Two another worlds

Utukushigahara
美ヶ原（Utukusigahara) plateau locates in the east of Matumoto city(松本市） in Nagano prefecture and　it's about 2000meters high.
As 美ヶ原　is like field or meadow and there is no landmark when a dense fog lay all around, there seemed to be people who got lost. So the small tower (美しの塔)with a bell was build in the center of the field to tell its place for visitor.

Just after sunset fog run around there with deadly speed and closed in over there. I was surprised with its speed and thought if I was walking there I couldn't escape out of it. At that time I was taking photos on the roof in the hotel and I also was wrapped in the fog in a flash. I couldn't get to see nothing and felt chill,scariness.

 

 

美ヶ原is said "Observatory of Alps". We can see high mountains of 360 degrees around from here. At the south, Mt.Fuji, 八ヶ岳連峰（the Yatugatake peaks),中央アルプス連峰（the Central- Alps peaks),南アルプス連峰（the Southern-Alps peaks) etc. At the west , 北アルプス連峰（the Northern-Alps peaks),etc. At the north, 剣立山連峰（the Turugi-Tateyama peaks),etc. At the east, Mt.Asama etc.

I have climbed 西穂高岳(Nishi-hodaka-mountain),乗鞍岳（Norikura-mountain)or Mt.Fuji,etc. Seeing those peaks with white snow, I satisfied by myself that how could I attain such a high place.

According to a hotel driver, " Mt.Fuji locates near the Pacific Ocean and Mt. 白馬岳（Sirouma-dake)locates near the Sea of Japan. As you can see Mt.Fuji and Mt.Sirouma-dake from here, you can recognize roughly the breadth of the Japanese archipelago." Don't you think this idea is interesting?

Before daybreak

 

Mt.Fuji was designated for World Heritage Site this year. Before daybreak. The back trapezoid silhouette.

 

Good morning.

At sunrise, many peaks have white snow are colored pink and those feet are filled with the field of clouds.
Here 美ヶ原is famous for the field of clouds. They closed down to near the hotel we stayed. We could see them through the window of the dining room at the breakfast. I felt like I can walk on them.
Also they change to mild pink at the part that sun right reflect for short minutes just after sunrise.

 

 

 

Here we could see stars bigger than on the ground. Autumn's constellation--the Pegasus, vestige of Summer's constellation--the Swan, Winter's ---the Orion etc, its quiet twinkle  fascinated me.

During Summer season, milk cows that built up stress are carried to the meadow here. They are pastured and given salt but not a barn. I wonder where he shelter at heavy rain or cold days but after living here they can get to produce milk. This surroundings also  heal cows as well as human.

We came across many wild deers for night drive by the hotel. Only their eyes shone in the weak light of a flashlight. I heard Matumusiso( a plant that have pale purple flowers in the early Autumn) here or some plants are decreasing because the increasing deers eat. Even in this strict  environmental preservation the food chain is changing little by little. I wonder if we can have foods in 22century though it's exaggerated idea.

As the hotel stands in the nature reserve, one's own car can't enter this reserve and no buses. Only one option to reach the hotel is to use the courtesy bus of the hotel. Excluding cars is one of those way that leave this beautiful country.

 So here is literally another world  on the clouds surrounded by nature.



Fujimi highland
It seemed I was in a country of the fairy tale.
The mountains were painted gorgeous pattern by colored leaves.

Larch

 

Mt.Fuji.

 

 

 

 

 

Charming streets

Toledo

Toledo was a capital of the West Goth Kingdom around from 5century to 8century. In Middle Ages, Muslim, Jew and Christian lived together in this city.The city is called "the whole of city is museum".This city is surrounded by river Tajo and the scene from the across the river is very impressive. The Parador(the national hotel chain that reuse old castle, monastery or mansion of aristocrat,etc as a hotel ) de Toledo is located at good position to see the city. We could enjoy its nice view.

The festival  was held in Toledo. Almost of kids were carrying a bouquet. They showed the banner proudly.

