Sanuk Canadian

Back in early April of this year, I was able to (finally!) join my friend in touring the ANA maintenance hanger attached to Haneda airport, in Tokyo. This tour requires a reservation; however, due to its popularity, most have to book three months in advance. Because my friend and I do not work on Tuesdays, we were able to fill in for a sudden cancellation. We arrived early to receive our ID pass; soon after, we moved to a large presentation room, where we were treated to a talk about ANA's history, their various airplanes, how airplanes fly (in particular, the engine & wing shape), as well as two short quizzes regarding the content of the presentation. This seminar was in Japanese only; however, it was quite easy to follow. At the end of the presentation, we were invited to lift a new carbon fiber wing component seen on the 787 Dreamliner, and compare that with the older type. The older one was much heavier!! Lifting carbon fiber wings/ Gundam / Cutenekko/  Inisde the p...

This is part of a series regarding a cruise on the Norwegian Epic to 3 different countries.  Other posts are: ONE / TWO / THREE / FOUR . After visiting Jamaica and the Cayman Islands, our ship moved to the final port -- Cozumel in Mexico. My friend and I love history, so we booked a full day tour to view some ruins in Tulum -- approximately 3 hours by bus and boat from Cozumel. The boat crossing from Cozumel to Playa del Carmen would take about 40 minutes and we were warned numerous times that the crossing would be rough; regardless, many staff on the ship offered margaritas to passengers at 9am!  Tulum was a pre-Mayan port town; now, it is a park showcasing the ruins of this once, thriving community. On the bus, our guide explained the writing system (similar to Egyptian hieroglyphics) and black stone carvings.  Scenes from Tulum and Playa del Carmen: Bottom row -- the very famous beach at Tulum, with cliff views of the ruins My friend was...

This is a series about a cruise from Miami port to 3 different countries.  Part one is HERE . Part TWO . Part THREE .  In the last post, we were finishing up a plantation tour in Ochos Rios, Jamaica. After that, we headed to our final, and most famous destination, Dunn's River Falls. In Jamaica, climbing waterfalls is a popular tourist activity and my friend wanted to try it. Unfortunately, the weather did not cooperate, and we ended up walking along the river in a downpour. Instead, I snapped photos of those brave souls marching up the river in the rain.... A note about Dunn's River Falls: It's a tourist trap. They (guides) will say you must have special water shoes, which you have to buy for $10 ~ 15. We didn't buy anything and noticed once we got to the falls, you don't need shoes at all. The "must have water shoes" is a scam; don't fall for it. Once returning to port, our ship, the Norwegian Epic, sailed on to Georgetown, Grand Ca...

This is part of a series. Parts one and two are HERE and HERE .  By the third day of our cruise, we had finally reached our first port-of-call -- Ochos Rios, Jamaica. My high school band teacher raved about Jamaica, but I wasn't sure what to expect. I don't drink rum, I'm not into ganja, so I wondered, "Just what in the heck is there to see?" Well, it turned out my travel partner solved that problem for me -- she wanted to visit a plantation and learn more about slave culture. She booked a full day tour exploring two sites on the island. The plantation welcomed us with free samples of Blue Mountain coffee. Soon, the tour guide greeted us and escorted us to our tour "bus" -- a hard-workin' Ford tractor hitched to a series of wooden benches attached to a flatbed. I felt like I had become a member of the Ingall family, a la Little House on the Prairie. Various scenes from the plantation tour: The tour snaked its way through the grounds, pass...

For the past week, I had been needing to de-stress from my work. Unfortunately, we are in the midst of the rainy season in Japan, so the weather did not cooperate with my wishes. Finally, just yesterday, the sun stood tall for an entire day, so I asked a friend to join me in visiting Yokohama English Garden. This garden, located only 10 minutes from Yokohama station, showcases five zones, with a large number of roses. With the rose being the symbolic flower of Yokohama, the garden boasts over 1,250 varieties! Enjoy the photos.... Entrance & cosmos, one my favorites:  The gardens are not free; the entrance fees are 500 yen for adults and 300 for children and seniors. You can buy a one year member's pass, which costs 3,000 yen ($30) allowing you to visit the garden an infinite number of times.    Garden paths, benches and brick walls: There is very nice gift shop near the entrance to the garden with many reasonably priced, rose/flower themed items...

