Sorry You Couldn't Come Along

On a frigid Oslo morning we set off to explore the Fram Polar Museum, named for the first boat involved in successful polar expeditions to both poles, manned by Norwegians (naturally) and shown, above. We hope the lighting effects on the walls aren’t the closest we get to seeing the Northern Lights, although we keep being told there are no guarantees. Ra (the Egyptian Sun God) must cooperate, as well as the weather.

Next door, at the Kon Tiki museum, the exploits of Thor Heyerdahl are brought back to life. As you can see, the Kon Tiki was not a large boat. In fact, it was a raft made of lashed-together balsa logs he sailed from Peru to Polynesia in 1947 to make a point – that ancient peoples could have done the same thing. Objectively speaking, Heyerdahl was a little nuts. He was afraid of the water, could barely swim, was not a sailor and had no idea how to handle the raft. Fortunately, he recruited some capable crew, although no one had any idea how to handle the raft.

Not satisfied with life back on land, Heyerdahl decided to test the notion that ancient people could have travelled from Africa across the Atlantic. His first attempt failed, but the Ra II did make it from Morroco to Barbados after being lost at sea and the subject of a UN search and rescue mission.

Down the road at the open-air Folk Museum, a very well-preserved Stave Church is the highlight of a visit. Built around 1200, it is one of only 28 remaining such churches in Norway. They are called “stave” churches after the staves or posts that support the roof.

The museum boasts 160 buildings from all over Norway, providing a hint of what life has been like over the past 500 years.

And, interiors to match, all the way into the 20th century.

The big surprise of the day was the interior of the City Hall we failed to love from the outside. The grand hall on the ground floor is where the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony is held.

Upstairs, the rooms are equally dazzling.

And provide a wonderful view of the fjord.

We started our day by taking the train to Holmenkollen, a 20 minute train ride from central Oslo. Many of the passengers getting on the train were wearing their cross-country gear and carrying skis. An international biathlon competition starts here just as we leave this week. Vendors are already set up and peddling their wares in outdoor markets downtown where the awards ceremonies will be held. Here the Swedish team has already arrived and begun to get organized.

One of the big attractions is a spectacular ski jump.

Here’s the bottom where the skiers end up.

And, very close to the top where they start.

It’s a popular spot to visit, even without skis.

And the view is nothing short of amazing.

The Ski Museum, inside the jump structure, exhibits everything from 1200 year old skis to displays on the Sami, the indigenous peoples of Finnmark in the far north of the country who have apparently been skiing for 4000 years.

Since the ski jump wasn’t currently open, Amanda satisfied herself with a ride in a ski jump and giant slalom simulator and then an icy zip down a convenient slide (with a rough landing).

Back in town at the Historical Museum we saw more exhibits on the Sami.

In a bit of old-fashioned recycling, a picture stone with runic inscriptions bears a dedication by Jorunn to her late husband from around 1000, but the same stone also bears an inscription from a few years later by Engle in memory of his son who had died in battle.

This stone from around 1050 at the beginning of the Christian Era honors Gunnvor for making a bridge and (we couldn’t make it out) features a Nativity Scene.

The museum also has relics from the Stave churches, including an interior.

But, the real draw is the collection of Viking artifacts, including the only intact Viking helmet ever found.

The nearby National Gallery houses Edvard Munch’s The Scream.

As well as some earlier and later work, such as Self-Portrait with the Spanish Flu from 1915 in a curiously more optimistic style than the earlier The Scream.

We rounded out the day with a symphony orchestra accompanying the BBC Film Planet Earth, with Norwegian narration. Fortunately, language wasn’t needed to enjoy the spectacular images and beautiful music.

Harald V, the reigning monarch of Norway and the country’s 64th King, traces his lineage back to 872 to the time of Harald Fairhair. His Royal Palace in the center of Oslo also has a very small sledding hill out front. On a Saturday afternoon at the end of February, the city was full of people enjoying a beautiful day.

Akershus Fortress, parts dating from about 1300, continues to guard the harbor at the end of the Oslo Fjord.

