNf_eOwyhHmb7InZ2mOFCMG9OJus1FRXoQ-dx8CYEmmq9I/s320/99233615b45aa9016a1aa99532231b13.JPG" width="264" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizrMbjV2EBTLkjY0HvviONNvXuYgYwyxu1H5ZdDa04ozCiR2ytPypzVU4TqbvctDV7yP8QTeAYFMjg-8jfLXk40z7U7W-vZULEpi3lHNzmN9thGB4FgRxcpTwSA3SVia1tsGKaHBX7-59h-IAHeezSpeErOOjZGLko8HZwEF3Q8mYNbEoABXFwnoW57Eo/s4032/IMG_2702.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizrMbjV2EBTLkjY0HvviONNvXuYgYwyxu1H5ZdDa04ozCiR2ytPypzVU4TqbvctDV7yP8QTeAYFMjg-8jfLXk40z7U7W-vZULEpi3lHNzmN9thGB4FgRxcpTwSA3SVia1tsGKaHBX7-59h-IAHeezSpeErOOjZGLko8HZwEF3Q8mYNbEoABXFwnoW57Eo/s320/IMG_2702.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>水:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2ek-tdVsiRwPwr6DdF-HH3abDiXBKvS7mxpO9B8vEZREw8WSi9SZKmC6skCPLb2qCcGr25wP22wuISNqnqknX2j4gc2pK-AMsorD8nedINQb3AydilTUF0JvwC0alrp09T822mYhJ1btKxyq7A0ORV-vRU2a_ptmGK4B-yL_U5_IduHMfwtz11e63lcY/s2746/IMG_2712.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1164" data-original-width="2746" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2ek-tdVsiRwPwr6DdF-HH3abDiXBKvS7mxpO9B8vEZREw8WSi9SZKmC6skCPLb2qCcGr25wP22wuISNqnqknX2j4gc2pK-AMsorD8nedINQb3AydilTUF0JvwC0alrp09T822mYhJ1btKxyq7A0ORV-vRU2a_ptmGK4B-yL_U5_IduHMfwtz11e63lcY/s320/IMG_2712.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>A moth takes refuge during a downpour:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7dfj04BFqc-aPDO0dh84l0U7JiuD8zrbtsZXbh288TulnMu871QXy003hV5V2kP3FC4CKG3ucsEUXlHozr6lJD12QKEJWgyAAFbx5O92irgQ9rm51XNw96c6jdTB6Lcrme7b-skPoF9EDXGro7X3Ivne-bc8fYz8WwEs9AFhCLXf3cmur7wqbDmHER9E/s3308/IMG_2714.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3308" data-original-width="2943" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7dfj04BFqc-aPDO0dh84l0U7JiuD8zrbtsZXbh288TulnMu871QXy003hV5V2kP3FC4CKG3ucsEUXlHozr6lJD12QKEJWgyAAFbx5O92irgQ9rm51XNw96c6jdTB6Lcrme7b-skPoF9EDXGro7X3Ivne-bc8fYz8WwEs9AFhCLXf3cmur7wqbDmHER9E/s320/IMG_2714.jpg" width="285" /></a></div><div><br /></div>A local charity shop called <a href="http://www.roundaboutchina.com/the-retail-store/" target="_blank">Roudabout</a> recently held a book fair to which I brought Amber, who unsuccessfully tried to get me to buy this title and discover my "personal flower":</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdV0u11a1-FvfJLa8KT0mv7sywtHZlDDqWvH1oQ-MRpCb5uJa7KnkcJ55F6kPquRk43_Z-FlLJzjaQuTkX3y0k43G2sb0leaCn0uAvLsjkgSEhEVg6xBn4tCMe-AMaiOOA3kzQYsNUQO6nR2JCsYGmSZ5G_lnPtdDJheNk2XvbBQvjOREscIMFfjlApAw/s4032/IMG_2718.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="2785" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdV0u11a1-FvfJLa8KT0mv7sywtHZlDDqWvH1oQ-MRpCb5uJa7KnkcJ55F6kPquRk43_Z-FlLJzjaQuTkX3y0k43G2sb0leaCn0uAvLsjkgSEhEVg6xBn4tCMe-AMaiOOA3kzQYsNUQO6nR2JCsYGmSZ5G_lnPtdDJheNk2XvbBQvjOREscIMFfjlApAw/s320/IMG_2718.jpg" width="221" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Sorry, JCR. I should've purchased this for Shu-E. Instead, I picked up an idiot's guide of sorts to Buddhism. Forgive me, Father, for I have sinned:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdUl3-ylcNSZ_srqpsQY6gtLtYJn1K7q2su5CxolCp8JM41sN5NEJS6fEZgaGvL9-TsZbr2QgeHlIZKKZo62n7em-4dQxcJ6rXh0S7GP8Q6pve2Y2ymVaXbPBSCALH-Xn4iunlFZcIZnHB5BIz8dS8dRciof0FqurZSwP0J8BZ9rZfDmi4obpz4fNisWs/s3638/IMG_2719.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3638" data-original-width="2583" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdUl3-ylcNSZ_srqpsQY6gtLtYJn1K7q2su5CxolCp8JM41sN5NEJS6fEZgaGvL9-TsZbr2QgeHlIZKKZo62n7em-4dQxcJ6rXh0S7GP8Q6pve2Y2ymVaXbPBSCALH-Xn4iunlFZcIZnHB5BIz8dS8dRciof0FqurZSwP0J8BZ9rZfDmi4obpz4fNisWs/s320/IMG_2719.jpg" width="227" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Making a statement:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil0c4B0g34tBflzghxedYU5ReTGXkiQyRwcYBHYFATyNqb86JfjZtZ2tZ-MqUuO7tk76Zn8qWNGH2OA0TOvlgHzMqxWDwqJT1yncVQH6zH0iWOP7VqSlFXh0YV1PBVTf5qQGEtxG2AFDtY7TRnXdPHIaErXWH2JEIeWGNtqzk9ttL21pNpM0QUUObrSs0/s3641/IMG_2720.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3641" data-original-width="2909" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil0c4B0g34tBflzghxedYU5ReTGXkiQyRwcYBHYFATyNqb86JfjZtZ2tZ-MqUuO7tk76Zn8qWNGH2OA0TOvlgHzMqxWDwqJT1yncVQH6zH0iWOP7VqSlFXh0YV1PBVTf5qQGEtxG2AFDtY7TRnXdPHIaErXWH2JEIeWGNtqzk9ttL21pNpM0QUUObrSs0/s320/IMG_2720.jpg" width="256" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjjT2gEDrpZ1F3Ixo0UpMFiqugLkzaJs2MiinoQ6kKPX_xP_CFNdQlEOKL7A87rR0dEbW7bA5e05ZZU085RBKTI8vC4Nk4VPzjesD4Ac-n3VmgbfAI9bD27yGlumLBw6ZtJPyTW79NVEn_Ze2s6lCOkcZwq_IhIfufmSwvDo5JdfqOd4pdZRLhltquDiU/s4032/IMG_2723.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjjT2gEDrpZ1F3Ixo0UpMFiqugLkzaJs2MiinoQ6kKPX_xP_CFNdQlEOKL7A87rR0dEbW7bA5e05ZZU085RBKTI8vC4Nk4VPzjesD4Ac-n3VmgbfAI9bD27yGlumLBw6ZtJPyTW79NVEn_Ze2s6lCOkcZwq_IhIfufmSwvDo5JdfqOd4pdZRLhltquDiU/s320/IMG_2723.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Despite being stuck at home with the aforementioned strep, the weather one afternoon was just too nice to stay indoors and recover, so I took a stroll through Chaoyang Park 朝阳公园:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8AHX82071qmkRZUBWMObvo5eeYZJyq9C3AYedRJKUfvbCyBOwQqwn0ooqwVTC_QZM-3kUlz3Rgtz_NfUuRcoYeolxElyO-NTHOwTWyEdzU2QJtRUXRqUIacSrcZR-kXnrBRRP3pgve_QWQyPoMoFtQ7skJFHfdB2JZTbNmOo0MUO2e7AO-h66eZcnUFQ/s4032/IMG_2727.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8AHX82071qmkRZUBWMObvo5eeYZJyq9C3AYedRJKUfvbCyBOwQqwn0ooqwVTC_QZM-3kUlz3Rgtz_NfUuRcoYeolxElyO-NTHOwTWyEdzU2QJtRUXRqUIacSrcZR-kXnrBRRP3pgve_QWQyPoMoFtQ7skJFHfdB2JZTbNmOo0MUO2e7AO-h66eZcnUFQ/s320/IMG_2727.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF8DhCaHu4cQxy3IaTc45T9AVnSimpUoto4ClaM1MBW1y5kHi12HcwejQc0HIP9SohGGfGRWnMXceLCoAXdcztOhzLmxQBJkLF9WZlY3T7-tXq8yA--9T7HpmBj9-KnvcHMREUAnO9BTKuH1Ek40TJZtHp-NsnJ9izH2VRrolj85xzobj6brQCKn3sZ-s/s3980/IMG_2728.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2985" data-original-width="3980" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF8DhCaHu4cQxy3IaTc45T9AVnSimpUoto4ClaM1MBW1y5kHi12HcwejQc0HIP9SohGGfGRWnMXceLCoAXdcztOhzLmxQBJkLF9WZlY3T7-tXq8yA--9T7HpmBj9-KnvcHMREUAnO9BTKuH1Ek40TJZtHp-NsnJ9izH2VRrolj85xzobj6brQCKn3sZ-s/s320/IMG_2728.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPrQzIXNUnCrjnuBDBppjK5AEg3Un9CtbR_fn_G_VKeFx2b65EucD-VhMcarXHDHBRSEcVDgohEUJZtsVjHVTpCesulfLqbM3DRiSgu7z8kLp8JfiUYV2JaL0QEpPj7-274j1GiHAm44VUdI7NMDRW4CSk339UjVOYxsSc5fYpLBTx4eCE4u4Gj6Qmjcg/s4032/IMG_2731.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPrQzIXNUnCrjnuBDBppjK5AEg3Un9CtbR_fn_G_VKeFx2b65EucD-VhMcarXHDHBRSEcVDgohEUJZtsVjHVTpCesulfLqbM3DRiSgu7z8kLp8JfiUYV2JaL0QEpPj7-274j1GiHAm44VUdI7NMDRW4CSk339UjVOYxsSc5fYpLBTx4eCE4u4Gj6Qmjcg/s320/IMG_2731.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The wife lately has been ordering some local brews to sample over dinner:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkzP8LCaKq1Zyi0VfDzfpeZVd3kcBu9OjknM8jNz2hZ7zbQ88ChMnP-oFlLHeyYUeFvjOjJsuKGPLDnL4K6yR019lGLv-71ymLq3IUlnUWPvMF4h5tBRLmq0b3Hjy390oCPZZkLE7-Pj5YvtroEW_QJbWDbp4iBHjOFB1NV70v1MCtlS67EeDz_Mus7MA/s3880/IMG_2736.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3880" data-original-width="2641" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkzP8LCaKq1Zyi0VfDzfpeZVd3kcBu9OjknM8jNz2hZ7zbQ88ChMnP-oFlLHeyYUeFvjOjJsuKGPLDnL4K6yR019lGLv-71ymLq3IUlnUWPvMF4h5tBRLmq0b3Hjy390oCPZZkLE7-Pj5YvtroEW_QJbWDbp4iBHjOFB1NV70v1MCtlS67EeDz_Mus7MA/s320/IMG_2736.jpg" width="218" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKYV_THuGkYUQsCZmwk3XFtoZYkaCkIgQSQdoZRnq3MZWDAqOxoJUChXtl2v6uX_HSaVcK76h1LNvbPvHNJtx6LE-mrJ1hN5-8Sizn7tT2ibPxJle_CAvh3RWtVPHma9Vc43nUJx5g6iNFHDGMF7zOml771hmJwEe_pyXVhzdtnR4Q9mV7e0s1kxEm-_g/s3706/IMG_2737.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3706" data-original-width="2775" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKYV_THuGkYUQsCZmwk3XFtoZYkaCkIgQSQdoZRnq3MZWDAqOxoJUChXtl2v6uX_HSaVcK76h1LNvbPvHNJtx6LE-mrJ1hN5-8Sizn7tT2ibPxJle_CAvh3RWtVPHma9Vc43nUJx5g6iNFHDGMF7zOml771hmJwEe_pyXVhzdtnR4Q9mV7e0s1kxEm-_g/s320/IMG_2737.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Serving the one true god:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjwJWeJCDSSPYwh3FiBMs8oQfTztO2_Ip3hdqdk2lOswRI6GsXa2cJ3LSJgC4AQcVN0wUFHlbVpAos_rDqSXoTvC04fQqs8qJcExtbIpKoFeVdfv_j9nFRKtIPCQOmLmTFO9XFmNBe6zBPFRmvmOed_0mfXtKD0MSOdmJbp4hp6HbQlXM8xMyZPkGtIIg/s1706/cefb6d106ede9b2676489353a2a62407.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1706" data-original-width="1280" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjwJWeJCDSSPYwh3FiBMs8oQfTztO2_Ip3hdqdk2lOswRI6GsXa2cJ3LSJgC4AQcVN0wUFHlbVpAos_rDqSXoTvC04fQqs8qJcExtbIpKoFeVdfv_j9nFRKtIPCQOmLmTFO9XFmNBe6zBPFRmvmOed_0mfXtKD0MSOdmJbp4hp6HbQlXM8xMyZPkGtIIg/s320/cefb6d106ede9b2676489353a2a62407.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/-B8A1To_-8Y" width="320" youtube-src-id="-B8A1To_-8Y"></iframe></div><p>*<i>The evidence of which lies in my use of run-on sentences</i></p><p>**<i>The surname rhymes with a certain automatic pistol </i> </p><p><br /></p></div>Kaminogehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07925637671913689331noreply@blogger.com0Great Wall of China, Huairou District, China, 10140640.4319077 116.570374911.204805579218327 81.4141249 69.659009820781662 151.7266249tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2497220891386919340.post-67514129271115101932023-09-04T20:56:00.001+08:002023-09-04T21:00:14.218+08:00Marco...Polo...Marco...Polo...Marco...<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJOojckrVVnjKEFtbme4w_AdcIJU32Og6GUMRT9fjoqjIXH6h9Di1C8cnK-i7iJAIeHxpl2UTjwHil0iFYhqoBdS0ty8-m8TeZy4Z-Op5dE8MkSQhOttnbKn7PtESYU4hJVmjlfj7-31gv7H8sy5d7iKl0PouM_Pm8OckqwKgxM8NMfI6_dEi1n3zaG60/s3980/IMG_2654.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2985" data-original-width="3980" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJOojckrVVnjKEFtbme4w_AdcIJU32Og6GUMRT9fjoqjIXH6h9Di1C8cnK-i7iJAIeHxpl2UTjwHil0iFYhqoBdS0ty8-m8TeZy4Z-Op5dE8MkSQhOttnbKn7PtESYU4hJVmjlfj7-31gv7H8sy5d7iKl0PouM_Pm8OckqwKgxM8NMfI6_dEi1n3zaG60/s320/IMG_2654.