Finding Beauty with Imperfection

Category: Travel Page 1 of 3

Cannon Beach to Lincoln City

Before leaving the northern part of the coast, we went to Ecola State Park for a lovely morning hike. Ecola SP has been the filming location for several movies. The Goonies, Kindergarten Cop, Point Break and Twilight. The rocky coast line and dramatic cliff make it perfect for the big screen. Our hike was a 3.5 loop with 1000ft of elevation.

After our hike and check out, we started our drive down the coast. Our final destination was Lincoln City.

We are using the GuideAlong app again. Alfred our narrator, is like having an old friend in the car. Plus, he has so many stories and knows where all the fun places to stop are located. Like Pronto Pups! We wouldn’t have stopped for a Pronto Pup if Alfred hadn’t told us it was the original Pronto Pup location!

Our next stop was at the Tillamook Cheese Factory. We completed the self guided tour, sampled cheese and decided to enjoy some ice cream!

Alfred gave us two options for the drive. We could hug the coast or go more inland on the 101. We decided to take the scenic coastal drive. We had so many fun places to stop. The first was Cape Meares to see the light house and Octopus Tree! The Octopus Tree is a 300 year old Sitka Pine and there is still debate as to how the Octopus Tree formed. Naturally or was it created by humans. We may never know…

Our drive continued along the coast with a stop for some salt and salted caramels at Jacobsen Salt Company. (Another suggestion by Alfred) They harvest the salt from the Pacific Ocean and ship to chefs all around the world. The caramels made a lovely addition to our car snacks.

The last stop along this part of the coast was Pacific City. We hopped out to see the beach and were amazed at the giant sand dune.

We made it to Lincoln City in time for check in. The inn is right on the ocean. It’s so lovely. We slept with the sliding door open listening to the waves all night. Nature’s natural sound machine.

We enjoyed another amazing sunset. We walked the beach for a bit and then came back to the fire pits at the hotel.

More adventures await! Thanks for reading!

The Wave

The Wave, properly know as Coyotes Butte North is a geological phenomenon. It is located in an area of Utah/ Arizona as the Vermillion Cliffs. The area is protected by the US Bureau of Land Management (BLM). In order to hike The Wave you must obtain a permit from the BLM.

You can enter the lottery three months in advance or one day in advance. Only 64 people per day are allowed in the area and as a result, demand far exceeds supply. Obviously, December isn’t a high demand time for hiking and so obtaining a permit is a little bit easier. Nonetheless, it requires a little bit of luck. And as the saying goes, sometimes it’s better to be lucky than good!

Dave, the lottery winner

Dave, as always, was the lucky one. He won the lottery for the four of us. We found out in early September he won and have been planning this adventure since then. There is no true trail to hike to The Wave. It is about a three mile hike to it through a desert landscape. We decided to hire a guide for peace of mind and safety. We were beyond happy with the decision. Our guide, Andrea, was very knowledgeable about geology and photography. Besides The Wave, she showed us dinosaur tracks and artifacts. Without further ado, here are our amazing pictures.

The formation of the Wave began 190 million years ago during the Jurassic Period. The desert dunes compacted and solidified into striped sandstone. The peculiar and unique fluctuating layers were created by slow wind and rain erosion.

Not to be ignored was the beautiful desert landscape as we hiked.

The dinosaur tracks were definitely a highlight along the way. because science is cool and real.

The hike to and from was beautiful. Although not as challenging as some hikes we have completed, it was the first we have ever witnessed an emergency situation. We stopped for a drink of water right before the last climb to the wave. While we were resting a group of four passed us. Not even 10 minutes later, as we were packing up to continue, we heard a scream. Turns out one lady in their party slipped and broke her ankle. We provided assistance and so did a BLM volunteer who was nearby. In the end, she had to be medically evacuated.

Andrea showed us evidence of ancient civilizations. What looks like just a rock is actually a mealing stone.

I would highly recommend adding The Wave to your bucket list. It truly was a once in a lifetime experience. Unless you’re a guide like ours, Andrea has hiked it over 100 times!

As always, thanks for reading.

Kura Conveyor Sushi

Dave was in charge of selecting where we ate on our “one night in Vegas.” He selected Kura Conveyor Sushi restaurant. It’s not located on the strip and so we had to catch a cab. We were thankful not to have to drive because the traffic was terrible. But to sum up the dinner and his selection, it was delicious! He knocked it out of the park!

