好啦, 說正經的, 其實我有掙扎一下, 因為參加旅行團實在不是我喜歡的方式, 距上次參加旅行團也已經是15年前的事了, 但想想現在可以和父母相處的機會越來越少, 7年前帶老媽去澳洲自助旅行她一直念念不忘, 她能用我的方式, 我也當然可以用她的方式陪她, 有時候, 旅行的意義不完全在旅行本身.
老媽每年出國的次數比我還多, 她不自助旅行, 總是和一群朋友一起走. 基本上, 她決定想去的地方後就請旅行社安排, 然後她的朋友或朋友的朋友想要參加然後就組成團了. 我總是好奇她怎麼能夠每次都找到一群人一起去, 我想是因為我老媽真的有一種這個世界上快絕種的熱誠吧. :-)
這是我第二次到日本, 這次旅遊我特別滿意在日本待了三十多年的導遊, 他不像一般強調介紹景點的導遊, 他比較偏重於日本生活習慣與文化的介紹, 比如說在狹窄的路上兩台車要交會, 日本人會閃大燈, 意思是請對方先走. 當然, 日本知名的特級禮貌, 純淨的水, 清新的空氣, 著重施工品質的路面等等絕對都是讓人印象深刻的.
The story behind the decision about this trip started from buying the wrong vegetable in the supermarket. I phoned my mom to ask for the help about how to cook it, then we chatted on other things such as that I still had some holidays in the first half an year. At the end she invited me to join her trip in Japan, and tried to attract me by paying for me. Oh... the next day I checked my schedule and asked for leaves right away. ha ha..
To be serious, in fact I was struggling a bit because joining a traveling group is not the way of traveling I like. Last time I traveled with a group of people via a travel agent was around 15 years ago already. However the opportunity of being able to spend some time with my parents has become less and less. Sometime my mom mentioned how great the trip which I took her to travel by ourselves in Australia 7 years ago was. If she could use my way to travel, why couldn't I participate in hers? Sometimes the meaning of traveling is not the traveling itself entirely.
My mom travels more frequently than I do. She doesn't travel by herself, but keeps traveling with her friends. Basically she decided where to go and found an agent to arrange the trips. There were many people would like to join so they could actually have their own groups for the trips. I am always surprised at how could it work all the time. Somehow I think my mom has a unique enthusiastic personality to make it possible. :-)
It was my second time to visit Japan. I appreciated the tour guide very much because with the more than 30-years experience in Japan, he talked lots about local ways of living and culture, instead of focusing on the introductions for sightseeing only. For example, when two cars meet in a narrow road, Japanese would flash the light to ask the other car to go first. Of course, the politeness, the clean air, the pure water, the high quality of the roads, and etc. in Japan
Day 1
- 台灣高雄機場 Kaohsiung Airport, Taiwan --> 日本中部空港 Centrair, Japan --> 名古屋城 Nagoya Castle --> 名古屋水之宇宙船 Spaceship Aqa at Nagoya --> 夜宿名古屋 Nagoya Tokyu Hotels
更多照片在這裡.
Nagoya is at Aichi Prefecture. Today the main spot is the Nagoya Castle. I experienced the hard work of pulling the huge rocks for the construction in the old time. Later, the building Spaceship Aqa at Nagoya is special in the way that the water on the roof can not only adjust the temperature but also provide people an easy place to enjoy the city.
More photos are available here.
Day 2
- Hotel --> 田縣神社 Tagata Shrine --> 牧歌之里花園牧場 Bokka-no-Sato --> 白川鄉合掌村 Shirakawa Village --> 飛驒高山三之町古街 Old street at Hida Takayama --> 夜宿高山溫泉區 Hida Hotel Plaza
This day we visited few spots at Gifu Prefecture. The most important one of the day is the Shirakawa Village, recognized as one of the World Heritages. Besides the lovely village, we also visited the shrine and I had my first milk experience in the farm.