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><i><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Inside Wanping Old Town</i></div></i><p></p><p>In my <a href="https://kaminoge.blogspot.com/2023/08/out-with-whimper.html" target="_blank">last post</a> I was wondering if we would take advantage of the Labor Day holiday weekend and get out of Beijing 北京. The answer turned out to be "no", mainly because our daughter has entered her final year of high school, and therefore (for some reason) she can't miss a single day of classes (she attends an international school and so doesn't get to observe U.S. federal government holidays, unlike her old man). We could've still ventured out of the city for at least a night on a Saturday, but this most recent 星期六 found my wife feeling the effects of a cold. Amber was also a bit under the weather, so the day was for naught.</p><p>But not the entire weekend. Both girls were feeling better on Sunday, and so we hopped in the car in the late morning and ventured around 45 minutes across town to the see the historic Lugou Bridge 卢沟桥. If that name doesn't sound familiar, let me rephrase the previous sentence to read that we drove to see the <a href="https://www.travelchinaguide.com/attraction/beijing/lugou.htm" target="_blank">Marco Polo Bridge</a>. And to students of modern history that latter should ring some bells, as the span was the site of the infamous <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marco_Polo_Bridge_Incident" target="_blank">"Marco Polo Bridge Incident"</a> (中: 卢沟桥事变; 日: 盧溝橋事件), a clash between Chinese and Japanese soldiers on July 7, 1937, which ignited the long and bloody <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Sino-Japanese_War" target="_blank">Second Sino-Japanese War</a> (中: 中国抗日战争; 日: 日中戦争), the effects of which continue to reverberate to the present day. </p><p>The bridge is located opposite the historic fortress of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wanping_Fortress" target="_blank">Wanping</a> 宛平城, a double-gated walled town constructed during the reign of the last Ming dynasty 明朝 emperor, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chongzhen_Emperor" target="_blank">Chongzheng</a> 崇祯帝. Not many original buildings remain save for the two kilometer-long, six meter-high walls dating from 1640. We entered via the West Gate, across from the bridge: </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid5dgEkVd54ARwRwWSb6VL18zXGfDfDqvUv19b2niBrpKsNrm6dtYN5JGVI2SDP9Iamxg0VXyxXFaQ02A3G2MgY6ZeqsSzuba3rsx_i0Rk761MFnbWXxFAbjMEc3X4JjQds7T9fSXdeZdWep9PpllFZA6GbNQyakZei0d4jRIhjJry2g393ZQKrQ4i3pM/s4032/IMG_2651.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid5dgEkVd54ARwRwWSb6VL18zXGfDfDqvUv19b2niBrpKsNrm6dtYN5JGVI2SDP9Iamxg0VXyxXFaQ02A3G2MgY6ZeqsSzuba3rsx_i0Rk761MFnbWXxFAbjMEc3X4JjQds7T9fSXdeZdWep9PpllFZA6GbNQyakZei0d4jRIhjJry2g393ZQKrQ4i3pM/s320/IMG_2651.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBcnXaqev5YIX3CV54PEGTlpmuLJjBsU-CNME2dSo1-x_aFZKtrmzuzajB_OWf4LkVmxhP9BC8rwj6vPLm7RDD7rXFnj__eE2JXh1a_ayVfzbxEnsuDtN2f8NsIMPDreQMeAKP7hoaoeHEKaatNt1my-J_m1YUFxQ6mEYaj4vhhGFsK6DaspWa9TFBImc/s3524/IMG_2652.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2320" data-original-width="3524" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBcnXaqev5YIX3CV54PEGTlpmuLJjBsU-CNME2dSo1-x_aFZKtrmzuzajB_OWf4LkVmxhP9BC8rwj6vPLm7RDD7rXFnj__eE2JXh1a_ayVfzbxEnsuDtN2f8NsIMPDreQMeAKP7hoaoeHEKaatNt1my-J_m1YUFxQ6mEYaj4vhhGFsK6DaspWa9TFBImc/s320/IMG_2652.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Wanping these days is basically one long street with some old buildings lining both sides of the road. Although there were visitors walking around, there were surprisingly few restaurants and shops, at least compared to other historic districts in Beijing:<div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnM9Uy12xKy9hsgzYdcgfPrjN7euvhxZEYpx3qFMInvyNm6-D7SD4QOnZeP8GI0BQLTRihd8MqrAxStghglQUNMs-cTik5BiN4Y8zztee56Ci3xkQT6yXCOluMoEaMBV4D3zoXsAG0PFX45CL_FtinJS_pXdEJbPG3WXEwAqtAWXO2d_RggxdevKt8EpU/s4029/IMG_2653.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3022" data-original-width="4029" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnM9Uy12xKy9hsgzYdcgfPrjN7euvhxZEYpx3qFMInvyNm6-D7SD4QOnZeP8GI0BQLTRihd8MqrAxStghglQUNMs-cTik5BiN4Y8zztee56Ci3xkQT6yXCOluMoEaMBV4D3zoXsAG0PFX45CL_FtinJS_pXdEJbPG3WXEwAqtAWXO2d_RggxdevKt8EpU/s320/IMG_2653.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoSULSdKqFwDn2REswhT9Uqd8QQQBXFQiTkrq4QaUWRzGbmBZ5PDmFDd77-bYtS6JW5YXIYqv2GmZR5aRhl99V3kkGdhZSNmAp5UMl3-Sr3A1tFEgP_yu-gEHfIP4sAxOS3dUYVITnkca0ynnpF1eE-QAzS07JvSfgDWNW28UH1kvklhClsrnOSF-JWdY/s3939/IMG_2656.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3939" data-original-width="2954" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoSULSdKqFwDn2REswhT9Uqd8QQQBXFQiTkrq4QaUWRzGbmBZ5PDmFDd77-bYtS6JW5YXIYqv2GmZR5aRhl99V3kkGdhZSNmAp5UMl3-Sr3A1tFEgP_yu-gEHfIP4sAxOS3dUYVITnkca0ynnpF1eE-QAzS07JvSfgDWNW28UH1kvklhClsrnOSF-JWdY/s320/IMG_2656.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4Z3djLYp0OTEpBUNJNmS0SGLA5b3ze9GvdvUkQpS23waP_6C-Wlf4i2-INmjYaf35BzM3tYraSa-MRRdQXpDs_3iyrFs-FkEx-a6CT5R6DsQ7z0hXWXkL0ly4n8IvFfgVLZKiLnwEd2yBfYMbp71jCkYiLioUkYe1BKzx5UaVaMh9ds87ku1s-kyfBLA/s4032/IMG_2657.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4Z3djLYp0OTEpBUNJNmS0SGLA5b3ze9GvdvUkQpS23waP_6C-Wlf4i2-INmjYaf35BzM3tYraSa-MRRdQXpDs_3iyrFs-FkEx-a6CT5R6DsQ7z0hXWXkL0ly4n8IvFfgVLZKiLnwEd2yBfYMbp71jCkYiLioUkYe1BKzx5UaVaMh9ds87ku1s-kyfBLA/s320/IMG_2657.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir6ntPH402Cm2yYC42Nt8D1zphoSUkA292Ob83q7y-ELiiw-tZN2zHClnuoDPRwgkzi76LQ4PcKHEBi8vyWt17QYaWvp5lgPrpT_3oEtMnF7fvwpOJ2GIDRo9N6cmJYnTgL3ULVGjIWhiETo-9rMyyBa_UR-lLoOx_Pe5-NUZiN8SgWfTIsecWRynnpfM/s3778/IMG_2658.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3778" data-original-width="2981" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir6ntPH402Cm2yYC42Nt8D1zphoSUkA292Ob83q7y-ELiiw-tZN2zHClnuoDPRwgkzi76LQ4PcKHEBi8vyWt17QYaWvp5lgPrpT_3oEtMnF7fvwpOJ2GIDRo9N6cmJYnTgL3ULVGjIWhiETo-9rMyyBa_UR-lLoOx_Pe5-NUZiN8SgWfTIsecWRynnpfM/s320/IMG_2658.jpg" width="252" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkzSRwetZlKBnGJI2gU6y7mno-c3oO04m-y6ck-3L5t9jpuTz3mNcAeEq392xdmaB-2S4d_bWCbceKSeFV7qrGiXLlMlwWYuk39uFIk1QmjTLUG5fMmMs1y0QtYiRBsbl091P6RmT2GVJtpMCcJK5kCWp0Vy9cEXsxskZeV58n9RCdDJvv96DhGgCR75Q/s4032/IMG_2659.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkzSRwetZlKBnGJI2gU6y7mno-c3oO04m-y6ck-3L5t9jpuTz3mNcAeEq392xdmaB-2S4d_bWCbceKSeFV7qrGiXLlMlwWYuk39uFIk1QmjTLUG5fMmMs1y0QtYiRBsbl091P6RmT2GVJtpMCcJK5kCWp0Vy9cEXsxskZeV58n9RCdDJvv96DhGgCR75Q/s320/IMG_2659.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The East Gate at the opposite end of the road from where we entered:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJvNmDu6serXjHGaZumSbOFscCa-Henb8VQDD3GBEHvUetnzK7jed8BbzdvkheECBb3qw_ZOeqKHGFf21GeEhw893xi078AzKAuZnt_fdvL74fzuQJZJeg9DmZluDkUM4YkSFann12-lT6amhtvGxTxMW8NObG-lxFH4bTDD5GIqs1geoUQZHuPSuakyU/s4032/IMG_2660.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJvNmDu6serXjHGaZumSbOFscCa-Henb8VQDD3GBEHvUetnzK7jed8BbzdvkheECBb3qw_ZOeqKHGFf21GeEhw893xi078AzKAuZnt_fdvL74fzuQJZJeg9DmZluDkUM4YkSFann12-lT6amhtvGxTxMW8NObG-lxFH4bTDD5GIqs1geoUQZHuPSuakyU/s320/IMG_2660.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>We had lunch at a fairly nondescript restaurant. The one dish we ordered which stood out was the <a href="https://omnivorescookbook.com/chinese-beef-meat-pie/" target="_blank"><i>Jingdong</i> meat pies</a> 京东馅饼:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr0FwYOFBzo2VouIUlWUVSanQPgdMLht-qhU3gtbvTkx_5DdDpBCR13Ho9v434FoHvjdHTwmExm2C9Kc3ZR9pxgO76Se9wRJ5_uuxIROE-chGk9BZUFdE2jgYMUYlfy8AXb3TrALLDXu51GAb8TEePbHkVFD8NetpcCg1bYbGV291rKTGR7yWXBEwMR9A/s4032/IMG_2663.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr0FwYOFBzo2VouIUlWUVSanQPgdMLht-qhU3gtbvTkx_5DdDpBCR13Ho9v434FoHvjdHTwmExm2C9Kc3ZR9pxgO76Se9wRJ5_uuxIROE-chGk9BZUFdE2jgYMUYlfy8AXb3TrALLDXu51GAb8TEePbHkVFD8NetpcCg1bYbGV291rKTGR7yWXBEwMR9A/s320/IMG_2663.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>My daughter feeling a bit like Gulliver in a Beijing version of Lilliput:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3BLpU8ybyM_oBPfB7d_Wi4PiK5Ar4c4Lcn_TRXhkQaP4YfT1IiA7CAjn5NXWLYwd2IelgV8oE392PTyPDU7AOu8P5Oj-CYoyfdkQYDROCHyu2eLESRBn-uwn5aqZi2ASjEqL7Q_FcR3jmAD4rT__D4HvSyXc4frp5t-33NxTr1_f2hrPQ3f-Fueb5C4E/s3800/IMG_2664.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3800" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3BLpU8ybyM_oBPfB7d_Wi4PiK5Ar4c4Lcn_TRXhkQaP4YfT1IiA7CAjn5NXWLYwd2IelgV8oE392PTyPDU7AOu8P5Oj-CYoyfdkQYDROCHyu2eLESRBn-uwn5aqZi2ASjEqL7Q_FcR3jmAD4rT__D4HvSyXc4frp5t-33NxTr1_f2hrPQ3f-Fueb5C4E/s320/IMG_2664.jpg" width="255" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUDR8WZI4a26whTBrtoegv_wjt0NPeqJeBJtXLXs55Fxjq3RkK7hrzJmEg9wETgKvLTEzU0ZpoX6RcMTD5nqqXkgFr5aXkAfdskhUepeepaXTu1kbnjUj3VCc2gIjVL7cTe69fIGtMrprQR3pI8kEnUiT0NbOvFtOLo1KDUfirm_LMVplVkYFrcoxJAEA/s3953/IMG_2665.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3953" data-original-width="2965" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUDR8WZI4a26whTBrtoegv_wjt0NPeqJeBJtXLXs55Fxjq3RkK7hrzJmEg9wETgKvLTEzU0ZpoX6RcMTD5nqqXkgFr5aXkAfdskhUepeepaXTu1kbnjUj3VCc2gIjVL7cTe69fIGtMrprQR3pI8kEnUiT0NbOvFtOLo1KDUfirm_LMVplVkYFrcoxJAEA/s320/IMG_2665.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUpYuvNK0SglVxlKScAsoMB_VlyApTdNaVzGBO9sb3NiQlnznE-jfNcHSPimvcGyE8cJadyf-A-g3b_AocbpNByuCHkXQ1r-vv0Q7-Pmz2hvx4rJtSYVY6jeY3IamuPnGvWfca4Ke7dLJ16WxZuEhf2QkLE-MkTeIq3lI6VD__nYLPMc7AOZlkz9me4D0/s3983/IMG_2666.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3983" data-original-width="2987" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUpYuvNK0SglVxlKScAsoMB_VlyApTdNaVzGBO9sb3NiQlnznE-jfNcHSPimvcGyE8cJadyf-A-g3b_AocbpNByuCHkXQ1r-vv0Q7-Pmz2hvx4rJtSYVY6jeY3IamuPnGvWfca4Ke7dLJ16WxZuEhf2QkLE-MkTeIq3lI6VD__nYLPMc7AOZlkz9me4D0/s320/IMG_2666.