Brew-Ha-Ha in Portland

As mentioned previously, Jules and I have been educating ourselves about the wonderful world of beer in recent times. The many Belgian beer cafes in Japan have certainly introduced us to a myriad of flavours and styles. However once becoming aware of our upcoming trip to Portland, an American friend enviously suggested that we must visit some of the many microbreweries that have become a feature of this great city. Certainly the hot summer weather further encouraged us to seek out some of these popular watering holes. We didn’t have to look too far, with something like 170 breweries in and around the city there was plenty of choice. Deschutes Brewery, Rogue Ales and Pelican Pub & Brewery were just three that we sampled during our stay and they all produced a wonderful range of thirst quenching beverages. A great idea to help us in our choice was a ‘taster tray’, where for a small price you could buy a selection of beers from their extensive collection to be presented to you in a series of small glasses. After selecting a drop that best suited your mood, you could move up to a half or full pint glass. Similar to wines, the brewers had nicely categorised their product (seasonal, dark, creamy, Belgian style etc.) and in some cases they had recommended the appropriate brew to match the food on the menu, which we thought was very civilised! They had also devised some terrific names for their beers conjuring up some imaginative images to tempt the palette Chainbreaker White, Sagebush Classic Pils, Mirrorpond Pale Ale and Bachelor Bitter to name just a few. Not surprisingly we found beer sampling to be a popular pastime amongst the locals as well as the tourists and I must say that the quality of the ales were consistently good wherever we went. From this experience we contemplated how successful the microbrewing industry could be in Australia, where the major commercial breweries tend to rule. Hopefully, someone will eventually pick up on the idea, providing a unique and enjoyable niche industry. It certainly works for Portland and we will take away some great memories of our summer days here enjoying what the local breweries had to offer.

Hunting the Spruce Goose

One of the major attractions we had planned to visit during our stay in Portland was the Evergreen Aviation and Space Museum. Like us, you may never have heard of this particular museum as it is not as well known as some of the major museums of this kind such as the Smithsonian in Washington or the NASA museum in Florida. In fact it isn’t located in Portland at all, but about an hour out of the city on the outskirts of a small town called McMinnville. Here you will find an impressive collection of aircraft from the earliest days of flight through to modern space exploration. However, the centrepiece of the museum is an aeroplane that only ever actually flew for one minute…it’s the Howard Hughes designed and built H-4 Hercules, better known as the ‘Spruce Goose’. If you have ever seen the Martin Scorsese film ‘The Aviator’ you will know the story behind this gigantic wooden flying boat and how it became the billionaires obsession. Built in the 1940’s, this huge silver bird was a prototype for a heavy-duty troop transporter that Hughes continued to develop well after the war was over. A more recent and equally amazing chapter of the Spruce Goose story is how this much publicised aeroplane managed to make its way to a little town in Oregon. It turns out that in 1993, the Evergreen Museum won the bid for the aircraft after the Walt Disney Company decided it no longer wished to display the plane in Los Angeles. In fact they built a hanger to house the monster flying machine and surrounded it with an array of other wonderful exhibits of aviation. Things have now moved on at Evergreen as they have recently built another large hanger for their collection of jets and rockets and are currently awaiting the arrival of a space shuttle to add to their collection, which will in turn further enhance the reputation of this outstanding museum. Jules and I spent several hours walking around and we found the attendants (who are mainly air force veterans) very friendly and informative. The aircrafts were beautifully restored and maintained and the displays were first rate. Yet like most of the people there, it was the Spruce Goose we had come to see and we were amazed at its design and scale. With the wingspan of a football field, it truly is an impressive flying machine. While it only fleetingly became air born, it is certainly surrounded by the mystique of Howard Hughes and is testament to his ambitious vision. We certainly enjoyed tracking it down and learnt much about many other aspects of aviation and space travel in the process.

Soaking up the Portland Lifestyle

Although the rest of the US was suffering the effects of a scorching summer, on our arrival in Portland, Oregon we were met with surprisingly cool conditions. However, this was about to change as we had brought the warm weather with us and a taste of summer was soon to arrive. As we began to look around, we were immediately impressed with this leafy city, nestled alongside the Willamette River and surrounded by mountain ranges. When we took the aerial tram for a view the surrounding landscape, we could clearly see snow topped Mount St. Helens and the even more picturesque Mount Hood in the distance. This is truly beautiful countryside … it has it all … picturesque mountains, rivers and ocean! This was further confirmed when Jules and I hired a car one day and drove along leafy roads down to the coast for a delightful seaside lunch at Pacific City. Back in the city centre, we discovered it to be very walkable, although it is serviced by a free tram that we occasionally use to get around. As we have found throughout our journey, the locals were extremely welcoming and always keen to recommend aspects of the city and countryside that may interest us. What I particularly liked was the community’s obvious connection to the visual arts. We saw many examples of public art as we walked the streets, as well as numerous galleries including the Portland Art Museum, which has quite a nice collection of European and American works. When I visited, there was an exhibition entitled ‘The Allure of the Automobile’ displaying some of the most beautiful cars from a bygone era. The famous ‘Saturday Market’ (the biggest outdoor market in the nation) provides an outlet for local artists to display and sell their wares. There was a great atmosphere with plenty of ‘alternative’ folk, reminding us very much of our time in San Francisco. We suspected that the relaxed lifestyle, beautiful surroundings and environmentally conscious community had attracted many from the south as it is a more affordable option. The other big attraction (that particularly won Jules over) was Portland’s love for food, wine, beer and coffee. There was no shortage of places to indulge and during our stay we both did plenty of that... no complaints!

