Nicaragua visit

I had a chance to visit Nicaragua this week. It is a beautiful country with very nice and friendly people.

The Pacific Ocean side of the country is of course, a part of the Ring of Fire.  There are many active volcanoes.

Here's Masaya Volcano - the white smoke is volcanic fume - had strong acidic smell.

At the visitor center of Masaya Volcanic National Park, displayed was a big painting of a horrible eruption.

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Apoyo Lagoon Natural Reserve.

Horse-led carriages parked at the Central Park in the historic city of Granada.

Local crafts were sold at the Central Park in Granada.

Lake Nicaragua - a huge lake that bears the country's name.

A market in Managua.

A nice painting at the market.

Lake Managua - volcanic mountains to the west are seen.

The fountain at the entrance of the hotel I stayed in Managua.

Wakayama Visit

Partly to participate in a marathon, I visited Wakayama Prefecture over the weekend.

We had a perfect weather for the run yesterday.  I actually did the Half-Marathon this time - had a great time.   Here - runners waiting for the start of the run.

A road of the area.

Wakayama is famous for plum fruits - already flowers were blooming.

Here are more flowers in the yard of the hotel I stayed.

A view of Tanabe Harbor - the fortress-looking building is actually a super deluxe hotel that was built during Japan's Bubble Economy Period.  BTW, I did not stay there.

Benkei - a popular historical figure was believed to be born in this region.

Saw pigeons sitting on powerlines.

Yokosuka visit

I had a very nice visit to Yokosuka - a major defense port of Japan.

This is the train terminal - it was surprisingly small.

Two US Aegis Ships on the left and three Japan Maritime Self Derense Force submarines.

Here are more Aegis ships.

Another submarine in front of a ship yard.

USS George Washington was docked and being serviced.

Japanese ships were coming into the port.

A crew of Defense Force was carrying out a life saving practice - seen from our harbor cruise boat.