Summer weekend

A tip for hiking near Aure - there is an amazing loop on Tustna island, with perfect views and some challenging vertical difference (from sea level to almost 900m  just on several kilometers distance). We climbed from Tustna cemetery to Skarven (896m), returning through Gullsteinsetra valley. It is also possible to go back along the opposite ridge, which looks quit dramatic.  The area is suitable for winter adventures too.

flat part of the hike, just before the top

nice scenery

Jurtinden hill

Gullsteinsetra valley and opposite ridge

the area around the bridge between Sttablandet and Jørnøya is good for fishing macrels

Shanghai

Landing in Shanghai. The brown field is the sea...hmmm

I took Maglev train to the city centre. The speed was cool, but the desing and interior was not so impressive, especially compared with Shinkanzens

the view from my hotel room, where I spent next 10 days.

in local supemarket, you can buy a lot of animals

the conference was organised by Tongi University

during registration...

watching Chinese TV

modern part of the city

in metro station

reminiscence of old bad times in CZ

largest cargo port in the world

I tried to do some sightseeing, but it was hell. Super hot, humid, crowded, polluted

library

famous panorama

Shanghai airport...finally going home

Last day

Last day in Japan, we visited the area near famous Kuromon Ichiba market and ate many delicatessen... Belma is flying  back to Norway and I am ready for World Transport Conference in Shanghai. Japan was perfect!

Day 12 - Relax

lake Biwa, nice escape destination from hot Kyoto. Clear water, empty beaches. We got massive sunburn and moved to Osaka later that day

Osaka - food capital of the world,  with 96 Michellin restaurants. On the picture there is a sushi "restaurant" for 3 standing people....

Day 11 - Nara

if you are sick from all those temples, use a toilet properly! Or had you too much maquetes?

Nara, long time ago first permanent capital of Japan, offers beautifull park landscape with some remarkable pieces of architecture

that is huge...

one of the largest wooden building in the world (smaller by 1/3 after reconstruction) is hidding monster Buddha

16m tall bronze statue

is guarded by this nice man

Temples around are empty, all tourists are focusing on main buildings

1200 deers around...

Day 10 - hot Kyoto

lets start the day with another maquete

But we wanted something real, Arashiyama Bamboo Grove

The area around Togetsu-Kyo was very crowded with turists and locals as well plus hot weather, bad cocktail for us

we tried to escape, walking along Hozu-gawa river

into a Daihikaku senkoji, nice small zen-buddhism temple (F.A.S - Formless self. All mankind. Suprahistorical history)

we continued into huge transport temple with air-condition, Kyoto train station

walking around Gion, we met those not-maquetes of birds

and girls

and pagoda

and narrow house

temples are everywhere, starting to be 'overtempled'...