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| The Band Arrives |
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| Standing Guard |
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| The Ceremonial Drum |
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| Captain Of The Guard |
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| Flag Bearers Leave the Palace |
Saturday, 19 June 2010
Korea - Day 4
With Eva and Geoff gone, I had the day to myself. Well almost, I had to fly back to Japan in the afternoon so I spent the morning visiting another palace to have another look at Korean architecture. However I arrived just in time to see a re-enactment of the Changing of the War Guard.
Friday, 18 June 2010
Korea - Day 3
It was a short trip for Geoff and Eva. They had to catch a flight to Mongolia this afternoon so we spent the morning touring the back streets around our hostel.
Insa-Dong is one of Korea's famous market streets. It's not so busy in the mornings but comes alive after dark.
Geoff and Eva debate whether to buy some strange fruit or not.
More merchandise for sale in Insa-Dong
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| Back Streets of Seoul |
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| Korean Delivery Vehicles |
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| Insa-Dong - Seoul |
Insa-Dong is one of Korea's famous market streets. It's not so busy in the mornings but comes alive after dark.
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| Geoff and Eva - Insa-Dong |
Geoff and Eva debate whether to buy some strange fruit or not.
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| Bolts of Material for sale - Insa-Dong |
More merchandise for sale in Insa-Dong
Thursday, 17 June 2010
Korea - Day 2
On the second day the three of us visited the DMZ. Perhaps not the best idea since only a couple of months before, a South Korean warship sank and the South strongly suspects foul play from the North.
I had been here before but took a cheaper tour that didn't visit Panmunjeom where we get a real close look at the north Koreans and get a chance to step across the "line".
There is a lot of security around here and many areas are off limits for photographs, but this was one area we could take photos. Three South Koreans stand guard with one North Korean watching us from the other side.
We had two ROK soldiers taking care of us while we were in the conference room that straddles the border between the two countries. For a brief moment we could stand on the North Korean side.
A plaque commemorating the loss of two American Officers killed in the infamous Axe Murder Incident.
Later that day we visited the War Memorial of Korea to get a greater appreciation of Korea's military history in general and the Korean War in particular.
I had been here before but took a cheaper tour that didn't visit Panmunjeom where we get a real close look at the north Koreans and get a chance to step across the "line".
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| Joint Security Area |
There is a lot of security around here and many areas are off limits for photographs, but this was one area we could take photos. Three South Koreans stand guard with one North Korean watching us from the other side.
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| ROK Soldier Stands Guard - Joint Security Area |
We had two ROK soldiers taking care of us while we were in the conference room that straddles the border between the two countries. For a brief moment we could stand on the North Korean side.
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| Plaque for the Axe Murder Incident - DMZ |
A plaque commemorating the loss of two American Officers killed in the infamous Axe Murder Incident.
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| Statue of a pioneer - Korean War Memorial |
Later that day we visited the War Memorial of Korea to get a greater appreciation of Korea's military history in general and the Korean War in particular.
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| A statue of brotherhood - Korean War Memorial |
Wednesday, 16 June 2010
Korea - Day 1
My brother and his wife Eva started their 6 month travel through Asia today. Their first stop was Korea and since it's a short flight from Japan I thought I would join them for a few days. Actually, They have to fly All the way from Australia so they won't arrive until late tonight so I got a few extra hours to look around Seoul.
I've been here several times before but this is the first time I had a dSLR and wide angle lenses. I met another solo traveller at the backpackers we were staying at and we headed off to the nearby Chang-Deok Palace for a look at Korean architecture.
Korean architecture appears so much more colourful than typical Japanese architecture.
I've been here several times before but this is the first time I had a dSLR and wide angle lenses. I met another solo traveller at the backpackers we were staying at and we headed off to the nearby Chang-Deok Palace for a look at Korean architecture.
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| Chang-Deok Palace Parade Ground |
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| Korean Architecture |
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| King's Residence - Chang-Deok Palace |
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| Eaves - Chang-Deok Palace |
Korean architecture appears so much more colourful than typical Japanese architecture.
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| Sundial - Chang-Deok Palace |
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| Padlock - Cheng-Deok Palace |
Monday, 8 September 2008
Hawaii - Day 8 (O'ahu)
Our last full day in Hawaii. This time we took a road trip south and west. First stop was Diamond Head, so called because it sparkles like a diamond. Sadly they are not real diamonds, just calcite crystals embedded in the rock.
Diamond Head was used as an Artillery Observation Post in 1908. Relics still remain like this observation bunker.
From the car park inside the near perfect circular crater, the trail to the summit takes about 2 hours. It passes through parts of the old artillery fortifications. A flashlight is handy for the tunnel sections.
After Diamond Head we drove along the southern coastal road around the island. The seas were rougher on the south but beaches were few and far between.
A lone ligthhouse watches over the rugged south coast.
After driving around the southern coast we cut back across the island to Honolulu and went for a obligatory swim at Waikiki beach. I took the waterproof Olympus camera for a swim too.
Later that night I took a few long exposure night shots of Honolulu from our hotel.
That's it from Hawaii. We fly back to Japan early tomorrow morning. Just one short week here. However it's a fascinating place that I would like to come back to some day. Etsuko really wants to visit Maui next time.