Fabulous Fallingwater

After much planning and even more anticipation, Jules and I collected the keys of our rental car and hit road early heading out of Pittsburgh. We had spoken of this journey for over thirty years without ever really believing that we would actually make this trip to view Frank Lloyd Wright’s masterpiece ‘Fallingwater’. Jules had done plenty of preplanning and had even viewed each stage of the journey on Google Maps, but this trip was for real. As we headed toward Mill Run, the countryside became lush and beautiful while the sun began to gently shine through and after ninety minutes of driving we were there. Looking at the filling car park, it seemed that others were also undertaking the same pilgrimage. As we walked down the wooded path, we wondered whether the anticipation would be bigger than the reality, but as the house came into view we both knew that it would live up to expectations. Being wonderfully maintained, it looked as good as it did when it was completed in 1937. In fact it was almost exactly the same, with the original fittings, furniture and artwork left just as it was when Edgar Kaufmann Jr. donated it to the state of Pennsylvania. As we walked through each room, we really sensed Wright’s efforts to bring nature indoors and to allow its occupants to view and experience the beauty of the surrounding countryside from the large cantilever balconies. All the while there was the gentle sound of the water from the waterfall that falls directly below the foundations of the building, achieving one of its most unique features. How tranquil this place must have been for the original owners and how fortunate they were to have Wright design such a unique building for them to appreciate. As we continued our tour, our guide provided many snippets of interesting information regarding the design, the relationship between Mr. Wright and the Kaufmans and what life was like living there. Eventually we made our way down stream to see the classic exterior view of ‘Fallingwater’ that adorns the cover of so many books on modern architecture. It remains quite breathtaking and it's not at all surprising that the American Institute of Architects named the house the "best all-time work of American architecture". For us, it satisfied all of our expectations and made our efforts to get there worthwhile. We had seen what we came to see and had fulfilled a long held ambition. To complete our Frank Lloyd Wright experience, we took the short drive to nearby ‘Kentuck Knob’ to see yet another one of his buildings. Built sixteen years later (1953) it shows another dimension to Wrights domestic architecture. Although it was a very interesting and a totally different type of design conceptually, it was hard for us not to compare it against ‘Fallingwater’. After all, we had just viewed perfection and how can you top that!

Why visit Pittsburgh?

After our stay in Chicago it was off to Pittsburgh. Prior to our journey, everyone we knew kept asking us why we would want to travel there! Admittedly it’s not a place that springs to mind when you consider USA tourist destinations, but we were heading to Pittsburgh on a mission. Our plan was to use the ‘Steel City’ as a base for a long anticipated road trip to Frank Lloyd Wright’s architectural masterpiece, ‘Fallingwater’. Upon arriving, we caught a bus to the city to catch our first sight of downtown Pittsburgh and were quite surprised with what we saw. Rather than being a flat city, it was nestled within an undulating valley at the meeting point of three significant rivers, creating a triangular cityscape. Its streets are not unlike San Francisco or Glasgow in their steepness. With a history built upon the manufacture of iron and steel, many factories can still be seen close to the river, while a series large steel girded bridges cross the river providing the city with its other familiar title, ‘The City of Bridges’. As we walked around, there appeared to be several distinct areas. To be honest, many of the outlying suburbs appeared quite run down and there is clearly signs of the economic decline. However, as we moved closer to the centre, there was evidence of Pittsburgh’s glory days with some grand old buildings. This was particularly evident near the university where the philanthropy of such notables as Andrew Carnegie and Andrew Mellon can be seen with several notable buildings in their honor. In the shopping precinct, there were signs of more recent building development with its glass castle (PPG Place) forming a centre piece of the city and providing a tangible sign that the city is looking positively toward the future. Following our arrival from bustling Chicago, it appeared that Pittsburgh was clearly much smaller and with comparatively less attractions, although it does lay claim to being the birth place of Andy Warhol and a museum housing one of the best collections of his works. However, Jules and I thought that it had a more significant asset in its favour… it’s people. Everyone we met was extremely friendly and happy to take the time to share aspects of their city with a couple from a far away land. They were clearly proud of their city and encouraged us to enjoy what it had to offer, although, like others before, they continued to ask that same familiar question… why are you visiting Pittsburgh? When we told them of our intention to visit ‘Fallingwater’ we were surprised that few had actually been to see this historic building even though it was only a relatively short drive from the city. They gave the impression that they were essentially city folk who were happy to stay in familiar territory. As for us, we were on a mission and keen to hit the open road in search of a place called Mill Run, a waterfall and a very special house.

