Just another WordPress site
Pattern of Haiku
Someday I would like to write lots of haiku. The pattern is five syllables in the first line, seven in the second, and five in the third. However, American haiku is allowed variations due to the nature of our language and special cadence.
Tiny points of green
Erupt through earth, flower buds
Encouraged, burst.
Southward flight under
Gray skies, promises to keep
In glorious light.
Parched and thirsty earth
Fire hazards, short fuses
Flare in summer’s heat.
Observations and Conclusions
In the early 1980s when my sons were in the Cub Scouts, I visited a cub scout’s family to see their new baby, Linda, who was two months old. Cindy was breastfeeding the baby, and I held her later until she started to cry for more milk.
Matt came out of the study to join in the conversation for a moment. He was a Deputy D.A. and when I mentioned that my boss was serving as a volunteer Deputy D.A., he told me stories about some of his cases.
As he talked to me standing up, he rocked his body back and forth, and in that instant, my regard for him grew. This was a man who was a prosecutor, a man who discredited his opposing witnesses, and swung over an entire jury to see things his way, but I knew that he often held Linda…
(Names are fictional.)
White Knuckles on the Steering Wheel
I don’t know why this image of an angry and frustrated freeway driver stayed with me but it has turned into a descriptive poem of sorts.
The freeway driver slips into the flow of traffic and hums along with the music. Five miles travelled and five miles to go but the traffic turns into a crawl as he passes a multi-car accident and sees police officers, paramedics, and firemen trying to help the dazed and injured victims.
He worries that the car behind is following too closely. An RV pulls into his lane and nearly collides with the front of his car. His heart rate is pumping as he exits the freeway.
His hands are still clutching the steering wheel, his knuckles are white as he catches a glimpse of three happy young faces at the window. They dash out the door to tell their stories. Little Cindy has some artwork in her hand and tries to outrun her sister. The freeway wreck clenches his teeth and hollers in pain, “Get back in the house!”
Restaurant Jargon
I don’t remember who accompanied me but I remember lunch time in a Los Angeles deli and a waitress with wide hips who could barely maneuver herself around the tables. I ordered a Reuben sandwich and my friend did the same. The waitress bellowed out, “Two’s a pair!” and my friend and I laughed. It was so delightfully spontaneous and fresh and an unmistakable communication with the chef. I made a mental note of it and think someday I might insert it into a short story. After all, the phrase has been composting for over 30 years.
When I was in Okinawa during a short disembarkation from the cruise ship, the only venue we had time to visit was the main shopping district and I refrained from purchasing anything. However, I had read an informational sheet about Ryukyu Glass and was fascinated by the story. The bombing of Okinawa during WWII had destroyed much of the island and in particular the infrastructure of the glass industry. The citizens needed to find ways to support their economy and soon realized that the sailors tossed their Coke bottles into the ocean next to the docked ships and the surf brought the bottles to the shore.
The glass industry was reborn. The bottles were pulverized and melted down and in the beginning, practical items were created such as glassware and medicine bottles. From there, the craft kept evolving. The craftsmen learned how to add color and refined their techniques by adding bubbles to the glass. Sailors started to purchase the items to send home as gifts and when Okinawa was returned to Japanese rule in 1972, tourists from the mainland purchased the handcrafted glass as souvenirs.The largest glass factory is in Okinawa but a sister plant is located in Viet Nam. After I returned home, I ordered one glass through Amazon and noticed that it was made in Viet Nam. I am thrilled to own it because it is beautiful and represents the resourcefulness and resilience of the Okinawan people.
A visit to Antelope Canyon in Page, Arizona was part of an 8-day bus trip through the major U.S. national parks that catered to Chinese tourists. The bus had 55 seats and 52 were taken, so it was rather cramped and some parts of the drive were lengthy; we were not allowed to use the toilet on the bus and invariably arrived at the hotels after 8 p.m. so we could not enjoy hotel amenities such as the pool, gym, or onsite restaurants.
Nature made up for any inconvenience and Antelope Canyon turned us all into awestruck and appreciative photographers. The beautiful underground canyons were formed by millions of years of rainwater erosion of Navajo sandstone. It was easy to imagine the Indians chasing antelope into the canyons to trap their next meal. Flash flooding has taken lives over the years and one of the worst instances occurred in 1997 when 12 hikers were trapped in rain water that was funneled into the canyon. The flood waters rose to 11 feet in that particular part of the canyon and was started by a cloudburst that occurred 15 miles away. A woman’s body was recovered and a guide survived but the other 10 hikers’ bodies were never found. The guide had been bounced around the narrow canyon and was able to grab a ledge. His shoes and all of his clothes had been ripped off his body by the force of the water.
I was thankful that steel ladders and stairs were installed to give us access to this wondrous place. After I returned home, I learned that Peter Lik, an Australian born photographer who now resides in Las Vegas, sold a black and white print of a photo he took in the upper canyon of Antelope Canyon for $6.5 million!
