Japanese Surgeon's Daily Life

River Cruise to Greenwich

　　After checking out of the hotel we deposited our luggage at the cloakroom. The hotel room was kept clean and the price was reasonable. It was located near Paddington station. If I had to stay near Paddington again, I'd like to book this hotel. Then, we headed for Westminster Pier by bus. This visit was the third time for us and we finally became able to use the bus in London. The seats on the second floor were full but we enjoyed the streets' view from the first floor. Getting off at Westminster Abbey and viewing the Palace of Westminster and Big Ben we walked to Westminster Pier. 

　　We were going to Royal Greenwich Observatory running down the Thames. Getting on the boat, a middle aged couple asked me in Japanese, "Are you Japanese?" They were at a loss. They didn't know where they should get off the boat. My daughter and her boyfriend helped them communicate with the cruise staff and they were so thankful. They would travel around the southern part of U.K. for three weeks. 

　　I'll show you some pictures taken from the boat. London Eye, the Tower of London, and Tower Bridge reminded me of my first uneasy visit to the U.K. with my second daughter. Four years have passed since then. This visit is full of fun. Our boat took a short stop at Canary Wharf then arrived at Greenwich Pier. 

 

 

 

　ホテルをチェックアウトして荷物を預け、バスでウェストミンスター桟橋へ向かった。３回目のロンドン、バスに乗ることができるようになった。我ながら進歩したものだ。ウエストミンスター寺院前で降りて桟橋へ向かった。ビッグベンを横に見て桟橋に到着。テムズ川を下ってグリニッジ天文台を目指す。到着した船に乗り込んだところ、中高年カップルから日本人かと日本語で問われた。そうだと答えると、降りる場所がわからなくなったので通訳をしてもらえないかと。息子と彼氏君が手伝ってあげた。３週間くらいかけてイギリス南部を旅行しているのだとか。羨ましい。

　船から撮った写真の一部をＵＰします。ロンドン塔やタワーブリッジなど、初めてのロンドンで不安な思いをしながら次女と歩いたことを思い出しました。あれから４年。彼氏君の職場のあるカナリーワーフ桟橋、そしてグリニッジ桟橋に到着！

Hyde Park

　　I got up bright and early on June 9th. My wife couldn't walk long distances so I left her at the hotel and went out for a walk alone. I headed for Tyburn Tree which I wrote about in the previous entry on Bayswater Rd. A bright sky and a comfortable breeze made me feel uplifted. Every scene along the road attracted me and I took pictures and I'll show you some of them. The 5th and subsequent pictures were taken in the park.
　　I walked all the way around Marble Arch from Tyburn Tree and entered Hyde Park. I had been afraid to come across the homeless, but I didn't see any homeless person and was able to walk around as I wanted. I saw several joggers jogging on the way. I wondered, "Do they enjoy jogging here everyday?" There is a big park near my house. As it's located on a small hill, I feel reluctant to climb up to the park.
　　There was a signboard to warn of something. I found some words on the signboard that I know like "moth", "caterpillar", etc. I understood the warning vaguely, but I took a picture of the board to learn each word. The English words that I come across off guard can be easily absorbed in my mind.
　　There were some facilities for maintenance, all of which were historic and had the British taste. According to the description on the information board for visitors, those buildings were formerly a fire station or a police office. To my surprise, however, there was a private residence in the park. The mailing address would be "Hyde Park, London, U.K." wouldn't it? In the 3rd picture from the last, you can see the Princess Diana Memorial Fountain. If you take a close look at the last picture, you can see Kensington Palace in the distance. I got back to my hotel and after grabbing a quick shower, breakfast, then got out for today's main event!

(Vocabulary)
uplifting (人を) 幸せな気分にする, 気持ち［精神］が高揚する（ような）

　少し薄暗い時間に起床し、余り長い距離を歩けないカミさんをホテルに残して早朝の散歩に出発。ホテルからBayswater Rdを歩いて先の記事に書いたタイバーンの木へ向かった。快晴でとても気持ちの良い散歩となった。周辺の景色をカメラに収めながら歩く。５枚目の写真からは公園内部を撮っている。タイバーンの木から工事中のMarble Archを一周してハイドパークに入った。ホームレスが多くいるのではないかと恐れたが、そんなことはなく、気の向くままに歩くことが出来た。途中、数名のジョガーに出会った。毎日ここを走るのだろうか。さぞかし気持ちよいだろうなと思う。うちの近くにも公園はあるが、小高い丘の上なのでジョギングで登るのは気後れする。
　何かに対する警告の看板があった。Moth とかCaterpillarとあったのでおそらくは毛虫に注意だろうと思ったが、後で確認するために撮影。こういうときに出てくる英単語はすぐに覚えることが出来る。
ハイドパークの中には公園管理のための建物があり、古くて趣きがあった。かつては警察署、消防署だった建物はイギリスの長い歴史を静かに物語っていた。そして、個人の家らしきものもあり驚く。郵便物はおそらく、『イギリス　ロンドン　ハイドパーク』で届くのだろう。終わりから３枚目の写真はダイアナ妃記念噴水、最後の写真では一番奥にケンジントン宮殿が見えている。ホテルに戻りシャワー、朝食、そして今日のメインイベントに向かう。

