Last Day in Essouira

On my last day in Essouira we got up before the sun and took a cab a few miles south to a small village and walked back along the beach.

Jimi hendrix stayed in this village and legend has it that the island, rock outcroppings, and ruins were the inspiration for his song "Castles made of sand", but that was actually written a few years before he was here.

The Carthaginians were here in ancient times and on the little island was a roman villa about 2,300 years ago.

It was only a few miles back to the town but it took a few hours.....

It had been my first time in essouira and I hope to go back at some point. I would highly recommend it as a vacation destination....

Vacation 2011 Day1: Sumiyoshi Shrine

The last part of my first day of vacation I was in Hakata and I visited the Sumiyoshi Shrine there.

The head Sumiyoshi Shrine is in Osaka, but the one in Hakata is believed to be the original one.

The main kami are Sokotsutsuo-no-kami, Nakatsutsuo-no-kami and Uwatsutsuo-no-kami, which are kami connected with navigation and safe travel by sea. the mythical "Empress" Jingu is also now enshrined here as the myths say she received oracles from the Sumiyoshi Kami before her mythical "conquest" of Korea.

I recently read that the 3 kami were originally aspects of the undersea Dragon King, a kami long associated with distant lands.

Travellers and emissaries going from Yamato to Korea and China would first stop at the Sumiyoshi Taisha in Naniwa (Osaka) and then visit other Sumiyoshi Shrines along the Inland Sea until finally leaving from Hakata.

Its a nice oasis of green in an otherwise built-up area and has some fine Zuijin and komainu.

There is a secondary shrine to Amaterasu in the grounds, and an Ebisu shrine in front.

As a major shrine it is able to employ Miko.

Behind the main hall are 2 Inari shrines.

Winding down

My vacation is winding down and I will be back in Japan shortly when I will resume posts on Japan.... till then a couple more pics from Morocco.

Lahcen, Berber, muleteer, patriarch, companion and guide for 10 days across the Jebel Sahro.

Full moon in Essouira .

Things missed while sleeping

6:33am April 6th. Jebel Sahro


6:36am April 7th. Jebel Sahro


6:28am April 8th. Jebel Sahro


6:30am April 11th. Jebel Sahro


6:19am April 16th. Marrakesh


6:27am April 17th. Essouira

Vacation 2010 Day 16: Dartmoor

For the last proper day of my vacation one of my nephews was kind enough to drive me to Exeter via Dartmoor. The lower slopes of Dartmoor are steep, wooded valleys with fast flowing streams.

We stopped in one of the many picturesque villages and found a tea room

and then explored the local churchyard.

Up on top of the moor we stopped by one of the many exposed Tors..... not sure which one it was

I like Dartmoor.... lots of open space and mostly treeless so one can see for miles. It is Britain though so its very wet.

This is probably a neolithic structure of some kind..... lots of stone circles, ley lines etc up on the moors.....

Vacation 2010 Day 15: South Devon

My vacation was drawing to a close, so on my way back up to London to catch my flight home to Japan I stopped in to visit family in south Devon. South Devon is mostly rolling hills and while there is some tourism its mostly agricultural.

My nephews and niece live in an old farmhouse not far from Salcombe and Kingsbridge just a few miles inland from the coast.

We all went for a walk down to Soar Mill Cove. One thing that is very noticeable in England is the number of people who go for walks, often with dogs, for pleasure. Walking around Japan it is rare to meet people out walking.

The weather was not great, but added a dramatic touch.

Vacation 2010 Day 14: Falmouth

After the castle I headed down into Falmouth passing the docks where the ship repair yards were busy working on several big ships. I only have an hour before I have to meet up with my ride on to Devon so I do not have time to explore all the many places that are filled with memories here.....

Coming into town I pass Arwenack Manor, datring from the 14th Century it is now luxury apartments...

And then a big new structure that has been built since I lived here, the National Maritime Museum. Falmouth has a long maritime history. The Packet ships that delivered the mail to the far flung corners of the empire left from here. There have been Tall Ships races several times, including one time while I lived here and I was able to go out in one of the huge sail training ships.

There seemed to be even more marinas. Falmouth is often the start or the destination for people heading across the atlantic. I used to be a signwriter here and would often paint on boats. One time I had to paint an American flag on a tiny yacht about three meters in length. The owner had just sailed solo from the U.S.

And then to Custom House Quay. I used to live a few meters from the quay when I first moved to Falmouth. From my window I could look down on the harbor and watch the comings and goings.... the huge ocean-going ships coming in for repair,.... the lifeboat called out by the explosion of a rocket,... Raionbow Warrior, the Greenpeace boat sunk by the French used to spend winters here. I used to watch a very famous dolphin, called Beaky here. There are many books and movies made about Beaky.....



And a quick walk down the main street, past all the pubs where I spent far too many hours. At one time a good half of all the signs along the street were painted by me, and it was heartening to see a few of them still in existence after more than 20 years.......

I wish I had more time as I spent a large and important part of my life here....