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>We opted not to visit the <a href="https://www.beijing-visitor.com/beijing-attractions/beijing-museums/war-museum" target="_blank">Museum of the War of Chinese People's Resistance Against Japanese Aggression</a> 中国人民抗日战纪念馆 mainly because we hadn't reserved tickets via WeChat, though the fact it's most likely not a family-friendly sunny Sunday afternoon destination also played a role in our decision to keep walking. I would like to visit at some point during our tour in Beijing. Apparently, there may have been more visitors than usual on Sunday, judging by this <a href="https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2023/09/03/japan/china-wwii-victory-day/" target="_blank">article</a>. Perhaps that's why I felt some people in the area were looking at me with a <a href="https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2023/09/03/asia-pacific/politics/china-sees-spies-everywhere/" target="_blank">feeling other than that of friendly curiosity</a>:</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWUac28h8IGWX5Um3WDLSKd3Q8hEuY-BP3zYCk3gk5-7ueRPt8AmoxAvH1WylhmD1RBC65r7dcjb7tmFss3_HBrD6pt1FSEfupN1RsPoz2LhfW0u5J2mfl_Ihm3b5XObRxDn4zhp8MxaGFqkf-9bf4xGXaiLal5jyFEZHtTQmgba52ymOOC5a31A4dZ3k/s3971/IMG_2668.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1956" data-original-width="3971" height="158" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWUac28h8IGWX5Um3WDLSKd3Q8hEuY-BP3zYCk3gk5-7ueRPt8AmoxAvH1WylhmD1RBC65r7dcjb7tmFss3_HBrD6pt1FSEfupN1RsPoz2LhfW0u5J2mfl_Ihm3b5XObRxDn4zhp8MxaGFqkf-9bf4xGXaiLal5jyFEZHtTQmgba52ymOOC5a31A4dZ3k/s320/IMG_2668.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Across from the museum stands one of those open plazas devoid of shade that city planners around the globe, but especially those in socialist societies, love to construct. Neither my daughter nor I could quite figure out what the lion-like sculpture was supposed to represent:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYMpCrE78TK9x6PLTsPG6khfOhMoXoYS7iDkCmOQqfl0dSeLZLh2uQIxkFaJB5wde3XAePF3whczNNzSJ-YKwlxnUsyVZXwXybA7MuZ-9dtik1MkLspr30-lk7_I1wHYS-MpdNR96_9CVsw9fEhyLGU1jmacVjUL1KWlx-k4KfMEonolEpYcms2xSRm6o/s4032/IMG_2669.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2766" data-original-width="4032" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYMpCrE78TK9x6PLTsPG6khfOhMoXoYS7iDkCmOQqfl0dSeLZLh2uQIxkFaJB5wde3XAePF3whczNNzSJ-YKwlxnUsyVZXwXybA7MuZ-9dtik1MkLspr30-lk7_I1wHYS-MpdNR96_9CVsw9fEhyLGU1jmacVjUL1KWlx-k4KfMEonolEpYcms2xSRm6o/s320/IMG_2669.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The temperature reached a high of 35°C (95°F), though the humidity wasn't as thick as it had been earlier in the summer (certainly not as uncomfortable as what Amber and I had experienced in Japan!):</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKrI3aV8iC6gL2X91c_J7Jgk1Z8vZgLS948uzWUe7qze7pJg0Of-3eYlpaKSfmhaNCo5jqrfyADu229jwDDKPNTVFKyIkG7P6dGLcq_wCVXbNE95F03faNF5oHGPBP-TLmkb_vcE9f11MUWcAwpH6NB8s-UUwaqlgVN1bVgl8GY8vn7AzE9x8rbEuh9aY/s3839/IMG_2670.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3839" data-original-width="2438" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKrI3aV8iC6gL2X91c_J7Jgk1Z8vZgLS948uzWUe7qze7pJg0Of-3eYlpaKSfmhaNCo5jqrfyADu229jwDDKPNTVFKyIkG7P6dGLcq_wCVXbNE95F03faNF5oHGPBP-TLmkb_vcE9f11MUWcAwpH6NB8s-UUwaqlgVN1bVgl8GY8vn7AzE9x8rbEuh9aY/s320/IMG_2670.jpg" width="203" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1qDx1aymywZyIvSsMqpe2QG0MiTZUPDHf3iszoXnDT2CqktIiQUilKNWd1sAzWXGtVNvOpkMoQbguUoafujncdFX5jtNsZc3_FSTr7ZUHzfkgbwiVOtSiz7sw28mbzouw0-5dbc5RmU-PLe1YSkWwatsYBp4sAAIQBlGdYa5u2uCiueb_4ASsqQLu1Go/s3942/IMG_2672.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2956" data-original-width="3942" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1qDx1aymywZyIvSsMqpe2QG0MiTZUPDHf3iszoXnDT2CqktIiQUilKNWd1sAzWXGtVNvOpkMoQbguUoafujncdFX5jtNsZc3_FSTr7ZUHzfkgbwiVOtSiz7sw28mbzouw0-5dbc5RmU-PLe1YSkWwatsYBp4sAAIQBlGdYa5u2uCiueb_4ASsqQLu1Go/s320/IMG_2672.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMdMfVH3t-Ajbd0Z3oPRWrvRs-4EGOVNx6rMwQZaQKBYv3uhNAOrUibD81TyAoIGNAckWyEOndImR-_OZ48vRVv9j7sBADgbMl-1Q_YE3GzwT8Uih9doFeisEY3CJTqnCBZz2zcgT0AymMddxJqFgqim0bmqVWKGh6-Vbq8w_B3w63YGCA98YGbnrknrw/s3818/IMG_2674.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2716" data-original-width="3818" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMdMfVH3t-Ajbd0Z3oPRWrvRs-4EGOVNx6rMwQZaQKBYv3uhNAOrUibD81TyAoIGNAckWyEOndImR-_OZ48vRVv9j7sBADgbMl-1Q_YE3GzwT8Uih9doFeisEY3CJTqnCBZz2zcgT0AymMddxJqFgqim0bmqVWKGh6-Vbq8w_B3w63YGCA98YGbnrknrw/s320/IMG_2674.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Leaving the fortress and standing on the Lugou Bridge itself. I had planned on wearing my <a href="https://hanshintigers.jp/" target="_blank">Hanshin Tigers</a> 阪神タイガーズ jersey, but taking into account both the historical significance of the bridge, and of the <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-66667291" target="_blank">current political situation</a>*, I opted instead for an non-controversial Poland national soccer team jersey (in a helpful shade of socialist red!). The Los Angeles Dodgers cap was an added safeguard, as it seems to have become a popular fashion accessory with many Beijingers recently: </div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgornBfww85st2tdQcgM5T-PC6mnss96RAstcu-J1iTjXx1RBcn6UcqwL7EWG5dfJkJtMTcX6UiBuE2iEp5VzLj1nfyq3LWefvBjWB1V5e54Z85t-DsbZ9lddSbzka9Q_b4MgVHnqHWY9eH2ShHUhGIztbyAstbYqsYMuKFWSV75zeCLGGfFABPTUf3l-0/s4032/IMG_2675.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2653" data-original-width="4032" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgornBfww85st2tdQcgM5T-PC6mnss96RAstcu-J1iTjXx1RBcn6UcqwL7EWG5dfJkJtMTcX6UiBuE2iEp5VzLj1nfyq3LWefvBjWB1V5e54Z85t-DsbZ9lddSbzka9Q_b4MgVHnqHWY9eH2ShHUhGIztbyAstbYqsYMuKFWSV75zeCLGGfFABPTUf3l-0/s320/IMG_2675.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The bridge is 266 meters (873 feet) in length, spanning the largely dry Yongding River 永定河. It dates from 1189, though much of it was reconstructed after flood damage in 1698. There are hundreds of stone lions lining the bridge, with each one supposedly unique in appearance:</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjx4SlCew-F4ylDax0VqDr1eNnSz-aNo0ROVa47MB4RsJO99ovykQnXV3ElfCF9mvspTFRdw1dCXv7MPOoxasrdy60pIziZ1aR2Eptzqv92O9xp8nv0UZGkMdS3TmbmGodgzLpx7OD3NdPTHuf0NOD6Ux4EPnrQt79DG2h05XcHxU_jACL86zk1pwVH9A/s4032/IMG_2678.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjx4SlCew-F4ylDax0VqDr1eNnSz-aNo0ROVa47MB4RsJO99ovykQnXV3ElfCF9mvspTFRdw1dCXv7MPOoxasrdy60pIziZ1aR2Eptzqv92O9xp8nv0UZGkMdS3TmbmGodgzLpx7OD3NdPTHuf0NOD6Ux4EPnrQt79DG2h05XcHxU_jACL86zk1pwVH9A/s320/IMG_2678.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwKVN_vZP4iaWeehcTG18buPFil5VTdLWGEUyq_rFaGpEj2R3S90eeQTWttbzcoC8sbm6OyA-wm2YMoI7c0dDDLyhh3zBpST1h9fK-SbLSAmAqTv-JpQ55L-xVws6FhqSxjJFwy1O1D8zdXEkUmfoHuO7gkLltdo6-mNrf4_SwKilrh4PXdl2l3i9Dz4k/s3689/IMG_2681.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3689" data-original-width="3010" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwKVN_vZP4iaWeehcTG18buPFil5VTdLWGEUyq_rFaGpEj2R3S90eeQTWttbzcoC8sbm6OyA-wm2YMoI7c0dDDLyhh3zBpST1h9fK-SbLSAmAqTv-JpQ55L-xVws6FhqSxjJFwy1O1D8zdXEkUmfoHuO7gkLltdo6-mNrf4_SwKilrh4PXdl2l3i9Dz4k/s320/IMG_2681.jpg" width="261" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPYHiqPSKFfDp3vBqlxq2ThY9ZHuDe1j1QbX4g7ihf7Y6eCptyCn-1fucSzMVmLYXZplC9EX__49WmZ4FsOlwS8cZXRvvPmG7fRO9_auDYmig8ix0Pp3GvkbYa2794JtANYi-RY6e7F0DfEPV0y4OUWiNVeB9SRDq00QZSM3Os4nbPuASTCPZ-XyT2YOM/s4032/IMG_2682.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPYHiqPSKFfDp3vBqlxq2ThY9ZHuDe1j1QbX4g7ihf7Y6eCptyCn-1fucSzMVmLYXZplC9EX__49WmZ4FsOlwS8cZXRvvPmG7fRO9_auDYmig8ix0Pp3GvkbYa2794JtANYi-RY6e7F0DfEPV0y4OUWiNVeB9SRDq00QZSM3Os4nbPuASTCPZ-XyT2YOM/s320/IMG_2682.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgykG5dGKumcqyEiio30G7ETN8JgXmrRGWhUXU5KyO7DDtpxXEJnlGA8rrm33kGQj3WliA00_S_N1fRdXFAQdUpfko5GbO_nDXMseeyQ9lc70kFDvZxgo48zAPKpoXUnIas820Dh63VEDcUzVPh4XoGeLWacvWVtVy5JlRg5VD5jiQ5TC3I1-qP4OMtpoo/s4032/IMG_2684.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgykG5dGKumcqyEiio30G7ETN8JgXmrRGWhUXU5KyO7DDtpxXEJnlGA8rrm33kGQj3WliA00_S_N1fRdXFAQdUpfko5GbO_nDXMseeyQ9lc70kFDvZxgo48zAPKpoXUnIas820Dh63VEDcUzVPh4XoGeLWacvWVtVy5JlRg5VD5jiQ5TC3I1-qP4OMtpoo/s320/IMG_2684.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzPnZ3doFmTvEFScrnbnNmfH747z5yQ4YeLHa-A80ZPmbma-9veZ9Lab2BE8EZW7JIYm4_nZ5rmvGDCR6j1FMPt9w_kFeoun8xX8WVPgECUE16QCM-PlyMWoHwNUX0ss-IX-97qQDbGsf4KD2P4VPsJzG3sHMplMrOCwtFPub9cIHFBiKHyKIFZv_WGyc/s4032/IMG_2685.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzPnZ3doFmTvEFScrnbnNmfH747z5yQ4YeLHa-A80ZPmbma-9veZ9Lab2BE8EZW7JIYm4_nZ5rmvGDCR6j1FMPt9w_kFeoun8xX8WVPgECUE16QCM-PlyMWoHwNUX0ss-IX-97qQDbGsf4KD2P4VPsJzG3sHMplMrOCwtFPub9cIHFBiKHyKIFZv_WGyc/s320/IMG_2685.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4ti_jpLeDDeQMibDeIwrlie-lRxbMA2wNo8QkSSyNxaVgvXYYEjyi-ecqSIb1Edlxb1sXWSrQMxpuhgWd9CjmQEPqqesD8Jxps9wjIXlEVFw_TIJUdv10khOiuB9TYsb7mF32omxMdyhz1qy7KMhtwDfUe9fYV4nTZBts1SQvltqQR3aOs4owKpuAF5U/s3778/IMG_2686.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2438" data-original-width="3778" height="207" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4ti_jpLeDDeQMibDeIwrlie-lRxbMA2wNo8QkSSyNxaVgvXYYEjyi-ecqSIb1Edlxb1sXWSrQMxpuhgWd9CjmQEPqqesD8Jxps9wjIXlEVFw_TIJUdv10khOiuB9TYsb7mF32omxMdyhz1qy7KMhtwDfUe9fYV4nTZBts1SQvltqQR3aOs4owKpuAF5U/s320/IMG_2686.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The outer walls of the Wanping Fortress still sport crater shells from the fighting 86 years ago:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0tdv1pHqWle5jtkJBvyNiezrNsCflRjHImyS7Mtdr6sSZLFuRIzYvuWLIeIaeXHo4cK-GaTSOJPGHFKMa3U8BFGAhDVTxeDCzYwFuZiOCMNdLa-itIiWMTejrJBpQpoGq2PAoiOUCSXg6UZhtXypdw33PCWSI6tTtvFk7rqsgjPJr0adlsCnmOk69hiU/s4032/IMG_2688.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0tdv1pHqWle5jtkJBvyNiezrNsCflRjHImyS7Mtdr6sSZLFuRIzYvuWLIeIaeXHo4cK-GaTSOJPGHFKMa3U8BFGAhDVTxeDCzYwFuZiOCMNdLa-itIiWMTejrJBpQpoGq2PAoiOUCSXg6UZhtXypdw33PCWSI6tTtvFk7rqsgjPJr0adlsCnmOk69hiU/s320/IMG_2688.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt43V5l4V_D2tpNHTQzIifTR86dL3Yjx0WFldFBb3KldeIaYJBwUVQ3qi4YZgdPyig3fgbWy1VXRXJLxkKfOqUL16HOjrgo0PdAiS-lGN23RqV3pE_xA-JjwRd1kgYcJcQgvI2YnG0FoC9Wb-sDd9Lookp1NkxG5u9U43YL8ITwX9D_6mBRaprbNQLijA/s4032/IMG_2691.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt43V5l4V_D2tpNHTQzIifTR86dL3Yjx0WFldFBb3KldeIaYJBwUVQ3qi4YZgdPyig3fgbWy1VXRXJLxkKfOqUL16HOjrgo0PdAiS-lGN23RqV3pE_xA-JjwRd1kgYcJcQgvI2YnG0FoC9Wb-sDd9Lookp1NkxG5u9U43YL8ITwX9D_6mBRaprbNQLijA/s320/IMG_2691.