Tyburn Tree

　　A new bill concerning LGBT was voted for the other day in Japan. It is said to have followed the policy of the U.S. and the prime minister had ignored the public opinion of Japan. I was so angry at his act. Japan has originally been generous to LGBT people and this law is unnecessary or harmful in Japan. So, I investigated its background to know why the U.S. was so positive for this legislation.
　　In the U.K. a law was enacted in 1533 which was directed at homosexuals. The law dictated that homosexuals were subject to capital punishment. The execution of three homosexuals in 1726 is recorded. Public execution seems to have been an entertainment for commoners in those days. You can see what was going on at venues for public executions in some pictures.
　　In fact, homosexuals in the U.K. had been suppressed and ill-treated and they have been killed in front of audiences for amusement. There is such a long-term horror story and the Anglo-Saxon would have feelings of redemption for their negative history. I imagine on my own that those feelings would be streaming under radical advocacy for LGBT.
　　I therefore visited the site of a venue for the execution of three homosexuals. An epitaph, which at least seemed to me so, or a panel which read "The Site of Tyburn Tree" was embedded on the ground as shown below. Additionally three trees stood in the busy street. Three trees apparently represent the shape of the execution stage. It was located on the north-east corner of Hyde Park and near Marble Arch. The site was desolate despite being adjacent to one of the tourist attractions. I supposed that even the Briton might not know this site. Marble Arch was under renovation and regrettably I wasn't able to view it.

(Vocabulary)
venue for public executions 公開処刑場
redemption 罪のあがない

　日本で先般、ＬＧＢＴに関する法案が成立した。米国の方針に従うもので国民を無視したものだったので随分腹が立った。日本は法律など無くてもＬＧＢＴの人たちに対して寛容な国だ。少し背景を調べてみた。すると、イギリスでは同性愛者を死刑とする法律が１５３３年に発布されていて、１７２６年に３人のオカマが見せしめのため公開で処刑された記録が残っていた。当時は処刑がエンタテインメントでもあったらしい。当時の絵が残っており処刑台が描かれている。
　要するに見せしめで殺されるほど、イギリスの同性愛者は抑圧され虐待されていたわけで、こうした長年にわたる惨劇があり、自国の負の歴史に対する贖罪の気持ちが、英米の過激なLGBT擁護運動の根底にあるのだろう。と、勝手に思っている。
　で、この処刑場の跡へ行ってみた。『タイバーンの木の場所』と書かれた墓碑銘（と僕には思えた）が設置されていた。３本の木は処刑台を模したものだそうだ。ハイドパークの北東角にこのような場所があるなんて、ロンドン在住でも知らない人の方が多いのではないかと思う。近くの観光名所マーブルアーチは写真の通り工事中。残念。

Kensington Palace and Gardens

　　I had an appointment with the Prince of Wales and visited Kensington Palace where he and his family live. When I entered the premise of the Palace, a statue came into my sight. It was the statue of William III. I didn't know much about him. I just learned that he came from the Netherlands and fought Louis XIV. He apparently built Kensington Palace and died here.
　　I entered the Palace. The great flamboyance was within the scope of my assumption, but the additional exhibition was amazing to me. The names, photos and documented records of people who had supported the royal family since 19th century were displayed. They were what you call commoners. The Royal Family openly expressed their gratitude to them; lots of supporters, housekeepers, gardeners, cooks, clerks, cleaners, and so on.
　　Arriving at Heathrow in the morning, my wife got tired. I asked my daughter to take her to our hotel, and I took a walk alone in the pleasant breeze and weather. I was likely to forget that I was in a big city of London.
　　By ill chance, I found the statue of Queen Victoria near the exit of the Palace. The U.K. was evil in her reign of the latter half of 19th century. Recalling what the U.K. did in Asian and African countries in her reign, I felt nausea coming on. Japan was one of the victims.
　　While walking around, I found a tiny statue of a child. It was Peter Pan. That was it! I recalled that Peter Pan had fallen out of the baby buggy or pram in Kensington Gardens. He can fly in the sky and is an eternal boy. There were several kids cheerfully running around the statue.
　　Then, we were taken to a Greek restaurant near Hyde Park for dinner. I felt a touching effort of my daughter's boyfriend to welcome us. The dishes were new to me and I really enjoyed them over beers from Cyprus.
　　One more thing, Queen Victoria was born and spent her early childhood in Kensington Palace. That's why her statue stood in front of the Palace.

(Vocabulary)
flamboyance (人の) 華やかさ, 華麗さ; (服装などの) きらびやかさ
by ill chance　 運悪く

https://kumo.typepad.jp/weblog/2023/07/merton-college.html

　イギリスのウィリアム皇太子とアポがあったのでケンジントン宮殿を訪問した。（笑）
敷地に入るとある銅像が眼に入った。ウィリアム３世オレンジ公とのこと。オランダから来たことくらいしか知らなかったが、この宮殿を建て、この宮殿で没したらしい。宮殿の中の豪華絢爛さはいうまでもないが、スタッフ達の笑顔の写真、名前、彼らが付けていた各種台帳など、王室を支えてきた人たちの記録が展示されていた。王室が謝意を示している。大切なことだと感じた。
　朝、ヒースロー国際空港に到着し、ずっと歩き回って疲れたというカミさんをホテルに送ってもらい、僕は一人でケンジントン公園内を散策。快晴で、気持ちの良い風が吹き、ロンドンという都会にいることを忘れそうである。ケンジントン宮殿を出てすぐのところでヴィクトリア女王の銅像があった。１９世紀後半、彼女の時代、イギリスのやってきたことを思うと吐き気がして来る。日本も散々やられた。そんな嫌なことも思い出したが、一回りして小さな子供の銅像を見つけた。ピーターパンの銅像だった。そうだった、ピーター・パンはロンドンのケンジントン公園で乳母車から落ちて迷子となったんだった。空を飛ぶことのできる永遠の少年である。周辺では子ども達の笑い声が響いていた。
　さて、夕食は近くのギリシャ料理レストラン。彼氏君の我々を歓迎しようという努力は涙ぐましい。料理は初めて聞く名前ばかり。キプロス産ビールと共に明るい夜が更けていく。
　なお、ケンジントン宮殿にヴィクトリア女王の銅像があった理由だが、彼女はここで生まれ、幼少期を過ごしたらしい。