It’s all about Mies

Ever since my Design Studies days at university, I have always admired the architectural designs of Mies Van Der Rohe. This was even further reinforced when Jules and I were fortunate enough to visit the Barcelona Pavillion in Spain last year. So while in Chicago, we were determined to explore more of the works of this great modernist architect as this was the city that became his home following his exodus from Germany in the years preceding World War Two, along with many other artists and designers from the famed Bauhaus School. In the 1940’s, the city of Chicago welcomed his arrival and over the years it allowed him to complete many of his most famous buildings. As we made our way around the city, his distinctive designs appeared to be everywhere and we were both amazed at the amount of major public works he actually designed in the city and at the various universities. However, in order to view one of his most famous domestic buildings, we had to travel outside of Chicago to the area of Plano to visit the much acclaimed ‘Farnsworth House’. To assist us in our quest we recruited the assistance of Larry, a Chicago local who takes private tours to this iconic design. Having worked as a guide for many years, he had an encyclopedic knowledge of the life and work of Mies and provided us with invaluable background information regarding his various designs and in particular Farnsworth House. This modest one bedroom home has only recently been open to the public following its acquisition in 2004 by the National Trust. In 2008 it had the misfortune to suffer severe flood damage resulting in major restoration work that lasted a full year. However, on the day we visited it looked picture perfect, sitting majestically in lush woods close to the same gently flowing river that had previously caused so much damage. The use of white painted steel and white Italian marble is in stark contrast to the designs Mies created for Chicago, but its simplicity is justifiably regarded as a true celebration of modernism. As Jules and I walk toward the house and eventually stood inside, we could see why. With its extensive use of glass, the house is a platform to admire the surrounding nature. The building appears to float above the green grass below with only a few vertical beams lightly touching the earth. We felt privileged to experience the building on such a perfect day, but like many have done, we speculated upon its future. The building of a nearby highway (which can be clearly heard) and increasing flooding due to man-made changes to the natural flow of rainwater is increasingly jeopardising the integrity of the site. While it stands today much as it did in 1951, this might not always be the case and it will take a major commitment by the Trust in the coming years. Certainly with an increasing amount of visitors to this important Mies building, it suggests that it’s well worth preserving for future generations to also admire.

Baseball Memories at Wrigley Field

If you visit Chicago and you’re a sports fan, a visit to Wrigley Field is a must. This is the home of the Chicago Cubs or the ‘Cubbies’ as they are affectionately known here. Certainly I can’t lay claim to any in depth knowledge of baseball, but a few years ago I bought a book on the history of baseball after watching a brilliant Ken Burns documentary and it was from there that I learned of this iconic sports stadium. Built in 1914, this is one of the last of the old time ‘ball parks’ which still remain in the US and can be found in the northern suburban neighbourhood of Lakeview. It retains many of the original features such as its famous Art Deco marquee entrance sign, the traditional hand turned metal scoreboard and ivy covered out field walls (the last professional ballpark to do so). The dimensions of the stadium have not changed since 1934, however the crowd attendance has been expanded over the years with local residents building small bleacher stands on the rooftops of the surrounding buildings, providing yet another unique feature to Wrigley Field. During my visit I joined one of their regular tours of the ground that provides you with a great insight into both this historic ground and the Cubs. Our guide entertained us with numerous stories of the traditions, glory days and disappointments of Chicago’s favourite team. While its cross town rivals the Chicago White Sox have had more recent success, Cubs fans seem to out number them. This conclusion is not statistical, but simply based upon the amount of t-shirts you see being worn around town and the attention they appear to get in the media. However, their popularity is certainly not based upon their success, after all it is 102 years since they actually won a world series! It seems that they have a long tradition of breaking their fans hearts, but still they stay loyal and in fact the fan base continues to grow. As witnessed on my tour, it is a family club that retains its ties to simpler times. At each home game the crowd still sing ‘Take Me Out to the Ball Game’ before every game; just one of the many other traditions that still that hold firm. Support for the club is certainly generational, as fans reassure themselves that if or when a national championship victory finally arrives, the long wait will make it all the more sweeter. There appears to be no resentment towards the club for their lack of success, the fans clearly love it and celebrate the many happy times spent at Wrigley Field. They certainly won me over and I will be joining their legion of loyal supporters, if only from afar.