MY ALASKAN CRUISE, September 15 through 23, 2012
9/15 Saturday. Spent the night in Anchorage.
9/16 Sunday, went on the Anchorage City Trolley Tour.
I learned that the 1964 Alaska earthquake was a 9.4 and lasted almost five minutes. (Internet sources say it was 9.2 and lasted 3-5 minutes.) Anchorage suffered the most damage and loss of homes. The Turnagain neighborhood there has been turned into Earthquake Park.
I saw this Wyland mural (“Alaska’s Marine Life”) painted in 1994 on 5th Avenue in Anchorage and felt like I recognized an old friend. I often enjoy seeing a similar mural (“Life Size Blue Whales”) on Gower Street in Hollywood painted by Wyland.
The motor coach ride from Anchorage to Seward, where the Holland America Statendam was docked, took about three hours; I met a massage therapist from Mill Creek, Oregon (Wendy) on the bus and we shared a couple of meals together during the cruise.
In Seward, I would have liked to visit the Seward Museum, where there is a three-part video about Jujiro Wada, an adventurer, entrepreneur, and musher who helped define the Iditarod Trail and attract miners to Fairbanks. (William H. Seward was the man who made the purchase of Alaska possible for two cents an acre, and many streets and landmarks are named after him.)
We were at sea on September 17 and 18. Our cruise departure was delayed by 10 hours because of stormy weather in Glacier Bay. Many of us were seasick because of the uncomfortable pitching of the ship.
I was determined to offset the high calorie meals by walking around the deck, but someone called me in on the first night because it was too windy and dangerous to be outside. I saw two glaciers while in Glacier Bay National Park.
On the ship, a Tlingit Native gave an informative lecture about ancestry and stories depicted on totem poles.
Our first port was Haines, Alaska, and I enjoyed a self-guided tour to find ten totem poles around the city. The only one I did not visit was one that had been moved to a family owned location about 10 miles away.
9/20 Thursday. In Juneau, I took a shuttle bus to the Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center and followed the Nugget Falls Trail to get close enough to touch the falls and take a photo of the glacier. It was the highlight of my trip.
In the city museum in Juneau, I learned about Lee Hing, fondly nicknamed “China Joe” by the local miners. Hing owned and operated a restaurant in Fort Wrangell and moved to Cassiar in Canada after gold was discovered in 1872. The winter in Cassiar was bad that year and shippers could not get supplies to the camp. Two men wanted to buy all of Hing’s supplies in order to resell them to the miners at exorbitant prices. Hing refused to sell but instead called a meeting and divided his provisions among all the men, including the men who were pressuring him to sell to them. The miners never forgot how China Joe had saved them from starvation.
The boomtown at Juneau took Lee Hing and his friends there in 1881. By 1886, a bad economy moved disgruntled white workers to charter a schooner to take the Chinese immigrants to Juneau’s Treadwell gold mines to work as cheap laborers. The Chinese were told not to return. Upon hearing that there was one Chinese man left in Juneau, a mob assembled to take Lee Hing to the ship. A friend came out of the back and addressed the mob, telling them of Hing’s kindness and generosity and how he had saved many miners from starvation. Other men came out of doorways and behind trees with guns drawn, ready to give up their lives for their friend. Lee Hing was allowed to stay, the only Chinese man in Juneau for 20 years. When he died, it was said that he was “the only man in Alaska without an enemy.”
9/21 Friday. When I disembarked in Ketchikan, it was clear and beautiful but within the hour, it was cloudy.
I went on the Amphibious Duck Tour. Interesting facts:
The Ketchikan Tunnel is one you can drive around, through, and over.
Burger King closed after only a year because even though the restaurant was located close to a high school and shopping center, they had not factored in the wind. It could blow 35-70 miles an hour. With all the wind howling in the background, the orders were not clear. Once customers drove to the window to pay, the money would often fly away in the wind! Ketchikan gets 332 days of rain a year; they close the schools when there is sunshine!
We saw a row of houses built on the third level – the occupants have to climb 200 steps every day to get to and from home, so they are in good shape. Our tour guide said the owner would only forget his keys once!
I visited the library, a small history museum next to the library, and then walked around Creek Street, formerly the red light district. I ordered beer battered halibut and clam chowder at a restaurant called Annabelle’s – delicious!
It was formal night on the ship so I enjoyed steak and lobster and baked Alaska for dessert. I sat with Kat and Wesley from Lubbock, Texas, Claire and Bemma from Anchorage, and Brenda from Arizona, all good company.
9/22 Saturday. The chefs had prepared a dessert extravaganza for us complete with ice sculptures.
9/23 Sunday. Vancouver, B.C.
Went on a bus excursion and drove through Chinatown (one-third of the population is Chinese), then drove through Stanley Park, a wonderful place for bike riding, family gatherings, and community festivities.
Totem poles in Stanley Park.