Notting Hill

　　We deposited our luggage at the hotel and headed for Notting Hill. I knew this name from the movie "Notting Hill" which was made in 1999. Since then, I wanted to walk around the streets where Julia Roberts and Hugh Grant were cheerfully walking in the movie. Two lead characters come across at a small bookshop and the shop exists even now in a corner of Portobello road in Notting Hill. I had my daughter take pictures of me in front of the bookshop. There was a crowd of people, but few entered the bookshop. I wanted to take pictures inside the bookshop in the same angles as the movie, but refrained from entering the shop so as not to interfere with their business. It so happened that the crowd disappeared for a short time and I was able to take the 2nd picture.
　　One more thing, the movie was actually shot at a different point, which is shown in the 3rd picture. The layout of the bookstore in the 2nd picture was replicated to this shop and the movie was made. This place isn't a bookshop, but bears the signboard, "Travel Book Shop". The owner would leave it as it was very consciously. There was a crowd of visitors in front of the shop. The movie was made no less than 20 years ago, but its popularity continued.
　　The next picture(4th picture) shows "The Distillery". I wanted to try some gin, but two ladies didn't want to, though two men wanted to.
　　We strolled along Portobello Road for about an hour and I had a great time. I wished I had 3 stomachs for eating many kinds of exotic food. More than 10 antique shops entertained us. Lots of silverwork and items from the Mideast were displayed in storefronts and stalls. If I had the ability to appreciate things of beauty, I might have made a real find.
　　We dropped in at a restaurant, Poppies, which seemed to be very famous for its "Fish & Chips", and I ate cod and haddock sharing with my wife over a glass of white wine. It was very nice.

https://www.arukikata.co.jp/web/article/item/3001828/

ホテルへ荷物を預けた後、タクシーでノッティングヒルへ向かう。その昔、ノッティング・ヒル（邦題：ノッティングヒルの恋人）という映画があった。Julia RobertsとHugh Grant主演のロマンティック・コメディで一度現地を歩いてみたかった。二人の出会う書店が現存し、その前で記念撮影。書店の前には人だかりがあるのに中へ入る人は少ない。たまたま人の流れが切れたときに撮影できた。店内で映画と同じアングルで撮影したかったが、邪魔になると思い諦めた。ただ、実は、実際の撮影はこの書店のレイアウトをそのまま移して別の場所で撮られた。その場所が３枚目の写真。因みにここは現在は本屋ではないが、Travel Book Shopと映画撮影の痕が残っている、というより残しているのだろう。ここも人だかり。２０年も前の映画なのに、人気は衰えず。

その次の写真はこれも有名な醸造所The Distillery ジン発祥の地。一口飲みたかったが、女性二人がアルコールが苦手なためパス。ボーイフレンド氏と僕は飲もうとしたのだが。

１時間ほどブラブラする。実に楽しい。胃袋が３つくらいほしかった。中東系の骨董品屋が多くあり、目の肥えた人なら掘り出し物を見つけるのかもしれないが、僕には無理。歩き疲れて立ち寄ったのがFish & Chips で有名な Poppies　https://poppiesfishandchips.co.uk/
codとhaddockという２種類の魚を食べる。美味！

Portuguese Old Streetcar

　　I am often asked for a regular medical checkup in various workplaces from medical checkup outfits. Under the strict regulation of the government, workers are supposed to get their medical checkup once a year. Today, I was asked to join the medical checkup team and visited a CocaCola bottling factory. The regular physician seemed to have been called out due to a family emergency, and there was no substitute.
　　During the lunch break, I took a short walk in the grounds of the factory. The weather was clear without clouds and it was a very comfortable walk. I came across an exhibit of an old streetcar at the corner of the grounds. The street car was vividly painted with the logo of the CocaCola, but its inside was dilapidated showing years of neglect.
　　According to the description of the exhibit, this streetcar was produced in 1928 in Portugal and used to run on the street in Lisbon. The Tosa Railroad Company in the neighboring Kochi prefecture bought it in 1990 to run a variety of streetcars from the world as the memorial event of the company's 80th year. The logo of the CocaCola is apparently the same as its original in Lisbon. At the end of its useful life in Kochi, the streetcar was placed in the grounds of the CocaCola Company. I've been to Malacca where there were lots of ruins connected to Portugal, but I've never been to Portugal. I felt like visiting Lisbon seeing the streetcar.

Formal Visit to the U.K. by Japanese Ten-noh

　　The Japanese Government announced that their majesties the emperor and empress were supposed to make a formal visit to the U.K. in June. The visit was once planned three years ago on the invitation of Queen Elizabeth, but was suspended pending the COVID-19 pandemic. The queen passed away during the suspension and the Imperial couple would apparently visit her tomb in tribute to her. The couple graduated from Oxford University and they are supposed to drop in at Oxford city on the last day of the visit. However, it's not decided yet when they'll visit the U.K. in June. Early or middle or late June? To tell the truth, my wife and I are planning to visit the U.K. in June, too. Should we visit at the same time as the Imperial couple, or not? We are examining the pros and cons of the visit in the same period with them. We are focusing on the southwest area of the U.K. this time, centering on Bath, Cardiff the capital of Wales and Stonehenge along with a few places in the city of London.
　　Bath is literally the town of bath. Ancient Romans reached the U.K. and built public bath facilities in Bath. I'm not sure, but the word "bath" may be derived from this city. My hometown has the Dogo Onsen Spa which is known as the oldest hot spa in Japan and the Roman-style bath would be the oldest bath in the U.K. Given this situation, the next trip to the U.K. may be a lot of fun.