Sevilla
After the discovery of the New Continent by Christpher Columbus, this city flourished with the fortune of trade from 15 century to 16 century and became the strongest city in Europe in those days.
The grave of Columbus is in The Cathedral and the coffin is carried by four Spainish kings' statues.
The Cathedral is very big. Incidentally, talking of magnitude of cathedral in the world, Basilica di San Pietro in Vaticano, Saint Paul's in London and The cathedral in Sevilla round out top three.
When we drove in front of  the building that was used to the tobacco factory, I remembered about opera"Carmen". It's tragedy of romance and conflict among a gypsy Carmen, a soldier Don Jose, a toreador Escamillo  as you know. From the Tower of La Giralda I could see the big bullring that Escamillo might have played in. It was very hot day I visited there. Beating sunshine was perfect fit for Carmen, I wonder?

  

 

 

Pl.de Espana

Estadio Sntiago Bernabeu(the home stadium of the Real Madrid)
I was scared when I looked down from the highest seat. But I wanted to taste the atmosphere that eighty thousand fans are excited.

Boys and girls were very lovely. They came voluntarily, amicably with smile.



Mijas
White village spreads out the fold of hills in Andalucia. On the fine day, we can see the African Continent far from here, I heard. Donkey taxi matches with this white quiet village.

They are flamenco dancers. Young and veteran.

 

 

 

Thank you for visiting. Have a nice Day!

    

 

 

Fascinations of Tokyo

I've been to Tokyo after an interval of 8 years.
I was astonished at a plenty of crowd of people coming and going at many station. So it means after all everything concentrates in the capital, I wonder?
Anyway, it's exciting city.

Tokyo Station
The restoration of the original  was completed last year.

Tokyo Skytree
This is the highest  radio wave tower in the world. It's as high as 634meters.      
This has a deck at around 350meters in height and a galleria at around 450meters in height. Viewing from there, I could see  how many houses or buildings closely filled on the ground and was surprised. But green of parks made me relief.
I could see Sumida- river flows to Tokyo- bay or shadows of high buildings in the distance.
I also saw a part of the silhouette of Mt.Fuji in the cloud of orange color but it was disappeared  by cloud soon.
According to a leaflet, this skytree was constructed by applying Japan's old skill  like  used in five-storied pagoda or the high technology.  2523 stairs for flee is built in the center of it .

Tokyo Skytree

Indeed, Skytree is so high(634m) that I can't take its gallant figure without being the separate from it.

From the Skytree, high buildings around 六本木(ropongi), Tokyo Tower is in the upper left-hand.

Silhouette of high buildings of around  新宿（Sinjyuku) is seen from Skytree.

Shadow of Skytree. It stretches to Arakawa-river.

The lodging for players of the Olympic in 2020 will be fixed at around the island at the center in this pic.

 

National Stadium
In 1964, Tokyo Olympic was held in this National Stadium.
It was fine weather, so blue sky. Though I was a girl on the day, I remember the moment of the lightning  at this Olympic flame holder on the TV.
This National Stadium is rebuilt for the Tokyo Olympics in 2020.  The design of the New National Stadium was raised in public and already Zaha Hadid Architects was chosen. It's a form like a spaceship.

The soccer game was being held  and that flame holder(upper right-hand) was being lighted.

Around Ueno

Oasis in the metropolis, big leaves of lotus were glowing thick at 不忍池（sinobazuno-ike pond)

An air of Muslim and wind of La Mancha

Catedral de Cordoba(Mezquita)

In this trip to Spain,I was impressed with Basilica of Sagrada Familia in Barcelona and  Alhambra palace in Granada  and one more building is Catedral de la Cordoba. We can see about 850  columns that support double arch with combination of red and white inside. Here was a space of prayer in Islamic era.
This catedral has both a chapel of Christian and a mosque of Muslim. This style is rare.

