Aoi ike literally means blue pond, which was formed by the construction of a barrier against the pyroclastic flow from the active volcano, Tokachidake, in case of its eruption. The mechanism of water changing into blue is still unexplained. The pond was beautiful with withered tree residues like Taishouike Pond in Kamikouchi in Nagano Prefecture.
It was a TV program dealing with domestic trips that told me about this tiny pond. I thought it was located in a deserted area, but there were lots of tourists. A fairly large parking space was provided near the pond. The 5 minutes' walk took us to the pond and when I got back to the parking lot a friend was waiting for me, whom I had met a few years ago in Asahikawa City. Both of us are patriots and on the same wavelength with each other. I parted with him, promising to get together again. Then I went up on and on into the mountainous area in the center of Hokkaido.
(Vocabulary)
pyroclastic flow 火砕流
wither〈植物・花などが〉しおれる, 枯れる; [他] …をしおれさせる, 枯らす
The grass had withered. 芝生が枯れていた．
青い池、テレビの旅情報で知った観光地。番組ではひっそりとした穴場のような言い方だったが、人の多さに驚いた。水の色が青くなる理由はよくわかっていないそうだ。上高地の大正池のような立ち枯れの木があり、美しい。広い駐車場が用意されており、池の周辺を散策して駐車場へ戻ると見知った顔が。写真と名前は伏せるがフェイスブック上の知りあいだ。何年ぶりだろうか、旭川で宴会をしたときに出会った方で、彼とは日本が好きという点で波長が合う。再会を期して別れた。そして山へ向かった。道はどんどん高度を上げていく、、、
Comments