Kenroku-en Garden, Kanazawa, Japan

The top three gardens in Japan are the Kenroku-en Garden in Kanazawa, Kōraku-en Garden in Okayama, and Kairaku-en Garden in Mito. Collectively known as the "Three Great Gardens of Japan" or Nihon Sanmeien, they were all created by feudal lords during the Edo period and are renowned for their beauty and historical significance. We are not getting to the last two so spent some type absorbing the Kenroku-en.

It is Known as the "Garden which combines six characteristics," it is celebrated for its spaciousness, serenity, and scenic views. It is especially famous for its picturesque snow-covered landscapes in winter, which we are unable to verify. The Kanazawa Castle has been slowly and faithfully restored. Many features of the castle including the original castle tower were destroyed in two major fires over its long history, and many of them have been rebuilt. Two of its longest lasting features are the Ishikawa-mon Gate, which was rebuilt in 1788, and the Sanjikken Nagaya which was rebuilt in 1858. Reconstruction continues.

Kanazawa, Japan

During the Edo Period (1603-1868), Kanazawa (金沢) served as the seat of the Maeda Clan, the second most powerful feudal clan after the Tokugawa in terms of rice production and fief size. Accordingly, Kanazawa grew to become a town of great cultural achievements, rivaling Kyoto and Edo (Tokyo). During World War Two, Kanazawa was Japan's second largest city (after Kyoto) to escape destruction by air raids. Higashi Chaya District is located in the Higashiyama area of Kanazawa, adjacent to the Asano River. It is the largest among three well-preserved historical geisha districts in Kanazawa along with Nishichayagai. We walked through on Cultural Day.

Big city Japan is very nice, but this much smaller town (half a million) was our favorite--yes, it had some large roads and modern buildings, but it had lots of small neighborhoods--including the small boutique hotel we stayed at--and lots of charm. It does not have a metro, but we were able to walk everywhere we wanted to go, so we didn't even try to decipher the buses, but would have managed that if need be.

Inventing Japan by Ian Buruma

As you might suspect with a book that covers a hundred years of history and the core of a nation's identity in under 200 pages, there is some reductionism at work here. I read this in preparation for a tourism trip to Japan, and it reinforced other things that I had read, and seemed less anti-Asian than many other things I had read. Japan has been assiduous in its early days about isolation. The original opening of Japan came in the mid-1500s when European traders and Christian missionaries arrived. But the nation was closed back up at the start of the 17th century when the overt practice of Christianity was snuffed out and all trade reduced to Dutch sailors in Nagasaki. They didn't completely cut themselves off--Japanese intellectuals studied Western science and ideas — known as Dutch learning — in order to borrow what was useful. But the culture continued in seclusion until Commodore Matthew Perry appeared in Edo Bay on July 8, 1853, with four armed ships. This book covers the time from American Commodore Matthew Perry’s explosive appearance in Edo Bay to the end of the shogunate, the failed attempts at democracy that followed, the rise of militarization and colonialism, a war against Russia, a war against China and finally World War II, the atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Douglas MacArthur as American overlord and a post-war commitment to an overheated economy with an emphasis on construction for the sake of construction. And in the epilogue the author takes the story even further with the boom of the Japanese economy and talk of a “Japanese Century” — and then the bursting of the bubble. There is so much more to the story, but this is a kind of Cliff Notes introduction.

Tsukiji Fish Market, Tokyo, Japan

Tsukiji Outer Market (築地場外市場, Tsukiji Jōgai Shijō) is a district adjacent to the site of the former Tsukiji Wholesale Market. It consists of a few blocks of wholesale and retail shops, as well as restaurants crowded along narrow lanes. Here you can find fresh and processed seafood and produce alongside food-related goods such as knives. A visit to Tsukiji Outer Market is best combined with a fresh sushi breakfast or lunch at one of the local restaurants, which typically open from 5:00 in the morning to around noon or early afternoon. Because most of the fish served and sold at Tsukiji Outer Market is delivered directly from Toyosu Market, it is one of the best places in Tokyo to enjoy fresh seafood. We were there before the sun came up and it was a good start to our Japan vacation.

