The Byodo-In Temple is located at the foot of the Ko’olau Mountains in Valley of the Temples Memorial Park. It was established on June 7, 1968, to commemorate the 100 year anniversary of the first Japanese immigrants to Hawaii. The Byodo-In Temple in O’ahu is a smaller-scale replica of the over 950-year-old Byodo-in Temple, a United Nations World Heritage Site in Uji, Japan.
Source: http://www.byodo-in.com/
In February, we spent a few days on the North Shore of Oahu. These pictures are from a walk between Turtle Beach and Pua’ena Point Beach Park. It was a beautiful day for a beach walk, and we were lucky enough to come across a sea turtle sunning itself.
Along the Western edge of Vancouver Island, near Tofino, Cox Bay Beach provided a calm, beautiful beginning to our visit to British Columbia this summer.
Last summer, we had a short visit to Victoria, BC.
Our favorites: A hike up the hill at Mount Douglas for a beautiful view of the city, Jam Cafe for breakfast, a walk around the harbour, and a little shopping around the old streets of downtown.
This summer took us to Vancouver Island for some beach time and hiking adventures. The first evening, we had a short visit to the beach near Tofino.
Over the next few days, we went back and forth between Tofino and Ucluelet, visiting restaurants, exploring the impressive network of wooden walkways through the forest, and trying out a little surfing.
Finally, we spent a few days in Victoria, exploring the harbour and climbing the hill in Mount Douglas Park to get a beautiful view of the city.
On a warm fall day near Kenora, we wandered around Tunnel Island Trail. The trail has great views of the Winnipeg River and Norman Dam. We could hear the sounds of wildlife that always seemed to be just around the next corner.
The day after our snowy hike in Oak Creek Canyon, the sun came out. We headed to the Grand Canyon, a little over an hour north of Flagstaff.
A number of signs warned of mistakes to avoid: DO NOT attempt to hike from the rim to the river and back in one day! Over 250 people are rescued from the Grand Canyon every year! Remember that it will take at least twice as long to return to the rim as it takes to reach your turnaround point!
We decided on the Bright Angel trail, which has a few landmarks that remind you how far you’ve gone. The 1.5 Mile Resthouse seemed achievable: a three mile round trip with a 1131 vertical foot change in elevation. The first part was challenging: icy, narrow switchbacks slowed our progress, but as we got lower on the trail and the day grew warmer, the walk became easier.
We met backpackers who were just emerging from the Canyon after a two day hike from the rim to the bottom and back, a 75 year old man who has done that trek every year for the last 20 years, and a couple who spent the night at a lodge at the bottom of the Grand Canyon and was about to finish their second day of hiking back at the south rim.
Maybe next year?
Previously, I posted some photos from our November trip to Las Vegas. That vacation had a second purpose: to spend some time in Arizona, exploring the Grand Canyon and the area around it. We stayed in Flagstaff, which is not too far from the Grand Canyon and has easy access to beautiful areas to the south.
On our first morning in Flagstaff, we woke up to a cloudy, snowy day. It didn’t seem to be a good day to go to the Grand Canyon. Views would be limited, paths icy. Instead, we headed south to Oak Creek Canyon. It was perfect: just cool enough that the snow didn’t turn to rain, but warm enough that we wandered comfortably along the West Fork trail for a few hours.
A day in Havana on a recent trip to Cuba
Starting at the Royal Force Castle, we walked through a street market, and past Hotel Ambos Mundos, where Hemingway is said to have written For Whom the Bell Tolls. We had a quick visit to El Floridita for a daiquiri, and then on to a flea market on the waterfront.
An afternoon hike in Red Rock Canyon, just a half hour west of the Las Vegas Strip.
Picked Last in Gym 