You Don't Have to Dive to See Coral Reef in Numea

'Le Roof' is a name of the restaurant built above the sea water in Numea.

When my wife and I took a walk along the beach, I found a pier which connected the beach and the restaurant.  

We walked through the pier just for taking a look at the menu of the restaurant.

Unfortunately, I couldn't see the menu because the restaurant was closed. 

But, instead of the menu, we could see live coral reef just under the pier bridge.

Yes, surprisingly you don't have to dive to see coral reef here in Numea!

Pacific Jewel Is a Name of the Cruise Ship

When I went to a pier in Numea, a huge cruise ship was docked there.

Since we can't see such a big ship in Tochigi, Japan, the size of her body was nothing short of amazing.

I looked up wiki. about the ship and it said;
Pacific Jewel was built in Monfalcone, Italy launched on 25 May 1989.

The vessel had a gross tonnage of 69,845.




She is about 245 m (804 ft) long, with a beam of 32 m (105 ft)  with a maximum speed of 19.5 knots (36.1 km/h; 22.4 mph).

The ship could carry 1,910 passengers (maximum). The cruise ship was built at a cost of US$276.8 million.

A Happy New Year, 2016

I wish all visitors to my blog enjoy new year holidays and have a wonderful happy new year.

Wild Birds in New Caledonia

We were waken up by wild birds' singing every morning in Numea.
A day started by taking pictures of them from a balcony of the hotel we stayed.

Just a ten-meter walk from the hotel we stayed brought us to the beach where seagulls were living.

Looking carefully at their beaks and eyes, I found colors were different each other..
Does it mean just male or female, or they are different species?

A Driver and a Tour Guide in Numea

Cedric is a driver of the choo choo train and Lida is a English speaking tour guide.

Both of them were very kind and friendly.

They became a precious memory of our trip to New Caledonia.

I Go to New Caledonia in the Southern Hemisphere

The vehicle called Choo Choo Train took tourists to several sightseeing spots in the main city of Numea spending a couple hours with two tour guides, one of  whom spoke English and the other spoke French.

Since New Caledonia is an overseas territory of France, almost all people in the country speak French and few speak other languages.

English speaking tour guide accompanied with us was just for tourists.

My wife and I enjoyed the tour very much.  The view of the ocean from the top of a hill was really awesome, wasn't it?

I Go to a Cafe, 'YOUR HOUSE' in Utsunomiya

My wife and I went to a nearby cafe, the name of which was YOUR HOUSE for lunch the other day.

More than food they served, light bulbs hanging from the ceiling were far impressive to me.

Since LED type illumination has become popular these days, it's hard to find light bulbs actually working.

I think those lights may be darker and more energy-wasting than LEDs, they can make us feel peaceful and relaxed, can't they?

I Come Back from My Hometown

The Steep Bridge Leads to the Airport

My brother took me from their home to the airport as usual.

On our way to the airport, we caught a sight of a bird spreading his wings.

We pulled over the car and watch it for a while.

It reminded me of a bird called Anhinga which lived in Florida Everglades National Park in 2009.

It seemed to say, 'See you again Ray.'

Then, I whispered, 'Sure will I.'

View From the Second Floor of My Mother' House on the Last Day of My Staying This Time

My Mother's 89th Birthday Party at Ohashikan

We celebrated my mother’s 89th birthday at Ohashikan which was a famous riverside hotel in Matsue city.

My elder brother planed the party rather small so as to be able to make parties easily and frequently for years to come.

Though my younger brother Koji lives in Kanagawa prefecture, just three hours from my home, it was the first time we met since five or six years before.

It was a fun to talk with him about trivial matters.

First class Japanese food were not only delicious but looked beautiful without exceptions.

I always feel guilty to eat them before taking their pictures

I Go to Lake Shinji in Shimane Prefecture

Lake Shinji is not only one of the famous tourist spots in Matsue city but also it has a beloved gathering lakefront for citizens.

Some were enjoying walking, some were dancing and the others were taking photos at the lakeside park when I went.

Some were water-skiing on the lake, even in the chilly autumn season.
Lake Shinji is highly recommended place, in other words, a must-viewing area in my hometown.

I Go to Yaegaki Shrine in Shimane

I went to Yaegaki Shrine in the suburb of Matsue city.

There is a sacred pod in the forest near the shrine which was called Mirror Pond.

Visitors, usually unwed women, place a fortune paper on the surface of water and a coin on it.

It is said that the amount of time the coin stays afloat on the paper is supposed to indicate the fate of their marriage.

The longer it stays afloat, the longer it takes before their marriage.

Matsue Castle and Its Moat Secenery

I never fail to visit Matsue Castle whenever I go back to my hometown.

Matsue Castle and its moat area are one of top sightseeing spots.

It is said that the castle was built spending five years and was completed in 1611.

In 1875, all of the buildings were destroyed except the castle tower because of the government policy at that time.

The castle underwent a complete reconstruction between 1950 and 1955.