Our tour guide ended the tour by telling us about a Chinese proverb:
“Before you try and change the world, let the world change you.”
I met some awesome people on the cruise, ate well, and didn’t pay to see eagles or orcas since eagles could easily be recognized by white spots in trees and two baby orcas swam right next to our ship. Salmon too were spawning, and I am glad I didn’t see any bears up close!
These are my memories of a fantastic trip…
Sally Yamada
September 27, 2012
We were delayed in disembarking from the ship in Okinawa because of immigration procedures. I had wanted to visit the Shurijo Castle but was told it was too late. The only activity left was the main shopping street, Kokusai. There were granite stone dragon pillars on the way to the shopping district. They commemorate the friendship between Naha City and Fuzhou City, China. In 2011, the community celebrated the 30th anniversary of the Friendship Agreement signed in 1981.
It took about half an hour to walk from the ship to Kokusai Street. I noticed the glass tumblers and glassware on sale in many of the stores. After the devastation of WWII, Okinawans began collecting bottles and other cast-off glass containers from the occupying U.S. troops. The glass was melted down and re-blown into glassware items. Servicemen began to purchase the goods to send home and a very proud industry was born. Many of the glasses had names of their creators and ample display space. The largest glass factory in Okinawa is called Ryukyu Glass Craft and is located in Itoman.
Mixed in with souvenir shops, there were bakery shops, convenience stores, a pharmacy, a seaweed shop, and restaurants. A friend of mine suggested I try Okinawan soba because it is different from Japanese soba, made of wheat flour instead of buckwheat. I found a restaurant on the fifth floor of a narrow building and had a wholesome meal.
Things had gotten better on the second half of our trip. The weather had improved and the seas were calm. We had two more days at sea and enjoyed the company of our dinner regulars in the Pacific Moon dining room. We met many interesting people on the ship. Many were celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary. Others were newly retired or found a good deal for the cruise. Everyone had an interesting story to tell.
I was tired from the previous day’s excursion and decided to walk to a nearby shopping area where there were many vendor stalls. I had exchanged ten U.S. dollars for Taiwan dollars so I’d be able to try some steamed dumplings. I didn’t find steamed dumplings but observed a family working hard creating sandwiches with deep fried dough. A young woman was expertly snipping the hot bread and filling it with sausage, onion, cucumber, hard boiled egg, and tomatoes. I purchased one and it was delicious.
I didn’t find anything I wanted to buy so I made my way back to the ship.
I reflected on some things that didn’t go right for me. At McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas, my denim blouse had metal snaps and it set off the alarm. A female agent felt around my breasts and quipped, “One way to get a free breast exam.” Not funny. At another station, my check-in luggage contained a plastic jar of Metamucil, to add fiber to my diet, and the inspector had to check the container and my hands for explosives. On the trip back, my bra must have set off the alarm because an agent felt the sides of my chest. At another check-in station, the woman said the image showed metal in my groin, so she felt there.
At Narita Airport, after I had already been through the initial check point, a Japanese agent pleasantly said, “You have been randomly selected for additional screening.” Well, the Japanese have a difficult time pronouncing r, so to me it sounded like “landonly” and I didn’t recognize the word. When I gradually realized what she was saying, I said “randomly” with annoyance. A male officer came to me and showed me the inspection table, a few feet away. I was asked to take off my shoes and take out my iPad and phone. A woman checked my shoes and all of a sudden, said, “You’re done, thank you for your cooperation.”
I carried the cabin keycard in a pouch around my neck and frequently used it to get in and out of the cabin as well as make purchases of merchandise and excursions. For some reason, the card kept getting demagnetized and I had to get replacement cards about six times. It was no small annoyance when my roommate was out and about. I sometimes carried a pen or gum in the pouch and just can’t figure out how my card could get demagnetized so often.
I had booked an excursion and looked forward to getting a glimpse of Taiwan. However, because we were late getting into port, the excursion times were revised and the tour seemed rushed and abbreviated. We first went to see the National Stadium which opened in 2009 for the World Games. It holds 55,000 people and was designed by Japanese architect Toyo Ito. Built in the shape of a dragon, it was the first stadium in the world to generate power using solar power technology.
We then went to Lotus Park which must be beautiful in July when the flowers bloom. There were many temples there and we visited the Dragon Tiger Tower. Our guide told us it is considered propitious to go into the temple through the dragon and come out through the tiger. The park is popular for water sports and recreational activities.
Our next venue was Cijin Island, reached by taking a five-minute ferry ride from Kaohsiung Harbor. It was Sunday and we were mixed in with locals and tourists so there were long lines to board the ferry. The motorcycles went on the first level and the rest of us went to the second level. Once on the island, we found a temple, seafood markets, restaurants, and all kinds of vendors and then we were rewarded by reaching a beach with black sand. A few photographs and it was time to return to our meeting place. The guides could be seen trying to make an accurate headcount for the ferry ride.