(Vocabulary)
Their Majesties the Emperor and Empress 天皇皇后両陛下
on the invitation of ～の招きで
Given this situation このようなことから

My Father's Ashes Placed Eternally

　　I'm going to write about a Buddhist practice today, though it's hard for me to express Buddhist terms in English. More than a year has passed since my father passed away. His ashes have been placed in the family altar since. Ashes, in general, are placed in the tomb within a few weeks after the cremation. My parents built the family tomb around 20 years ago on a hillside from which you can command a panoramic view of the hometown. They must have wanted their ashes to be placed in this tomb, but the tomb is rustic and looks desolate and I placed his ashes in my house. He had been hospitalized for his last three years and strictly limited to receive visitations by his friends and even family members due to the abhorrent COVID-19 pandemic. He would have been lonely and I felt sorry for him and placed his ashes in my busy house.
　　Now, the equinoctial week is coming just around the corner. This week carries significance in Buddhism. Lots of families pay a visit to their ancestral grave during this week and put up a "Sotouba" wooden tablet, which came from stupa in Sanskrit, and give more than a passing thought to ancestors.
　　On Sunday last week, I visited my father's original house, a historic old temple, with his ashes and walked around the grounds in which my father would have spent his childhood, and offered a prayer to the ancestors' graves on a hill behind the temple. Once his ashes were placed in his tomb, he couldn't be moved.
　　Then, today, I had a Buddhist priest, who is a nephew of my father, down and a Buddhist memorial service of putting the ashes into the tomb. The door of the tomb was closed and my father's life was also closed today.

(Vocabulary)
ashes (pl.)遺骨
place sb's ashes in a tomb 納骨する
family altar, Buddhist household shrine 祭壇
cremation 火葬
halfway down the hill 丘の中ほどで
halfway up a hill; on a hillside 丘の中腹に
hillside 丘の斜面[中腹]
command a panoramic view of ～を一望できる
rustic 飾り気のない　素朴な
desolate 〈場所などが〉人気 (ひとけ) のない ; 荒れ果てた; 活気のない
〈人が〉孤独な , 寂しい, わびしい, 心細い; 惨めな; 〈事が〉陰鬱な, 寂しい
equinoctial week 彼岸
stupa 卒塔婆 wooden grave tablet
give more than a passing thought to ～に思いを馳せる［致す］
a passing thought 一時的な考え
have ~ down（客を）招く

Kappabashi Dougu Street and Alsace Restaurant Gentil

　　I went to Tokyo to attend an exhibition of camping cars on a large scale. Lots of gorgeous and large motor homes didn't interest me and I wanted to check only several small cars equipped with various electrical components like a cooler run by DC 12V, a fridge, and a microwave. If I looked around all the cars, it would take more than 6 hours, but I didn't have so much time. Therefore, the exhibition was open at 9 a.m. but I dropped in at Kappabashi Dougu Street on the way to the exhibition. My wife and I strolled around the street. This street is well-known worldwide. Various buyers from overseas gather at this street to find handmade artisan items. We were going to get a Deba knife specified for cutting fish and stopped by a knife shop where some tourists were asking something to shop staff. One of them seemed to be a chef from the U.S.. He was saying that he made it a rule to buy his knives at this shop. He was an avid user of the shop's products. Dull knives have a high risk of injury, so we bought one.
　　I recalled how dull the set of cooking knives in my condominium in Hawaii was. Every time I visited my condominium, we asked the hotel manager to give proper maintenance to the knives. Nothing changed, however. On the condominium users' bulletin board on the net, it's described that the visitors should bring cooking knives from your home and we have done so every time. Seeing the showcase of cooking knives, an idea came into my mind. The knives which we thought were dull might be common in the U.S., therefore some professional chefs are fond of using ones made by Japanese craftsmen. My idea would be correct. The url of the street is at the end of this entry.
　　Then we headed for an Alsace Restaurant called Gentil, which we had happened to see on T.V. We ordered some traditional dishes which would take time for cooking yesterday in advance. To tell the truth, I had visited Alsace with my second daughter in March in 2010. The trip memos are on this blog. I remember having eaten escargot in Riquewihr in Alsace and I wanted to eat them again. The restaurant was really crowded and that was the token of its popularity. The Gentil's staff members were kind and gentle. The delicious dishes are rather obvious things to say. On the next trip to Tokyo, we'll swing by this restaurant.

https://www.kappabashi.or.jp/en/

https://kumo.typepad.jp/weblog/2010/04/lunch.html

 

Bishop Museum

　　Bishop Museum is the largest museum in Hawaii, which aims to research and record the history and culture of the Hawaii islands. Since I had visited Hawaii for the first time, I have been eager to visit the museum. However, as the museum wasn't so accessible for visitors who didn't have a car, being away from the heart of the Waikiki area, I wound up visiting the museum for the first time today. The founder seemed to be a descendant of the royal family of Hawaii.
　　I was surprised to see its vast premise. According to the attendant, the Kamehameha Schools used to be there, which now stands on top of a hill. The museum has been extended to the vacant places to develop into the magnificent museum.
　　Incidentally, if you don't have even the slightest natural connection by blood to the Hawaiian royal family, you aren't admitted to the school. Through the generations after the Hawaiian annexation by the U.S., the school has a diverse array of students from diverse backgrounds across racial lines. It apparently is administered by the Royal Hawaiian Center on Kalakaua street in Waikiki and the tuition is free! The Hawaiian Royal Family would have been still keeping their pride and authority.
　　The collections cover a broad range of topics on Hawaii, islands of the Pacific Ocean and Polynesia. They are very valuable.
　　I'll show you some pictures below. The 1st one was shot from on the trolley on the way to the museum. It is the statue of Father Damien in front of the city hall, who devoted himself to caring for leprosy patients in Molokai. He eventually died from leprosy. He has been honored as a holy person in Hawaii, though he was born in Belgium. I'm thinking of visiting the island some day. The terrain of the island is very unique and you'll easily realize why the island was chosen as an isolation place for the leprosy patients.
　　The next picture shows inside the museum. I was interested in the fine arts and crafts of the Polynesian islands, but I didn't have time to spare for those. I went straight to the Hawaiian history's booth. The 3rd picture is the description of the anti-annexation movement by Hawaiian natives. The newspapers around the annexation day were laid out. The evil deeds by people who were moved from the European continent to the American continent, then expanded to the west, were recorded clearly and unequivocally. The next picture is King Kalakaua, whose name remains as the name of the busiest street of Waikiki. Three great figures who shaped up the tradition of Hawaii were elaborated on. One of them was Duke Kahanamoku. The beach in front of my condominium was dubbed after his name and is called Kahanamoku beach. His statue would be the most popular one in Hawaii. It stands at Waikiki beach with his arm open as if welcoming visitors.

