Deep Temple Bell, Celestial Female Musicians

Jack and I were wandering in central Kyoto city, somewhere not far from Nishiki Market and the Kamogawa river.  During our trip in Kyoto, for several days we would wander into neighbourhood Shinto shrines or come upon a Buddhist huge bronze temple bell either a small one or at large Zen Buddhist temple complexes. Needless…

Christmas Snow Celebrations

Celebrate new ways, Elf dragonboaters ply Snow-sparkly waters. Season flickers hope. Trilling lightly high above, Sometimes hidden bright.  Step with light and dark Winter solstice snow-dancing Furiously, softly.  Walk deep into hearts Journey into the twilight. Starlit path with friends.  Wishing you sparkly-special wishes for peace in your heart and for a memorable Christmas.

For Fun, Attention or Quiet Self-Identity : National Heritage Dress

One thing for certain, travelling in big cities of Japan and South Korea, you can rent a national dress and parade around in it for a few hours.  It’s around 30 – 45 Canadian dollars.  We never saw this money-making practice when we were in Germany, France, Denmark, Czech Republic nor Barcelona, Spain.  Maybe there’s…

Food Art, Tofu Doughnuts and Octopus Kimchi Pancake: Japan and Seoul, South Korea

Before we flew off to Japan and Seoul, South Korea, I only had one Japanese cookbook which I haven’t even cooked anything from it.  My tasting experience has been based on eating in restaurants in Canada –primarily Toronto, Vancouver and Calgary. And I don’t even eat out as often as others, for dinner. After Internet…

Hike Up at Fushimi-Inari

Carve peace in the heart, Throbbing crowds trudge up mountain Red tori gates rise. My little haiku to set your heart and mind in calmness, at Japan’s famous Shinto shrine and pilgrimage gentle hike along Mount Inari. 10,000 Tori Gates Through Old Mountain Forest You might need to cultivate that precious corner of peace.  We…

Escape to Arashiyama, Part I: Many Faces of Buddhism, Nuances in Zen Moss Garden

While travelling in Japan, I often felt I had not done enough research to swallow the meaning of sights and details unfurling before me.   That feeling lingered when we wandered around in Arashiyama-Sagano.    Arashiyama lies on the western fringe of Kyoto — an hour train ride away. We had initially just planned to see…

Much Matcha Green Tea Desserts: Japan and Seoul, South Korea

Maybe we were a tad crazy during our two week trip, in Japan and Seoul:  it was almost a matcha tea dessert every day.   Yea  –in addition to sipping sometimes a lovely cup of medium to high grade matcha or at least green tea.  There is a sublime difference. Birthplace and Hub of Japan’s Centuries…

Different Flavours for Different Farmers’ Markets: Canada and Abroad

It’s de rigour for us to check out the local farmers’ market whenever we travel and visit a town, city or country. Squeezing in Happy Time– Local and Abroad In past blog posts, I’ve enjoyed showcasing a few in Toronto, Vancouver, Freiburg (Germany) and Hilo (Hawai’i)  –wonderful local foods, sometimes crafts and ambience which puts…

Reverence, Respect, Omission or Violence – Paintings on Women Over Centuries

This blog post can not adequately cover how women are depicted over centuries in art masterpieces.  After all, PhD dissertations and books have been churned out on narrow topics for just one artist and their paintings or just one country’s century- long treatment of women in art. I’m just going to take a stroll with…

Care and Creative Expressions: 500 Years for L’Hotel Dieu

Initially I wasn’t keen to visit a heritage hospital and convent in Beaune, France.  Like many folks, I associate hospitals with dull institutional places that ..do great work for people from birth to death. There is no North American equivalent like L’Hotel Dieu  —  very old and with past health care public service for 500…

Awestruck on La Rambla and Beyond: Barcelona, Spain.