農場的特濃牛奶冰淇淋超級好吃的, 重點是波浪狀的殼好漂亮. 今天住的是此行四個溫泉旅館的第一個, 在溫泉旅管裡是可以穿他們的衣服和拖鞋到處走的, 衣服穿起來不禁讓我想起忍者, 所以就拍張有忍者味的照片.
The ice cream at the farm was superb! The shape of the corn with waves was cute. Tonight we stayed at a hot-spring hotel, one of the four ones we were going to stay during this trip. In a hot-spring hotel it's fine to wear the clothes they provided and the slippers. The style of the cloth is different from hotel to hotel. I felt like a ninja with this one, so took the photo. :-P
此行一路吃好睡好, 這天晚餐是懷石料理, 稱享用溫泉前跟老媽搞笑一下拍拍照.
更多照片在這裡.
All the way the meals were great. After the dinner and before going to the hot spring, we took some funny photos.
More photos are available here.
Day 3
- Hotel --> 高岡大佛 Takaoka Daibutsu --> 瑞龍寺 Zuiryuji --> 金澤兼六園 Kenrokuen --> 溫泉鄉森林 Yunokuni no mori --> 千里濱 Chirihama Beach Driveway --> 夜宿能登溫泉區 Noto Royal Hotel
更多照片在這裡.
This day we arrived Ishikawa Prefecture. The main scenic spot was Kenrokuen, famous of its beautiful landscape and counted as one of the three noted garden in Japan. There were some blooming cherry blossoms. Zuiryuji is huge but elegant. In Yunokuni-no-mori there were tulips reminding me of the Netherlands.
More photos are available here.
Day 4
- Hotel --> 立山黑部阿爾卑斯登山路線 Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route --> 夜宿大町溫泉區 Tateyama Prince Hotel
更多照片在這裡.
Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route is what I expected most for this trip, and it didn't disappoint me. The only regret was that I couldn't stay longer to walk along those trails. We took six kinds of public transportations, such as funicular, bus, trolleybus, aerial tramway, and etc., to go from Tateyama, Bijodaira, Murodo, Daikanbo, Kurobedaira and Kurobe Dam to Ogisawa. This year the highest point at the famous snow valley is 15 meters above. The route was dug out by the snow shoveling machines with GPS. It's really amazing!
More photos are available here.
Day 5
- Hotel --> 大王山葵農場 Daio Wasabi Farm --> 奈川渡水壩 Nagawado Dam --> 上高地Kamikochi, Japan Alps National Park Resort --> 夜宿斑尾溫泉區 Madarao Yokyu Resort Hotel Tangram
Yesterday we crossed Toyama Prefecture to Nagano Prefecture. Today I saw the original plant for wasabi in the farm at Nagano. Of course I tasted the ice cream with the flavor of wasabi. It's delicious! The construction of Nagawado Dam was an impressive grand sight. The mountain and river scenery at Kamikochi is incredible and peaceful. Having the same comment as at Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route, I hope I could stay at Kamikochi for few more days. :-P
Day 6
- Hotel --> 天龍峽 Tenryukyou --> 妻籠 Tsunago --> 馬籠 Magome --> 惠那峽谷 Ena Gorge --> 名古屋 Nagoya city centre --> 夜宿名古屋 Nagoya Tokyu Hotels
更多第五第六天在長野縣的照片在這裡.
Although it was raining, we took the boat at Tenryukyou to enjoy the view and the song sung by the boatman. Tsunago and Magome were the post stations 400 years ago and have been preserved. Ena Gorge is beautiful but we only stopped by shortly on the way to Nagoya. The last night we shopped at the Nagoya city centre.
More photos at Nagano Prefecture on the 5th and 6th days are available here.
Day 7
- Hotel --> 日本中部空港 Centrair, Japan --> 台灣高雄機場 Kaohsiung Airport, Taiwan