(Vocabulary)
across racial lines 人種の境界線［違い］を越えて
leprosy ライ病、ハンセン氏病
fine arts and crafts 美術工芸品

 

　ビショップミュージアムは、ハワイ史の研究と文化の保存を目的とするハワイ最大の博物館です。初めてホノルルへ来たときから訪問したかったのですが、ワイキキから見ると離れているので簡単に立ち寄ることが出来ず、今日の訪問となりました。創立者はハワイ王家に繋がる人です。

　敷地が広いので驚きました。案内人によると、かつてはここにカメハメハ・スクールがあったそうで、その学校は今は丘の上に移転しています。空いた土地に博物館を増築し壮大なスケールの博物館へと発展しています。

　因みにカメハメハ・スクールはハワイネイティブの血が混ざっている人でなければ入学できないそうですが、アメリカに併合されてから数世代を経て今や、白人から有色人種まで多様な学生が通っているそうです。カラカウア通りにあるロイヤルハワイアンセンターが管理しているそうで、授業料は無料とのこと。ハワイ王家は今でもハワイアンとしてのプライドを持ち続け、影響力を維持しているのでしょう。

　収蔵品は、ハワイと太平洋諸島ポリネシア全域の文化に関する美術工芸品、文献、写真などで、２５００万点を超える世界的にも価値の高い貴重なコレクションとなっています。

　以下にＵＰする写真は、１枚目はトロリーバスから撮影したダミアン神父の銅像です。ハワイ州庁舎にあります。１９世紀のモロカイ島にあったハンセン病患者隔離地区で患者の救済に尽くし、自らもハンセン病で命を落とした尊い人として、ベルギー出身ではありますがハワイを代表する聖者とみなされ、尊敬されています。跡地をいつか訪問したいと思っていますが、なかなかたどり着きにくい場所にあります。

　次はビショップ博物館の内部の様子です。ポリネシアの美術工芸品に興味はあったのですが、時間の制約があり、ハワイの歴史を物語るブースへ直行。３枚目の写真がハワイ併合時の島民の反対運動についてのブースの看板です。当時の新聞もありました。ヨーロッパからアメリカ大陸へ移住し、どんどん西へ進み、自国の領土としてきたアメリカの横暴がここにも記録されていました。ワイキキビーチの通りの名前として名を残しているカラカウア王が次の写真。今に繋がる伝統を作り上げた３名の偉人の生涯が記されていて、その中の一人は宿泊しているコンドミニアムの前のビーチの名前となって残っているデューク・カハナモクだった。彼の銅像は両腕を拡げ観光客を招くかのようにワイキキビーチに建っている。

Liliuokalani Protestant Church

　　We passed the Liliuokalani Protestant Church in Haleiwa. The picture shot from the car reads that it was founded in 1832. Liliuokalani was the 8th (last) queen of the Hawaiian Dynasty and she apparently often visited this church. I've learned about the tumultuous end of the dynasty through several books. The Hawaiian Dynasty asked for help from Japan, but Japan was all tied up on Russia which took aim at Japan at that time. The Dynasty eventually became entrapped into the territory of the U.S. I wondered what wishes she had prayed in the church.
　　We left the town of Haleiwa and visited the Dole plantation whose name was after the culprit of the illegal annexation of Hawaii islands. Was the annexation good or bad for native Hawaiians? I'd like to consider about it in the Bishop Museum which I would visit on 14th. The museum seemed to have lots of collections in a various array of the fields like the folklore, history, culture, politics, and so on.

(Vocabulary)
folklore 民間伝承（伝説･伝統･民族衣装など）; 言い伝え, 民俗学.

　ハレイワでリリウオカラニ教会を通り過ぎた。そのときに撮った写真に写る看板には１８３２年創立とある。リリウオカラニはハワイ王国第8代（最後）の国王。女王はこの教会へ礼拝によく訪れたという。ハワイ王朝の最期はいろいろな本で勉強した。ハワイ王朝は近代国家を作り上げる途上でアメリカの策略に引っかかってしまった。日本に助けを求めたが、当時日本は南下するロシアの脅威に立ち向かうことで精一杯でハワイ救済までは手が回らなかった。リリウオカラニはどんな気持ちで晩年を過ごしただろうか。

　ハレイワをあとにして、ハワイ乗っ取りの首謀者とも言えるドールの名を冠した農園を訪れた。ハワイはアメリカの一部になって良かったのか、悪かったのか。ビショップ博物館で、じっくりと考えて見たい。明後日には、ハワイの歴史を記したビショップ博物館を訪問する予定にしている。全て見るには何日もかかるほど沢山の展示物があるらしいので今から楽しみだ。

Spiritual Site Pohaku Lana'i

　　Our guide told us about a spiritual site, which Mr. Ohtani, a famous baseball player, had visited. Subsequently, he earned the award, "Rookie of the Year". We hoped that we would have the same good luck as him. Its name is Pohaku Lana'i. Pohaku is "Rock" and Lana'i is "balcony" in Hawaiian. Totally, it means balcony-like rock. The rock has been a spiritual site for prayer for victory.
　　We heard that this place was also a sea turtles hot zone, and going to the shore, we found three sea turtles just in front of us. Hawaiians have believed since the ancient past that turtles will bring happiness to them. We were very lucky to see turtles 10 meters before us.

