Japan: Yokohama and Tokyo.... and Randolph Alums!

With Emi in front of the Diet Building

After a day sail from Kobe, we arrived in Yokohama.  Tina and I were met in Yokohama by Emi Tokubuchi, RMWC '94, who works for the Sakae Institute of Study Abroad in Tokyo.  The Sakae Institute helps Japanese students connect with colleges and universities in the US.  We traveled with Emi by train to Tokyo, where we took a walking tour of the area around the Japanese Diet Building, and met Liz at the Sakae Institute offices. We were warmly greeted by Mrs. Sakae, and Emi showed us some of her photos and yearbooks from her time at RMWC.

Japan: Kobe, Osaka and Kyoto

Our welcoming band in Kobe

Bunraku Theater poster in the subway station

Bunraku Theater performance in Osaka

Nijo Castle main building, home of the shogun

Nijo Castle

Zen dry gardens

Bell at Ryoan-ji Temple

Buddha at Ryoan-ji

The Golden Pavilion

After a couple of days at sea, teaching classes between China and Japan, we arrived in Kobe, Japan on November 19th.  We were greeted at the dock early in the morning by a small brass band that played "When the Saints Come Marching In"!  Kobe is an industrial port with not much to see in terms of culture, so many of the field trips in Kobe involved train or bus trips to nearby cities.  On our first day we traveled to Osaka for a performance of the National Bunraku Puppet Theater.  I really did not know what to expect, but the performance was fascinating.  Bunraku is a complex form of puppetry that dates to the 17th Century.  Three puppeteers manipulate the puppets in extremely complex and subtle movements, while narrators tell stories passed down from generations.  We were able to see two very different performances.

The second day in Kobe involved a day-long trip to Kyoto.  Kyoto was the capital of Japan for 1,000 years, and many of the best temples, gardens and palaces are there, making it a very popular destination for both foreign tourists and also Japanese tourists.  We first saw the Sanjusangen-do temple which has 1,001 statues of a Buddhist goddess of mercy.  Next we toured the extensive Nijo Castle, home to the shogun and his samurai.  Photos were prohibited inside the temple and palace, so we bought postcards to remember our visit.  The third visit was to the Ryoan-ji Buddhist temple, which features a Zen dry garden for meditation.  We also were able to wander around the tranquil lake and gardens that surround the temple.  Our last stop for the day was the Kinkaku-ji temple, containing the famous Golden Pavilion.  It was a holiday weekend in Japan, so the temple was crowded, but we were able to stroll around the gardens for awhile and take some wonderful photos. 

Shanghai, Day 2

Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition Hall

Sculpture in the Shanghai Museum

The skyline just before we sailed

The trip on the second day in Shanghai was to the Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition Hall--a six story building next to People's Square in the middle of Shanghai, devoted exclusively to displays of urban planning and the history of Shanghai's architecture.  One entire floor of the building is devoted to a model of Shanghai.... it is overwhelming!  We had a very knowledgeable guide who talked with us about the challenges that Shanghai is facing as it expands to an expected 30 million people in 2050.  The upper floor of the building contains several displays about Shanghai's greening efforts.  I took lots of photos that I have already used in classes on ship.  In the afternoon, Tina and I visited the Shanghai Museum and took a walk through downtown Shanghai and along the Bund near the river back to the ship.  Shanghai overwhelms the senses... It is a dynamic city with incredible architecture and ambitious plans......

Shanghai!

We spent two relaxing days at sea between Hong Kong and Shanghai.  Many of the Semester at Sea folks were taking overland tours to Beijing and the Great Wall, so there were few people on the ship.  The crew made us special dinners and we were able to catch up on some reading and sleep.  We arrived in Shanghai early on the third day, and again docked right in the center of the city, with amazing views of the skyline.  The photo at the top above is the view from our ship.  Fifteen years ago, that area was all rice paddys!  Shanghai is a city of between 21 and 22 million people--twice the size of New York City, and is growing exponentially, with all of the development and planning issues that kind of growth brings.  We had scheduled two trips in Shanghai, both related to sustainable development.  On the first day a group of several faculty, along with about 15 students met in the offices of Gensler Architects, designers of the Shanghai Tower.  The Shanghai Tower is scheduled for completion in 2014 and will be the second tallest building in the world.  It incorporates many green building features, including geothermal HVAC, wind turbines at the top of the building, and a rainwater collection system for greywater use.  The shape of the building is a spiral which reduces wind force, so the building can be designed with fewer materials.  The Gensler architects were very generous with their time and described in detail the structural and environmental characteristics of the building.