We left Japan almost exactly 6 years ago to the day! Our final meal in Japan was at the sushi-go-round. I know you’ve heard me tell the story about our first time eating at a Sushiro. How we kept stealing other people’s food because we didn’t know how to change the kiosk to English and order properly. We were professionals after almost 3 years! Anyways, it was super easy to order here and food was delivered right to your table or you could take from the conveyor.

We ate all the tuna, eel, salmon, edamame and karaage. Plus, enjoy a delicious draft Sapporo and house sake.

Tuna and fresh wasabi
Tuna & Sake

Another fun and so “kawaii” part of the experience was the cartoon that played after you loaded your plates into the rubbish slot. The cartoon played after every 5 plates.

Also, there was a robot that would bring waters to the tables. Again, kawaii!!

This may not have been the most “upscale” dining experience most people would want in Vegas. But for us, who miss all the goodness about Japan and sushi, it was perfect.

Thanks, my love, for finding the absolute perfect spot for dinner. And taking a trip down memory lane as we talked about our favorite experiences in Japan.

Wabi-Sabi Sole Goes to Seoul

Dave had a work trip this coming week. While he was going to be away, I decided to book a flight to Seoul, South Korea. We have (Army) friends from Naval Station Great Lakes stationed there. This was very last minute planning. So last minute that my Seoul Travel Guide didn’t arrive in time! I’m depending on my friend, Laurie, for a complete tour. I’m excited to see them and explore another city/country.

I booked my ticket on JEJUair, a budget airline. I couldn’t help but laugh as I looked down at my duct taped suitcase and converse. In my favorite flying attire, I’ve definitely dressed the “budget” part. I have to give an explanation about the suitcase. In November, when we went to Sasebo, the handle of my suitcase broke off. Fortunately, we were able to buy a new set of luggage at the Black Friday sale on base. It was a set of three. I put the small bag inside the large suitcase and packed the medium size separate. On the flight home, my brand new medium suitcase was broken. There was a HUGE crack! I was so annoyed. Two flights and two suitcases. (Insert eye roll) I decided instead of buying another suitcase, I would just duct tape this one and use it until it completely falls apart. So far, it’s gone back and forth to Thailand, Hokkaido, United States, and now to South Korea. Fingers crossed it makes it home. Duct tape for the win!!

Anyways, back to my trip to Seoul. I’ll be gone for a few days. I’ll do my best to share my adventures as I go. Thanks for understanding if I fall a little bit behind because I’ll be tethered to a wifi connection. As always, thanks for reading!

Kyoto Kickoff

Monday morning we caught the Shinkansen out of Shinagawa Station. Our destination was Kyoto. The trip took about 2.5 hours.

Yet again, I was giddy with excitement as we waited to board.

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Most of the marquees in the trains stations and on the trains flip between Japanese and English. This is especially helpful when you don’t speak (or read) the language and you need to make sure you are about to get on the right train. No one is checking your ticket as you board the train. Therefore, the important task of getting on the right train is the responsibility of the passenger. It’s also important because the tickets issued are for a specific train. This is different than taking the local trains. Those you can ride whenever and if you get on the wrong one it’s easy to switch at the next stop in 2-3 minutes. The Shinkansen less forgiving. If you get on the wrong one you may not stop for 25-30 minutes. That’s a long way in the wrong direction with the wrong ticket. Our train was at 10:40. The 509. Anyways, we made it no problem and with much excitement. Plus, we had a view of Mt. Fuji sling the way!

Upon arriving in Kyoto, we took our luggage to our hotel. It was still too early to check in, but we had temples to chase. First on our list was the Kinkaku – The Golden Pavilion. The clear skies and afternoon sun created perfect lighting for our visit. Gold foil covers the upper two levels of the Pavilion. On top of the structure is a shining gold phoenix.

The Gardens were beautiful. We were able to catch a few views of the temple from different angles. The benefit of it not being spring and having full foliage.

Lots of prayer cards!

After leaving the Golden Temple, we hailed a cab to the Ginkaku-ji Temple or the Silver Temple.