(Vocabulary)
I hope I will 「have the same good luck as he [share his good luck].
私も彼の幸運にあやかりたい
prayer for victory　戦勝祈願

パワースポット

ガイドが近くにパワースポットがあるという。大谷翔平さんはここに立ち寄ってから成績が上がったという。ならば我々もそれにあやかるべきということで立ち寄った。パワースポットの名前はポハク・ラナイといい、ハワイ語でポハクは「岩」、ラナイは「バルコニー」ということで、バルコニーみたいな岩というわけ。古代より戦勝祈願のパワースポットだったそうです。大谷さんにはぴったりですね。

また、ここはウミガメが良くやってくる場所だというので２０メートルほど先の海岸に出てみると、、、ウミガメが３匹。なんとラッキーな。写真では見にくいのですが、ハワイへ幸運を運ぶというウミガメに出会うことが出来ました。

Haleiwa

　　Our minivan entered into the town of Haleiwa, which is located at the north of Oahu island and is the center of the North Shore. Some restaurants, souvenir shops, and a famous shaved ice shop were lined up along the road. I took a plate lunch from a food truck and the Hawaiian garlic shrimps were really delicious.
　　After lunch, my wife and I strolled along the main street of Haleiwa, which was a small village where you can walk from one end to the other end in 30 minutes or so. When I visited the North Shore for the first time, I took a rest at an old warehouse-like shop on the outskirts of the town. I'd like to buy matching aloha shirts for me and my granddaughter this time, but the famous aloha shop didn't have one for female infants, so I bought a gorgeous aloha shirt for me only. My wife enjoyed a colorful shaved ice from its original shop in Hawaii that a Japanese had opened more than 50 years ago. He was the one who made shaved ice take root in Hawaii.

(Vocabulary)
matching outfits（二人以上の人たちの）

ハレイワの街へ入った。オアフ島の北側、ノースショアの中心地でレストランや土産物店、有名なかき氷屋などがある。我々はここで昼食をとった。我々の昼食は小型の廃バスを利用した店のプレートランチだった。名物のガーリックシュリンプはとてもうまかった。

その後、街を散策。といっても小さな町なので３０分もあれば端から端まで歩けてしまう。前回は町外れの古い倉庫を利用した１００年前のたたずまいの店でのんびりしたが、今回はここにある専門店でアロハシャツを買いたかった。出来れば孫娘とお揃いのもの。しかし、子供用は男の子用が数店あるだけで女の子用はなかった。しかたなく、自分用のだけを買ったが最高に良いものを買うことが出来た。カミさんは念願のかき氷。かき氷は日本人が開業しこの地の名物となったらしい。

Moanalua Gardens Supported by the Hitachi Group (日立の樹)

　　We stopped by the Moanalua gardens to see what is called the Hitachi Tree which is all too famous among Japanese. The tree is known as the Hitachi Tree for Japanese, but is commonly called the monkey pod. This monkey pod has been featured in the commercial film of the Hitachi Group and its catchy tune is imbued in my mind. I was wondering where and what it was for a long time. When I visited Honolulu for the first time and saw it up close, I was happy. For my friends, it was the first time to visit the gardens and they looked very happy as I once did.
　　The Moanalua gardens used to be owned by the Hawaiian Royal Family. On my first visit, I missed a cottage which had been built in the time of King Kamehameha 5th in the late 19th century and I walked around the cottage this time apart from my friends. The cottage was well preserved. As we asked the driver to take us to too many places, we had only 20 minutes here. I'd like to have stayed a little longer.

(Vocabulary)
garden 〚通例～s〛公園, 遊園地; 屋外の軽飲食店
botanical [zoological] gardens 植物[動物]園
a beer garden ビアガーデン

日本人にはあまりにも有名な『日立の樹』を見るためにモアナルアガーデンに立ち寄った。日本人には『日立の樹』で通る木だが、英語ではモンキーポッドと呼ばれる。この木は古くから　ー少なくとも僕の子供時代からー　日立がテレビコマーシャルで使っており、そのテンポの良いコマーシャルソングは頭に深く刻み込まれている。一体どこにあるのだろうと思っていたが、数年前に初めてオアフ島を訪れたときに、『ここにあったのか』と知って嬉しかった。同行の友人たちにとっては初めて実物を見るわけでもちろん楽しそうだった。

僕はといえば、初めて来たときに見落とした１９世紀に立てられたカメハメハ五世のコテージを見学した。戦禍に遭わず、ラッキーだったなと思った。受付でもらったパンフレットをスキャンして下に貼り付けておく。ドライバーに立ち寄りたい場所をいくつも注文したためにここでの滞在は２０分ほど。もう少しゆっくりしても良かったが仕方なし。

Ehime Maru Memorial

　　The Oahu island tour started. We had a place which we should drop in at. Do you remember the collision of the fisheries training vessel Ehime Maru and the U.S. nuclear submarine USS Greeneville in 2001? We actually live in Ehime prefecture in Japan. The high school students who were to enter into the fisheries industry and their instructors left Uwajima City located at the southern part of Ehime prefecture. Out of them, 5 crews and instructors, and 4 students, a total of 9 capable and promising people didn't come back to Japan. We had put the Ehime Maru Memorial on the top of the queue to visit. The Memorial is located at a park near the coast and we were able to see the direction of its sinking point from the memorial. All of us put our hands together and paid a tribune for a short time toward off the coast.