A Tourist's Guide To Love (2023)

This movie, a made for Netflix production, ticks all my boxes for a movie to watch when my spouse is on call. Since there is so little to feel good about these days, it is a way to escape for a couple of hours. I have a hand sewing project that I can make progress on as well. In the next couple months I will start watching Oscar contenders in earnest, but in the mean time this sort of movie is what I am looking for. Amanda Riley is an uptight, high powered Los Angeles-based travel agent living a safe and predictable existence with her boring accountant boyfriend, John. Amanda’s world gets turned a little upside down when John tells her--with a lot of excitement--that he is taking a job in Ohio, so they should hit the pause button on their relationship. Amanda's boss Mona, who is also a friend, sends her on an undercover scouting trip to check out a Vietnamese tour company that is coming up for sale. The company is a bit seat of the pants, operated by two charming cousins who go off script to show Amanda the real Vietnam--their tour is the opposite of the one my spouse and I took, going from Saigon to Hanoi (yes, it is Ho Chi Min City but no, nobody in Vietnam calls it that it seems) with stops in Hoi An, My Son, and Hue in between. The scenery alone is well worth watching this, but it is a charming rom com that totally down plays just how hard it is to cross a street and the humidity, but is a taste of Vietnam as well.

Tea Growing in Munnar, Kerala, India

After sweating at lower altitudes in Tamil Naru, the hills of Munnar were a welcome alternative. The hills abound with tea here. Tea or Chai is the most widely drunk beverage in the whole world. The tea plant, Camellia Sansis, is a cultivated variety of a tree that has its origins in an area between India and China. There are three main varieties of the tea plant: China, Assam, and Cambodia and a number of hybrids between the varieties. The China variety grows as high as nine feet (2.75 metres). It is a hardy plant able to withstand cold winters and has an economic life of at least 100 years. The Assam variety, a single stem tree ranging from 20 to 60 feet (6 to 18 metres) in height. Regular pruning keeps its height to a more manageable 4 to 5 feet tall. It has an economic life of 40 years with regular pruning and plucking. When grown at an altitude near that of Darjeeling (Assam) or Munnar (Kerala), it produces tea with fascinating flavours , sought after around the globe. The Cambodia variety, a single stem tree growing to about 16 feet in height, is not cultivated but has been naturally crossed with other varieties. Tea growing in this region was started by colonialists, starting in the mid-19th century.

The Peacock Door, Heritage Hotel, Madurai, India

We stayed at some beautiful hotels while we were in Southern India, and the Heritage Hotel in Madurai is one of them. It had this spectacular carved door in the lobby. n the late 1700s, when the Royal family of mayurs, moved to a large palace near Baripada, in the present day Mayurbhanj district of Orissa, they demolished the fort that they had occupied for over 75 years, to prevent its misuse by invaders. "Mayur Dwaar" the Peacock Door, which stood as the imposing entrance to the fort, was carried with them to their new palace and stored as a symbol of the might and heritage of the Mayur dynasty. With the unification, through marriage, of the Mayur and Bhanja dynasties, to form the Kingdom of Mayurbhanj in Northern Orissa, and their subsequent shift to the Present Mayurbhanj palace, the "Mayur Dwaar" lost its prominence and found its way to an Armenian trader in Calcutta, where it remained. The family migrated to USA in 1945 and left the "Mayur Dwaar" and other antiques, in the care of Mr. S.R. Bose, the last magager of the Armenian Firm. The Present owners procured it from Mr. Bose, with consent from the Armenian family. The door is elaborately carved, with the Mayur (Peacock) motif visually dominant. Though it has a strong Rajasthani influence, and is a typical fort door of that era, its uniqueness lies in the exquisite details of the outer frame, and the head work, with the 2 alcoves originally used for lamps. The wood seems to have been specially treated, and has withstood the ravages of time remarkably well.

Kaveri River, Tiruchchirappalli, India

On our trip to Southern India we learned a little bit about the Tamil rituals around death. The death ceremony is marked by cremation which is now done in a crematorium. Somewhere between 10-16 days later, people may perform rituals at the Amma Mandapam Bathing Ghats in Tiruchirappalli, India, or immerse the ashes of the deceased in the Kaveri River in Srirangapatna (this is a sacred river, the Ganges of the south and the second longest river in India): Amma Mandapam Bathing Ghats

This is a place where Hindus can perform rituals for their ancestors. The ghats are located on the Kaveri River and include: An open hall where prayer items can be purchased Three small temples Ritual performing lines Bathing ghats for men and women Barbers for ritual shavings The eldest son and a priest perform the ritual. Then, one year later it is done again.