Last Day in Hong Kong

Planning and Infrastructure Exhibition Gallery

Overlook at the Peak Tram station

Bubba Gump Shrimp at the Peak

On our second day in Hong Kong, Tina and I explored Hong Kong Island.  We first found the Planning and Infrastructure Exhibition Gallery that our guide for the hike recommended.  It had some great interactive exhibits on current conditions and future plans for Hong Kong, with an emphasis on environmental sustainability. Afterward, we rode the Peak Tram to the top of the ridge overlooking Hong Kong.  There was a huge shopping and restaurant area at the top, so we indulged in some western style food by having lunch at Bubba Gump' Shrimp at the top.  On the way back to the ship we explored some of the incredible commercial architecture in Hong Kong's financial district, and then set sail for Shanghai that evening...

Night Market in Hong Kong

Restaurant along Canton Road

Temple Street Night Market

Holiday decorations in Hong Kong

After the hike on the first day in Hong Kong, Tina and I set out with a friend from the ship to explore the Night Market.  We first had dinner at a small restaurant along Canton Road near the port (see above), and then walked about 10 blocks to the night market along Temple Street. The night market was colorful, crowded, noisy and fun.  Vendors were much less pushy than we have experienced in other ports, and our friend was a great bargainer!  Tina bought a silk jacket and some fans, and I got a dragon shirt. 

Hong Kong

At Lion Rock above Hong Kong

Ship's photographer documenting the hike

Some were too close for comfort....

The view of Hong Kong skyline from our ship

After three days of rough seas and classes, we arrived in Hong Kong the morning of November 11 for a two day visit.  Hong Kong has around 7.5 million residents living in 1, 100 square kilometers of land, making it the most densely populated city in the world.  Despite that , they have managed to preserve large areas of the surrounding wooded hills as "country parks".  Our dock was right in the middle of the city between Kowloon and Hong Kong Island, so we had a stunning view of the skyline.   The first day we arrived I led a seven mile hike along a ridge overlooking Kowloon and Hong Kong.  Our local guide is a Swiss native who has been a resident of Hong Kong for 28 years and has been very active in local conservation efforts.  You can read more about his organization at www.walkhongkong.com.   The hike was really challenging, but we saw some amazing views of Hong Kong and talked about sustainability issues.  We also saw quite a few wild monkeys along the hike.

Last Day in Vietnam

Nga and Truc in front of the  high school that Nga and our RC student Lan went to. We got to learn about the Vietnamese educational system.

War Remnants Museum

Saigon street scene

Saigon skyline as we leave

We were fortunate enough to have our tour guide (Nga) back again for this last day in Vietnam plus another one of Lan's friends, Truc, who joined in as well and took us on quite a tour. They were just great and we really appreciated getting to see Vietnam through their eyes. We were able to take them out to lunch to thank them for all of their time and it was a real treat!  We visited Nga and Lan's high school in central Saigon, and also the War Remnants Museum nearby.  It was both interesting and disturbing to see the Vietnam war portrayed from their perspective.  We got back to the ship in the mid afternoon and sailed back out the Saigon River early the next morning (Nov. 8)

Cambodia and Angkor Wat

Tina climbing to the top level of Angkor Wat

Khmer dancers

Indiana Barnes and the temple of ......

Buddha faces

On the second day in Saigon we left for a three day Semester at Sea trip to Cambodia and Angkor Wat.  We flew to Siem Reap and spent the afternoon visiting and climbing Angkor Wat-the largest temple. Note the pics that show proof that Tina did indeed climb to the highest level of the temple. In the evening we went to a restaurant that featured a show of traditional Cambodian dancing.  The second day was "temple marathon" day...we visited ten smaller temples near Angkor Wat.  In many ways the smaller temples were more impressive than Angkor Wat.  Some had been completely cleared of the jungle vegetation and others had been left with tree roots snaking through the temple stones.  Tina's favorite temple was the one that is in "Lara Croft: Tomb Raider".  It was truly cool. As the sun set on Angkor Wat we expected the treasure to be revealed when the sun hit a certain spot.  No such luck!

More Vietnam Photos

Reunification Palace (former Presidential Palace)

A war room in basement of Palace

Water puppet show

Central Committee Building at night

Nya and friends from the ship at dinner