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>To be honest, I was a little disappointed with how the Marco Polo Bridge is presented these days. For one thing, the lack of water in the river beneath tends to subtract from whatever sense of grandeur the structure possesses. It's also difficult for visitors to see the bridge from below, making it difficult to appreciate the arches, and other aspects of its construction. The surrounding parkland is also somewhat tatty in appearance. On the other hand, each lion statue had a spotlight placed below it, so perhaps the Luguo Bridge looks more attractive after dark? In any event, we left for home around 1630 hours so I can't know for certain at this time:</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPSLAbTtN3dbyoiqnadokgBKFmdC4HpQ4AaMFbjb1zzvI4tWy70c0OVigogVvrPdM_I4MdYT5yqwOy2NrKASpoWbg49kdFXEcNmbDCHcuVTQexcwHbtHUzSHEsmBJ_Ye1oW8IZdw5xbrVutIukqvGLcdb9BtOtnMjFgVe_szpCWDhVB_bqJwVty9b-3MY/s900/5c98449009717.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="900" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPSLAbTtN3dbyoiqnadokgBKFmdC4HpQ4AaMFbjb1zzvI4tWy70c0OVigogVvrPdM_I4MdYT5yqwOy2NrKASpoWbg49kdFXEcNmbDCHcuVTQexcwHbtHUzSHEsmBJ_Ye1oW8IZdw5xbrVutIukqvGLcdb9BtOtnMjFgVe_szpCWDhVB_bqJwVty9b-3MY/s320/5c98449009717.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><a href="https://www.chinatoursnet.com/beijing-travel-guide/attraction/marco-polo-bridge.html" target="_blank">https://www.chinatoursnet.com/beijing-travel-guide/attraction/marco-polo-bridge.html</a></i></div><div><br /></div><div>As for Monday, I stayed in for the most part, feeling lightheaded enough at times that I came to the conclusion it would not have been a good idea to go for a planned bike ride. So my three-day weekend ended up a resembling a sandwich - a Sunday filling of history, between two Wonder Bread slices (Saturday and Monday) of boredom. Still, as the three of us are almost settled back into our pre-summer vacation routines, I anticipate we'll be getting back out more often. At the very least, the siren call of the autumn season should be luring Shu-E out of hibernation once summer comes to a merciful end.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7GQFcf-22K3i4exzEL4nk3MN1-W589EDsavakvdpNSYC_I_cLItRMlFDQWuKlkFs-lKcWk2AQtI1ITraiAtlqaDx4B0Dx8AdnBxYp6YzIEsYiHeEOqbZt6od9yUbytdqWRmGzvDw33VHMe9JzqCdjNu7SbhcD_G7sd182t3rDYu4O4V48Oh5U5Pq13WM/s3845/IMG_2629.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3845" data-original-width="2734" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7GQFcf-22K3i4exzEL4nk3MN1-W589EDsavakvdpNSYC_I_cLItRMlFDQWuKlkFs-lKcWk2AQtI1ITraiAtlqaDx4B0Dx8AdnBxYp6YzIEsYiHeEOqbZt6od9yUbytdqWRmGzvDw33VHMe9JzqCdjNu7SbhcD_G7sd182t3rDYu4O4V48Oh5U5Pq13WM/s320/IMG_2629.jpg" width="228" /></a></div><i>An idea for a craft beer that probably sounded better on paper than in practice. Unless, of course, you relish the idea of legume-themed 啤酒</i><div><i><br /></i></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVjAnejtI1SUThhW1iWK33gFzftyW-dN3h_F4dGtgvSFPKwSMUyWeRB_REsJME0n9er9S1SRquDMJVylZcwaydpgN9jdGzQeNsJY6UUSnUa4pq0hehVi5_x71rw-3NMshraLCTa-1K32_OT2r-UrJlaNtpEqcCirRsPZeo0K9YTTSRyklofkPc7lh10s0/s1440/Timi.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVjAnejtI1SUThhW1iWK33gFzftyW-dN3h_F4dGtgvSFPKwSMUyWeRB_REsJME0n9er9S1SRquDMJVylZcwaydpgN9jdGzQeNsJY6UUSnUa4pq0hehVi5_x71rw-3NMshraLCTa-1K32_OT2r-UrJlaNtpEqcCirRsPZeo0K9YTTSRyklofkPc7lh10s0/s320/Timi.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><i><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Timi</i></div></i><i><br /></i><div><div><div>*See this <a href="https://youtu.be/zGrJz57DAck?si=v-xw8F52iH6cCrfH" target="_blank">video</a> as well </div><div><div><br /><p><br /></p></div></div></div></div></div>Kaminogehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07925637671913689331noreply@blogger.com0V629+3JW Marco Polo Bridge, Feng Tai Qu, China, 10016539.8502497 116.219065811.540015863821154 81.0628158 68.160483536178845 151.3753158tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2497220891386919340.post-33063998559827696482023-08-31T22:14:00.003+08:002023-09-01T08:34:31.830+08:00Out with a whimper <p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDK82dyfdyyyliCB0ZmPlGbRg7q47pTZ1pF1IooQqO7P21L80SxxxGMELLYx3jKOy2G-OGlXkCoLo7iC-yY6scR3peesfQS3dsSDIhMDwwZFje2E-IOSns4DLJgDzaJOeQrlt3fFkDp58n4BVrINZyicv2nDNiOGWeTatCpGrLIyCBfRvaSd1HNGB3Oew/s1650/cb27e8bf5acbd9b79757a0b728dff846.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1060" data-original-width="1650" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDK82dyfdyyyliCB0ZmPlGbRg7q47pTZ1pF1IooQqO7P21L80SxxxGMELLYx3jKOy2G-OGlXkCoLo7iC-yY6scR3peesfQS3dsSDIhMDwwZFje2E-IOSns4DLJgDzaJOeQrlt3fFkDp58n4BVrINZyicv2nDNiOGWeTatCpGrLIyCBfRvaSd1HNGB3Oew/s320/cb27e8bf5acbd9b79757a0b728dff846.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><i><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Who loves ya, baby?</i></div></i><p></p><p>What started out with a bang is reaching its end seemingly with a whimper. I'm referring, of course, to the summer of 2023. As you may or may not recall, my daughter and I spent a total of 27 days traveling through Japan's main island of Honshū 本州, following that up with another six days in Taiwan. It was probably the greatest travel experience of my life so far, in large part because of the opportunity to spend time with Amber in between her junior and senior years of high school. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1cIjpHJpcB-5tFzyDq2xIrJ0FTK3nRAbq3VypxpXRfx5dg9FqPaayrlBiTU-vNzjp1WuCSz5Ngt-9yIpcHKIEkxTfQdenkY1mQutY3nz9uAJF7rsj0G9VyTl3GV_pFQ7LnuBlhWoiM1_dzTqi-SQXG7R5iJ6NiwC6KQJt77wfKZewmyYrPIbO5Adz58A/s3904/IMG_0356.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3904" data-original-width="2928" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1cIjpHJpcB-5tFzyDq2xIrJ0FTK3nRAbq3VypxpXRfx5dg9FqPaayrlBiTU-vNzjp1WuCSz5Ngt-9yIpcHKIEkxTfQdenkY1mQutY3nz9uAJF7rsj0G9VyTl3GV_pFQ7LnuBlhWoiM1_dzTqi-SQXG7R5iJ6NiwC6KQJt77wfKZewmyYrPIbO5Adz58A/s320/IMG_0356.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><i>Making <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zongzi" target="_blank">zongzi</a> 粽子 in advance of the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dragon_Boat_Festival" target="_blank">Dragon Boat Festival</a> 端午節, which this year fell on June 22</i> <br /><p>I parted from my wife and daughter in Taiwan, and returned alone to Beijing 北京 towards the end of July, where I started my new position at the embassy. Since then I've done...well, pretty much nothing at all. During the 26-day period when I was by myself while the girls remained in Taiwan, most of my days were occupied with learning the ins and outs of an unfamiliar line of work. But even on the weekends, I remained at home, a voluntary shut-in bonding with Timi, our Siamese. The only times I ventured outside (other than the pedestrian work commute) were to buy necessities from a grocery store or supermarket. Even my meals were all taken indoors, mostly by way of food deliveries, with a few attempts at cooking. Too many burgers, pizzas and milk teas have done their part in packing on the kilograms.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsOmy3hi0kvxgDoToORZwKuImi6kzklshsNlAJX77C5wsZuT5KXam9stHUgldbWbZ8Wsk2KVuhZfkdBKUZjzLEhgAtQRl1pyix7V6FyQQYT84JOciGH1KxbkrUhZziWpteK2Ks022XLGLI2UmlwoGBIcaOulPWS-P-A1tfqGknSH--QaT2-_0VulZ2Yug/s4032/IMG_0357.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsOmy3hi0kvxgDoToORZwKuImi6kzklshsNlAJX77C5wsZuT5KXam9stHUgldbWbZ8Wsk2KVuhZfkdBKUZjzLEhgAtQRl1pyix7V6FyQQYT84JOciGH1KxbkrUhZziWpteK2Ks022XLGLI2UmlwoGBIcaOulPWS-P-A1tfqGknSH--QaT2-_0VulZ2Yug/s320/IMG_0357.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><p>For Amber and Shu-E, however, life was much more interesting, at least judging from the nightly calls, and the photos sent over WeChat. They certainly weren't spending all their time either at home or in an office. So what follows in this post are various pictures I received from the girls, documenting some of their activities while in the homeland.</p><p>Like the time the two of them visited <a href="https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Bali_District" target="_blank">Bali</a> 八里 (the one near Taipei 台北, not the Indonesian resort island):</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5JVErrCr7C_ObpQ3HoTNwiM9Nrr1gPv6BjPPf53G_ip0MyhFzoCOmTfEwduJ2dFTj-QiJ7_7HtYfiBtS1OglWPg4kjgl6E30htukWzmsGyamI1wswnMbnmY2_T3yCDbR0muYERUFr7QqSbqgMBY_TgQxmozyKUk4q85c0YLVEBOGsKDcI986sHYeTy6s/s1627/41c6bb228d102a5b97d12526d1a12dc8.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1627" height="189" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5JVErrCr7C_ObpQ3HoTNwiM9Nrr1gPv6BjPPf53G_ip0MyhFzoCOmTfEwduJ2dFTj-QiJ7_7HtYfiBtS1OglWPg4kjgl6E30htukWzmsGyamI1wswnMbnmY2_T3yCDbR0muYERUFr7QqSbqgMBY_TgQxmozyKUk4q85c0YLVEBOGsKDcI986sHYeTy6s/s320/41c6bb228d102a5b97d12526d1a12dc8.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTdP9jIRINJetS_3arRcOhrQ5jghYsqGJiyoYiSvgfWj-Ni3onoVRLDiUbHJu_fHClJpobIGRLPN3axagJAD2Fr8O0VESZdtalvexCoNMy5DgKKSjUCaRCEtugmhA9bEED0kxjoAqXk_r3PAAGg73TRYNdPiOEVkR04cCnPBuYseGa5Z0WIb7YheokOd0/s1603/185efc2c3c4ddebc953c6ed3c47aa017.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1201" data-original-width="1603" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTdP9jIRINJetS_3arRcOhrQ5jghYsqGJiyoYiSvgfWj-Ni3onoVRLDiUbHJu_fHClJpobIGRLPN3axagJAD2Fr8O0VESZdtalvexCoNMy5DgKKSjUCaRCEtugmhA9bEED0kxjoAqXk_r3PAAGg73TRYNdPiOEVkR04cCnPBuYseGa5Z0WIb7YheokOd0/s320/185efc2c3c4ddebc953c6ed3c47aa017.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQZdhoT25maV-_sJ35DZVMSxQ3CnbG6YNTrfSZDSrK2KvNL_ked9HjQVaTtGOgevgjSEayT1Ui2VP1Y7WfZrXUoBJsdzmX7TujBp8S8QGyNx-OaYC6LxLLt7LLAnXbXr9G5LCT98VkEevwvekog8T2gjlyhmfKh39x-ansoqyxcFiOCF3vafujm8-rKfQ/s1702/632c4acc6789ae726eadf4b443fb8176.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1276" data-original-width="1702" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQZdhoT25maV-_sJ35DZVMSxQ3CnbG6YNTrfSZDSrK2KvNL_ked9HjQVaTtGOgevgjSEayT1Ui2VP1Y7WfZrXUoBJsdzmX7TujBp8S8QGyNx-OaYC6LxLLt7LLAnXbXr9G5LCT98VkEevwvekog8T2gjlyhmfKh39x-ansoqyxcFiOCF3vafujm8-rKfQ/s320/632c4acc6789ae726eadf4b443fb8176.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJP20I-hrfs5gU52YrihsmM5m3IcuOj0Cr1j-devlDEM1INOO-XmanxJ1DZewgUNjVTR2LTk7UrgI1e8lp-TVokbpsHvYNlYV4j9M3VysgjCnH6k4enRJHifDt8QWfc8fKd46ZHvUo8jwVT6M9HeSOPiuNYRca1VaYDv5lYP0i3F52QjEZ2sCRXMNF424/s1671/c16f2b414c0ff2020b4b94fb92e4de98.