Barcelona, Spain is like Vancouver, British Columbia  –millions of tourists pour into each city every year.  After four days, we still had not exhausted its rich treasure chest of sights and experiences.  Inevitably visitors end up crossing or on its main pedestrian street, La Rambla. It was my first time in Spain whereas for Jack,…

5 Kids in One-Bedroom Apartment- Unearthing Space and Its Impact

There’s a Vancouver divorced dad-blogger who blogs about life in downtown Vancouver with his 5 children in a 1,000 sq. ft. rental condo. In fact, he probably lives just few blocks from us. Well, it’s admirable he has some of his growing children in bunk beds.  And the kids are only with him for 2…

Blogging is My Truth-Telling

Sometimes I wonder  if I am a rare, geek blogger:   I date photos on my personal blog.  What a dork.  Do people really care about photo dates? I can’t help it.  It’s about truth-telling –things I’ve seen, propel me to tell stories.  Stories of truth.  My photos are part of truth-telling. As Witness to the Marvellous…

Bike Touring : Some Life Tips

To kickstart the new year with you, here’s an infographic I’ve hammered out. Below the infographic starts off with predictable advice from two cyclists bumping along roads and pathways over the past 25 years.  Humbling lessons learned from kilometres dragging our butts and gear at home and beyond.  Lessons for any life journey –liberating, difficult…

Christmas – Strange, Wonderful and Quirky

Occasionally, Christmas seems to breed some unusual, if not also garish or glitzy displays of ‘art’, to celebrate the festive season. Showpieces range from wild gingerbread interpretations at Vancouver’s annual gingerbread contest to overwhelming Christmas light displays –both with aim to attract crowds for fundraising and just sheer spectacle for fun selfies. Every December, St….

Autumn Amble for Wild Birds

Golden leaf medals Quiver ‘n flake off in air: Autumn sighs deeply. Cloud tuffs swhoosh blue skies, Paintbrush branches sweep above While crunch stepfalls on path. Great Horned Owl –o- wise, Wind sweeping -fluffs your feathers, Solid wisdom sits. Wood Duck puffs colour Bands green-blue and magenta: Moving mosaic. 

Are North American Cities Boring?

For some North Americans after a long European vacation trip, returning home is to the familiar and mundane  –especially  when home doesn’t have soaring, centuries old architectural monuments or lots of jaw-dropping art.  Or the North American just might be relieved:  thank goodness for space and wilderness.   As a Canadian, I don’t quite view Europe as prime destination to experience stunning,…

Flickers of Chance: Wild Creature Sights

Throughout Cyclewrite, I’ve featured magnificent deer, elk, bighorn sheep, eagles and blue herons. Most  photo gems taken by myself and Jack, were simply random opportunities where each of us did not plan to stalk the creatures. Serendipitous Benefits and Outdoor Activities Over the years, serendiptous wildlife sightings are just another benefit of spending lots of…

Humanities and Arts: Talent and Creativity Redefines Logic

Whenever there are cutbacks to classroom time, courses or extracurricular school activities for: the arts, theatre, music, creative writing, I’m concerned. Arts, Humanities Touches Daily Life:  Highest and Mundane Details Those snickers about people who major in philosophy, history, literature  –university / college programs which don’t provide a clear-cut path to an immediate job, I wonder:  …

Canadian Camping Newbie @32 Years

My first time camping in a tent on the ground was when I was 32 years old.  I just started to know my partner who had been on numerous camping trips himself. That seminal, first camping time was during a bike trip outside of Toronto.  It meant cycling with our gear, sleeping bag for  over…

Warming Up to Bison Art and Branding

A sign of an entrenched native prairie animal icon, is  a hulking, ugly bison stamped into Alberta handmade soap.  Not that I’ve seen a salmon icon on Pacific coast local soap  –yet.  Pacific coastal soapmakers might find dolphins and whales more romantic iconography for beauty soap products. Not Exactly Cuddly While the bison isn’t cuddly nor evokes…