　オアフ島半周ツアーが始まった。まず立ち寄りたい場所があった。我々の住んでいる愛媛県の水産実習船が２００１年２月にハワイ沖でアメリカの原潜と衝突して沈没し、９名が亡くなった。その慰霊碑が沈没地点を望む公園に設置されていて、まずその慰霊碑に立ち寄った。亡くなった教員・乗組員５名＋高校生４名と聞いている。慰霊碑から見渡した先の海域に向かって皆で手を合わせ冥福を祈った。

KCC (Kapi Olani Community College) Farmers' Market

　　There are some farmers' markets on Oahu island and we visited one of them, the most popular one among tourists. It was located in the parking lot of KCC (Kapi Olani Community College) and had been held once a week, on Saturday morning. I'd like to take pictures of unfamiliar fruits and plants there, but I gave up as I ate an oily hamburger and my hands got greasy. The pictures below were given to me by my friend. I was really interested in fruits and raw food, but I refrained from eating them. If I have stomach troubles from them, I should have to give up joining the Honolulu marathon. Being on the safe side, I ate heated food only.
　　We were going to climb up the Diamond Head next, but we had time by the appointed time and went back to Waikiki beach. I'll write about the appointed time of the Diamond Head in the next entry. Anyway, just simply walking around the Sheraton Waikiki Hotel was a lot of fun. People around the hotel pool were full of smiles and cheerfulness. At the entrance hall of the hotel, we saw a statue of three sea turtles and a sand statue of Santa Claus.
　　Sea turtles are called "Honu" in Hawaiian. They are considered to be very holy and are believed to bring good fortune. The airliner, A380, of ANA which connects between Narita and Honolulu is nicknamed "Honu" and three types of Honu are printed on its fuselage. A sand statue of Santa Claus was also displayed. He wore a short-sleeved jacket with a surfboard. That was really what you would have expected in Hawaii in this season.

(Vocabulary)
fuselage （飛行機の）胴体, 機体

　オアフ島で最も有名で観光客を集めている産直市へやって来ました。油っぽいものを食べて手がベタベタであまり写真を撮れず友人が撮影した写真をもらってＵＰしています。気になる食べ物、飲み物がいろいろありましたが、慣れないものを食べて万一腹を壊したら、明日のホノルルマラソンに参加できなくなるので、大事を取って加熱したものだけを食べました。かなり広いのですが、写真が少なくてすみません。

　ダイヤモンドヘッド入山の予約時刻まで間があったのでいったんワイキキビーチへ戻り、シェラトンホテル周辺を散歩。ワイキキビーチはどこを見ても皆笑顔にあふれていて気持ちが良い。シェラトンホテルのエントランスにはウミガメとサンタクロースのオブジェがありました。

　ウミガメは、ハワイ語で「ホヌ」といいます。ハワイではとても神聖な生き物とされ、幸運を運んでくる「海の守り神」として親しまれています。そう言えば、ＡＮＡが成田ーホノルル間を飛ばしているＡ３８０のニックネームはホヌで機体にはウミガメの絵が描かれていますね。そばにはサーフィンを楽しむ砂のサンタクロースがいました。夏の薄着のサンタクロースはどうも違和感がありますね。（笑）

　さて、午後はいよいよダイヤモンドヘッドに登ります。

 

Kalakaua Merrie Mile Run

　　Some marathon-related events were held on the eve of the Honolulu marathon. The topic of "Kalakaua Merrie Mile Run" was one of them. When we left the condominium just after 5 o'clock, masses of people in running outfits were walking toward the Honolulu Zoo, in front of which the run would start.
　　Take a look at the first picture. Two men with an orange T-shirt were outstanding with their flashy garnishes. The garnishes on their heads and waists were surely from the outfits for Polynesian dances. I was eager to get them and asked them where they bought those garnishes. They were from the Netherlands and they were brought from their country. Tough! I'd like to run the marathon with them on. The distance of the Merrie Mile Run was only one mile and you can join it lightheartedly. Separated into several groups, lot of people started. Some famous Japanese comedian were among them.
　　We were wandering on the almost empty Waikiki beach. It was really comfortable walking. There were around 20 people on the jetty. Their purpose seemed to view the rising sun on Diamond Head. We also saw it and it was indescribably beautiful. After cheering the last group, we headed for KCC Farmers' market, which was well-known by tourists. We were going to have something local as brunch. I'll upload some pictures in the next entry.

(Vocabulary)
jetty 突堤, 防波堤; 桟橋(pier), 波止場.

　

　ホノルルマラソンの前の日、マラソンに関連した様々なイベントが行われるが、その一つ、メリーマイルランがある。コンドミニアムを出発したのは５時過ぎだったが、既にカラカウア通りには出発地点へ向かう人の波が出来ていた。

　最初の写真に写っているオレンジ色のシャツの男性二人が人目を引いていた。頭の飾りと腰に巻いているものは間違いなくポリネシアダンスの衣装をモチーフにしている。欲しくなってどこで買ったのか尋ねたところ、オランダから持って来たとのこと。残念。付けてマラソンを走りたかったのだが。メリーマイルランの走る距離は１マイルなので気楽に参加できる。何組にも分けて大勢の参加者がスタートした。日本の有名なタレントもいて盛り上がっていた。

　スタートまで少しの間、人のまばらなワイキキビーチを散策した。突堤の先に２０人くらいの人がいた。ダイヤモンドヘッドから昇ってくる朝日を見るためらしい。とても美しい日の出だった。メリーマイルランのスタート風景を見終わってから観光客にも有名な産直市を見に行った。

Jet Lag

　　Jet lag is widely accepted as a nuisance, but it wasn't on this trip. We saw a need to keep being suffered from jet lag for 2 days. The start time of the Honolulu Marathon was 5 a.m., so we had to get up before 3 a.m. on the day of the marathon. Luckily for us, the jet lag helped us get up at such an early hour. All of us went to bed around 9 p.m. last night and got up at about 3 a.m. It was because of the jet jag, and four of us, who would join the marathon, had to keep this condition. I would usually continue to stay in bed to recover from jet lag even if I couldn't sleep, but not on this trip.
　　After breakfast, we left for Waikiki beach to watch a fun run.