In Search of Frank Lloyd Wright

Even if you have a limited knowledge of architecture, you would have probably heard of Frank Lloyd Wright or maybe have seen one of his famous designs (Fallingwater, Robie House, Unity Temple, The Guggenheim Museum to name just a few). He is regarded as one of America’s greatest architects, with a career that spanned seventy years and continually pushed architectural boundaries. While his influence eventually spread world wide, it all began in Chicago where he obtained his earliest commissions and where you can easily trace his initial stylistic development. For Jules and myself, an Architectural Foundation tour of his home and studio as well as some of his early residential designs was a must see during our stay in Chicago. It seems that we weren’t the only ones following the footsteps of the great man as when we boarded our tour bus, it was full of people from all walks of life, states and countries keen to also experience his designs first hand. After a short drive west of the ‘windy city’ we find ourselves in the leafy suburb of Oak Park where Wright had built his family home and eventually his first working studio. Our knowledgeable tour guide takes us around the relatively modest home, which had been continually extended and modified as his family and his architectural practice grew. There are glimpses of the ‘Prairie Style’ emerging in some of the finer details in the home and also an increasing Japanese influence. This is particularly relevant to us, living in Osaka at the moment and having recently viewed ‘Yamamura House’ in nearby Kobe that was designed by Wright during his eventual visit to the country in the 1920’s. Standing in Wrights original studio in Oak Park, surrounded by much of the original furniture is quite amazing and is testament to the ongoing work of the Frank Lloyd Wright Preservation Trust in restoring the residence to its original state. Our guide informed us that they had been fortunate to have the assistance of some of Wrights children, in the twilight of their lives, assisting them with many of the finer details. Following our tour of the house and studio we were able to walk around the Oak Park neighbourhood, where many of the early Wright designed residences still exist and have been lovingly restored by their owners. Over the years some of these houses have actually been demolished, but fortunately none for the past thirty years and the public are now able to appreciate them as they were intended, as functional residential homes. We finish our walking tour with a visit to Unity Temple, which is another Wright design that is still in use. Unlike many church designs, Wrights is much more intimate with stronger emphasis on horizontal and vertical line. All of these designs are precursors to many of the designs that followed and as we view these architectural gems we are able to gain a true insight into a great architects life and work.

Magnificent Millennium Park

If you’re looking for the heart of Chicago, you can’t go past Millennium Park, which sits about halfway along Michigan Avenue, often referred to as the ‘Golden Mile’. Ideally located in an area called ‘The Loop’ (Chicago’s theatre district) and positioned close to the Lake Michigan shoreline, it offers grand views of many of the older high rise buildings of the city. It is beautifully designed with landscaped gardens, outdoor eating areas, pavilions and plenty of places to sit and relax while enjoying the grand vista. Throughout the park there are a host of interesting public art works, specifically designed to encourage human interaction. During our visit it was the height of summer and the magnificent ‘Crown Fountain’ designed by Jaume Plensa was immensely popular, with children keen to splash in the puddles or get soaked by the jets of water that emerge from the mouths of giant digital faces. However by far the most popular sculpture is ‘Cloud Gate’, which is fondly referred to as ‘the bean’ by most locals. This huge polished stainless-steel sculpture created by Indian born British artist Anish Kapoor attracts thousands of visitors daily to the plaza to view a distorted reflection of the Chicago skyline and the various activities at ground level. This bold sculptural theme continues with the centrepiece of the park, the Jay Pritzker Pavilion designed by world-renowned architect Frank Gehrey. This post-modernist structure provides a stunningly and creatively sculptural sound shell that is used for a wide variety of outdoor concerts. While we’re in town, there were free concerts on most evenings, attracting people to sit in the amphitheatre or relax on the grass to listen and watch the sun set. We were surprised to learn that Millennium Park was only completed in 2004, as it certainly feels like it has been part of down town Chicago for much longer. It truly is an amazing piece of architectural, engineering and landscape design that literally covers some 24 acres of railway tracks that continue to run beneath. It just goes to show what can be achieved with what many might have previously considered to be unusable land. It remains an exciting addition to Chicago’s extensive parkland boulevard and remains yet another attraction that continues to breathe new life into this impressive city.