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| Waikiki Beach and Honolulu |
Diamond Head was used as an Artillery Observation Post in 1908. Relics still remain like this observation bunker.
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| Old Artillery Observation Post - Daimond Head |
From the car park inside the near perfect circular crater, the trail to the summit takes about 2 hours. It passes through parts of the old artillery fortifications. A flashlight is handy for the tunnel sections.
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| Switchbacks inside Diamond Head Crater |
After Diamond Head we drove along the southern coastal road around the island. The seas were rougher on the south but beaches were few and far between.
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| Breaking Waves |
A lone ligthhouse watches over the rugged south coast.
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| Lone Lighthouse |
After driving around the southern coast we cut back across the island to Honolulu and went for a obligatory swim at Waikiki beach. I took the waterproof Olympus camera for a swim too.
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| Hnonlulu and Daimond Head |
Later that night I took a few long exposure night shots of Honolulu from our hotel.
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| Honolulu |
That's it from Hawaii. We fly back to Japan early tomorrow morning. Just one short week here. However it's a fascinating place that I would like to come back to some day. Etsuko really wants to visit Maui next time.
Sunday, 7 September 2008
Hawaii - Day 7 (O'ahu)
Today was our first day to look around O'ahu Island. We have two days here so we chose to take a road trip around the north and west half of the island.
Cutting straight across the island from Honolulu, our first stop was Byodo-in Temple in the Valley of Temples. It's actually a 3/4 size recreation of a temple in Japan. I've seen the original in Kyoto but this one is much more colourful. This temple also features on the Japanese 10 yen coin.
After that, we took a drive around the coast line heading to the world class north shore surfing beaches. It's a bit flat for surfing today. Apparently the big waves develop from winter storms to the north.
Apart from the beaches, the mountains that make up Hawaii are fantastic, rugged yet green.
There are plenty of rocky outcrops along the coast. Still no big waves though.
Some volcanic rock pools. The inner area is shallow enough for some good snorkeling and there were a few divers on the seaside too.
Some locals were enjoying the rock pools on a hot afternoon.
I spend an hour or two swimming around in these rock pools and then watched the sun set.
Cutting straight across the island from Honolulu, our first stop was Byodo-in Temple in the Valley of Temples. It's actually a 3/4 size recreation of a temple in Japan. I've seen the original in Kyoto but this one is much more colourful. This temple also features on the Japanese 10 yen coin.
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| Reconstructed Byodo-in Temple - Hawaii |
After that, we took a drive around the coast line heading to the world class north shore surfing beaches. It's a bit flat for surfing today. Apparently the big waves develop from winter storms to the north.
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| Tropical Hawaiian Waters |
Apart from the beaches, the mountains that make up Hawaii are fantastic, rugged yet green.
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| Rugged Green Mountains |
There are plenty of rocky outcrops along the coast. Still no big waves though.
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| Rocky Coastline |
Some volcanic rock pools. The inner area is shallow enough for some good snorkeling and there were a few divers on the seaside too.
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| Rock Pools |
Some locals were enjoying the rock pools on a hot afternoon.
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| Hawaiian Children Playing Around |
I spend an hour or two swimming around in these rock pools and then watched the sun set.
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| Hawaiian Sunset |
Saturday, 6 September 2008
Hawaii - Day 6
Today was our last day on the Big Island. Our flight to O'ahu was in the afternoon so we had the morning for some last minute sightseeing.
We spent the morning at the Pu'ukohola Heiau National Historic Site. To get there we crossed some older lava flows that are starting to regenerate. It'll be another few hundred years before this volcanic rock breaks down enough for farming though.
The Pu'ukohola Heiau (temple) that was converted into a fortress to protect the harbour below.
After that we visited another historic site that contains thousands of ancient petroglyphs. The original meaning of all these carvings has been lost to antiquity.
Some interesting plant foliage along the coast of Hawaii near where we stopped for lunch.
Finally the hour of our flight back to O'hau arrived.
Our adventure is not over yet. We still have two days to look around O'hau.
After checking into our new hotel we headed down to Waikiki beach. A statue to Hawaii's most famous sportsman stands at the entrance to the beach. He's a 5 times Olympic swimming medalist and credited with the spread of surfing world wide.
While watching the sun go down we watched a free performance of the hula dance.
We spent the morning at the Pu'ukohola Heiau National Historic Site. To get there we crossed some older lava flows that are starting to regenerate. It'll be another few hundred years before this volcanic rock breaks down enough for farming though.
The Pu'ukohola Heiau (temple) that was converted into a fortress to protect the harbour below.
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| Pu'ukohola Temple Fortress |
After that we visited another historic site that contains thousands of ancient petroglyphs. The original meaning of all these carvings has been lost to antiquity.
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| Hawaiian Petroglyphs |
Some interesting plant foliage along the coast of Hawaii near where we stopped for lunch.
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| Hawaiian Vegitation |
Finally the hour of our flight back to O'hau arrived.
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| Leaving the Big Island |
Our adventure is not over yet. We still have two days to look around O'hau.
After checking into our new hotel we headed down to Waikiki beach. A statue to Hawaii's most famous sportsman stands at the entrance to the beach. He's a 5 times Olympic swimming medalist and credited with the spread of surfing world wide.
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| Statue of Duke Kahanamoku |
While watching the sun go down we watched a free performance of the hula dance.
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| Hula Dancers |
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