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="939" data-original-width="1671" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJP20I-hrfs5gU52YrihsmM5m3IcuOj0Cr1j-devlDEM1INOO-XmanxJ1DZewgUNjVTR2LTk7UrgI1e8lp-TVokbpsHvYNlYV4j9M3VysgjCnH6k4enRJHifDt8QWfc8fKd46ZHvUo8jwVT6M9HeSOPiuNYRca1VaYDv5lYP0i3F52QjEZ2sCRXMNF424/s320/c16f2b414c0ff2020b4b94fb92e4de98.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaZfZEXpqW1EDb-fx1cA1Ne3bzIcLSVSn1p2bCmSZAG-y0mG2vdPi4Dz9oPAuHPrqiBlMEdoYsUrRlIqSrgNnR7WbE5wVzlbHca29O_uCz9QXMI0fD3IffDOR6_l8G2yOc7bAFCmIyHO5A3Xtjp8NV_qcp_lI1GPSpAUTGikB28DG8N-uBzRbkxN9L9pc/s1671/c1610cbf4ab925cf3c5ba0aec8bb7c40.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1253" data-original-width="1671" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaZfZEXpqW1EDb-fx1cA1Ne3bzIcLSVSn1p2bCmSZAG-y0mG2vdPi4Dz9oPAuHPrqiBlMEdoYsUrRlIqSrgNnR7WbE5wVzlbHca29O_uCz9QXMI0fD3IffDOR6_l8G2yOc7bAFCmIyHO5A3Xtjp8NV_qcp_lI1GPSpAUTGikB28DG8N-uBzRbkxN9L9pc/s320/c1610cbf4ab925cf3c5ba0aec8bb7c40.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnQX5ibTdz6h1usUh0gdFUaBVyzw9G4HdVEax6KMhlJyUk-mccZmxuQmwHcxqKISLgXtD7-K2DSV0r1UbYpRMW1N1RyUQQi6MMmm30HghtHbq5leZv_uEMUjQ95XUayp-XsGOGq3ywGaawFEKKAOtPsHLFePPkxDSg02ahuy6kVEjx4axb4-6s9hSjG1s/s1663/d3cc9ec4ada9876daa33a47279adb044.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1137" data-original-width="1663" height="219" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnQX5ibTdz6h1usUh0gdFUaBVyzw9G4HdVEax6KMhlJyUk-mccZmxuQmwHcxqKISLgXtD7-K2DSV0r1UbYpRMW1N1RyUQQi6MMmm30HghtHbq5leZv_uEMUjQ95XUayp-XsGOGq3ywGaawFEKKAOtPsHLFePPkxDSg02ahuy6kVEjx4axb4-6s9hSjG1s/s320/d3cc9ec4ada9876daa33a47279adb044.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Or when Shu-E taught Amber how to ride a scooter:<div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg75_M35asBXyVviTMF0JBgD8h-YGQP6vGvuBn4nHOGhYWscYxA2RJ2wMTYT1XnaOJb-w3cesC3LQtzUOtVS2JFKXjmXUtaM46eCamYX5EbxJTQpi00FXXG8SsIFTacoY54ifiitBJQIvYraYYAT9maPSCem5J7IOim2SFqkIRdbWyScq-vLAqUxinKcWM/s1702/9bd096206beb0f81114ca06f03718330.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1702" data-original-width="1276" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg75_M35asBXyVviTMF0JBgD8h-YGQP6vGvuBn4nHOGhYWscYxA2RJ2wMTYT1XnaOJb-w3cesC3LQtzUOtVS2JFKXjmXUtaM46eCamYX5EbxJTQpi00FXXG8SsIFTacoY54ifiitBJQIvYraYYAT9maPSCem5J7IOim2SFqkIRdbWyScq-vLAqUxinKcWM/s320/9bd096206beb0f81114ca06f03718330.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dyJ7I-8eP3lh6anG9-3EWzHEjypopSdCdD3t10fMS3wx8X6CNWPG8bjZ1VwlWJEcWjHj2U25UOMGj54mxVRkQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br /><div>My daughter fought the summer heat with some shaved ice 剉冰 in Fengyuan 豐原:</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7ZPBtSF6hJUGRfK9tq1SMsQ1Tc4GflqhP-rLVWIY3abucVZPqGXVrWVOU_CzAGrwoCdqSg0-N1dsFj4f6HiJ4yDWugI21DKibsQaycF5Qb6TwSyDHqZm4Hp5UkACgOhoacgKSLH81ojielNt7vA8CzJXQsoPI9LR90YtFbE4wepp2W9E67EmpZiyaURc/s1702/3d21d175d42d37ca67dd12e6b69e4c5f.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1702" data-original-width="1276" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7ZPBtSF6hJUGRfK9tq1SMsQ1Tc4GflqhP-rLVWIY3abucVZPqGXVrWVOU_CzAGrwoCdqSg0-N1dsFj4f6HiJ4yDWugI21DKibsQaycF5Qb6TwSyDHqZm4Hp5UkACgOhoacgKSLH81ojielNt7vA8CzJXQsoPI9LR90YtFbE4wepp2W9E67EmpZiyaURc/s320/3d21d175d42d37ca67dd12e6b69e4c5f.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div>Making <i><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mantou" target="_blank">mantou</a></i> 饅頭, also in Fengyuan:</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimKCniek2v-3S900BZxY-0_nWKaCrN00uU0jNB8Z53gbt5U99Z45qSwSJbfpJx2TWynKhp2EDKGF4enNmJSso1h7PrnkhNSTt12_u5o34WaIZIJ2EXNzXiFbxcTUpMQ0fEegtsBcDCA55FEXUc0mt1OWyK1_4z7iFy6lGm8E8ssWBOtVcQVKJJ1uacS-k/s1702/2b7de3386965959ccc3ed9f42ae386ad.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1702" data-original-width="1276" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimKCniek2v-3S900BZxY-0_nWKaCrN00uU0jNB8Z53gbt5U99Z45qSwSJbfpJx2TWynKhp2EDKGF4enNmJSso1h7PrnkhNSTt12_u5o34WaIZIJ2EXNzXiFbxcTUpMQ0fEegtsBcDCA55FEXUc0mt1OWyK1_4z7iFy6lGm8E8ssWBOtVcQVKJJ1uacS-k/s320/2b7de3386965959ccc3ed9f42ae386ad.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg96SXIz7Q5PZdUFlVfxKibBmn3lujPd2z-gHHSys00HraBsQdQJk3Ap205LceZZvp1NLzOLw2xd1c7SLJTgx90cBxovANSgOWAvdIzN_T_LM4rOMVNlWB6uXhMKLSSLgH5_Udk6Epx2DPlWNTIUUWPqNv-_2tJByLDirUgC5kctGGPIfgxPAeJ_0vuF1Y/s1702/3ebbbb67fc3dab21a89b3b2c8e37f987.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1702" data-original-width="1276" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg96SXIz7Q5PZdUFlVfxKibBmn3lujPd2z-gHHSys00HraBsQdQJk3Ap205LceZZvp1NLzOLw2xd1c7SLJTgx90cBxovANSgOWAvdIzN_T_LM4rOMVNlWB6uXhMKLSSLgH5_Udk6Epx2DPlWNTIUUWPqNv-_2tJByLDirUgC5kctGGPIfgxPAeJ_0vuF1Y/s320/3ebbbb67fc3dab21a89b3b2c8e37f987.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXHNHMmYlgT4mGTEnMSh9595tZQgJK37HrsRPyS4bhlSo4bqJrEkShJWswdVLfM8X8NgsMQNzLpk5dqUYM-X6PB2QE4oxWzKdDcTuH8dxoE1hU0WiHpoFfDz7faSRRkuX1R0mkGBtTylQ83kxS0Fw1fIzMdXAXfDBRi6LI2pgEFhx1_1UEuQmun3MTrIU/s1594/aea33fdfe24490313c4ae7e0ccd34bf3.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1594" data-original-width="1195" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXHNHMmYlgT4mGTEnMSh9595tZQgJK37HrsRPyS4bhlSo4bqJrEkShJWswdVLfM8X8NgsMQNzLpk5dqUYM-X6PB2QE4oxWzKdDcTuH8dxoE1hU0WiHpoFfDz7faSRRkuX1R0mkGBtTylQ83kxS0Fw1fIzMdXAXfDBRi6LI2pgEFhx1_1UEuQmun3MTrIU/s320/aea33fdfe24490313c4ae7e0ccd34bf3.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Rice and Shine!:<div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikKS0hBUh8Rv8--qyAciS1BJa6YDhgIF9YopN-92U1VHJ4aNL5qFstXOJtFAis4SMZNu78wtEmlxvpgTF4n0EatYY3tZtPPUtvVDNfNYVKpjbmWlpfcxP3n2Gozw5x9-PoYW4sIZZDtObyB3x0NNB6ie7qkkyhkK3kh3vvZHdgtmj94jjj7SVkjO4csxE/s1280/70830acf259fbf24e8072540fb2607d9.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1280" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikKS0hBUh8Rv8--qyAciS1BJa6YDhgIF9YopN-92U1VHJ4aNL5qFstXOJtFAis4SMZNu78wtEmlxvpgTF4n0EatYY3tZtPPUtvVDNfNYVKpjbmWlpfcxP3n2Gozw5x9-PoYW4sIZZDtObyB3x0NNB6ie7qkkyhkK3kh3vvZHdgtmj94jjj7SVkjO4csxE/s320/70830acf259fbf24e8072540fb2607d9.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdr_M3bJEL2CZLC7WUetYa0W9Yd7Az0zo_z6WVZaRxiXhsdztXbOZ8DWo_HiBvtA3JvQv3cr9AuL7h3oQ1q4ROzSIVn2z8HtTEmAdsXkhwNoAHLP5b-IdGyZT5QaWzdgVWFrATs1CYUQDsS8HxJ042_ZT1aaTYWRNqElKB1G4do5P0EfDPl57qRJLtxRU/s1920/21da62fef1e5b3ab9cfe373bc4f1692e.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdr_M3bJEL2CZLC7WUetYa0W9Yd7Az0zo_z6WVZaRxiXhsdztXbOZ8DWo_HiBvtA3JvQv3cr9AuL7h3oQ1q4ROzSIVn2z8HtTEmAdsXkhwNoAHLP5b-IdGyZT5QaWzdgVWFrATs1CYUQDsS8HxJ042_ZT1aaTYWRNqElKB1G4do5P0EfDPl57qRJLtxRU/s320/21da62fef1e5b3ab9cfe373bc4f1692e.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div><div>At the end of July/beginning of August the girls traveled by train to the Taipei region to visit a family we had known from our time in Shanghai 上海. Among the things they did while there was to spend time with the <a href="https://newtaipei.travel/zh-tw/attractions/detail/403148#" target="_blank">Houtong Cat Village</a> 猴硐貓村. Amber, naturally, took a lot of photos of the local felines:</div></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzO3dAgSYIDSBcVDSdtW-jLywBx4yDg_ZXvyt_Yf0OfY365GxqhBGXic_E2n7fWcgnBYABUf6dr-ZmV7lnC2Q' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8R8h0JLhVeMyn6CDZMMLwwEBA8lzcfJpqnsbiWUQFpHFIKUi0mE3sN6c-trUNeLfklHE3yPi0Eqw9GL4vXmKPud1OJOpSLflddGUS08rTw348XNUzrs6aCXD5mdQQUP3Mkhq47mI7H-Rg3VbOF58AmWd2OOTV-uAC9PNeonfDzh6ug0jdi1Td5lsNbro/s1702/1e872732ecbd4c820fcefbe60892e19d.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1702" data-original-width="1276" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8R8h0JLhVeMyn6CDZMMLwwEBA8lzcfJpqnsbiWUQFpHFIKUi0mE3sN6c-trUNeLfklHE3yPi0Eqw9GL4vXmKPud1OJOpSLflddGUS08rTw348XNUzrs6aCXD5mdQQUP3Mkhq47mI7H-Rg3VbOF58AmWd2OOTV-uAC9PNeonfDzh6ug0jdi1Td5lsNbro/s320/1e872732ecbd4c820fcefbe60892e19d.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1707" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpUT3Xj09yvRmmuaSWO_as20_GH3FgNY3lX9-B4G9c0BSLpFywUF-vh4bSs5C-UdYJ0ZWGOBzyq1cmpfPCmwsd-PDHhdurIzOn6SXKZLiSXAo7AA3HQR4An_QBQiT5DbwlQCnQskRETZ3XTZu5UTqXT6jgj8emgxvMHrXZeLFhlXAGuRKedvwxcGWVZug/s320/3d1167c586e58190f9412865718b2ae7.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTlbBCz7iYjiWCqDz70A2SHyeFs15Pz-fdKUmNGXQXtjjhL29nZEk6T2f2k8L9U5C9-HI8knLeD5Yr_RgZ4VRsltUtXgcuXdiw_XkhJez5JPV42I5VfahHE5i2UXANjV87WjwdcLzjmPltie55B_AbtHfY1E23nrGtq89lqFEECDJx8Md3MiREKy91mDc/s1560/20cfbb4e31e2a9b25db9be6449f80c30.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1560" data-original-width="1248" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTlbBCz7iYjiWCqDz70A2SHyeFs15Pz-fdKUmNGXQXtjjhL29nZEk6T2f2k8L9U5C9-HI8knLeD5Yr_RgZ4VRsltUtXgcuXdiw_XkhJez5JPV42I5VfahHE5i2UXANjV87WjwdcLzjmPltie55B_AbtHfY1E23nrGtq89lqFEECDJx8Md3MiREKy91mDc/s320/20cfbb4e31e2a9b25db9be6449f80c30.JPG" width="256" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAGiVhb31K9Sy91FdvfuGzkNqQZM_Al_7UbHcENeOgb69S6jpNy28M4hqyEuQa785haNE66J_ey7zOJRmt5p-X8ZdAu9osfD7MR54Ppp0jTR7jZCse2TjuWm5gleTQwvocpCbrfoFx-Ium0iQONlK_lql0Bcwhf1I-6D1Yp4xr74Ia0YLDfAsqkHq0kgw/s1479/b353c8dea14b74725e20095cf59c6235.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1479" data-original-width="1109" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAGiVhb31K9Sy91FdvfuGzkNqQZM_Al_7UbHcENeOgb69S6jpNy28M4hqyEuQa785haNE66J_ey7zOJRmt5p-X8ZdAu9osfD7MR54Ppp0jTR7jZCse2TjuWm5gleTQwvocpCbrfoFx-Ium0iQONlK_lql0Bcwhf1I-6D1Yp4xr74Ia0YLDfAsqkHq0kgw/s320/b353c8dea14b74725e20095cf59c6235.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwUGsl0MYCNxB6vNYnVEiaiyotzyjaMilzJd1BiwCshEsN_j4N-5299r5tIVxcJtGGpFLKOZI_6s5hyMzxEq1niVSK4agGAH5Hj4F4ONtHsz1glE-CqEz8jFbcm1dicaK23p7cb749iKwDtJVxdEtOF8ohttRlKWzvID-R3csXBAeIibtjqhPsk3U16So/s1707/d94e57a2031bc45eed48781b00953f2c.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1707" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwUGsl0MYCNxB6vNYnVEiaiyotzyjaMilzJd1BiwCshEsN_j4N-5299r5tIVxcJtGGpFLKOZI_6s5hyMzxEq1niVSK4agGAH5Hj4F4ONtHsz1glE-CqEz8jFbcm1dicaK23p7cb749iKwDtJVxdEtOF8ohttRlKWzvID-R3csXBAeIibtjqhPsk3U16So/s320/d94e57a2031bc45eed48781b00953f2c.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigewBEyBpIqKsIkk4UOkAnq-Mydy-ZmicTYMGTxe1yIr6q-jiwGVaTUSBPOcw3eb-tjLp7Hbnf0lL7W1iEapG2Gt151ljiRllQcZKQGHfFfQ3v70OXOc9dJK94TRdEyLgdtDOf7DzbGqEFib5-BO6DMYkm7f-Pa8cumA8YpagNtuXr59voHlncuG-MSfI/s1479/c1513b4a0849ea573b1e37d84722c5e9.