Canadians have earned themselves an international stereotype of being “friendly, nice people.” Generally, most people are, but I also have been living in a small ski town for years where you say hi and stop for a chat with every passerby. So, when everybody seemed to say that Newfies were exactly that, I didn’t think to much into it. If you: A) Don’t like your waitress asking the table your first names and full story giving you free dessert, free pens, and her business card. B) don’t like people always stopping for a friendly chat in front of you to a friend in the middle of the highway C) don’t think you are a chatty person who enjoys anything from an elderly couple who are apologizing for the curlers in her hair but just wanted to stop by your campsite to say hi to almost bumping into somebody on the ferry and they start apologizing to you like they just hit you with a...
Like I've mentioned before, we have really tried on this trip to take it easy and not squeeze every last place in. We have visited the main island Honshu, Shikoku, and now Kyushu. Kyushu we decided to go to because it warms up first, and seems to have plenty of off the beaten track spots. Or maybe its off the beaten path in low season time. Either way, often we never saw another obvious tourists and that is always a little cool. We decided that our last two weeks were going to be in cities. So we immersed ourselves in nature. With one day checking out Mount Aso, and active volcano that was actually letting out a dangerous amount of sulphur at the time we visited. So unfortunately, we couldn't hike it. Since 2009, the town has just re-opened for the first time in February of this year, so we were thankful for what we got! I have been blown away by the diversity of Japan. From the cities, to geographical landscapes, to how often they are hit with earthquakes and other natural...
The Spark of a Memory-A Short Travel story Japan will impress you with its innovation, but it will draw you in with its mysterious Zen. Insisting that you slow down with it, demanding that you respect it. If you bow down, it will return a peaceful bow to you. The respect and politeness of the country not only reverberates through itself, but also through its people. As you sip sencha tea in an elegant tea house. As venerable temples stand tall above modern neighborhoods. Dark wooden Onsen’s, with magical healing waters that once healed samurais after battles. Now helped businessmen relax after work. The old and the new sing in pure harmony together, and this is the true spark of Japan. I had a dream in my back pocket for a long time, to visit Kyoto during Cherry Blossom season. I was now living out that dream, but the contrast to reality is that this dream was one I shared with thousands of tourists from all over the world. I was frustrated afte...
So sweet!
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