初抵東京2023／莊峻華

 初抵東京2023／莊峻華

去年底，愛美提議旅行日本，我隨意提到三月櫻花季，到日本賞花，於是當日訂下機票和火車票，日本剛開放入境，而且美金匯率一比一百三十元，一切覺得便宜，未想到整個日本，湧入許多旅客，飛機爆滿。

日本入境時，需要手機掃描武肺疫苗施打記錄，愛美在候機室，煩請一位日本青年幫忙，到了羽田機場，這是首關，大擺長龍，無法出示證明者，當場補正手續，當場補打疫苗，第二關是入境海關，人與行李，我被一年輕海關青年叫回排隊，他呼我奧吉桑，就是老叟意，我特別追問我貌似老叟？年輕人莞爾。第三關是日本鐵道劵，也是大排長龍，我們有遠程火車需趕路，結果預訂票超過三個月失效，需要重新高價購買，反正別無選擇，連忙上車赴東京品川站，日鐵職員幫我們訂下座位。

東京到新大阪時程超過兩小時半，抵達新大阪問路，問到一位住在旅店附近之緣姑娘，她帶路從新大阪搭火車到大阪，再換車一站到福島站，甚至帶路到旅店，她住在附近，我非常感激她的親切，特別邀請她翌日午餐，她也爽快答應，第二日剛好天雨，她帶我們到附近烤三重縣鰻魚料理餐廳，非常美味，我一直以為日本鰻魚來自台灣，結果不是，是日本土產。旅店職員聞我們台語聲音，前來相親，原來是新店同鄉，我說半世紀前，我曾在新店文山國中教一年書。

我們休息一日後，就開始一週精彩旅行，每日走路到福島驛，換車到大阪驛，再到新大阪驛換新幹線，東西奔馳，不亦樂乎？

The old and lonely life/Carlos Pueblo

 The old and lonely life/Carlos Pueblo

After coming back from a three weeks trip to Japan, I felt my old and lonely life appearance. I was sick with a cold infection and tired with a jet lag. I was in an early morning six hours train ride from the northwest part of Japan to Tokyo Narita Airport. Then a 14 hours flight back to Houston that made me very fatigue. I almost forgot how enjoyable of the trip.

I always like to compare my life to my late father, as a matter of fact that I have outlive him for 10 years. He was not as lucky as I am in a different era. He lived in a hard time for all his life in Taiwan. He couldn't determine his life but facing it and manage it to his best. I am aware that I am old and lonely. I manage to go on my life that I must be careful when I am alone must of my life.

Amy's mother used to stay with us when both of our children were young. I had witness her old life yet not lonely. She had a busy senior life since her 60's. We used to be her chauffeur to all her senior activities. I am on the opposite that I am alone. I select to be alone. I go out to travel. I am still taking my continue education of the American law and order. I watch all Trump's legal issues and also I am watching for the international politic. I am still very lonely.

老年生活／莊峻華

 老年生活／莊峻華

不想我已邁入老年多時，每日親睹顏面多次，戴帽遮蔽禿頂，左膝蓋虛弱，食慾不若年輕時，每日不知所作為何？我甚感激無虛渡此生，比較我的父母一代，我是幸運，至少我是生活無慮。

我的晚年，都是離群索居，鮮少與外界往來，我和上一代人有異，幾月前我還晨網運動，膝痛後中斷，然後就無朋友往來，僅能閱讀球友，每日球局安排，每日均注意出外旅行機會。

每日24小時，是一慢長時刻，而且是日復一日，我不否認孤獨寂寞，還好網誌普遍，川普新聞，提供美國公民課，還有中國鬧劇，川普將破產，川普將鋃鐺入獄，中國將亡國，中國將四分五裂，這是我的老年結論。

這次旅行日本三週，有趣但甚辛苦，我們都感冒，而且時差，尤其是我，亦呈老邁，真是歲月不饒人，我只能善用時日，避免過分勞累，多活幾年。

Returning visit to New Port, Rhode Island/Carlos Pueblo

 Returning visit to New Port, Rhode Island/Carlos Pueblo

New Port, Rhode Island is on the lists of ports on New England/Canadian Provinces cruises which I select to take almost every year during the summer. According to my habit I only take a walk at the city by the port, actually it is the old town area. New Port is the home town of the late Senator Claiborne Pell who was a friend of Taiwan.

We took a tender boat to the shore. It was a rainy day which was very miserable. I am familiar with the port and decided to march again toward the right direction. The port was no longer as busy as before due to the pandemic; however, it was still maintained very well everywhere. We have already made the purchase of the cruise; therefore, we might just enjoy our limited time here to this lovely town. There is an harbor area with luxury yachts. This city is one of the host port for the famous America Cup racing. From the spot, we can view the bridge far away in name of the late Senator to connect the island to the Mainland New England.

I walked some more miles to enjoy the nice and quiet of a rainy day in New England. A mail man was following me along the way. I believed that I did enter a small museum backyard to see a lovely garden. I have learned how to enjoy my senior life by cruise ship traveling around the world. It is very nice that I don't feel a burden financially.