FDR is honored just outside the fortress because he provided sanctuary to the family of Haakon VII after the King fled to England as the Third Reich rolled into Norway at the outset of World War II. Haakon is widely admired for his bravery and is considered one of the greatest Norwegians of the 20th century.

Among the buildings inside, the Resistance Museum showcases the brilliant efforts and accomplishments of the Norwegian Resistance during the occupation and the government of Prime Minister Quisling. The story of Resistance hero Max Manus provides a great window into the movement and the film Max Manus is well worth renting.

Further along the edge of the modest sized inner harbor the Nobel Prize museum has innovative displays that bring to life the story of Noble himself, the prizes, and the honorees over the years.

A clunky, but beloved, City Hall anchors the center of the harbor and has been the scene of both humiliation and jubilant celebration over the years.

Even late on a chilly February afternoon, the promenade along the harbor’s edge is a very pleasant place to pass the time and watch the passersby.

It had been 20 years since we had been in Hawaii, a long time to be away from paradise. And, what a fitting destination to celebrate 30 years of marriage. We headed out before Christmas and just before the weather turned really chilly on Cape Cod.

Lanikai Beach, Kailua

Amanda found us a great beach house on Lanikai beach in Kailua on Oahu. It was the ultimate in serenity with our choice of how to enjoy the warm Pacific in a gentle reef-protected cove always there off the back deck.

Pillbox Trail

The mountains of Hawaii form an immense rippling backdrop to the sea. They are both inviting and intimidating. A short walk behind the house was the trailhead for the pillbox trail, taking us up to two pillboxes from World War II. Amanda, Jim & Ken headed up there to enjoy the views.

From the pillboxes we could see our rental house. It’s the one on the beach with the white roof, directly in from the canoe. Those are the Na Mokulua islands. They are both bird sanctuaries. Landing is only permitted on the one to the left.

Waimea Valley

Okay, swimming in the pool at the base of the 45′ waterfall at Waimea Valley wasn’t quite the communion with tranquil nature one might imagine, but Jim’s only complaint was that a waterfall generates a pretty powerful current for a so-so swimmer to battle against. Those rocks were kind of slippery, too.

But, the real attraction of the Waimea Valley is its role in conserving endangered and threatened plants and animals. Over the years, Hawaii has been invaded by alien plants and animals (such as the mongoose) that threaten its native habitat. The bird with the huge red beauty mark is the endangered ‘Alea ‘ula, of which only a few hundred remain.

The Waimea Valley is also a significant archeological site. It was known as the valley of the priests. The middle photo shows ancient livestock corrals. http://waimeavalley.net/

Christmas Day, 2015

We had an extra special present on Christmas. With the time difference, Kyle left Osaka on Christmas night and arrived Christmas morning. Quite the day.

Doris Duke’s Shangri La

In 1935, a non-smoking tobacco heiress on an extended globe-spanning honeymoon stumbled upon Hawaii and was completely smitten. Doris Duke hung out on Waikiki Beach with the legendary surfers (including one also known as “Duke”), ditched her husband after a few years, bought a prime beachfront estate in Honolulu, and indulged her interest in Islamic Art. She created Shangri La, a beautiful mansion with its own dock, and kept purchasing objects for what is now a museum until a year before her death in 1994. Wealth has its privileges. For trips off the island, the steamship company would anchor off her estate and send a launch in to pick her up. Unfortunately, no photography is permitted inside, but check it out at http://shangrilahawaii.org

A Celebration at Alan Wong’s

We headed over to Waikiki so that Kyle, Ai, Ken & Amanda could taking surfing lessons. Martha and Jim opted to watch and – woa! – it was worth the price of admission! Thanks to the Hans Hedeman surfing school for the bottom five photos.

The End of the Monarchy

Since we were already in Honolulu, having taken one of the tunnels through the mountains, we stopped by Iolani Palace, home of the last Hawaiian monarchs. It’s a fascinating story presented in a well-balanced way for us naive tourists, and there is a museum downstairs. http://www.iolanipalace.org

A Pre-Dawn Hike up the Pillbox Trail

Amanda, Ai and Ken hiked back up the Pillbox Trail before dawn to watch the sunrise. Thanks for the pictures, Ken.