Architectural Gems in Chicago

I have always had a strong interest in architectural design, both personally and professionally. Over many years of lecturing to my students on the subject of ‘Modernism’, the city of Chicago has always figured prominently. After all, this is the birth place of the skyscraper and became the adopted home of many great architects … Daniel Burnham, Louis Sullivan, Frank Lloyd Wright, Mies Van Der Rohe to name just a few. Finally, Jules and I have the opportunity to visit this great city and to soak up its magnificent architectural treasures. There is just so much to see, with the Chicago Architectural Foundation running no less than 80 different tours in and around the city…where do you start! A pretty good place for us to begin was the highly recommended river boat cruise that takes you along the Chicago River and provides a fascinating overview of the city’s development since ‘The Great Fire of 1871’. As we learnt, the terrific thing about Chicago is that you can map out its progress through the development of its buildings. Fortunately many of the original early high rise buildings still remain and you can literally see the architects of the day becoming bolder in their designs and larger in scale with every passing year. As we meander down the river on a glorious summers day, the unique variety of city buildings can truly be admired in their best light. There is a wonderful diversity of style that somehow blends together in harmony, reflecting the cities proud heritage and its willingness to continue to stretch architectural boundaries. We were told by our tour guide that in the recent years, city planners have taken an increased pride in the river system that uniquely threads its way through the city and a considerable amount of clean up has occurred. Designers have in turn drawn inspiration from both the Chicago River and Lake Michigan, which is clearly evident in the design features of many of the more modern structures. While these ‘super talls’ (as our tour guide referred to them) continue to loom overhead, at ground level alfresco cafes, restaurants, sculptured squares and pedestrian walkways now breath life into the city, assisted by a myriad of water crafts moving up and down the river. This unique feature provides a facet of big city living that is not apparent in the city’s more famous east coast cousin, New York. It is clear to see that Chicago is different, while maintaining its distinct character; the city continues to build upon its chequered history and evolves with an eye to the future. In doing so, Chicago recognises its unique architectural heritage and increasingly attracts visitors such as ourselves to the ‘Windy City’.

Teeing Off With Japanese Technology

If you are into sport you would know that Japan has a healthy reputation as a golfing nation. I guess it all began post-war when America imported the sport into Japan along with baseball. Since then it has boomed despite the fact that it remains very expensive to be a member of a golf club and most are situated toward the outskirts of the big cities. In our early days in Japan, our real estate agent told us that he loved his golf and was actually a member of four golf clubs. While he obviously is a keen golfer, this could have been more of a financial investment on his part, as memberships can be bought and sold like property and can appreciate in value. Nonetheless, the average person can still become part of the golf craze and there are plenty of golf shops around to entice you. Also dotted throughout the suburbs are large netted areas where you can buy a bucket of golf balls and happily knock the casing of them (day or night) from multi-level platforms. However, the latest phenomenon is indoor electronic golf, which I was recently introduced to by one of my colleagues. Here, standing in front of a large digital screen, you can play golf electronically on many of the major courses of the world … St Andrews, Pebble Beach, take your pick! Being indoors, the conditions are always perfect. You are supplied with a nice cold drink, given the latest clubs to use and even provided with a golf glove, all at a very affordable price. It’s a combination of driving range and video game, where you can slam your ball into the large screen and have it converted by digital technology into a computer animation that matches the distance and direction of your shot. To add further realism to the experience, the tee-off platform automatically adjusts its angle depending on the lie of the ball and you are supplied with information such as wind direction, the slope of the green, recommended club selection etc. However, there is one big advantage to this form of the game…you never lose a ball! Although the computer can penalise you harshly for wayward shots, sending you back to the tee to try again, adding a penalty stroke to your score … just like the real game! The big disadvantage (or some might consider it an advantage) is that there is no walking and the only exercise gained is achieved by swinging the club. Any calories lost, as a result of the numerous thrashing of golf clubs are probably negated by the drinks you consume. To be honest it takes some getting used to, as it is a little while before you can correctly judge distances. Yet the computer is very accurate and the game is a genuine test of your golfing skill. Certainly my score was nothing to brag about…so it was a typical round of golf for me! However, just like the real game it is a very social activity that is certainly to be recommended. It’s a great way to spend a few hours and more recently has made golf even more accessible to the wider Japanese public.

A Celebration of Belgian Beer

With the warmer weather approaching there is nothing that the Japanese like better than a large cold beer. Much like us Aussies, they prefer the lager style and serve it in very large, thick rimmed glasses suitable for heavy duty ‘clinking’. There are some very nice crisp beers here, from world famous breweries like Asahi, Suntory, Sapporo and Kirin, but the Japanese also have a taste for a wide range of foreign beers. Throughout the country there are an extraordinary number of Belgian beer cafes that serve a diverse range of flavours. Jules and I have a favourite one in Kobe, and some friends of ours recently introduced us to a very nice bar tucked away in the back streets of down town Osaka. It was from here that we were handed a flyer inviting us to attend the ‘Belgian Beer Weekend Osaka 2011’…sounded good to us! So on a warm night we headed down to Umeda for this popular outdoor event, which was held under the Sky Tower (one of the tallest buildings in Osaka). There were 48 Belgian beers on offer that could be tasted by using pre-purchased tokens. This worked out at around 500 yen per glass (about $A 5.00) so it was around half of what it would normally cost for such imported beers. The weekend mirrored a similar weekend event that is held annually in Brussels and needless to say, the 13,000 strong crowd who attended over the four days, were certainly enjoying this little taste of Europe. When we arrived there was a nice relaxed atmosphere with plenty of taste testing while the crowd listening attentively to the smooth sounds of the Jeff Neve Trio, who had travelled especially from Brussels to perform. In between the music brackets there was plenty of toasting (in a range of languages) from the main stage. Like most people who were there, we were happy to hold our glasses up high and simply say ‘Kampai’ to Belgian Beer.