　時差ぼけは厄介な物というのが通説だが、今回は違う。我々は時差ぼけを２日間は維持する必要があった。ホノルルマラソンは５時スタートなので、３時頃には起床して準備が必要なのだ。なので、９時頃にはマラソン組は就寝し、９日土曜日も３時に起床した。何の苦労もなく自然に目が覚めた。今日も目一杯遊ぶ！腹ごしらえをして午前５時過ぎ、出発。

Fireworks and Dinner

　　The fireworks display started on time. This display had been offered by the Hilton once a week on Friday night. A porter told us that our room is one of the best places to view fireworks, so we were waiting for it. His words were correct and we enjoyed it so much. We could watch every rocket from the set-off to its disappearance. The fireworks display is very popular and is an seasonal occurrence in Japan. However, it's rare to watch its ignition. We had a valuable experience. Every time a rocket was shot, a cheer arose on the ground. It would be hot and muggy in the crowd, but we were able to enjoy fireworks in a comfortable air-conditioned room and we were really happy. You can see the situation from the following pictures. Enjoy them.
　　We had a simple meal tonight with pizza and salad. The uncommonly big beef - at least in Japan - was prepared for tomorrow's dinner in advance. We were lucky to be with a good chef. Looking out after a while, the fireworks' viewing boats disappeared and a quiet ocean was there.
　　Viewing this peaceful scenery, I couldn't believe the incident which had occurred on Niihau island in Hawaii today 82 years ago. It was a simple property crime originally, but eventually developed into a serious murder case. Anyway, I'd like to honor a young man who had fought for Japan. He was from the same prefecture as ours.

(Vocabulary)
rocket [C] 打ち上げ花火
Someone set off a rocket. だれかが花火を打ち上げた．
property crime 窃盗事件

 

　ヒルトンの花火が始まった。ポーターがこの部屋は花火を見るには最高の場所だと言っていたが、まったくその通りだった。花火が打ち上がる瞬間から、消えるまで目で追うことが出来た。こんな経験はあまり出来ないだろう。打ち上がるたびに下の方から歓声が聞こけてくる。おそらく下は蒸し暑いだろうが、我々は涼しいところで花火を楽しめた。
　夕食はテイクアウトのピザなどで簡単に済ませた。日本で見ることのあまりないサイズの牛肉は明日に備えて下準備。食後、外を見ると沖合にいた花火鑑賞のための船はいなくなり、静寂な海が拡がっていた。
　この平和な景色を見ていると８２年前の今日、ここで起こったことが信じられなくなってくる。真珠湾攻撃に続いて起こったニイハウ島事件。住民による単純な窃盗事件だったのだが大きな問題になった。それに立ち向かったわが郷土出身のひとりの若者を讃えたい。

Waikiki

　　We went out shopping for food. The 1st floor of the condominium was the trolley terminal and it was very handy. We got on a trolley to the Royal Hawaiian Center and walked along Kalakaua street. I'll show you some snaps taken on the way.
　　I saw a big Christmas tree in the center. It didn't sit well with me in such hot temperatures. People around wore light clothes like a T-shirt, shorts, beach sandals, and so on. No one wore a long coat or snow boots. Anyway, such curious sensations were also a fun part of the trips. We walked through the International Market Place and reached Waikiki Market, which had opened early this year. This market, I thought, would be very convenient for visitors who stayed around Waikiki beach. With prices soaring, daily visits to restaurants cost a lot and take-out supper is also a high price. The room equipped with a kitchen was a blessing.
　　The last picture shows a famous hand gesture called "SHAKA". FYI, "SHAKA" isn't Hawaiian. Anyway, it has a sad story and I'd like to let my friends know the story, but in vain. There stands a statue of a man who had been the origin of the "SHAKA" gesture at the entrance of the Polynesian Culture Center in Kahuku, northeast of Oahu island. Kahuku was his original place. The description of the monument is a little different from the common explanation on the net, but the description on his monument was much more acceptable for me. I was going to take my friends there, but time was short.

(Vocabulary)
wear light clothes [clothing] 薄着する
hand gesture/signal ハンドサイン

　全員で買い物に出た。コンドミニアムの１階がトロリーのターミナルとなっているので実に便利。ロイヤルハワイアンセンターまでトロリーを利用し、後はカラカウア通りをブラブラと散歩。道中のスナップを呈示します。
　こんなに暑い中でのクリスマスツリーにはやはり違和感あり。カラカウア通りからインターナショナルマーケットプレイスを抜けてワイキキマーケット到着。今年初頭にオープンした話題のマーケットなので来てみた。ワイキキビーチ近くのコンドミニアム滞在者には便利な店だろうなと思う。物価が高いのでそうそうレストランは利用できないし、テイクアウトも高いから部屋にキッチンがあるのは助かる。
　最後の写真はシャカSHAKA（実はハワイ語ではありません）、ハワイでの挨拶のハンドサイン。実は悲しい歴史があるのだが、同行の仲間達に伝えることを忘れた。カフクにあるポリネシアンカルチャーセンターの入口にこのサインを生んだ人物の銅像と悲しい歴史が書かれていてそれを見てもらいたかったが時間が足らずに寄れなかった。ネット上の説明と少し異なっていてここに書かれている説明の方が僕には受け入れやすかったので。