Sanuk Canadian

Last December, after finishing up a one week cruise, I had an additional day before flying back to Japan. My travel friend met up with a local friend in Miami; I decided to explore the city on my own. In the early evening, I joined a boat tour to see the famous "millionaire's row"-- a series of islands housing many large mansions. The tour boat departed from Bayside Marketplace -- a great area to walk around, enjoy free events, eat, or shop. Photo: Bayside marina with a view of the Hard Rock Cafe in the distance While waiting onboard the ship, I enjoyed a free salsa dance show dockside. See the video below: Once the boat left, we cruised slowly through the harbor, getting great views of the city skyline and working dock fixings. (clockwise from top left) Miami skyline/ one of many cruise ships in port/   Disney ship "Wonder"/  a kid paddle boarding/   iron birds (cranes): A guide on our ship talked us through the various homes on millionaire...

About two weeks ago, I wanted to get out despite the rainy weather and enjoy some fresh air. While browsing through Google Maps©, I noticed a large park several stops away by train. I decided to head there for the afternoon. Yatoyama Park is a national park located approximately 15 minutes walk from Zama station, on the Odakyu line. The park is free and most famous for bird-watching. You will likely find many older Japanese men with long telephoto lenses, seeking out various winged species. In addition to the bird-watching platforms, there are also rice fields, ponds, small rivers and numerous hiking trails. Photos: Park entrance, ducks, maps and an explanation sheet on how rice is grown & harvested. The park was established in 1982 and covers a wide area. Completing all the trails will take approximately 2 ~ 3 hours. The numerous trails are especially popular with joggers, so bring your running shoes!  Food and drink is welcome and there are some limited spots t...