When Dave and I planned our trip in August, Manami suggested we visit the Silver Temple. We didn’t make it because it is more remote and off the beaten path. When I mentioned to Manami, Cindy and I were visiting Kyoto, she said, “Julia, please be sure to visit the Silver temple this trip.” Ok! I am so glad I listened. The Silver Temple and the gardens are incredibly serene. It definitely moved into my top five favorite Temples. I would love to live close to the temple and visit frequently. The moss covered ground and curving pathways are perfect for a walking meditation. So much zen.

Near the main structure was a sand garden and large sand structure. The large sand structure symbolizes Mt. Fuji. Just to be clear, the large structure that looks like a stone, is actually sand!

The sand garden was really cool.

By the time we were leaving the Silver Temple, we didn’t have enough time to make it to another one that afternoon. So, we had a cream puff and shopped.

We made our way back to the hotel and checked in. I’m happy to share, our room is directly across from the Kyoto Station. We can watch and hear the trains. My favorite of course are seeing the numerous Shinkansen trains! That entire building is Kyoto Station.

We set out for dinner. We went to Kyoto Station to explore the dining options. Kyoto Station is ginormous. Lots of food and shopping. After dinner, we visited the Kyoto Tower. The night view was lovely.

Kyoto Tower was built in 1964. The tower is 430 feet tall. It is built on top of a building. The 800 tons of weight doesn’t affect the building that serves as its foundation because of the ingenious design. It has the design and appearance of a lighthouse. Kyoto Tower was built in the city center as a beacon for industry, culture, and tourism.

As we walked back to our hotel, we could see the reflection of Kyoto Tower in the glass of Kyoto Station.

We had a great start to our first afternoon in Kyoto. Tuesday we will work our way south to visit another famous Shrine and the city of Nara. Cindy’s Japan adventures continue!

Tokyo Take One

After a much need night of sleep after making the long trip to Japan, Cindy and I were out the door early. We caught the 9:03am train to Tokyo Wednesday morning. Our first mission was to walk the Meguro Seven Lucky Gods pilgrimage. Before we left, I starred the 6 temples and shrines in Google Maps.

The entire walk took us about 2.5 hours. We had a couple of detours at the Daiso and Family Mart. Here are pictures of the first three temples. Cindy collected two Gods at the third temple. We also started her off with a temple book to document each temple / shrine visit.

The fourth temple is one of my favorite in Tokyo. There are so many statues.

Soon we were crossing the Meguro River and on our way to the last two temples. We found all seven Gods! Extra luck for us this year.

As we were walking, we had a few ume (plum) blossom sightings.

After our Lucky Gods adventure, we were ready for lunch. Nothing sounded more perfect on an overcast damp winter day than ramen. It hit the spot!

After lunch we worked our way to Shibuya Crossing. We saw the Hachiko Memorial and the Shibuya scramble. We decided to check it out from the second floor of Starbucks!

Dave made us reservations at the New Sanno for the night. After exploring and shopping through Shibuya, we decided to go check into the hotel and drop our stuff. After a short reprieve, we hit the streets for more adventures! We hopped the train and headed to Harajuku. The first place I needed to take my sister in law from Chicago was Garrett’s! We picked up a few samples of yummy goodness before heading to Hedgehog Harry’s, the hedgehog cafe in Harajuku.

Once I was able to get past my aversion to rodents, we enjoyed our time. We paid for 30 minutes and a snack to feed the hedgehogs. The hedgehogs were cute and sleepy.

When they finished their snacks and feel soundly asleep, we decided to make our exit. It was a fun and unique experience. We can now say we have been to the first hedgehog cafe in the world. Ha!

After visiting the hedgehogs, we stopped for a burger at Wolfgang Puck’s restaurant. The best part was sharing the experience of Japanese burger wrapper with Cindy!

After wandering around Harajuku a little more, we decided to work our way to Roppongi for one final experience. We went to Tokyo City View. It is located in the 52nd floor of the Mori Art Museum building. The night time view of the city was spectacular. Tokyo Tower is the bright building on the right. Tokyo Skytree is the faint very tall building in the background on the left.

I have never seen so many lights! This will definitely be on Julia’s nighttime Tokyo tour.

We were returning back to the room after 9 pm. We had a long day packed full of fun. Tomorrow we have even more planned to see in the city! But now, I must sleep!

