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Page 2 of Doug Gschwind Travel Blog Posts

Snorkeling at Hanauma Bay nature preserve

North America » United States » Hawaii » Oahu » Waikiki November 29th 2015

I had heard some compelling things about snorkeling at Hanauma Baypreserve, and it did not disappoint. Was a very memorable experience. They do mandate that you watch a 9 minute video prior to your entry to the area as to best understand how to help preserve the state of the reef in its waters. At the time of my visit, the preserve is closed on Tuesdays, so if you are planning a visit there, check in advance to make sure they are planning to be open on the day of your visit. I was staying in Waikiki and it turns out The Bus #22 leaves from Waikiki about every 30 minutes and you get there and back for USD $2.50 each way. I found their buses clean, nice passengers, and on time, its one of the ... read more

Miscellaneous

North America » United States » Hawaii » Oahu » Waikiki November 27th 2015

View from the 10th floor of the Aqua Palms

Doug Gschwind

Just a few photos on different subjects during my trip... read more

David Gschwind's contribution to the Joe DiMaggio Playground in North Beach

North America » United States » California » San Francisco » North Beach November 14th 2015

Allocated Tiles

Doug Gschwind

My uncle, David Gschwind, lived in San Francisco for some 30 years or so. When the Joe DiMaggio playground in North Beach was being revamped in 2015 and accepting donations for donor tiles, I ordered one in his name to recognize the time he spent in the city. The first photo was taken when the playground officially reopened on 14 Nov 2015, while the remaining photos that show his specific tile were taken on 19 Dec 2015.... read more

See you next time Japan

Asia » Japan » Chiba » Narita September 28th 2014

My Ride Home

Doug Gschwind

Thank you so much Japan, had a kick ass time, loved it! Domo arrigato, Gozaimasu!... read more

Hiroshima Castle

Asia » Japan » Hiroshima » Hiroshima September 27th 2014

Yuhua Garden

Doug Gschwind

This was another thing I wanted to visit and had a few hours in the morning to do so before my Shinkansen ride back to Tokyo later that day. Some of these pictures are from the grounds nearby the Hiroshima Castle itself. It was clear to me that this castle isn't in the same repair as say the Osaka Castle. Both were well done and such on the inside, but I would have to say the exterior of the Osaka Castle was in far better shape than the exterior of the Hiroshima Castle. The Hiroshima Castle was destroyed by the atomic bomb on 6 Aug 1945, and due to its fairly close proximity to the A-Bomb Dome would have to imagine the building on that day stood no chance of surviving that bombing.... read more

Miscellaneous

Asia » Japan September 27th 2014

Beer from a vending machine?

Doug Gschwind

The photos here aren't worthy of their own blog post, so I have simply organized them into this catch all blog post... read more

Hiroshima Peace Park

Asia » Japan » Hiroshima » Hiroshima September 26th 2014

Doug Gschwind

The grounds of the Peace Park itself sit across the Aioi river from the A-Bomb Dome, are quite scenic, and respect and acknowledge the vicitms of the atomic bombing on 6 Aug 1945. Also on these grounds is the Peace Park Museum, which I have composed a separate blog entry as those photos are quite sobering in comparison to the photos for this entry.... read more

Miyajima Island

Asia » Japan » Hiroshima » Miyajima September 26th 2014

Peace Park Ferry Terminal to Miyajima

Doug Gschwind

It was suggested to me that I might like visiting Miyajima island, so after fully exploring the A-Bomb Dome and Peace Park in Hiroshima, decided to take the ferry over and see the island. I was not disappointed. Loved the shrines there, the inquisitive yet apathetic deer, the calorie burning rather steep hike up to Mt. Misen, then of course the views from Mt. Misen. I took the ferry from the Peace Park area which was about a 40 minute boat ride at a cost of ¥ 2000. Upon leaving the island, I took the free JR ferry (it was free since my Japan Rail Pass was still valid at that time) from the island to its Miyajimaguchi terminal and then the JR line back to Hiroshima station. Was both very interesting and had many moments ... read more

Cenotaph for the A-Bomb Victims

Asia » Japan » Hiroshima » Hiroshima September 26th 2014

From a distance

Doug Gschwind

This lies within the confines of the Hiroshima Peace Park itself. It contains the ashes of thousands of victims of the bombing on 6 August 1945.... read more

Hiroshima Peace Park Museum

Asia » Japan » Hiroshima » Hiroshima September 25th 2014

Doug Gschwind

Unfortunately, the photos that I took in the museum are not as clear as I would have liked. Still, there are some pretty moving pictures here. Once you arrive in the interior of the museum, the first thing you see is several photos of the mushroom cloud taken from different vantage points around Hiroshima. Shortly thereafter you see artifacts, photos, and stories of the suffering and destruction.... read more

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Doug Gschwind

Welcome to my travel blog. Thus far, I have shared a few of my recent trips, some highlights below : 1) Japan, Sep 2014. With the allure of a very foreign culture to me, non-English speaking, Hiroshima, Tokyo, Shinkansen (bullet trains), Tsukiji fish market, and Sumo wrestling, it was time for a two week break from life and traveled to Japan for the second half of September. Wow, what an amazing place, just loved every minute I spent there exploring. 2) On assignment in Berkeley, CA (Sep 2008 - Apr 2009). I explored the San Francisco Bay area in some detail during the weekends I was there ... full info