Tackling the Tori Gates

In 2005 the famous installation artist Christo created a controversial sculpture in New York City called ‘The Gates’. It consisted of seven and a half thousand arched gateways following a thirty-seven kilometre pathway through the heart of Central Park. Like most of Christo’s works, it was perceived as being on the cutting edge of modern art, yet it was actually inspired by the Ancient Tori Gates of Kyoto. Known officially as the Fushimi Inari shrine, the original ‘Gates’ consists of tens of thousands (approx. 30,000) of traditional Shinto archways that follow a steep trail to the top of Inari Mountain. Unlike the Christo sculpture which only lasted several months, the Tori Gates of Kyoto date back to the fourteenth century and still remains one of the most significant Imperial shrines in Japan. We managed to visit this picturesque site during David and Cara’s recent whirlwind tour of the Kansai area. It was the last of our Kyoto attractions and it was very late in the day when we arrived. The souvenir shops were closing and most of the tourists were heading home, so we had the trail pretty much to ourselves. As it was heading toward dusk, we all agreed that we would walk along the trail no more than an hour and then turn back. However, as we passed through the seemingly endless tunnel of vermillion coloured archways (placed literally inches apart), I became more and more curious about how far they would actually continue. The pace began to quicken, time was running out and with my curiosity getting the better of me, I decided to make a breakaway. My cunning plan was to quickly make it to the top of the mountain then head back to meet up with other ‘slower walkers’ on my way down. The trail became steeper and the gates became increasingly spread out, but there was an added bonus with a stunning view of Kyoto becoming increasingly prominent. With a lot of huffing and puffing I proudly reached the top, only to be followed by Jules, Dave and Cara just minutes later. Jules took great pleasure in rubbing it in about my lack of faith that they would be able to make it within the hour. I ate a slice of humble pie and we all enjoyed the sunset view of Kyoto before heading back down through the spectacular Tori gates one more time.

The 20 Million Dollar View

Have you ever wanted to see what a population of 20 million people looks like? Well, if you venture to the top of Mt. Rokko in Kobe, Japan you will get a pretty good idea. It is in fact referred to in the tourist brochures as the ’10 million dollar view’ which I think tends to short change it, at only 50 cents per person (hence the title of this blog)…nonetheless it is a very spectacular view. On a recent trip to Kobe with Dave and Cara we decided to make the ascent once again. In our early days in Japan we had headed to the top of the 1000 metre mountain in a small bubble shaped cable car (or ropeway, as they called it here) that gracefully skimmed above the treetops arriving to a fabulous view of downtown Kobe. However this time we thought we would try another vantage point that was said to have an even wider panoramic view taking in both Osaka and Kobe. Rather than travelling upward on a ropeway we were surprised to find a more traditional wooden cable car (what is referred to in Europe as a vernacular) that is pulled along a steep 45 degree track. While the view on the way up wasn’t quite as spectacular, the sharp ascent took us through some thick forest areas. As we moved upward, the increasingly cooling temperature suggested it was certainly going to a lofty vantage point which was soon confirmed upon arrival and we were able to scan our eyes across one of the most condensed population centres in the world. Taking in the vista of the horseshoe shaped bay was quite amazing and for the first time we were able to match what we had seen on maps with the actual scene. It was remarkably quiet, in contrast to the activity below and with the sun beginning to set we enjoyed the sheer scale of the outlook while taking pleasure in spotting familiar landmarks. As we were about to leave we began chatting with a local man who spoke very good English, who claimed that there was an even better vantage point to be had at yet another location …we filed it away for another day.

The Magnificent Monuments of Nara

Since arriving in Osaka we have had many people recommending a trip to the nearby town of Nara as a must see experience. So, with Dave and Cara keen to explore the area, we all hopped on a train bound for the mountains east of Osaka to experience ‘the Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara’ as it is referred to on UNESCO’s list of world heritage sites. We had also been told about the abundant deer that can be found roaming the town and in particular throughout scenic Nara Park. Here by Shinto tradition, they are regarded as ‘heavenly’ creatures and are able to walk around quite freely being fed with especially prepared crackers that can be easily bought from the numerous street vendors. After joining the many other tourists keeping the deer well and truly nourished, we made our way to view some of the largest Buddhist temples to be found in Japan. Jules and Cara had temple books in hand and were keen to have them signed by the local monks so initially we viewed the Kofuku-ji temple with it’s magnificent four storey pagoda. This was soon followed by a pilgrimage to Todaiji temple, which is particularly notable as it houses Japans largest bronze Buddha. As we approached the temple we walked through Nandaimon gate, which is guarded by two fierce looking statues dating back to the thirteenth century. The temple itself is impressive in both its design and scale, being the largest wooden building in the world. Upon entering, the size of the structure is even more evident, with the imposing giant Buddha (all of 15 metres tall) taking pride of place. We pondered which might have come first… the temple or the Buddha? As we moved on we ventured further into the hills where other smaller, but no less beautiful temples overlooked the township and provided views of beyond. By now it was late afternoon and although we had just begun to explore the area we were suitably impressed with the many cultural sights Nara had to offer. As claimed, it was certainly worth the visit and with more to see we will be back!