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1109" data-original-width="1479" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigewBEyBpIqKsIkk4UOkAnq-Mydy-ZmicTYMGTxe1yIr6q-jiwGVaTUSBPOcw3eb-tjLp7Hbnf0lL7W1iEapG2Gt151ljiRllQcZKQGHfFfQ3v70OXOc9dJK94TRdEyLgdtDOf7DzbGqEFib5-BO6DMYkm7f-Pa8cumA8YpagNtuXr59voHlncuG-MSfI/s320/c1513b4a0849ea573b1e37d84722c5e9.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div>They also visited <a href="https://newtaipei.travel/en" target="_blank">Jiufen</a> 九份:</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjje6U_S1zlCSaRzIQ-R8_NkDdKJH1ox9wk0ZfTOhEW5izZwEPArzIoPcNnhX9jtaOzam2PxSmKn5eAAu8AP877aDaXHXG-TE78XdyyJxYIRBi38BR3_SdlmXL43TbweyWA0p9rIfGViC2yFUmyje4lbStvpuOd8GBMSJeS_oAJsS6RVDahg9UXrWg0mhw/s1702/2a3482231db90d0b8b0c07b90db3410d.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1110" data-original-width="1702" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjje6U_S1zlCSaRzIQ-R8_NkDdKJH1ox9wk0ZfTOhEW5izZwEPArzIoPcNnhX9jtaOzam2PxSmKn5eAAu8AP877aDaXHXG-TE78XdyyJxYIRBi38BR3_SdlmXL43TbweyWA0p9rIfGViC2yFUmyje4lbStvpuOd8GBMSJeS_oAJsS6RVDahg9UXrWg0mhw/s320/2a3482231db90d0b8b0c07b90db3410d.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtzvBBkJmGv4Ry_wy8TWjHO45QUl0BiloJ7tPrHsmkXJSe2Dza6ZXhYo_iau-sPmK8rUDTcP_WJM-4Fx4ZO3Xvmzp3rZhRVMNh070zgGSJS-TIkKg6ijFERKKC-pmHuM5MoPgn3jJuXTInG-XYlkhdCbHj9cDdu1ycOq8_hlEBHPvICLVPjXv_9Jb53U4/s1695/2d867984c0ea5c948207848206c6abef.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1192" data-original-width="1695" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtzvBBkJmGv4Ry_wy8TWjHO45QUl0BiloJ7tPrHsmkXJSe2Dza6ZXhYo_iau-sPmK8rUDTcP_WJM-4Fx4ZO3Xvmzp3rZhRVMNh070zgGSJS-TIkKg6ijFERKKC-pmHuM5MoPgn3jJuXTInG-XYlkhdCbHj9cDdu1ycOq8_hlEBHPvICLVPjXv_9Jb53U4/s320/2d867984c0ea5c948207848206c6abef.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnMXUCStokYa0ZcvOBZFZZ7rFRr_UO4hcgRy9HqrH4zB6m-IR5KXdnBpJhsJmQLyughwahgCVUAgwGJiT3Ay4n5S88HteC4q31f1ewoDoPru31UnX0UQcTuzcKS4A9R-37J0vT-TBAp0r-5tQ_HedycSctfGfBPacaEmflapCHImWNWDa16X4XtXhPFHY/s1629/07d26b0a66e5cb03d77bae44b4b611d3.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1221" data-original-width="1629" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnMXUCStokYa0ZcvOBZFZZ7rFRr_UO4hcgRy9HqrH4zB6m-IR5KXdnBpJhsJmQLyughwahgCVUAgwGJiT3Ay4n5S88HteC4q31f1ewoDoPru31UnX0UQcTuzcKS4A9R-37J0vT-TBAp0r-5tQ_HedycSctfGfBPacaEmflapCHImWNWDa16X4XtXhPFHY/s320/07d26b0a66e5cb03d77bae44b4b611d3.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1276" data-original-width="1702" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihJSW0ByFnfJW53Xi8l97cByi157r1_8eKWBuFB8K8RW5pd6d4VRjW9Q-eQVFUqIxRszVERKX8002KfSvbrm0SYlnD2RVxLC66Bfr9s4uU1AJv37frjavzLf1RSCxi6DtXe-qo8Jyz9dMLMMxi16xBPt2NvOxCKnfPEcQTrfzCOGhhbE35mBUe3Doi490/s320/08f5a81301cf33e0cefef4f96f2a819e.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1ZhW2qZuXS0soqKNT2dLvUu72A0-jpz6Uczka-IvhmIagYe4LY1vbAsadLeUmOQ3zd8Tr0BL1IiWbRBKOjWmr3jfnKeGNX2A-xV-WuRUYQvqODDIh0C1H70SO-ieVhb3SwRFvDXFPwzaSzimE6h7zw3xWMeFv8W_Webw7KIL_CLGSv3uNj2pMhqbo0no/s1706/8a9b8566ecb4ecbc9f789b00e1ceb0cd.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1706" data-original-width="1279" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1ZhW2qZuXS0soqKNT2dLvUu72A0-jpz6Uczka-IvhmIagYe4LY1vbAsadLeUmOQ3zd8Tr0BL1IiWbRBKOjWmr3jfnKeGNX2A-xV-WuRUYQvqODDIh0C1H70SO-ieVhb3SwRFvDXFPwzaSzimE6h7zw3xWMeFv8W_Webw7KIL_CLGSv3uNj2pMhqbo0no/s320/8a9b8566ecb4ecbc9f789b00e1ceb0cd.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1317" data-original-width="1218" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrVKNcSGj0_johmQldv1-HgUZb4CSUVmPiyYiGG2TBeUj7-Y3a2YmmZpq28cgrgWstSy-Cm9b2skYu3JXyyumWyve1A9U97hMVRlLU-JSpOCl1ULDqs2caq2PomjgQhaPShTEjOjeF-GNIwWIoeAKybC9EgXDFS05Z6sSgPhud2PbFuJYeYTk4bbJgvsM/s320/28d5af4c78d6e292393d58b376662474.JPG" width="296" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhulTn3CxOv0VfSi09wFw3hvrtt1gmlEH-ntar33QBlb4zUPR4bB3_2X_DpI5x6sA3uCRV6aFNCBnwlFri_pWvtUGVFJGUcWn20JAh7b9sYlw5V2LGH4xWUJW8T5tQRllrfCA7mkfXSZflMohLU3mz-29-Ypqx4NWBpZgiAHPK9p4PG48vfHFr7UVVviz8/s1680/818a240db9bdc01442e76038473273a4.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1680" data-original-width="1260" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhulTn3CxOv0VfSi09wFw3hvrtt1gmlEH-ntar33QBlb4zUPR4bB3_2X_DpI5x6sA3uCRV6aFNCBnwlFri_pWvtUGVFJGUcWn20JAh7b9sYlw5V2LGH4xWUJW8T5tQRllrfCA7mkfXSZflMohLU3mz-29-Ypqx4NWBpZgiAHPK9p4PG48vfHFr7UVVviz8/s320/818a240db9bdc01442e76038473273a4.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOjRwB1h2DHyDJG6dhdwn-_e4Qgd47UviQ0CvSGdD1PmrJ9xhKsv920ttPfQl7gM0UYV21gKc5jczXTIj21zKdyNz8Dk4CAyOCtykV7yp1sDpeyOT4hhGjng-Jo2f0lCxgqAmq298QznM8EfWcmBIycznVWtX7b_NP_RFPZ0ROzRzy92H65GEBhZnSDQY/s1350/9999f1fa8bb7f4eb909ef6f582800fd6.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1350" data-original-width="1280" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOjRwB1h2DHyDJG6dhdwn-_e4Qgd47UviQ0CvSGdD1PmrJ9xhKsv920ttPfQl7gM0UYV21gKc5jczXTIj21zKdyNz8Dk4CAyOCtykV7yp1sDpeyOT4hhGjng-Jo2f0lCxgqAmq298QznM8EfWcmBIycznVWtX7b_NP_RFPZ0ROzRzy92H65GEBhZnSDQY/s320/9999f1fa8bb7f4eb909ef6f582800fd6.JPG" width="303" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvQoVHSlmXaBiT0t0ns9cuJ0Nenxa7eICnebfwmqAU5oX0J-njCf-7MQY34lUjhUlAQPXubyhoMMFC8ngO0pHWgFO3JRPgql7Go9hgMhbO84TCjB7vyL9cIGWsHIbDmNyE14zCWFZAJI423U0fkDzrrlchfNkM-DUqc8ifjM9vZl9QwoyaoyWHsMuz3oc/s1707/b7927e5c418025f34a52917d84c26bef.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1707" data-original-width="1280" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvQoVHSlmXaBiT0t0ns9cuJ0Nenxa7eICnebfwmqAU5oX0J-njCf-7MQY34lUjhUlAQPXubyhoMMFC8ngO0pHWgFO3JRPgql7Go9hgMhbO84TCjB7vyL9cIGWsHIbDmNyE14zCWFZAJI423U0fkDzrrlchfNkM-DUqc8ifjM9vZl9QwoyaoyWHsMuz3oc/s320/b7927e5c418025f34a52917d84c26bef.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div>Of course they also spent time in <a href="https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Xiluo" target="_blank">Xiluo</a> 西螺, my wife's hometown. Shu-E took Amber to see her old middle school. Judging by these photos, her alma mater was much better landscaped than the suburban junior high I attended in Orange County, California:</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiko9KcwBREoFAFRQpbEsobFyi6_20DUjw2CsBPM-G2BvAKjukyImmHWcwbkJ6MHT2lSbl26_W3FWuPFRIv6wG1V6qz8csmXNfSrSH5Q1D2iq16pBtvcjXSiAuRvBriYnGpGCi93OgT3jJ08F_evY0ipvmQ3zculksuObNIeT9qrgRcU_Gpb2RvMpK9esI/s1702/01fd6a9a5dfa6fc4591fed717441515a.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1702" data-original-width="1276" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiko9KcwBREoFAFRQpbEsobFyi6_20DUjw2CsBPM-G2BvAKjukyImmHWcwbkJ6MHT2lSbl26_W3FWuPFRIv6wG1V6qz8csmXNfSrSH5Q1D2iq16pBtvcjXSiAuRvBriYnGpGCi93OgT3jJ08F_evY0ipvmQ3zculksuObNIeT9qrgRcU_Gpb2RvMpK9esI/s320/01fd6a9a5dfa6fc4591fed717441515a.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ5lyBHewecr328lbxYifgI6F9PgduKYSj5PIP4JLHnuTVb9gPPjTgheAzU9jBKtbFzEs7XmNV-XgoXAx-hCvWhdTmaSAoHyZLrD84Iz2_2lchTHgiuGUYCpyvtyGrwcIN4ngdWYg1uc6qqAeiUX44NYb-lAlXl6Y5GfQaFgYdifeNhoU8Z9aQPcM6Yr8/s1702/4eb99f2cbbb65c91e938d58ad38e57f2.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1702" data-original-width="1276" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ5lyBHewecr328lbxYifgI6F9PgduKYSj5PIP4JLHnuTVb9gPPjTgheAzU9jBKtbFzEs7XmNV-XgoXAx-hCvWhdTmaSAoHyZLrD84Iz2_2lchTHgiuGUYCpyvtyGrwcIN4ngdWYg1uc6qqAeiUX44NYb-lAlXl6Y5GfQaFgYdifeNhoU8Z9aQPcM6Yr8/s320/4eb99f2cbbb65c91e938d58ad38e57f2.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWlGVGo0RaJ11GvzP50CdkjAGLsVkSbqNTuxR3pdw2tawRm1tryNyczkgIroh5rlgxncXggvBbBgFwn3WYzuoIfFj363grG8WD8Ydpj1xs9gK_Rb_E5ianiui7iYcCtWvt24njdorqalnM79c7pcMiOUo4Tv8PwZ6B60vrJYOtthPW5EAKovEfauVxivA/s1702/49d90eecedcaa56934fa3e0b9ecf63f0.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1276" data-original-width="1702" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWlGVGo0RaJ11GvzP50CdkjAGLsVkSbqNTuxR3pdw2tawRm1tryNyczkgIroh5rlgxncXggvBbBgFwn3WYzuoIfFj363grG8WD8Ydpj1xs9gK_Rb_E5ianiui7iYcCtWvt24njdorqalnM79c7pcMiOUo4Tv8PwZ6B60vrJYOtthPW5EAKovEfauVxivA/s320/49d90eecedcaa56934fa3e0b9ecf63f0.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs8jbKshNGFs3A8VBP952rUfmSwHWYaS49Up051gZVSZNoDZuqCpi5_0N23GvLuaLFamKy-eFgA5bGvqnlBMigmnjMPEt3H-RBVtfkSjzUOGgZIsWaiYLN3MTLcnqjpEswE491yNEzt48DVXaakk1SQMQZip1muQWVTdmGsq_vaySzJDYzhmvbnzy8SzA/s1600/58c5e1600c65314f4b2717e5670a8e58.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs8jbKshNGFs3A8VBP952rUfmSwHWYaS49Up051gZVSZNoDZuqCpi5_0N23GvLuaLFamKy-eFgA5bGvqnlBMigmnjMPEt3H-RBVtfkSjzUOGgZIsWaiYLN3MTLcnqjpEswE491yNEzt48DVXaakk1SQMQZip1muQWVTdmGsq_vaySzJDYzhmvbnzy8SzA/s320/58c5e1600c65314f4b2717e5670a8e58.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFC9J8m53_VoYrRJaUq9MhOdqmbXsRS-9wPUKS4OXtkTdGDQZU4R0-NJO8mbHVqGPgxl4onUosApp6MAs2r9P1A03PBq9pe5yw-dKsSMr-1b-x2GvancSbOSY5F9poRMgLs46Hl6WCxZiVhkK1E4W2QEOGoZIXGRngawTXNpcQrhvqYgyhTEY5EjNMk10/s1702/343e46e467110510260de85d49620d97.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1702" data-original-width="1276" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFC9J8m53_VoYrRJaUq9MhOdqmbXsRS-9wPUKS4OXtkTdGDQZU4R0-NJO8mbHVqGPgxl4onUosApp6MAs2r9P1A03PBq9pe5yw-dKsSMr-1b-x2GvancSbOSY5F9poRMgLs46Hl6WCxZiVhkK1E4W2QEOGoZIXGRngawTXNpcQrhvqYgyhTEY5EjNMk10/s320/343e46e467110510260de85d49620d97.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRGPo5UNUva8ijluuceEATYfDjqLgY5HGbfQDDnlBC9UUfyVjGWxtirr0X1gzMEazGRxLwFlJgGRMFaoj7NosSCElvqH4h8jc2XiFTPfrRZY5LJc-kDQ7UzwLs5FQHo--g_cwincG6_yys6ELHNKyGvzwSGSrS07zwQsqQwHd3FjCXgcpuyBBonLMgwiw/s1702/0439f88d146502512579dc99c433e7b9.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1702" data-original-width="1276" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRGPo5UNUva8ijluuceEATYfDjqLgY5HGbfQDDnlBC9UUfyVjGWxtirr0X1gzMEazGRxLwFlJgGRMFaoj7NosSCElvqH4h8jc2XiFTPfrRZY5LJc-kDQ7UzwLs5FQHo--g_cwincG6_yys6ELHNKyGvzwSGSrS07zwQsqQwHd3FjCXgcpuyBBonLMgwiw/s320/0439f88d146502512579dc99c433e7b9.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwhLSDDXOcwI0I1cAFIVBOKMM2G8tyOOp_I-3gSKMcvEivpsglhX4s4qyV-8NdwTKPIj7NoiwhEiFVMZAyzXA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc1DtNxqW2WongQyZoZ81u19kRK0RO6_TR-boZHml4q1tl3UpdpiAFKOQHpj3ddl-a0qbdVeBTP1xSeYpRVck2PneY9t3FX2E3FkCKjgWTz12vETpF8i3Kol0erEaFtWAtVNy5GUrkkeARi5Kl6J9NlIgXlDIBxaqj782ZWcLQOjdFV7JYPJp-uA3WNTs/s1702/7134a21721874596bf9b6ca0f451bd05.