Brihadeshwara Temple Thanjavur India

This is a top five temple, in a trip replete with spectacular ancient temples. I would recommend a slower pace than we accomplished, but the content of the trip, the places we went, were all recommended, not a clunker amongst them. One of the largest temples in India, the Brihadeeswara Temple, also known as Peruvudaiyar Kovil, is located in Thanjavur. Dedicated to Lord Shiva, represented as a huge ‘Lingam’, the temple was built around 1010 AD by the Chola king Rajaraja Chola I. The temple continued the Hindu temple traditions of South India by adopting architectural and decorative elements, but its scale significantly exceeded the temples constructed before the 11th century. The Chola era architects and artisans innovated the expertise to scale up and build, particularly with heavy stone and to accomplish the 63.4 metres (208 ft) high towering vimana.

This is a telling of the building of this temple in ancient Tamil. The text wraps around the building, with no punctuation (we are told), as a chronicle of how they moved the massive granite blocks and built this temple.

Airavatesvara Temple, Kumbakonam, India

Airavatesvara Temple was my favorite temple after the temples at Mahabalipuram. This temple, built by Chola emperor Rajaraja II in the 12th century CE is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, along with the Brihadeeswara Temple at Thanjavur, the Gangaikondacholisvaram Temple at Gangaikonda Cholapuram that are referred to as the Great Living Chola Temples. The temple is dedicated to Shiva. It also reverentially displays Vaishnavism and Shaktism traditions of Hinduism, along with the legends associated with Nayanmars – the Bhakti movement saints of Shaivism.

There is just so much carving and detail throughout the temple. Hinduism is replete with myths and stories--there is a lot of material to work with--and a lot of it is carved into stone here. From the UNESCO website: The art work that adorns the temple is extremely detailed, intricate and beautiful. It’s sheer poetry in stone. Built in the Dravidian architectural style, the main stone work of the building resembles a chariot. The entire temple complex is filled with rich carvings and inscriptions that narrate stories from ancient Indian Puranas. Words don’t do justice to the charm and splendour that the structure emanates; it’s one to be seen and experienced. Every carving tells a story.

Pondichéry, India

Yet another seaside town on the Bay of Bengal. Pondicherry, India, was under French rule for 138 years, from 1674 to 1954. In 1673, French officer Bellanger de l'Espinay moved into the Danish Lodge, marking the beginning of French administration. In 1674, François Martin, the first governor, began projects to turn the fishing village into a port town.

The transition away from French rule was gradual. In 1948, the French and Indian governments agreed that the inhabitants of the French Indian possessions would choose their political future. In 1954, the French possessions were transferred to the Indian Union and became a Union Territory. Puducherry officially became part of India in 1963. Many Tamil residents of Pondicherry have French passports because their ancestors were in French governmental service and chose to remain French at the time of Independence. In 2013, there were 9,950 French nationals in India. I was looking forward to being here, but while the architecture is definitely French. there are signs in French, and some people even speak a little French to this say, there wasn't much left. The "French Fusion" was heavily Indian influenced, and overall glad we spent just an afternoon here.

The Bay of Bengal

We had the pleasure of visiting several cities on the Bay of Bengal in Tamil Nadu. It is a relatively shallow body of water that forms the northeastern portion of the Indian Ocean. It is shared by the Southeast and South Asia countries and separated from the Burma Sea (Andaman Sea) to its east by the Nicobar Islands and the Andaman Islands. The bay’s southern limit is between Sangaman Kanda in Sri Lanka and Sumatra, Indonesia. The Bay of Bengal is bound by several Asian countries, including India to the northwest and west, Myanmar to the east, Bangladesh to the north, Sri Lanka to the southwest, and Indonesia to the southeast. India’s Nicobar and Andaman Islands also border the bay on the east. The bay hosts the world’s largest mangrove forest (Sundarbans) and longest beach (Cox’s Bazar).

The ignomious East India Company established the first Indian factory in 1611 at Masulipatnam on the Andhra Coast of the Bay of Bengal, and its second in 1615 at Surat. The high profits reported by the company after landing in India initially prompted James I to grant subsidiary licences to other trading companies in England. All views we had of the bay were quite peaceful--but we managed to miss a typhoon as well as monsoon season.

Chennai, India--The Home of Madras Fabric

Chennai is the capital of Tamil Nadu state, located on the Coromandel Coast of the beautiful Bay of Bengal, is known as the “Gateway to South India.” Yes, India is a country where vibrant colors abound, but Chennai, formerly known as Madras, is the origin of Madras fabric. The quilter in me needs to point this out. In the 17th century, British traders of the East India Company established a presence in Madras, where they encountered the local handwoven cotton textiles. Enthralled by the fabric's lightweight and breathable qualities, they began exporting it to Europe. Traditionally, Madras fabric was meticulously handwoven by skilled artisans in India. The cotton yarns were dyed using natural vegetable dyes, resulting in a vibrant range of colours. Weavers employed intricate techniques to create the distinctive plaid patterns, characterised by their irregular and lively designs.

