Campground Sightems

Buckeye (El Portal) - Yosemite  2014

Vetch (El Portal) - Yosemite  2014

In and around my Yosemite (El Portal) campsite. Very hot, in the 90s.

Yosemite Camping

Forest near El Portal - Yosemite  2014

Merced River near El Portal - Yosemite  2014

. . . after returning from Japan, Mike took a week to recuperate, then he was off to Yosemite for his usual May visit, returning to his now-familiar campground of "Dry Gulch" near the small town of El Portal. Also: a new tent!

Tent, Campground near El Portal - Yosemite  2014

San Francisco Sightems

Data - San Francisco  2014

Design Center Staff - San Francisco  2014

Taken in the south of Market ("SOMA") area.

San Francisco Traffic

Buildings - San Francisco  2014

Traffic on Battery - San Francisco  2014

Stuck in traffic on Battery St. (with an iPhone): commute time, everyone trying to access the Bay Bridge.

Really quite the worst conditions I've experienced recently, with intersections being blocked.

Buckeye, Blackberries, Thistles

Buckeye, Blackberries, Lichen - Marin County  2014

Thistles, Blackberries - Marin County  2014

OK, so these shots were taken with an Olympus E-PL5, using the same Panasonic 14-42mm lens mentioned yesterday.

Actually, there's no difference that I can see in image quality between the E-M1 and the E-PL5.

And, the E-PL5 is by far the lighter camera . . .

Hmm.

Fences, Hills

Fence, Redwoods - Marin County  2014

Fence, Hills - Marin County  2014

Taken using an Olympus E-M1 with a Panasonic 14-42mm lens. Pretty good!

Monday Cat Blogging

Black Cat, Hay - Marin County  2014

The little black cat, once again.

Farewell to the East

Worker, Narita Airport - Japan  2014

Upon arrival at Narita Airport we spent some time in the United Lounge. Hm. Not quite what we had been thinking of: crowded and plasticky.

Our flight left at 6:00 PM, Thursday and arrived at SFO 11:00 AM, Thursday. Somehow I missed a morning in there.

And, I had jet lag off and on during the following week with wildly varying sleep times.

We're already compiling notes for the next trip! For example, "- Need to take weekend crowds etc. into consideration when planning locations to visit. - Need to establish a restaurant protocol: be able to recognize common kanji and ask about menus." And more.

Farewell to the East (George Wunder)

. . . from the Narita Express

Rice Paddies - Japan  2014

Skytree - Japan  2014

Narita Airport is quite a distance from Tokyo, a matter of some hours even taking a high speed express train. Going there we were able to glimpse the Skytree and take in some agricultural sights.

Jizo Statues

Jizo Statue (Nippori) - Japan  2014

Jizo Statues (Nippori) - Japan  2014

In the rain, seen on my Nippori excursion. Very touching . . . please see my 2008 entry.

Cemetery

Cemetery, Tree (Nippori) - Japan  2014

Street, Cemetery, Rain (Nippori) - Japan  2014

There's a very large cemetery in this section of Tokyo. I didn't do that much exploring, the rain was really starting to come down.

Tennoji Temple (2)

Stone Lantern (Nippori) - Japan  2014

Leaves in Rain (Nippori) - Japan  2014

There was no one else there: no tourists or staff: the emptiness was oddly compelling.

I took off my shoes in order to walk on the wooden platform overlooking the stone lantern, somehow feeling obliged to do so.

Temple Detail, Rain (Nippori) - Japan  2014

Tennoji Temple (1)

Azaleas, Water Pots (Nippori) - Japan  2014

Nandina, Tennoji Temple (Nippori) - Japan  2014

. . . in the rain. I had crossed over the Nippori Station's tracks on a pedestrian bridge and almost immediately came upon the temple grounds. Amazingly atmospheric even though it's very close to the train station. Even nicer in the rain.

Buddha (Nippori) - Japan  2014

Monday Dog Blogging

Dog (Kyoto) - Japan  2014

Studiously avoiding our gaze.

Nippori (Yanaka District)

Railroad Tracks (Nippori) - Japan  2014

Hotel Seeds (Nippori) - Japan  2014

Supposedly you can find scenes from "old Japan" in this district, although I didn't really see any. Lots of railroad tracks and love hotels, though!

Tokyo Rain

Rain on Window (Tokyo) - Japan  2014

Self Portrait (Nippori) - Japan  2014

It rained our last full day in Tokyo. Of course, that was the day I picked to venture forth on a solo excursion to Nippori.

Tokyo Night

Night View (Tokyo) - Japan  2014

. . . views from our window at the Shinjuku Hilton. Wow.

Bottom photo taken using the 14-150mm Olympus "superzoom" at 150mm (300 equiv.)

Looking Out (Tokyo) - Japan  2014

Japan: Culinary Adventure (22): Ramen

Ramen (Tokyo) - Japan  2014

Ramen Menu (Tokyo) - Japan  2014

Supposed to be eaten quickly, I gather. We weren't all that quick, however! The restaurant was located inside a Tokyo department store in the Shinjuku Station labyrinth. Just opposite our ramen restaurant a group of young ladies were waiting for tables to open in what appeared to be a unique place featuring such specialities as "erotica paella."

Waiting (Tokyo) - Japan  2014

Tokyo Residential

Residential (iPhone Pano) (Tokyo) - Japan  2014

Tokyo Government Towers (Tokyo) - Japan  2014

During one of our morning walks in Shinjuku we wandered down some narrow winding streets to find what appeared to be an upscale residential neighborhood.

Little Girls

Little Girl, Arashiyama (Kyoto) - Japan  2014

Taking Selfie (Kyoto) - Japan  2014

Top: In Arashiyama.

Bottom: just outside one of Kyoto's many Buddhist temples