Piacere Pizza & Wine

Miki and I met for lunch in Yokosuka on Tuesday. She took me to a delicious restaurant off the beaten path and down a back alley. Literally.

Piacere Pizza & Wine offers a delicious lunch set for ¥1,000 ($10.00). The set includes a small salad, your choice of pizza or pasta, dessert, and coffee or tea. The salad and bread were perfect for making a small sandwich!

I selected the wood fired margarita pizza and Miki ordered the spaghetti with vegetables. We shared them both and they were delicious. This might take the number one spot in my list of “favorite pizza in Yokosuka.”

For dessert we enjoyed coffee jello. I wasn’t sure if I would like it at first, but I was pleasantly surprised. It was delicious.

I enjoyed our lunch today. I was appreciative of Miki taking me to a place I haven’t been and one with delicious pizza! I truly appreciate our friendship.

After lunch, I had several errands to do on main base. The first, picking up the Hooptie after an oil change. I’m happy to report she is still doing well and keeping us safely transiting around our local area. I dropped Hooptie off with Dave and was lucky enough to catch him in his office doing what he does best, fixing ships!

The second, was to book two trips for upcoming family and friends we have visiting. As I have said before, Julia Tours are completely customizable and aim to provide a memorable experience. I set up trips to Kyoto and Hiroshima for our upcoming guests. Please let me know soon when and where you would like to go during your visit! I’m ready to plan it for you!!

Out of the Office

Dave and I are flying to Phuket, Thailand today to enjoy a little R&R on the beach. I will be out of the office during our vacation.

Thank you for all of your love and support in 2017. I appreciate you following our adventures and look forward to sharing more with you in 2018. Please enjoy a happy holiday season.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Plan Your Work

We arrived at the Naval Base in Sasebo Sunday afternoon. We were able to check into our room at NGIS. This might be the fanciest Navy room I have ever stayed in. Not only is it HUGE, there is a doormat, leather furniture, full size fridge, dining room, beautiful backyard, and a massage chair! Seriously!?!

The view out the back door.

The massage chair.

After checking in, we headed out to see the area outside the base. Dave has been to Sasebo for work several times. He took me to one of his favorite restaurants. They actually use a net to catch the fish in the tank for you and serve it on the sushi platter.

I’m not sure there is a fresher way to enjoy sushi.

I was a bit of chicken and ordered my favorite and safe sushi choice. Maguro (tuna) and rice bowl.

After dinner, we stopped at a few local watering holes and then headed back to the room. I used Monday morning to work out our plan for sightseeing during the week. I stopped by IACE travel and was able to obtain a plethora of information for things to do around the area. The travel agent was very knowledgeable about the area and helped me put together a week full of adventures.

One noticeable difference between Sasebo and Yokosuka is the train schedule. I realize now we are very spoiled living in Yokosuka. We have trains running every 8-10 minutes from our closest station. Here, trains run hourly most of the time. This makes it a little bit more challenging when planning an excursion. I was a little frustrated this afternoon because I missed the 12:43 train. The next one wasn’t going to arrive for an hour. This wouldn’t give me enough time to get there and back before my rendezvous with Dave for dinner. Grrr. So, plan B. I decided to use my time this afternoon to plan my work for the next couple days so I could work my plan and not end up in the same predicament. I picked up some lunch and returned back to base, timing how long it would take to go from NGIS to the train station (at a leisurely pace). I ate my lunch on our patio with this amazing view.

Then, I had a massage in the chair. Once my appetite was satiated and I was completely relaxed from my massage, I set to work on my plan. I wrote down a few notes and train schedules for my intended adventures over the next couple of days. Now that I’m squared away I’ll be ready to hit the ground running tomorrow! Adventures await!

Waiting for Our Flight

Dave and I are flying to Nagasaki airport. We will spend the week of Thanksgiving in Sasebo. Dave has to work a few days at the beginning of the week. While he is working, I’ll be exploring. He is taking a few days leave at the end of the week so we can explore the area together. I’m excited to visit another part of Japan. Sasebo is located towards the southern end of the country. We are the blue dot and will be flying to the red flag.

It is a short flight, only 1 hour and 45 minutes. One small cup of coffee will make it fly by.

I’m looking forward to sharing the week of adventures with you! I’m thankful for all you for reading and following wabisabisole. Your support means everything. Happy Thanksgiving week!

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