Welcome to the Penguin's world! Come in and Discover!

Hello friends! I hope you enjoy looking around my blog. I'm planning to keep it updated with pictures, stories, and news of my latest experiences... but since I'm not having too many extreme adventures lately, I'll keep you informed regarding what I'm learning. Very interesting stuff! At least, I think so. I've realized more and more how huge the world is (I know, cliché, but REALLY!), how much cool stuff there is to discover, and what a waste it would be if I just sat back and lived out my life. This blog is an attempt to keep my eyes open, and I hope it will inspire everyone who reads it to do the same. Each week I'll post a list of seven things I discovered about the world that week, and you can check them out on the right in the "Discover Something New" section, or just scroll down to see the most recent one. I hope you find them as fascinating as I do! As for the Penguins, well, if you don't know what that's about, then I probably don't know you well enough for you to be on my blog! Scat! For everyone else, Quack Quack, and enjoy. :-) -Caleb

Sunday, April 19, 2009

The Next Adventure

I'm getting very excited about the upcoming vacation, and not only because I'll be anywhere but in work! Through some strategic vacation requests, I've connected several state holidays to get myself 12 days free starting next week. The weather has turned friendly, and I've been itching to make another walking trip, perhaps not so extreme as the previous such trip in CZ (and hopefully without the limping and pressure and what not). I was going to walk from Nara to Ise, which is about 100 km through slightly mountainous country. Ise is the most important Shinto shrine in Japan, and I see it referenced in all kinds of novels and histories, and it seems like something I should see. Making a "pilgrimage" from Nara, the ancient capital and spiritual heart of the country seemed especially appropriate. However, I was reminded by a friend that tourists can't actually see the shrines at Ise. Even today only the Imperial family is allowed access to the actual shrines, while everyone else has to be content with replicas outside. That seemed a little anti-climatic for a 4 day pilgrimage.
So I did a little research, and stumbled upon information about an ancient (over 1000 years old) pilgrimage route through the mountains of Wakayama prefecture (the prefecture to the south of my home). The path is still maintained, and it weaves through the mountains connecting 33 shrines and temples. There are campgrounds along the way, and many hikers even just find campsites for themselves wherever they want to stop. It sounds absolutely perfect and idyllic, especially now that I've found maps and won't be wandering through the rather inhospitable Japanese mountains. For more information and pictures check out this site: http://www.tb-kumano.jp/en/kumano-kodo/index.html, or check back here in about three weeks!

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Looks good. Will this be more than 4 days? You may count on prayers :-)

CQ

caleb said...

I might well be gone more than 4 days. I'll have 12 days off, but there's the possibility of plans with Megumi up north in the middle of that. If that doesn't work out I might just drift around the south as long as I feel like it! :-) Thanks for the prayers! I'll mostly be camping, so I need the weather to stay as beautiful as it is now!