Coincidences?

In 1974 (oops, ages ago!) we were in Macedonia on the Greek border when the regime of the Greek colonels fell and the restoration of democracy in Greece started. We remember the cheers of the young exiled Greeks who  had fled military service speeding over the border back to their homes and families.
In 1990 we were in East-Berlin in Olaf and Gudrun's garden house, the year after the two Germanies reunited.
In 2015 we were in Turkey when in national elections Erdogan lost his majority in parliament. As could be foreseen he tricked democracy by not forming a new government within the term of 45 days and starting another conflict with the Kurds and thus regained majority in the next elections. (This event should not be mentioned here, as it is negative).
Now, april 2018, we are in South-Korea when the leaders of both Koreas meet and declare that they are willing to make the peace.
Next destination???? Israël????

Long distance bicycle paths

In the Netherlands there are many signed bicycle paths, local, regional and national. The so-called LF-routes (Long-Distance routes) are routes that cross the country from north to south, east to west, diagonally, along the rivers, along the zero Amsterdam Northsea level line etc.

In Europe there are the long distance Euroroutes, Vélo routes etc, In many European countries there are dedicated cycle paths to serve the long distance pedal powered traveler. And the number is increasing! Good thing!

Now South-Korea is, or may be, the first Asian country to have Long-Distance bicycle routes. Right now we are on a dedicated route along the east coast. There is also the 4-rivers cycle path, that goes from Busan to Seoul, over 650 kms, and connects to several other along the river cycle paths.

The path we are currently following is marked by blue and white signs and by white symbols and a blue line on the pavement. Sometimes it's just the road side where all the traffic is, very often there are separated path ways, sometimes even special boarded constructions. Well made!

South-Koreans ocean charter

Why?

Why do Korean road-cyclists hide themselves behind these obscure masks? It's not their religion I suppose. It cannot be the weather, that's fine. Nice temperature, no wind, nothing. It seems that you cannot ride a road bike here without this awkward disguise.
Some say that many Koreans don't like a dark tan and that's why they cover the skin. I consider the price very high, free breathing is pretty important when delivering a physical effort like cycling.

Bye Japan

We've left Japan.

The last three days in Japan we spent in Kioto and walked miles from one temple to another shrine. Impressive, beautiful and it kept us interested. It's impossible to realize and grasp how much creativity and effort has gone into all these enormous and beautiful places. It's the same everywhere in the world, in Europe we have our cathedrals and castles, communities can achieve so much, voluntarily or forced.

After our flash-visit to Kioto we returned to Fukuoka where we had left the bulk of our luggage and our transport, the bikes in the Toyoko-Inn near the enormous Hakata-station. We have become "members' of this hotel chain, which is no-nonsense, clean, very affordable and exactly what we need. In Busan we are staying in another location of this chain, now very familiar to us. Since we have spent over ten nights with them, we are getting one night free now!

The next morning we pedalled a few kilometers to Hakata international ferry terminal where we checked in for Busan, South-Korea. Tickets about €80 p.p incl. the bike for a six hour way to the other side of the East sea. Funny that, when boarding, we followed the same routing with our bikes on our hands as the other foot-passengers with their trolleys. We were given a 'shared cabin', a space where there were 12 futon beds on tatami mats. The sea was flat, the ride smooth and easy. Exactly on schedule we disembarked, no problems getting through customs and we reached our Korean Toyoko-Inn at about 19.00. 

In Busan, second largest city in S-Korea, we are riding on the right side of the street again, but the first traffic we meet is rougher than we were used to during this last month. We cannot read anything as we could not in Japan, Toyoko-Inn doesn't seem as clean and quiet, people seem to be nosier, there are homeless people in the little park in front of the hotel, we again have to find out what and how the small restaurants work. Things feel alien, normal for the fist encounter in again another country/culture.

No litter and ever-shining cars

The Japanese are not only polite and friendly, they appear to be a very clean people. We have f.i. seen how deliberately they wash themselves before stepping into an 'onsen' (hot public bath). But they are not only clean on themselves, they are so on their environment as well. 

There are only brand-new cars in the streets it seams. But no, all the time you see people washing, rubbing and polishing their cars on parking lots. The result is shining car paint all over.

Then the most striking thing to me is that there is absolutely no litter on the streets. There's no scrap of paper, cigarette-but, empty softdrink-can or bottle whatsoever to be found. Very nice and agreeable, we have seen otherwise in other parts of the world.

Now you would expect lots of garbage bins on lamp posts, railings etc. But again no, there are none! None at all. We don't quite understand how they do it. When we buy our coffee and sandwiches etc. to take away the only place where we can dispose of the packing and empty cup is in the shop where we bought it. We do see other buyers do the same.

That's it, you will find no garbage bin ever in a Japanese street, neither will you find any litter. 

Shrines, temples and kimonos

Travelling from Fukuoka to Kyoto by Shinkansen is fast and comfortable. Smoothly covering 650 kms in less than 3 hours. There's no enjoying of the scenery though, mostly the train moves between noise barriers or through tunnels. But, as the train does, time flies....and there's a lady selling coffee on board.

We will spend three days in Kyoto, this former capital of the country. Then we'll return to Fukuoka and take the ferry to South Korea, where we hope to disembark at 18.00 on April 20th.

Kyoto is famous for its places of worship. The two main religions of this country both have their biggest and most beautiful temples (Buddhism) and shrines (Shinto) here.

Today we visited two prestiguous ones and, when passing, by some smaller ones (as there are really many). We were not the only ones, crowds of Japanese joined us. They just wandered over the premises in awe, as we did, and really prayed (in the way I described in a former blog). But we were really surprised and pleased to see that many visitors were traditionally dressed. We saw hundreds of women and men in kimono. Mostly very elegant. We had the impression that most of these people were not used to wearing this traditional gear, they kept making photos and selfies and there were lots of kimono-rent-shops near the shrine. But it certainly gave a positive contribution to the atmosphere.