This is a series regarding a cruise taken in December, 2014 from Miami to three ports of call aboard the Norwegian Epic. Part one is HERE .  Our ship left Miami port at 4pm, we would cruise for the next two days on the open sea, passing Cuba. We enjoyed dinner that evening and the next morning, I was up bright and early for my typical, enormous, buffet breakfast. The open air cafe next to the pool deck offered great ocean views. breakfast, dinner & desserts My friend and I love taking advantage of the many free classes on board, so we poured over the daily newsletter and highlighted our favorites. For the first day at sea, we selected two activities: first, a workshop on how to make paper flowers. Second, a lecture on upcoming cruises offered by Norwegian. Early morning sunrise; Cuba in the distance; flower workshop: The paper flower workshop was quite fun. Making those flowers was a challenge!  As it was a few weeks before X-mas, the ship was decorated wi...

Last December, before X-mas, I skipped town to fly very far -- Tokyo --> Chicago --> Miami. I went with my favorite travel friend, Ms. Y, where we met up with my parents to enjoy a 7-day cruise together. Before the trip, I got an early Christmas gift -- a new camera. My red Nikon came with many features; a fav being the monochrome and color filters. I enjoyed playing with the camera while at the airport.... Monocrome postcards: Photo by cutenekko. Taken with a Nikon Coolpix P600. Blue filter at Miami Port:  photo by cutenekko In Miami, the cruise ship we chose was the Norwegian Epic. The reason? I found an extremely cheap deal online; our 7-day cruise to three ports cost only $345 per person (inside cabin), including a $100 onboard spending credit. The ship is a "mega-class", holding over 4,000 passengers. It first went into service in 2010. Postcard shopping /Miami hotel Our cabin on the Norwegian Epic: All photos : Cutenekko Our cabin was s...

Last week, my travel friend took me to a beautiful garden. As roses are in season, it was the perfect time to for our visit, as this park predominately features roses. Located in Kawasaki City, the garden is easily accessible by train from Tokyo. Garden overview, roses from all over the world: To get to the garden, you can catch an express Odakyu train from Shinjuku, going towards Sagami Ono. Get off at Mukogaoka-Yuen station. From there, walk straight until you see the sign that reads "Bara Road" (bara = rose in Japanese). This road, filled with roses, will lead to you to the park itself. Be warned -- there is a very long, steep, uphill climb to the park's entrance. For those coming by wheelchair, or needing assistance, the front gate staff will escort you to a van and drive you. That service is completely free.  Statue stands over the "Royal Court" of roses; Roses  from English, Holland, France and Japan. This rose garden is run by a group ...

While in Thailand last September, I had one more day left in the capital city of Bangkok, before catching a red eye flight back to Japan. I spent my time at an unlikely, hidden attraction, close to Don Muang International Airport -- the Royal Thai Air Force Museum. Located approximately twenty minutes by taxi from the airport, this museum offers historical airplanes fans an excellent opportunity to see many of the machines up close, and in great detail. Various scenes from the museum: All photos by Cutenekko The museum is open daily, from 09:00 ~ 16:00 except on Thai national holidays. The largest benefit for visitors is the entrance fee -- it's FREE!  During my visit, there were no English brochures available; however, many signs explaining the name of the aircraft, plus build information, country of origin, as well as years in service, were written in both Thai and English. A self-guided route allows visitors to wander through the facility at his/her own pace....

Today, I had the privilege to visit a fantastic, off-the-beaten-path, open-air park in Kawasaki City (a 15 minute train ride from Tokyo). This historical park, known in Japanese as Nihon Minkaen, is home to twenty-three various houses, a kabuki stage and a shrine. Buildings were dismantled, imported from various areas in Japan and reconstructed in Kawasaki. The unique point? All were built over 200 years ago, feature traditional, Japanese architecture and have been wonderfully restored. This park is a must for history fans and those who wish to walk around various homes which belonged to pharmacists, samurai and farmers. The Suzuki house, The Saji Gate: The park, commissioned by the city of Kawasaki, was opened in 1965. It serves as a resting place for various historical homes, saved from destruction. The park is quite large and visitors can follow a clearly marked route to view all the buildings. Allot two to three hours to walk the entire park. The Misawa House, A volu...