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1702" data-original-width="1276" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc1DtNxqW2WongQyZoZ81u19kRK0RO6_TR-boZHml4q1tl3UpdpiAFKOQHpj3ddl-a0qbdVeBTP1xSeYpRVck2PneY9t3FX2E3FkCKjgWTz12vETpF8i3Kol0erEaFtWAtVNy5GUrkkeARi5Kl6J9NlIgXlDIBxaqj782ZWcLQOjdFV7JYPJp-uA3WNTs/s320/7134a21721874596bf9b6ca0f451bd05.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfnIF1MyEHaPgoyXW0wRISxaM5GMRgHc_zIzocpGKewUTa_eNAo12plmFaRdeXy1o7pP6_B9boP2t5USLLFiLvQgUmIG6wSmioF39EpwlAOq_wrRsmbV2QQK4cr2mw0_icfQRmqjd5cDEDNt56TSDBhNY41dbF7-GHl9pnkg7Kn-pr1s_p1WfHvfC3C5U/s1702/44876604025d7c46d835700119c3155d.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1276" data-original-width="1702" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfnIF1MyEHaPgoyXW0wRISxaM5GMRgHc_zIzocpGKewUTa_eNAo12plmFaRdeXy1o7pP6_B9boP2t5USLLFiLvQgUmIG6wSmioF39EpwlAOq_wrRsmbV2QQK4cr2mw0_icfQRmqjd5cDEDNt56TSDBhNY41dbF7-GHl9pnkg7Kn-pr1s_p1WfHvfC3C5U/s320/44876604025d7c46d835700119c3155d.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsZgtQgv-3XuoK0WjP2Re2dfMNlPglbT4Tycca3uBnLDAkayfPJKCGV3mOPhexv-lrH3DCyXtj6M7xZpo612YqmB7QKnpaI9izpOoI0cC53KLEQ2Jmb-ErOYNDfioqObXUXYHyDVHJAuwZfy00ftQY7DBoIWbOIlC0Z-MBFhcbL9n2V0iXC67nHbKk_6Q/s1702/e12a11e9760cdcd2ab0024a26be1a8fe.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1702" data-original-width="1276" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsZgtQgv-3XuoK0WjP2Re2dfMNlPglbT4Tycca3uBnLDAkayfPJKCGV3mOPhexv-lrH3DCyXtj6M7xZpo612YqmB7QKnpaI9izpOoI0cC53KLEQ2Jmb-ErOYNDfioqObXUXYHyDVHJAuwZfy00ftQY7DBoIWbOIlC0Z-MBFhcbL9n2V0iXC67nHbKk_6Q/s320/e12a11e9760cdcd2ab0024a26be1a8fe.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>One evening while in Xiluo the girls attended a free performance given by the <a href="https://www.cloudgate.org.tw/en/cg" target="_blank">Cloud Gate Dance Theater</a> 雲門舞集, Taiwan's famous dance troupe. The show was held on a stage set up by the town's iconic <a href="https://eng.taiwan.net.tw/m1.aspx?sNo=0002115&id=5235" target="_blank">Xiluo Bridge</a> 西螺大橋. My wife doesn't care much for modern art, so she didn't send any photos or videos of the dancing. An opportunity squandered:<div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg43lNybTqNGoVbzVlu1IvdG15wVu2bm-yLrxwFyVaZ5pL7gKQzR2XpcmulkPyf_SgyqYVSR0yZRgbr8jzGENWZX0o3w1SOsrwIwdFd-V8haIDUSG_pXRVTO8ZClcJ-ZDPzXvLJsm_a0bd8aJ8-hikAe8GJZqcvBe7gTgKREmP6Mn9SI53F7RVGCyNGE-0/s1659/0be965af5c276010be0f489826bdbe4e.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1041" data-original-width="1659" height="201" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg43lNybTqNGoVbzVlu1IvdG15wVu2bm-yLrxwFyVaZ5pL7gKQzR2XpcmulkPyf_SgyqYVSR0yZRgbr8jzGENWZX0o3w1SOsrwIwdFd-V8haIDUSG_pXRVTO8ZClcJ-ZDPzXvLJsm_a0bd8aJ8-hikAe8GJZqcvBe7gTgKREmP6Mn9SI53F7RVGCyNGE-0/s320/0be965af5c276010be0f489826bdbe4e.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsY0tD6L39sebeM6iupSmBJKWc_6u7-KJVB4nO0zDEhGZRJTS-znuGo1bZqoGNKrAY0zKXGDM3PTS93ycgCNH1nP4b9X7FwC6bG0SERMmbKurXiZWc7TrR9QaXXS2_casCQ3K48PN3nxNAD-aZav9KwzIGp6fPAxnm0BQaJdTsXI_fCN4KbjAwACYce6o/s1702/4ab69c4bc584fba4e2e2b2c483e1f5d7.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1177" data-original-width="1702" height="221" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsY0tD6L39sebeM6iupSmBJKWc_6u7-KJVB4nO0zDEhGZRJTS-znuGo1bZqoGNKrAY0zKXGDM3PTS93ycgCNH1nP4b9X7FwC6bG0SERMmbKurXiZWc7TrR9QaXXS2_casCQ3K48PN3nxNAD-aZav9KwzIGp6fPAxnm0BQaJdTsXI_fCN4KbjAwACYce6o/s320/4ab69c4bc584fba4e2e2b2c483e1f5d7.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYyvKZlM2ppPW_z2rcipSWKlGk-yxxSgqnqnyf7Zx63ORFk0wKZlQ0Yef6W-SSfj751EVVJtB-3Lph2wUZ-LcGXnwkWHTIdUtqN6-Qf2M9QAKJ0pad1jmv2k4yznuL6EFbQN9wYj78d84-RiWpq_u75YB-ETsoSpV-n9SqfQ7EbZ6aXTRAnHvNo8On6gE/s1644/61715a53b8e7bd370bb41bf338c72c88.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1233" data-original-width="1644" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYyvKZlM2ppPW_z2rcipSWKlGk-yxxSgqnqnyf7Zx63ORFk0wKZlQ0Yef6W-SSfj751EVVJtB-3Lph2wUZ-LcGXnwkWHTIdUtqN6-Qf2M9QAKJ0pad1jmv2k4yznuL6EFbQN9wYj78d84-RiWpq_u75YB-ETsoSpV-n9SqfQ7EbZ6aXTRAnHvNo8On6gE/s320/61715a53b8e7bd370bb41bf338c72c88.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh48iXm7yu0_fUFQSTd74cp4FkPLs6zDljmTdhgpgmWcIlU77dxc2V0kPmxPAebimSwzCFyMRv2wuxcTocmmJWxNha5EOVrzYrmekb8b8p5LSmuoPdOOATaRARS4bPJUBbmchabZIgigRAkVEco0itKp8c-x5hUsodlDTR00fMYmVNYxHeVdFUg0DAyhCA/s1702/73940cfc7daae138d893ca12b460a35a.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1276" data-original-width="1702" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh48iXm7yu0_fUFQSTd74cp4FkPLs6zDljmTdhgpgmWcIlU77dxc2V0kPmxPAebimSwzCFyMRv2wuxcTocmmJWxNha5EOVrzYrmekb8b8p5LSmuoPdOOATaRARS4bPJUBbmchabZIgigRAkVEco0itKp8c-x5hUsodlDTR00fMYmVNYxHeVdFUg0DAyhCA/s320/73940cfc7daae138d893ca12b460a35a.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5J9UQTC907i16ynRBSiHXZ-q-tZEySZujTNc86deYECXo-QQw-q3iTINMArcYBUxlc73NZrtMaJ43JXbCriAfP_xjAlC2fL5iN9Dq4SbK2T_HI6KfWxSx6cldzOAEATXZgvYjYfAw9XYjO8ivkDw5p--w9_7eM1wMN3BgtQzbJ8UKQ3U3zuCCsRbSTms/s1702/c781dfd0a74bc45ecd434bc371726b55.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1276" data-original-width="1702" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5J9UQTC907i16ynRBSiHXZ-q-tZEySZujTNc86deYECXo-QQw-q3iTINMArcYBUxlc73NZrtMaJ43JXbCriAfP_xjAlC2fL5iN9Dq4SbK2T_HI6KfWxSx6cldzOAEATXZgvYjYfAw9XYjO8ivkDw5p--w9_7eM1wMN3BgtQzbJ8UKQ3U3zuCCsRbSTms/s320/c781dfd0a74bc45ecd434bc371726b55.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>They also made a trip to Tainan 台南 to visit one of Shu-E's friends. While there they checked out the <a href="https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/anping-tree-house" target="_blank">Anping Tree House</a> 安平樹屋:<div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw4l7ZTMbPLeTyDy4P4aBV9c6iWiJJWcK4gkOEomKoPcxmP9OfHoqsp7VM5lU2kVIpqzX6qFN4Hb6Ci4OLGQ3nnrQZUXaXw9NGNXV8zrKvSzXPDaqjlImhdtr2Hzc0hLq0VqIrjBSr-8-aCc2U76reip_hhaT55MQi5dFyIwqb-CPVhWvOwOihg5ii7nw/s1522/51099a1faf99e89debb0760b405ebe69.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1522" data-original-width="1149" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw4l7ZTMbPLeTyDy4P4aBV9c6iWiJJWcK4gkOEomKoPcxmP9OfHoqsp7VM5lU2kVIpqzX6qFN4Hb6Ci4OLGQ3nnrQZUXaXw9NGNXV8zrKvSzXPDaqjlImhdtr2Hzc0hLq0VqIrjBSr-8-aCc2U76reip_hhaT55MQi5dFyIwqb-CPVhWvOwOihg5ii7nw/s320/51099a1faf99e89debb0760b405ebe69.JPG" width="242" /></a></div><div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL1BHh3dml_zDZcl37kUWTFrIG5d2AwrzL7VtqDJCVsM86naGggLzHjz_dqd5yFwyTxaZbxUWsnElK63EFqIylyjEYJ5yDtDT966spOS2yd_--PEAmZBcmY0XHhvX5MISKqdBhEr61k7NqAxtrvJqjJCvc03oeaDDsCYCGuOrQQKiQ72Q2a8glmW6DXRA/s1707/5b9e0fad0908090abe68c0d6f789e889.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1707" data-original-width="1280" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL1BHh3dml_zDZcl37kUWTFrIG5d2AwrzL7VtqDJCVsM86naGggLzHjz_dqd5yFwyTxaZbxUWsnElK63EFqIylyjEYJ5yDtDT966spOS2yd_--PEAmZBcmY0XHhvX5MISKqdBhEr61k7NqAxtrvJqjJCvc03oeaDDsCYCGuOrQQKiQ72Q2a8glmW6DXRA/s320/5b9e0fad0908090abe68c0d6f789e889.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCEKlnjnXcBHpqb4ejA-yf4bMdHLXGexvoQgqTnNbBkFVCfY4ihJkKFr8b-kedpAgl2IV0DVjE4cUh2GcDxze6QE9R66szU_CaBRX5v7iPxElf_A97lZLWR8qVUxT1_PO5dZaNyYFB_qKMz6xZdFKdw3fabD_fJbuMKv8CJkOQ4WXG3tdZbbrYSS8RFVk/s1702/73b07d796dfae8838db44cc5f3d61e84.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1276" data-original-width="1702" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCEKlnjnXcBHpqb4ejA-yf4bMdHLXGexvoQgqTnNbBkFVCfY4ihJkKFr8b-kedpAgl2IV0DVjE4cUh2GcDxze6QE9R66szU_CaBRX5v7iPxElf_A97lZLWR8qVUxT1_PO5dZaNyYFB_qKMz6xZdFKdw3fabD_fJbuMKv8CJkOQ4WXG3tdZbbrYSS8RFVk/s320/73b07d796dfae8838db44cc5f3d61e84.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div>Back in Taichung 台中, they saw an air show at the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republic_of_China_Air_Force" target="_blank">Republic of China Air Force</a> <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ching_Chuan_Kang_Air_Base" target="_blank">Ching Chuan Kang Air Base</a> 清泉崗空軍基地:</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh43aWuvKihU5hQXVIXPktp4dwLykIDQjJsSEDdbi6VQEJGfIs-Jv52BkcJmlQ1937VZdaWEDJAC7pScvzwa1ASeYV0E-E4gpYey6-ZmnWfzJZFetgKegugRFdHMCOv7K1-nWBiA29N7RqZQuYXcze0ilUZ1BfeOtf99zk1hBCkW61dLAyk26n2J62wsQ0/s1702/50b74ffca2a3cfe823cca32c1fd8106e.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1276" data-original-width="1702" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh43aWuvKihU5hQXVIXPktp4dwLykIDQjJsSEDdbi6VQEJGfIs-Jv52BkcJmlQ1937VZdaWEDJAC7pScvzwa1ASeYV0E-E4gpYey6-ZmnWfzJZFetgKegugRFdHMCOv7K1-nWBiA29N7RqZQuYXcze0ilUZ1BfeOtf99zk1hBCkW61dLAyk26n2J62wsQ0/s320/50b74ffca2a3cfe823cca32c1fd8106e.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxZwGHd7txpuzHFiqanJbSvbglC-neXj-O6EYamqwIUmboY03ZQDU3FviJIs2EhLi_kRhtxYugtQZdDYQgKPw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwNVYlmvQoRyaNvFlP33XNa79MTSvltOsG6Qk8msUrbzuetuzMURXqLzqov2o0f9VgjrZPTBhiCKxYMAwFG8g' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGIE4qIHMAU--1n07bWT4KF3p4OPJeArFnOwPNe6zG9fx_glM81wSY67s-wNUaD4oW1V8YDoN86r8NJIsMvi-vzD4sNqPwlymV6wcChR7PI0I-Xy7RkS6qzNFG0CmBIysKdtelakE55jgeeHSSwv3vVfRi-cH3XNvBOt9oMe5wRrocCwiy9K5E4EyHI40/s1660/08723d011a5993e8f10078f1111a4e4a.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1245" data-original-width="1660" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGIE4qIHMAU--1n07bWT4KF3p4OPJeArFnOwPNe6zG9fx_glM81wSY67s-wNUaD4oW1V8YDoN86r8NJIsMvi-vzD4sNqPwlymV6wcChR7PI0I-Xy7RkS6qzNFG0CmBIysKdtelakE55jgeeHSSwv3vVfRi-cH3XNvBOt9oMe5wRrocCwiy9K5E4EyHI40/s320/08723d011a5993e8f10078f1111a4e4a.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrhbdROVTJZMnzX0AZGFDIBSZ4tpeQvHLoda_3_6zZ3ZmTQjRx5BWxrnn9rOaee2wrc-hFDufUEN-GDN1bZ1tVVHlQ5OSjNtuEogzMUUobk7XtUlVzac1W9VkCyNuJMWeJC-l0pmQIhoahj5EpDlaFTts_gNgK5eNhUapMlb8Y6NZ_f9aSA5x8I2jIZbI/s1622/2577723cce4b3e4b2fdfd07c9a9a33af.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="945" data-original-width="1622" height="186" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrhbdROVTJZMnzX0AZGFDIBSZ4tpeQvHLoda_3_6zZ3ZmTQjRx5BWxrnn9rOaee2wrc-hFDufUEN-GDN1bZ1tVVHlQ5OSjNtuEogzMUUobk7XtUlVzac1W9VkCyNuJMWeJC-l0pmQIhoahj5EpDlaFTts_gNgK5eNhUapMlb8Y6NZ_f9aSA5x8I2jIZbI/s320/2577723cce4b3e4b2fdfd07c9a9a33af.