During the 19th century, the popularity of Madras fabric soared, primarily due to its association with the Scottish influence on Indian textile production. Scottish soldiers stationed in India, particularly in the Madras region, developed an affinity for the lightweight fabric, which suited the tropical climate. The demand for Madras fabric skyrocketed, leading to the creation of plaid patterns specifically tailored to the Scottish market. As the British Empire expanded, Madras fabric made its way into international markets, gaining increasing recognition in Europe and the Americas. It was embraced as a vibrant and distinctive textile, capturing the fascination with Indian craftsmanship and cultural influences of the era.

Vermont: It Never Gets Old

Let's face it--Vermont is the best New England state--I feel somewhat chagrined to admist it, being of Maine roots and having recently driven from the bottom of the state to the top, avoiding the coast (which is both what Maine is known for and the attraction for the non-Mainiac to the state and not my thing, so take this with a grain of salt), Vermont has it beat. I was not a big fan until I met my future spouse and he took me there over four decades ago and I fell immediately and deeply in love with it. First there are the mountains, which are spectacular and everywhere. They interfere with it being much good for row crops, but the fields are ever green and so dairy cattle abound. They make for quaint scenery and also for excellent cheese. Artisanal cheese in Vermont has been a growth industry over the years I have been visiting. It started with excellent cheddar, which is always a winner with me, but now it is one of the best places to get a wide variety of high quality cheese that is locally made. Then there are the multitude of small towns that have good restaurants, a few breweries, a multitude of shops where people make things, and all in all, it is practically perfect. I hope to spend more extended time in state when I retire and have more time on my hands to fill with beauty.

Cimitiere Le Pere Lachaise, Paris, France

is where Jim Morrison, the Doors singer, is buried, but also numerous French statesmen, writers and singers. The Père Lachaise is located in the 20th arrondissement and was the first garden cemetery, as well as the first municipal cemetery in Paris. It is also the site of three World War I memorials—including one that wraps around the exterior wall, that lists names, Vietnam War memorial style, deaths by year, only the list is much longer. Like, 4 times as many French died in yhe Battle of the Somme as US soldiers died in the whole Vietnam War.

The cemetery of Père Lachaise opened in 1804 and takes its name from the confessor to Louis XIV, Père François de la Chaise (1624–1709), who lived in the Jesuit house rebuilt during 1682 on the site of the chapel. The property, situated on the hillside from which the king watched skirmishing between the armies of the Condé and Turenne during the Fronde, was bought by the city in 1804. Established as a cemetery by Napoleon during that year. It is a beautiful spot, but my spouse thinks the famous people should have been buried closer together.

Paris Reconsidered

We spent a little time in Paris our last trip to France. We are starting to love not having a connection in Europe, to fly to a city near where we want to end up and then get there by land. There are a lot of great things to say about that, but there is an issue with the end, where you need to be at least nearby to fly out. Last time we had a lovely late lunch just north of the Perigord, and then we arrived in the evening to stay at an airport hotel, which was fine, but definitely the least lovely part of the trip. This past time we spent two nights in Paris, and that was much better.

I had done all the classic Paris things when we were there with our kids. We saw the Eiffel Tower, went though the Louvre, climbed to the top of the I had done all the classic Paris things when we were there with our kids. We saw the Eiffel Tower, went though the Louvre, climbed to the top of the Arc se Triomphe. We had even done things that perhaps were less classic, like Napoleon's tomb and the catacombs. None of that sold me. This time, in addition to spectacular food, which really, you can get almost anywhere in France, it was the city itself. First of all, like my adopted home town, a river runs through it. The majestic River Seine winds its way through the heart of the city and its banks are a proven pathway to explore Paris on foot. The history of Paris is uniquely tied to the river, as it is one of the oldest trade routes navigated through the centuries by migrating tribes, Romans, and Vikings. The bridges themselves are beautiful to behold. Then there is walking about. Paris is actually quite easy to navigate. We can thank the visionary Georges-Eugène Haussmann for this, as it was his responsibility to reorganize and renovate the city; a huge task that started in 1853 and ended in 1870. Because of his ordered grand scheme, there are twenty arrondissements and you can always tell which one you’re in because most street signs clearly indicate the number. Public transit is a breeze, and overall, while I am not going to spend much time here, I would do the same next trip, a pause in the city of light before heading home.