Tasting the Local Drop

With David’s professional interest in the liquor industry, he was keen to visit a few of the local producers of the ‘smooth stuff’ while in town. To be honest this is an aspect of Kansai tourism that Jules and I hadn’t previously considered, so we would be dabbling into unfamiliar territory, yet we were curious about what might be on offer. First stop was the famous Suntory Yamazaki whisky distillery that sits in the foothills outside of Kyoto. Now, I first heard of this famous whisky in the movie ‘Lost in Translation’ when Bill Murray says the memorable line…’for relaxing times, make it Suntory time’ in a scene where he is making a TV commercial. At the time I actually thought it was a made up company, but it turns out it has been operating since 1923 and it is now very well known worldwide, winning many international awards. Despite my obvious ignorance, the tour of the distillery was brilliant, with a comprehensive explanation of the whisky making process (in English), a viewing of their extensive ‘whisky library’ (something I had never heard of or seen before) and of course the obligatory whisky tasting, which is particularly well organised. Having enjoyed this tasting experience we were all keen to explore the wonderful world of sake by visiting the Hakutsura brewery, which was one of a number that can be found on the outskirts of Kobe. Arriving at Simiyoshi train station we were somewhat confused where to actually find the brewery, but not for the first time a local was kind enough to lead us to our destination, which as it turned out was only five minutes walk away. While on a much smaller scale than Suntory, the Hakutsuru sake brewery was particularly well done, with English brochures and ‘Madame Tussauds’ style wax figures depicting every stage of the sake brewing process. Of course it’s the tasting that had attracted us and the other foreigners who were there on the day and the amazing range on offer did not disappoint. Having had a preconceived notion of the sake taste, we were pleasantly surprised by the diversity of flavours, particularly the fruity ones that were deceptive in their alcohol content. Jules was particularly impressed with one that tasted remarkably like limoncello (one of her favourites) and happily purchased a bottle for further taste testing at home. Here sake (rice wine) is appreciated in the same way as we regard a grape wine. There are many different styles and qualities that are enjoyed depending upon the meal, occasion or time of day. Certainly both visits had enlightened our knowledge and our palettes, while providing yet another facet to what this region has to offer.

Takatsuki Street Jazz

The city of Takatsuki lies somewhere between Osaka and Kyoto. Every year it plays host to one of the biggest free jazz festivals in Japan, with musicians converging to the streets and local venues to do their stuff! Having thoroughly enjoyed the Otsu jazz festival last year, the promise of a bigger and better festival was definitely on our agenda especially with Dave and Cara in town.

We arrived there on the second day and things were really jumping at that stage with numerous bands in the streets that surrounded the railway station. The event was well supported with big crowds sitting and standing in the streets enjoying the warm weather, a beer and some great sounds. During the afternoon we kept on moving, following our map to the various performance venues that varied from street corners, intimate cafés or to packed bars that spilled out into the street. The music continued into the night with a multitude of jazz music styles catching the ear as we walked around enjoying the smell of tasty food cooking at several of the venues. We saw some terrific acts, but we thought that we would catch just one more before the last train home. As we wandered in search, we must have looked lost as a man on a bicycle took the time to stop to help. It turned out that he was one of the major organizers of the festival and with typical Japanese friendliness, he was keen to make sure that we made it to the final event and that we had enjoyed our experience. It had indeed been a terrific day, as we had met lots of friendly folks of all ages, who were similarly enjoying plenty of cool sounds performed by some fantastic musicians.