I saw some passengers were returning back to the ship. It was more comfortable and more interesting on the ship. I decided to end my leisure venture of the day.

重返羅德島州新港市2022／莊峻華

 重返羅德島州新港市2022／莊峻華

就在秋季結束前，我趕上郵輪最後兩班航次，旅行美國新英格蘭和加拿大東北三省，都是舊遊，但也無妨，我深自慶幸有生以來，如此機會，享受如此愉快之旅行，這次旅行是搭乘起跑號，屬於稍新大船，我剛提到過，一上船就發現舊識巴貝多火冰樂團，她們也憶得我這位粉絲，我們黃昏從曼哈頓啟航，經過自由女神像後，紐約已是萬巷燈火，船行一整夜後，帶我重返羅德島州之新港市。

很不巧登路日值天雨，新港市區不便於行，我是右轉開始逛街，熟悉街巷，碼頭景觀不變，新港十分標緻，是一富裕之小城市，碼頭有許多遊艇停靠，也是世界賽帆港口，碼頭有許多新英格蘭龍蝦餐廳，因為武肺剛開放，沒有昔日盛況，我在右邊市區閒逛些時，打發一些時間，遇見些花園，便拍攝相片留念，走回碼頭，正待繼續左邊市區，看到不少船客，已經開始排隊，等待接駁船，帶回郵輪，我想也差不多矣，於是結束逛街，一週後我仍有機會閒逛一次。

晚上我跟隨火冰樂團節目，八點許即結束當日活動，我的郵輪旅行，漸次頻繁，這算是一典型一日，這些旅程多半是重複，我不甚在意，凡是郵輪旅行簡單，重複也甚當然，重要的是舒適與安全。

Coming back from a trip to Japan 2023/Carlos Pueblo

 Coming back from a trip to Japan 2023/Carlos Pueblo

Last Friday afternoon, we were coming back from Japan after 3 weeks cherry blossom tour around the nation. I was sick due to the fatigue and cold infection; however, it would not affecting my exciting of the trip. This trip is one of my many trips to Japan in my life time and is the best of all and I shall describe it to you.

We landed in Tokyo Narita Airport on March 25. It took several hours to go through the entrance procedure which was due to the overwhelming tourists and the Wuhan corona protocol, an internet verification for all passengers. After the immigration exit, I ran into another long line to get our Japan Rail Pass. Unfortunately, our paid reservation was passing three months limit and we had to purchase two new one in order to continue our journey.

We made it to Shinakawa station in order to get on a night train to Osaka. Upon arriving Shin-Osaka station, we were lucky to ask a right person who took us to two local trains to our hotel at Fukushima, Osaka. We were so appreciated of her kindness and treat her to a fancy lunch on the next day at a nice grill eel restaurant. She is a pretty young girl who makes two trip to Tokyo in a month for her business. We were on the same bullet train that night.

We stayed in Osaka for the first week. Five years ago, Amy and I visited Osaka together; therefore, this visit was the second time for us to Osaka together. I took her to Osaka Castle, Kiyomizu dera in Kyoto, Himeji Castle, Okayama Castle, and Fukuyama Castle. The next week, we were in Fukuoka/Hakata and we visited Kokura Castle, Mazumoto Castle, Kagosima city, and Hiroshima Castle and the peace garden. The final week, we were at Akita on the north west part of Honshu Island. We made a 6 hours costal line train tour from Akita to Aomori, we visited the Hirosaki Castle at Aomori, We went back to Aomori by the bullet train on the next day, we visit Sendai and the Tohoku University, and we stay two days at Akita to participate the Cherry Blossom Festival.

Japan is very beautiful especially during the cherry blossom season. We can see the blossom all over the country from the south to the north.

甫自日本旅行歸來2023／莊峻華

 甫自日本旅行歸來2023／莊峻華

昨日下午，甫自日本旅行三週歸來，旅途漫長，幾近勞累，身體不適，連忙驅寒時差，我最近經常外出旅行，遊記落後許多，像美國加拿大東岸，東加勒比海遊，再一次東加勒比海遊，加上巴拿馬運河行，然後就是日本行，五月初再訪西岸阿拉斯加，溫哥華到蘇握港來回，十月初重複隨珠寶號經阿拉斯加回東京，今年仍舊甚忙，而且是有體力不濟之壓力。

我們在羽田機場下機後，遇到大量外國旅客入境之壓力，武肺檢疫證明電子版，海關，再加上日鐵帕司過期，臨時高價購買兩張，搭快車到品川，換新幹線直奔大阪，還好一位少女帶路上旅店。我們在大阪一週，每日都乘坐新幹線賞櫻花著名古城，我將一一介紹，一週後，我們遷移到北九州之福岡博多，也是到處逛街賞花，日本正直櫻花祭季，非常美麗。第三週我們再遷移至西北角落秋田市，翌晨我們搭乘特急到青森，就是五能線，也是到處參觀櫻行，此時日本櫻花，遍山遍野。

我計劃同時寫旅行遊記，還好我拍攝許多相片，幫忙回憶。