We Make for Na Mokulua in a Hawaiian Canoe

It’s back to the water. This time we hired an outfitter to take us out in a Hawaiian canoe in the reef-protected cove off of Kailua and Lanikai beaches (and our rental house) and out to the Na Molukua islands. We couldn’t get any photos of us in the canoe because we were too busy paddling. So, the top photo is the launch site on Kailua Beach and in the one just above we’re feeling good that we arrived safely on the island. The landing site is a little tricky because waves come in from both directions, that is, some pretty sizable waves come around the island from both directions and converge where you are trying to land or launch your boat. Lots of kayakers, especially, had their boats flipped and there were lots of people in the water. The canoe was somewhat more stable and we were taught to lean towards the ama (the float) attached to the canoe with the iako (beams holding the ama to the canoe). We managed to not flip over. Phew.

We weren’t alone on the beach. In addition to all of the other boaters relaxing before their trip back to Kailua, there were two endangered monk seals who had a whole section of the already-small beach roped off for them by a wildlife agent. Seals really do completely crash when they haul out of the water after a big meal. If they didn’t, of course, their sluggishness would make them an easy meal for our friends the sharks.

Our guide Ikaika took us on a walk to the other side of the island, filling us in on culinary potential of the different snails and sea urchins we came across and going for a swim with us in a great pool above the waves he said was called the Grecian Baths. He had prepared a snack for us at home that we all loved. It was Tahitian poisson cru, a lime and coconut milk-marinated ahi tuna. It was spectacular. We later ordered it at a restaurant, but were disappointed because it didn’t measure up to the one made by Ikaika. Yes, that’s his son in the top photo of this group. Nice kid.

There are no photos for the most exciting part of our canoe trip. After leaving the island, Ikaika decided that we should catch a wave. Unfortunately, his crew wasn’t as fast as he thought we were and we were inundated by three consecutive waves and swamped because the waves were faster than we were. We all moved away from the canoe and helped to turn it over to dump out the water and then Ikaika and Ken bailed it out. After climbing back in and wandering the area picking up our dry bags, slippers (flip flops), sunglasses, apples, and other non-tied-in gear, we continued for a while spotting a couple of sea turtles and powered by an electric oar until we were rested enough to finally catch a wave and paddle dramatically back onto Kailua Beach. Perhaps surprisingly, we arrived having loved the entire experience and everyone agreed they wouldn’t hesitate to do it all again. Well, and of course, Martha was smart to have stayed at home.

Old Woes Day (New Years) in Lanikai

There’s one way into the Lanikai neighborhood and the same way out and the traffic can be crazy when people are pouring in, with practically no place to park, wanting to visit a beach reputed to be one of the most beautiful in the world. One time we gave up and walked our groceries (probably some fish for the grill or some poke or cream cake from Foodland) to the house, leaving Ken sitting behind the wheel in the totally gridlocked traffic, barely a block away. So . . . the locals mount what they call the “Old Woes Day” parade every New Years Day to mostly bemoan all the traffic their corner of paradise attracts. They are, however, extremely friendly. Of course, we found that practically everyone we encountered on Oahu was, by East Coast standards, extraordinarily pleasant and friendly.

At Some Point, It’s Time to Go Home

We were off for a weekend trip to Kanazawa. The train north goes alongside Lake Biwa, the largest lake in Japan, and through the mountains. It’s a city with sprinklers on the main roads to wash away the significant snow falls of winter and a local saying that “even if you forget your lunchbox, don’t forget your umbrella.” We were, in fact, quite lucky because rain had been predicted, but we had none.

Kanazawa Castle is across the road from the Garden. Ishikawa Gate is one of the few remaining original buildings from its 400+ year history.

On the other hand, the Myoryugi Temple or “Ninja” Temple is very well preserved and a hot tourist destination where reservations are required for no-cameras tours by fast-talking (Japanese only) guides who move groups along on the hour-long tours at an impressive pace. That said, seeing the temple was well worth it. It appears to be a two-story building from the outside, but is actually four stories in seven layers. It’s an ingeniously constructed wooden defensive bastion with secret rooms, hidden passageways, traps, and stairs through which to spear intruders (23 rooms, 29 staircases), besides being a continuously functioning place of worship.