Mihrab and Maksula

the dome of Maksula

Cordoba was founded before  Roma era  and flourished as a capital of  the Second Umayyads in  the mid 8th century.
This catedral was started building at the place where the chapel of christian used to be,not destroyed by the order of the founder of the Second Umayyads, and  extensions and reconstructions were repeated by the successive califs. In the latter half of the tenth century,it became the biggest mosque in the world.(24000 square meters)
After Cordoba was reconquered by Christian in 1236 at reconquest , the Cathedral was started using as a chapel again. They didn't crush the arches or Mihrab( it's a hollow that showing the direction of mecca that Muslim prays) or Maksula(it's space that emphasize Mihrab)etc, inside the mosque. That is the reason  this catedral has a chapel and a mosque.

The chapel at the center of Mezquita

The old Jewish town is near Mezquita

 

The Catedral  de Cordoba

Don Quijote de la Mancha

As you know, this story was written by Cervantes  in the 17th century.
The main character, Don Quijote was a  nobleman in a lower class. But as he read too much chivalry stories, he took himself for a knight. So he started  traveling to conquer the wrong like other knights.

I saw the wild reddish brown earth expanded around the district of  la Mancha.

windmills at la Mancha that Don Quijote mistook for giants

Don Quijote pushed forward his delusion, riding on his horse, taking his follower Sancho Panza.        .
The negotiations between Don Quijote and Sancho Panza  is  interesting and his justice or dream are very impressed for me live in this world where it's easy to depend on the trend. But I couldn't grasp the real sense of this story.
I heard this story contains metaphors. For example, the windmill is likened Holland and Don Quijote is likened Spain. He fought against  the windmill and lost. And Holland became independent from Spain. There might be patriotism, not delusion.
If I knew the background in those days, I could read it more pleasantly.
Many performing arts "Man of La Mancha"have been produced from this novel. They sing in the performance. Click here.
               
                      "The impossible dream"
               To dream the impossible dream,
               To fight the unbeatable foe,
               To bear the unbearable sorrow,
               To run where the brave dare not go,
               To right the unrightable wrong,
                      .............
                      .............
                To reach the unreachable stars!



The hill near Alcazar in Segovia city.....Wild red poppy or many flowers
 must have been blooming in Don Quijote's days.

Alcazar in Segovia city....the model of the castle of "the Princess of White Snow"
 by Disney.. Don Quijote's beloved lady was not living a castle like this.

The memory of Alhambra

Patio de los Arrayanes

I visited La Alhambra (the Alhambra palace) in Granada in May this year. It was standing on the hill with  Mt.Sierra Nevada behind,in Granada, not US, covered with snow. This snow melted water become fountains or streams and irrigate in the city.

Alhambra on the hill

court of the water channel

So let me tell its story of the palace.
The second Umayyads dynasty fell in 11 century and Islamic power became weak gradually and Reconquista by christian expanded.
The last Islamic dynasty is Nasrid dynasty and also called Granada dynasty. Though it's small country but kept company well with christian countries, kept independence,protected arts, so the last splendid Islamic culture in Europe flourished here.

Alhambra palace started its construction as a fortress and it took them about 170 years to finish.

As the palace was made with reddish bricks and stones, it doesn't look like a graceful palace when seen from outside.
But there are another world inside! . Rooms of the palace are surrounding two patios.
One patio was made for public presentations. The other was made as the harem area. So many beautiful ladies probably have lived  there.
The flows from rooms in north,south,east west join at the fountain of twelve lions in the center of this patio. Once there were filled with flowers like "paradise of the heaven"




Court of the Lions from Hall of the Kings

This Nasrid dynasty fallen and surrendered the Alhambra to the catholic Monarchs with bloodless  in 1492 and the last Sultan of this dynasty, Muhammad the Twelfth exiled himself  to Morocco. When he was leaving the palace, he might have looked back this palace that was dyed in pale pink by sunset and shed tears. Here, Islamic rule for 800years in Europe ended.

The walls inside  is decorated with intricate carving of stucco in geometrical,arabesque. It's my first chance to see such splendid skills. It must have taken so much time to carve this elaborated design. I was absolutely fascinated by the arts.

 

Here is Recuredos De La Alhambra(The memory of Alhambra) by Kaori Muraji ( she is a famous Japanese guitarist)


                    Thank you for visiting. Have a nice summer!