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0FTqiyJ2K2B5WMJ1-rAowedf5RZWXh9OL8ZTRknYrhy4rONNyx3mQlOjwGRPnYt-LemzmUVnKaoOeHCAdlk4MoeLEMPpilQQkfLKkJJu4mbvewrBeYH8NtdG0_Hu1o3k-9j1MBNNrJvhy20qJBdrufB7ZVcC9vRy9JSuKwH3a3yY9miU9CQTvKdUsXmI/s1041/cd6c27a5c087f2624dee1adce30b37ed.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1041" data-original-width="1004" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0FTqiyJ2K2B5WMJ1-rAowedf5RZWXh9OL8ZTRknYrhy4rONNyx3mQlOjwGRPnYt-LemzmUVnKaoOeHCAdlk4MoeLEMPpilQQkfLKkJJu4mbvewrBeYH8NtdG0_Hu1o3k-9j1MBNNrJvhy20qJBdrufB7ZVcC9vRy9JSuKwH3a3yY9miU9CQTvKdUsXmI/s320/cd6c27a5c087f2624dee1adce30b37ed.JPG" width="309" /></a></div><br /><div>The one activity I was really envious of was when they went to the waterpark at <a href="https://www.lihpaoresort.com/LihpaolandApp/Multilingual/index?id=1" target="_blank">LIHPAO Discovery Land</a> 麗寶樂園, along with one of Hsinyi, one of Shu-E's nieces:</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHzQIMcvVeaBPH7nL_hXWJUtAdFvDeb5fAExXr5g9E9GocBJrTUCUV0IkeFBy6oegHxQIult3KFaWKAqOFD78_8OQB_bj4bFg-H9Pg1JfDNaHqXhBCNl3D5q503eI4KcqhsyoYlPiutPjc1uc2xwuugA1MzvZMVtmtV1DKjsW4KWDhZJNIx-_owV_4GV8/s1702/4fabb3a948d7cb66aa67b087dd396bfa.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1702" data-original-width="1276" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHzQIMcvVeaBPH7nL_hXWJUtAdFvDeb5fAExXr5g9E9GocBJrTUCUV0IkeFBy6oegHxQIult3KFaWKAqOFD78_8OQB_bj4bFg-H9Pg1JfDNaHqXhBCNl3D5q503eI4KcqhsyoYlPiutPjc1uc2xwuugA1MzvZMVtmtV1DKjsW4KWDhZJNIx-_owV_4GV8/s320/4fabb3a948d7cb66aa67b087dd396bfa.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6LGoRWt1Dax4rTaHJhsdlkjWYYdJCOE6WwHm0GBFWsvz9A2x1yyYDfhXKC84s6cHGNnrT8hsHcGOt-x2F4yCk81nSz4hHMnlB60fwFqnUllj7198bWRHnBgzKPqzevh-RP4NzCBPl6E0T3C_ka-7wRSSvob8Tbpr6XrEIu4Mn-mj5y_GbzDNPVOkVy08/s1601/9bdc1fd7e83df338a26ed2f699c89bd5.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1601" data-original-width="1208" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6LGoRWt1Dax4rTaHJhsdlkjWYYdJCOE6WwHm0GBFWsvz9A2x1yyYDfhXKC84s6cHGNnrT8hsHcGOt-x2F4yCk81nSz4hHMnlB60fwFqnUllj7198bWRHnBgzKPqzevh-RP4NzCBPl6E0T3C_ka-7wRSSvob8Tbpr6XrEIu4Mn-mj5y_GbzDNPVOkVy08/s320/9bdc1fd7e83df338a26ed2f699c89bd5.JPG" width="241" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP2hHbIUehTX5n8FJO_4_cp_uDCQIKfswIw9BnkjOo7u8sUU3lvS_DI9uSRP3LjA1aYyC1hBfBc2baHtdfrKg8I_ZM4CxX6Rrtmli-iIqWk-u3Zg-mL-RmicFMcYIYIarM7xTlUV948ddOzUp5Kl6TqWVEdi4v-1vfZnAnhviJfrfUJ_WHjQoALVxjbwI/s1702/751e2342beac562d2a5f1f303b82aa17.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1276" data-original-width="1702" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP2hHbIUehTX5n8FJO_4_cp_uDCQIKfswIw9BnkjOo7u8sUU3lvS_DI9uSRP3LjA1aYyC1hBfBc2baHtdfrKg8I_ZM4CxX6Rrtmli-iIqWk-u3Zg-mL-RmicFMcYIYIarM7xTlUV948ddOzUp5Kl6TqWVEdi4v-1vfZnAnhviJfrfUJ_WHjQoALVxjbwI/s320/751e2342beac562d2a5f1f303b82aa17.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwb_sTZrWJfClXJMBxe0pppZhPsIeqQJUfTeYmmxoUigrloiueKy_8lVJPOBEP3okx6ZcygNXi2Eji5fkR70Q' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dyRNz6_3sVhT29O90AkAQtkR0-7XiATLvWMIBhrJy2S6UKzE2lrND3gG6dlDLWRqHOWY3qQZjL3eXvOyPxlFA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUVmz8DxlIHLbrB_njgVHhyltSBJOqmwpnGTRN3XY-b5yoL_GZ_NCOgXl_rSuETHZC2b0oQZbE-Vqr45RR6gWyJEV87symY-piRxiGMhiWEn0WH8Jq48W90VfwFo7O_Cbx2xvhxI-hwfxpvpD3THkACCGryWqMXqldBLUslVxoa4Q1AKyeYWjk-_LV5J4/s1702/ac4b424bd33669d2127081dae5568986.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1276" data-original-width="1702" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUVmz8DxlIHLbrB_njgVHhyltSBJOqmwpnGTRN3XY-b5yoL_GZ_NCOgXl_rSuETHZC2b0oQZbE-Vqr45RR6gWyJEV87symY-piRxiGMhiWEn0WH8Jq48W90VfwFo7O_Cbx2xvhxI-hwfxpvpD3THkACCGryWqMXqldBLUslVxoa4Q1AKyeYWjk-_LV5J4/s320/ac4b424bd33669d2127081dae5568986.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAnpqwpGLoFXHeqAE9PzM3d_4xNbp6SaK-hM6Nu-DoLdGqQCZs7hind2qbX6ohDRHdE8KbRWlfFvLxzkq7yDabBnRwqbqRVbNdVYDzV4HDEdMWtrduZ_P2y9F7LbFrmkkoPKMg_rjUOzcqIWHOXThgIMMWyFceZEoXOmUiiyqsA6U-g67N1Cu6tjRrX4o/s1702/c55703c299d99f900772076c1f7a7970.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1702" data-original-width="1276" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAnpqwpGLoFXHeqAE9PzM3d_4xNbp6SaK-hM6Nu-DoLdGqQCZs7hind2qbX6ohDRHdE8KbRWlfFvLxzkq7yDabBnRwqbqRVbNdVYDzV4HDEdMWtrduZ_P2y9F7LbFrmkkoPKMg_rjUOzcqIWHOXThgIMMWyFceZEoXOmUiiyqsA6U-g67N1Cu6tjRrX4o/s320/c55703c299d99f900772076c1f7a7970.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGJbOQQN0WwzwnHiDjqdyE5b9r9UBZ4fJZox9pjfVwP5tdVsXIbb2xG6d3NtRGHrJy2cWejkR8CUDozTMEQwNc0eL6ic_XZBNonDrT5g92Whn5K30c7B-fN4EHcACVeARQL3qQsTk4QPlUVeT04sds6mfU22EgpNYftZnTxWVqnq0DoWMlb9FslymDyNc/s1702/c71444846a5b4c28778c11645fd2aa73.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1702" data-original-width="1276" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGJbOQQN0WwzwnHiDjqdyE5b9r9UBZ4fJZox9pjfVwP5tdVsXIbb2xG6d3NtRGHrJy2cWejkR8CUDozTMEQwNc0eL6ic_XZBNonDrT5g92Whn5K30c7B-fN4EHcACVeARQL3qQsTk4QPlUVeT04sds6mfU22EgpNYftZnTxWVqnq0DoWMlb9FslymDyNc/s320/c71444846a5b4c28778c11645fd2aa73.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Eventually, though, my family had to come back to China:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLUR0VRn9f7vBXv82dYH31ohm_tC9KcbGtsdlnazHUJVs-KG6u73AEJqHevccHKAorS1k382RYAN_-OM_suIOvyD9voT1gi_CuvWGmZyJC-HfuAlaCfTmbL8FNQv7P8GngSF1OpjGk3HQ4qEjmyLTB3eBgrPuAspO2d_JEmN0abnoG7uFf7zu5Loj5hO8/s1280/2083a5774e0f68684d140daf0ac3b724.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLUR0VRn9f7vBXv82dYH31ohm_tC9KcbGtsdlnazHUJVs-KG6u73AEJqHevccHKAorS1k382RYAN_-OM_suIOvyD9voT1gi_CuvWGmZyJC-HfuAlaCfTmbL8FNQv7P8GngSF1OpjGk3HQ4qEjmyLTB3eBgrPuAspO2d_JEmN0abnoG7uFf7zu5Loj5hO8/s320/2083a5774e0f68684d140daf0ac3b724.JPG" width="180" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Even though they've been back in Beijing for two weeks now, as a family we haven't done much yet in our free time. Though on <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qixi_Festival" target="_blank">Chinese Valentines Day</a> 七夕 the three of us did take a stroll along the Liangma River 亮马河, checking out the pleasure boats specially decked out for the occasion: <div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL5GKV_XPmhxhTcRkmok6FgOVHx7vITCw4wahEq0ec8r_ZL7tQEcQ_2vrURopAeWw4u4pF7H7U9YfquJXw8Sm3WzbvmZV4JAyxtZOGhAnIhkdI-bbt-E8LWhd4AdmKOaGCHJoKop5RlJXt1N6PSUUzxQL-JCqieyraFp4Cphf2Vv238bGPcwL-CGiiQPM/s4032/IMG_2546.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL5GKV_XPmhxhTcRkmok6FgOVHx7vITCw4wahEq0ec8r_ZL7tQEcQ_2vrURopAeWw4u4pF7H7U9YfquJXw8Sm3WzbvmZV4JAyxtZOGhAnIhkdI-bbt-E8LWhd4AdmKOaGCHJoKop5RlJXt1N6PSUUzxQL-JCqieyraFp4Cphf2Vv238bGPcwL-CGiiQPM/s320/IMG_2546.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/RjFx1QTyxzk" width="320" youtube-src-id="RjFx1QTyxzk"></iframe></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipbqUwUPGCIXhTEcTMSdMts459zwf06n_GtgXTlxha8gIUYJMU_3UT_Vf0y2mCRGTkqu2giVgVW44UTSTnLK3IbQJ1NK0yXQazqcsTuMLAcn3nPF7aWzGP-9vmzFV5mBhzMPD65i2lxMHYfm1N3Qm_x6G50-fzOP9V8Ds9Zu5J7VVrrKmPyGmn786gQPk/s4032/IMG_2550.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipbqUwUPGCIXhTEcTMSdMts459zwf06n_GtgXTlxha8gIUYJMU_3UT_Vf0y2mCRGTkqu2giVgVW44UTSTnLK3IbQJ1NK0yXQazqcsTuMLAcn3nPF7aWzGP-9vmzFV5mBhzMPD65i2lxMHYfm1N3Qm_x6G50-fzOP9V8Ds9Zu5J7VVrrKmPyGmn786gQPk/s320/IMG_2550.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div>For my wife's birthday last weekend we out for lunch at a <i><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yakiniku" target="_blank">yakiniku</a></i> 焼肉 restaurant in the SOLANA shopping mall. No vegan dishes for my carnivorous concubine:</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguKnYeoKXH-L-UttkFP2zhoUvl5Ol4mFgdh6LtRsYCFpWOP9w6qUvIe5DnoTghTFMbDeA3Dlis7ZXOhETWW1SLA9mBt8H92elVhI6VsLA8Ie-KJ2ISsf_0Mg51v1QbMqcTEd9BlgVtVPg-W4PXL0qx2CgTFBCtW0wCb1l-c4P5Vq75M8s5jFPBf3GF8aM/s3067/IMG_2622.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3067" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguKnYeoKXH-L-UttkFP2zhoUvl5Ol4mFgdh6LtRsYCFpWOP9w6qUvIe5DnoTghTFMbDeA3Dlis7ZXOhETWW1SLA9mBt8H92elVhI6VsLA8Ie-KJ2ISsf_0Mg51v1QbMqcTEd9BlgVtVPg-W4PXL0qx2CgTFBCtW0wCb1l-c4P5Vq75M8s5jFPBf3GF8aM/s320/IMG_2622.jpg" width="316" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEj0j8E0HkilKZpEnLSCeBmD-GhBF4qyV9i2JzvFDVMG_demDlLhru2BvBsp6kfzGxKT-z9401uOIBYL0U4o7cnfbL4nfXElM97CVBrgj6agoUbHa0Y-zCiWFQwRthwiPrmmeOooVlJdhWSKEfL91Z7kSIbuZ6PpEx7JEv_t2fHrvDpcpfHdhJGm5dCeo/s4032/IMG_2625.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEj0j8E0HkilKZpEnLSCeBmD-GhBF4qyV9i2JzvFDVMG_demDlLhru2BvBsp6kfzGxKT-z9401uOIBYL0U4o7cnfbL4nfXElM97CVBrgj6agoUbHa0Y-zCiWFQwRthwiPrmmeOooVlJdhWSKEfL91Z7kSIbuZ6PpEx7JEv_t2fHrvDpcpfHdhJGm5dCeo/s320/IMG_2625.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKPhXRc7nde5a1K_TnvCsVCfPvZWgaYXIt7wpOMfj-VeGBT0992ejG8DkM5SpU9k0WTpb26-Xp8t0NO1ltYI5_MT0SzMFC3wg76Aq-mKL3oaq7K-n4LC_zVGFQRcjniSgKOttYkSwM3YTS08okvGuB35gx3KtsMnmOAnv3x7FEu21PxNGSLw7UPCjt3Sk/s4032/IMG_2627.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKPhXRc7nde5a1K_TnvCsVCfPvZWgaYXIt7wpOMfj-VeGBT0992ejG8DkM5SpU9k0WTpb26-Xp8t0NO1ltYI5_MT0SzMFC3wg76Aq-mKL3oaq7K-n4LC_zVGFQRcjniSgKOttYkSwM3YTS08okvGuB35gx3KtsMnmOAnv3x7FEu21PxNGSLw7UPCjt3Sk/s320/IMG_2627.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Now that life has returned to something resembling "normalcy" after a busy summer (at least at first) of traveling around, and with the heat seeming to be abating, it's hoped (at least by me) that we'll step foot more often into the real world, and thus provide material worthier of blogging. With a three-day "holiday" coming up (the American Labor Day, which I have off but my international school-attending daughter doesn't), and no plans as of yet to go anywhere, however, initial reports do not appear to be very promising.<div><br /></div><div>Stay tuned, kids...<br /><div><br /></div></div></div>Kaminogehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07925637671913689331noreply@blogger.com2LIHPAO Discovery Land, No. 8號, Furong Rd, Houli District, Taichung City, Taiwan 4214524.3230546 120.695524-3.9871792361788465 85.539274 52.633288436178844 155.851774