What's New in March and April, 2000

Washington Tour (Haruka)

Haruka participated in Washington tour for 4 nights and 5days in his junior high school excursion. Haruka was the only Japanese. Though Haruka had a bit of cold on the departure day, he woke up at 4 in the morning, went to the junior high school, took a bus to the San Francisco airport and flew to Washington with a three-hour time difference. He was helped by two friends, and enjoyed the tour very much, though it was still cold in Washington as shown in the left photo(Haruka is surrounded by a red circle in the photo). The right photo is the White House. As the tour was a kind of social study, they visited the Diet Building, Lincoln commemoration palace and Irlington graveyard, Vietnam war cemetry and so on.
 

San Francisco, again

Because the rainy season has ended and spring has come, the opportunities to go to "town" (People in Silicon Valley call San Francisco this.) has increased. The left photo was taken at Coit Tower, where Toru, Junko and Takeshi visited while Haruka was in Washington. It includes picture of the bronze statue of Colombus in the small plaza where the tower stands on in the back. The right photo was taken at the front of San Franciscan Museum of Modern Art(SFMOMA). Neither an appearance nor the inside whole of the building is art. There were several wonderful drawings of Miro, Picasso and Klee. However, we recommend the American artist's work like O'keef's.

It is difficult to drive in San Francisco because of many slopes, and several steep slopes are closed for cars. But there is a place where people still can drive a car, that is Lombard Street which to be said "The most winding road in the world"(Left photo). There were eight curves. At the top of this slope Hyde Street crosses and Cable Car runs on the street. The cable car always stops at this point and passengers can see this slope. The right photo shows Scoma's Italian restsurant which is the competitor of Alioto's(They have been there. See this page) in Fishermans Wharf. Though this pasta is delicious, quantity is huge. It was thought there was enough to be served for four people although the quantity is supposed to to be for one.

Muir Woods (Toru, Junko)

There is a redwood forest named Muir Woods within 40 minites' driving from San Francisco. It is wonderful woods. You can breath the spirit of redwoods(Left Photo). Mist grows moss and the green is beautiful under the sun ray coming through the leaves of redwoods(Right Photo). The scientific explanation of rangers is fun. Many trails are available and several short courses are accessible by wheelchairs.
 

Japanese Garden and Hakone Garden

There is a Japanese Garden in Golden Gate Park in San Francisco. The entrance gate make Japanese remember Japan at first(Left Photo). The garden itself is just Japanese style and well maintained. There is high arched bridge(Right Photo), five-storied pagoda and a large pond. There are also several problems though from the Japanese viewpoint. One problem is that the yellow wall of De Young Museum can be seen. It is kind of fatal because the Japanese garden is with surroundings. Another problem is that traffic sounds are noisy. Another problem is that several palm trees are in the garden. Also Toru was surprised that the gift shop in the garden was not Japanese but Chinese. Maybe that is a remain of the era the garden was called a Oriental Tea Garden. But still the garden is valuable to introduce Japanese culture.
 
 

On the other hand, there is another Japanese gareden named "Hakone Gardens" in Saratoga. There is a large beautiful wisteria(Left Photo). There is a pond in which many fish and turtles. Junko and Haruka are looking at a turtle coming up from the pond(Right Photo). Hakone Garden is located in the suburbs of Saratoga so that there are no artificial buildings nor buses.

2 Museums in Silicon Valley

There are several Museums in Silicon Valley, but the Museum of Stanford University is wonderful. It is free so that people can enter from all the doors including the front entrance(Left Photo). The famous exhibition is Rodin's sculptures, not only in the museum, but also in the garden(Right Photo).
 
 

On the other hand, there is a science museum named Tech Museum of Innovation in San Jose(Left Photo). Various high Techs in the field of Biology and Space Science are exhibited in the way children can understand easily and enjoy. A small park is located in front of the museum and the Fairmont Hotel is on the other side of the park(Right Photo)