In putting together this posting, we saw that we’d neglected to take a photo of the Kanazawa train station and so shamelessly poached this one off of the Internet. The public architecture, especially of train stations, is very nice indeed. In addition to this monumental tori, Kanazawa has a fountain in front of the station that spouts water to indicate the time and spell out messages. It’s a lot of fun and, of course, we were once again a little sad to leave yet another city. Add Kanazawa to the list of those worthy of a return visit. The numbers of foreign visitors, by the way, are likely to increase significantly because Shinkansen service to the city from Tokyo was just begun during our visit to Japan and Kanazawa seems to be the new “hot” destination.

Naoshima will have to wait for another trip due to another foggy morning. There will always be things that are not quite complete and a visit to Naoshima and the other nearby small islands is a good reason to pay a return visit to Takamatsu and Shikoku. Wanting to stay a bit more dry than our day in Kotohira, we made for Japan’s largest wax museum – Takamatsu Heike Monogatari Wax Museum.

But, the real draw of the museum is a series of dioramas dramatizing the rise and fall of the Heike clan in the 12th century, including depictions of the war between the Heike and and Genji clans. The key battle of the Gempei war was fought nearby, not far from the the Shikoku-mura we visited in Yashima. This photo doesn’t do justice to the posing of the diorama of samurais charging down a hill.

For some reason, there seemed to be elderly horses being taken care of at the shrine.

We felt the Asahi-sha was the most interesting building architecturally (if that’s a word).

Another excuse to breath – this one a mythical creature.

Then upward. A total of 1,368 stone steps.

“Only” 785 steps to the main hall.

The percussion musicians are shielded from the audience.

. . . and under the stage the machinery is all there. Here is the turntable mechanism that can be used to rotate a large section of the main stage.

The contraption above the walkway is used for flying scenes. They’re all ready for the next performance. The man at the ticket booth handed Kyle a flyer on our way out.

This morning we walked through the fog past trucks lined up ready to load onto the ferry and through crowds of people to the ticket counter to purchase our tickets for Naoshima, the art island. We shouldn’t have been surprised at the news. “Our” boat was still at Naoshima and none of the ferries were going anywhere until after the fog lifted. So, we formulated Plan B, hoping for a decent sailing day tomorrow. We made for Ritsurin Garden.

The first stage of the gardens was constructed as a “strolling garden” in the 1620s by the feudal lord or “daimyo” of Takamatsu Domain. It was expanded over the next hundred years and then served as the Matsudaira family residence until the 1870s when it was opened to the public.

The black pines are especially magnificent and ancient. When we asked our volunteer guide about this one, he thought it was probably about 300 years old.

The crane and tortoise pine has been cultivated over hundreds of years with 110 rocks to (if the photo were better) suggest a crane spreading its wings on the back of a tortoise, both symbols of long life. It’s the most prized tree in the garden and is carefully shaped by the head gardener twice a year. A job that takes him two weeks, while other trees command a gardener’s attention for 3 or 4 days.

Another prized specimen is this oak tree that grew up in the decaying trunk of a pine so that when the pine tree finally sloughed away the now-exposed root structure became the trunk of the oak.

The tree on the left is known as the copper tree, being a graft of a black pine (man tree) on the right and a red pine (woman tree) on the left. The needles of a black pine are considerably tougher than those of the red pine, although that has nothing to do with the toughness of the plant, as the red pine has thrived much more in this pairing. Our guide had a good laugh.

Rocks feature prominently in the garden and are highly valued. Some were extravagant gifts to the daimyo. One that was not in a very photogenic setting was brought all the way from Korea and was huge.

An artificial waterfall was constructed opposite one of the tea houses so that guests might enjoy the pleasant sound.

These trees were brought from Okinawa, but grow much larger in Takamatsu because they keep being ravaged by typhoons on Okinawa.

A potted bonsai tree when given as a gift in 1833.