Arcachon, France

We spent the day driving around the coast near Bordeaux. Arachon is popular for beaches, but we were there because it is where oysters are farmed. You can see the appeal. Cap Ferret, which is directly across the bay from Arcachon, is a spit that separates the bay from the Atlantic Ocean. I have not spent much time in French beach towns, but the architecture here is different from any French town I have been in before.

Arcachonnaise is the local name for an Arcachon villa, which is the architectural style of many of the older houses built in France. It is a type of Victorian architecture. These fantastical homes are equipped with balconies with chiseled additions, turrets, colonnades, neo-classical facades, extravagant roofs, singular stairs, verandas and exotic gardens.

Influences, Bordeaux, France

My spouse and I arrived in Paris in hte morning, made our way to our train station in the afternoon, and arrived in Bordeaux in the early evening, which of course felt like the middle of the night interspersed with fitful sleep. As as result of our bleary thinking, and not being content with the pre-dinner hour fare at various bistros, we managed to not make a decision until it was practically time for dinner. It was a happy error, because we went to this wonderful restaurant that was just around the corner from our apartment hotel. The best news is that it is open on both Sunday and Monday nights, both of which are lean for restaurant choices. This was an exceptionally organized and prepared meal.

Michelin notes: In a quiet street just a stone's throw from Place Gambetta, this inviting façade has a pleasant surprise in store. A French-American couple – chef Ronnie (who has worked in some decent establishments in California) and pastry chef Aliénor – work in tandem to serve up delicious aromatic dishes that are meticulously plated in a friendly atmosphere. Fresh and subtle fare! The dish at the top is not much to look at but Wow, possibly the best asparagus I have ever had. The foam is smoked herring and the red dots are reduced strawberries. Another memorable dish is just abobe--the langostine, grilled on one side and served in a sauce of crab and langostine cream reduction. It was not unique but the execution was perfect.

Bordeaux, Nouvelle-Aquitaine, France

We chose this not because it is a famed wine producing region--in truth, we don't know much about this wine, and we have not had great success in drinking it--combined with it's price point, we were going to need education in this area. No, it is because we have been exploring France, region by region, for thirty years, and this was one we had never been to before. It is a port city on the Garonne River in southwestern France. Bordeaux is an ancient city. Around 300 BC, the region was the settlement of a Celtic tribe, the Bituriges Vivisci, named the town Burdigala, probably of Aquitanian origin. The 18th century, however, was the golden age of Bordeaux. The Port of the Moon supplied the majority of Europe with coffee, cocoa, sugar, cotton and indigo, becoming France's busiest port and the second busiest port in the world after London. Many downtown buildings (about 5,000), including those on the quays, are from this era. In the “never forget” side the of the equation, Bordeaux was also a major trading center for slaves. In total, the Bordeaux shipowners deported 150,000 Africans. It is quite beautiful, despite that, and full of excellent food and wine.

Bếp Mẹ ỉn (Le Thanh Ton Street), Ho Cho Min City, Vietnam

This is a Bib Gourmand restaurant on the Michelin website. As an aside, and as this is the last restaurant we ate at in Vietnam, and I haven't mentioned this, this is my last opportunity to do so, but I am very happy that there are Michelin rated restaurants in Vietnam. Is it flawless? No. They do look at places that are noodle places, but really just pho restaurants, which as far as I am concerned is not the greatest broth and noodle dish that Vietnam has to offer, but in doing so, Michelin elevates the cuisine. The only downside is that the places we ate at without this recognition were amazing, and they were also places where we ate our fill, each had a beer, and the bill was well under ten dollars. In any case, at this place, which is traditional South Vietnamese food, there were quite a few people like us, there because of Michelin, and from all over the world. I got a chance to teach some South Koreans how to use the translucent but not rehydrated rice paper to eat their Bánh Xèo with, which was very pleasureable.

The food here is really good, and the menu is much more varied than many more traditionally Vietnamese restaurants where we ate are--so it is likely to be geared to us as tourists. We ate at one restaurant in Hue that was this varied, and while there were many Vietnamese eating there, many of our fellow patrons were like us. In any case, it is worth trying this place and places like this, especially if you are on a short trip. We were in country for two weeks and I feel like I barely got started on cracking the code on Vietnamese food. I laughed at a characterization of the Vietnamese that I read in a memoir I am reading by a việt kiều (an overseas Vietnamese person) that characterized the Vietnamese as a skinny people obsessed with food.