At the start of our group trip with Walk Japan on the Nakasendo Way I decided to liven up the evening meal with what I called “The First Ever Salty Plum Haiku and Limerick Contest”. There had been discussion in our group about the surprising Japanese dish umeboshi, which is an intensely sour and salty … Continue reading Salty Plum Poetry and Soft Tennis?
Tea on the Tokaido
The next morning in Mishima we enjoyed shifting views of Mt Fuji — Fuji-San — in the distance. The clouds were constantly changing, one moment obscuring, the next revealing the peak of the volcano. Our route that day included the Tokaido Hiroshige Art Museum which contains an extensive collection of classic woodblock prints, and where … Continue reading Tea on the Tokaido
Trekking the Tokaido, Full of Tasty Surprises
After our 11-day guided group trip on the Nakasendo Way, we took a 4-day break in Tokyo to rest and recharge, and then headed south to the Hakone region to start the 6-day Tokaido Wayfarer unguided trip also run by Walk Japan. On a guided trip the guests need give no thought to how to … Continue reading Trekking the Tokaido, Full of Tasty Surprises
Sights on the Nakasendo, Natural and Otherwise
Every day on the Nakasendo brought surprises and fresh experiences, including those of the culinary kind. Meals were traditional Japanese and often quite spectacular. Sometimes I could not manage to finish all of the many different dishes and courses served at dinner because rice or soba noodles would be served last and by then I … Continue reading Sights on the Nakasendo, Natural and Otherwise
Reflections on Hiking the Nakasendo Way
Six years ago we spent time in Kyoto and soon planned a return trip to Japan, part of which would be an 11-day inn-to-inn guided hike on parts of the ancient Nakasendo post road that connected Edo (Tokyo) to Kyoto. So in late 2019 we excitedly booked a fall 2020 trip with Walk Japan. And … Continue reading Reflections on Hiking the Nakasendo Way
The Deepest Gorge in the World…
Relative to its width, the Vikos Gorge in northwest Greece, at 1,350m is in fact the “deepest” canyon in the world, as certified by the Guinness Book of Records. No, it is not as deep as the Grand Canyon in America (1,857m) but it is so wide (up to 29km) that proportionally the Vikos is … Continue reading The Deepest Gorge in the World…
The Greek Mountain Villages of Zagori
The tiny villages of the Zagori region, scattered across the mountains in Epirus near the Albanian border combine historic authenticity, rustic charm, stupendous views, a minimum of infrastructure and services, and startlingly good internet, making them a vacation draw for both Greeks and international tourists. In fact it seems as if without tourism the towns … Continue reading The Greek Mountain Villages of Zagori
The Stone Structures of Styra
After our hike to explore the ancient buildings at the summit of Mt Ochi, the next day we had the opportunity to visit the more easily accessible Palli-Lakki building complex near Styra, where three structures are arranged symmetrically around a central walled-in courtyard. The Karystos Archaeological Museum exhibit states that there are 23 such structures … Continue reading The Stone Structures of Styra
Dimosari Gorge: Plane Trees and Waterfalls
The most scenic hike on the island of Evia is from Petrokanalo Pass on Mt Ochi down through the Dimosari Gorge to Kallianu Beach. Our tour bus took us on the long drive up to the pass using the rough dirt roads constructed for the wind turbine farm. At the start of the trail our … Continue reading Dimosari Gorge: Plane Trees and Waterfalls
The Ancient Stones of Mt Ochi
At 1398m (4586ft) Mt Ochi on Evia is the island’s highest peak and is well worth a visit. There are no good trails from Karystos, where we were staying, but there are decent dirt roads leading up through the wind turbine areas just below the top. Our tour bus dropped us off at about 1000m … Continue reading The Ancient Stones of Mt Ochi
Electric Travels 