Riding the Hazugawa River

With the weather warming up, Jules and I were keen to take Dave and Cara out of the big cities to see some of the wonderful countryside in the surrounding mountains of Kyoto. We had heard that one of the best ways to experience Japan’s natural beauty was to take a two-hour boat ride down the Hozugawa River that flows from Kameoka to Arishiyama. After a relatively quick train journey from Osaka, our momentum was somewhat halted when buying our tickets as we learnt that we would have to wait an hour and a half for our boat. Being ‘Golden Week’, a consecutive run of three public holidays in Japan and probably the busiest time of the year for tourist destinations, it wasn’t totally surprising. However eventually, an announcement over the loud speaker (in English) heralded that our boat was finally ready and that we should all hop on board. The lovely thing about this journey is that the boats are of traditional wooden design with the crew of three all taking turns in rowing, punting and steering the boat down river, much as they have done for centuries. There are no motors here and all that can be heard is the creaking of the wooden oar on every stroke as we move gently through the still waters to enter some wonderfully picturesque gorges. We pass scores of turtles lazing on the rocks as we quietly move along leaving civilization behind. The silence is briefly interrupted by a colourful wooden train (referred to as the ‘Romantic Train’), scooting by as it hugs the edge of the steep slopes that line the river. It is full of waving holidaymakers who have opted to see the same scenery using a slightly quicker form of transport. It is soon quiet again, but the pace of our journey increases as we approach our first set of rapids. We notice small groups in rubber dingies who are clearly here to experience the thrill of white water rafting. However, our experienced crew expertly dodge the larger boulders and avoid the more challenging waters, ensuring that we experience a few splashes without being in too much danger. The short burst of excitement livens up the passengers and sparks plenty of banter (in Japanese of course) from the crew, who go on to point out the various heights of the river over the years and the names given by the boatmen to many of the passing rocks. Our heads are craned upward, as we admire the spectacular scenery and gaze at the occasional bridge crossing high overhead. There are several more small rapid runs, but eventually the river slows and we notice a boat heading up stream. It eventually pulls up along side, to serve all manner of cooked food and drinks; it’s a unique touch on the final leg of our journey. Soon we started to notice other smaller boats obviously hired from down stream, so we knew that we had arrived at our destination. The time had passed quickly and in the end we all agreed the ride was a fun way to experience the wooded mountains of Kyoto and the beautiful waters of the Hozugawa River.

The Golden Pavilion

When visitors hit Osaka, a visit to nearby Kyoto is an absolute must! It has some of the most impressive Buddhist temples and shrines in Japan, most of which have been beautifully renovated. I learnt recently, during my visit to Hiroshima, that Kyoto was originally one of the intended targets for the atomic bomb and was therefore spared from bombing during World War II. The cities fortunate last minute reprieve allowed many of their architectural treasures to be conserved. Not surprisingly there are actually seventeen world heritage sites in Kyoto alone, attracting visitors from all around the world. One such place that we hadn’t visited before and were keen to show Dave and Cara, was the ‘Temple of the Golden Pavilion’. Despite the odd civil war and numerous fires since the thirteenth century, the buildings and gardens have remained lovingly preserved and demonstrate the beauty and simplicity of classic architectural and garden design. The centrepiece is of course The Golden Pavilion itself… a modest three storey wooden building sitting gracefully on the edge of a calm central lake that reflects a striking mirror image. While the ground level of the pavilion shows the traditional use of natural wood and white grid panels, the exterior walls of the upper two floors are completely covered with gold leaf. Although you might imagine the building to be quite opulent, it remains relatively simple in design and contrasts beautifully against the greenery of the surrounding garden. No doubt the scene would change with the seasons, but when we visited it was spring and with a hint of warmth in the air, it made our leisurely walk through the grounds a very tranquil and enjoyable experience.

Encounter with a Whale Shark

With the much anticipated arrival of our son David and his girlfriend Cara it was time to hit the town to show them some of the many tourist attractions that Osaka has to offer. Some we had seen already, but others we had just read about and were yet to investigate. One such place is the famed Osaka Aquarium. Everyone we have met who had been here for a while claimed that it was really quite something to see, so it was definitely on our list. Now, my memories of aquariums are not good, as they are somewhat tainted by visions of the long since demolished Adelaide Aquarium. As a kid I remember visiting and looking through small windows into a very cloudy oversized swimming pool to see the occasional Tommy Ruff swim by. The Osaka Aquarium is quite a contrast, being one of the largest in the world holding over 10 million litres of crystal clear water. Upon our arrival we headed to the eighth floor to begin the gentle walk downwards through a Japanese rainforest, which is the first of 15 habitats that we would visit during our descent (including Antarctica, Monterey Bay and more familiarly The Great Barrier Reef). Each environment depicts not just the marine life, but also the interaction that animals such as penguins, otters and seals have with the ocean. However, the central and biggest area is devoted to the ‘Pacific Ocean’ where the large-scale fish and stingrays swim comfortably in a three-storey tank and can be viewed through floor to ceiling windows. Of course the undisputed star of the show here is the giant Whale Shark, which is one of only a few in captivity and at 16 foot long, it swims lazily past the panoramic windows to the amazement of the crowd. As it swims it is followed by a range of assorted smaller fish that seem to be basking in the attention that is naturally directed toward the big guy. It’s highly unlikely that we will ever have a chance to swim with one of these marvellous creatures or let alone see one in the wild, so seeing it this close is truly a unique experience. Equally fascinating was viewing some of the smaller creatures from the depths of the ocean floor, which are often rarely seen. Delicate floating Jelly Fish and Japanese Spider Crabs appear like aliens from another world and gauging by the amount of cameras in use, the encounter was just as important as viewing the larger scale creatures of the deep.