Yes there is always a hope/Carlos Pueblo

 Yes there is always a hope/Carlos Pueblo

After a long trip away from home, I must adjust myself to meet the realty of life at home. On the vacation, I am temporary away from my real life requirement at home, of course there is a difference on cruise from a land trip even as convenient as traveling in Japan. I was very stressful when I arrived home the other day, I couldn't crank up my old vehicle and Amy was telling me the schedule of foundation repair. I must meet the schedule to help the contractor such as relocation of furniture away from the construction area. 

I took down the dead battery to the shop for re-charging of the battery. The clerk gave me a new battery because that was still under the warranty. I misplaced the cables on the positive from the negative; therefore, there was alight sparked and something was very wrong. The vehicle was still dead. I was afraid that it might cost me to get it back in to functioning. I regret very much that I attempted to save money and ended up costing more.

I was in depress mood. It had been raining since I came home, cold and miserable. An AAA towing technician pointed it out that there was a weak fuse on the battery cable and he used his charger to jump up the vehicle; therefore, I could drive myself to the shop. The cost to replace such fuse was $70, $13 for the part and $65 for the labor. Yes, there is always a hope.

After the rain, I shall go back to the tennis court to resume my morning tennis exercises even though the tennis is not good for my left knee; however, it's good for my body at the old age. There is always a hope for me to get over to the sorry life of aging.

天無絕人之路／莊峻華

 天無絕人之路／莊峻華

剛旅行回家，立刻需要處理碎事幾件，先是需要發動老車，握而瑪送我一新電池，因原電池在保證期內，而無法充電，我想省錢，自己換上電池，結果裝錯正負極，導火線燒掉，還是無法發動，不知這毛病要耗去多少錢？

美國汽車協會拖車司機來，拿手提電地發動老車，讓我自行開到車行，下午車行電話來，已換新導火線，費用$70，救了我一命，過去老車入廠維護，都是兩千，一千起跳，我為出外旅行，擱置老車於街頭巷尾，電池壞，拆裝電池沉重，老身都顯不支，真是氣惱。

幸好天無絕人之路，我精神一振，再查閱郵輪廣告，希望再找到合理路線，再外出旅行。

Meeting a Japanese beauty at the Osaka Castle/Carlos Pueblo

 Meeting a Japanese beauty at the Osaka Castle/Carlos Pueblo

On my first day arriving to Fukushima hotel, I couldn't wait to visit the Osaka Castle Park. I believe that the Castle is the largest one in size and one of the best in maintenance. It was during the Warlord Era before 1600 D.C. in Japan, Lord Toyotomi Hideyoshi first built this castle in celebration for his successful control of the entire Japan. He couldn't be appointed to the Shogun Ship due to his humble background. In order to be a Shogun, you must be from a noble class like his boss Oda Nobunaga or his counterpart later a genuine Shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu. The Castle has been destroyed three times yet Japanese build it back three times. There are Plume Orchard and Peach orchard inside the moat and the peach were along with the cherry in blossom last March when we visited here. It's totally different now from the latest time I was here in scenery and the mood.

It's the fall festival time, matsuri in Japanese, the Castle has hosted several activities in front of the Castle. Temporary platform was built and programs were scheduled during the weekend. It's quite busy and gathered many audience. Crowds were on the right side in line to purchase tickets to enter the Castle while another big group were in front of the Castle to watch shows. I saw a pretty lady, slender and charming, with a very nice outfit. She is one of the hostess whom I assume. She was talking to an old man in question. At the end of the first show, she walked back to a tent behind the platform and I was disappointed for not be able to speak to her. A Taiwanese young couple sit beside me and chat with me while I was still wondering if I could see that pretty lady again. When the young couple departed, I mentioned to them that I was waiting for that pretty lady and they laughed.

She did come back on the second show which was a samurai duel. She was standing behind the crowds and I believed that she was on duty for any safety concerns. I tapped her shoulder and asked if she was the hostess for the Castle in English and she nodded. I requested to take pictures of her for my collection.

of the world beauty. I always consider that pretty girls are like beautiful flowers. 

巧遇大阪城之美女／莊峻華

 巧遇大阪城之美女／莊峻華

此次旅行終站是日本大阪市之福島，重返大阪城是首站，我訪問過大阪城許多次，留下美憶，這次更加特別是巧遇一日本美女，經過等待，她大方的接受我拍照留念，這也是我此次旅行系列文選之首，分享全球讀者知音。

大阪城起建於豐臣秀吉，秀吉是織田信長部將，本能寺變信長遇刺，秀吉平亂有功，幾統一天下，但因出身卑微，不得征夷大將軍銜，然實駕馭天下，封德川家康於江戶，今東京，年領325萬石糧饗，因造大阪城，規模為日本之最，堪稱天子規模，大阪城三次毀壞，三次均重建，現規大阪府經營，仍舊美侖美奐，是世界之寶座。

城下有舞台，乃是日本秋祭，春祭是櫻花，秋祭是紅葉，天暖紅葉僅開始於北海道札幌市，但不減秋祭活動，舞台有歌唱武術節目，我坐在舞台前方板凳上照相，舞者表演後，在前場集合，為觀眾拍照留念，真是人山人海。我注意到一位工作小姐正與一老者講話，老者久而不去，歌舞畢觀眾散，我始發現小姐離去往舞台後臨時帳篷走去，我相信她時大阪城執事，擔任安全秩序招待，她不是妙齡姑娘，但穿著清秀美麗，加上她的體裁，我期待她下節再出現，這次我動作要快。

一對年輕台灣夫婦坐旁，口語福佬音，我和他聊天些時，這時夫婦將離去，我剛好準備要等候這位美女，第二場是劍術武打，美女果然執勤，我點她肩膀，英語問道是否為大阪城招待，她點頭，於是我要求拍照留念，她大方答應，於是我迅速拍下兩張玉照，回家後查看其名牌，山中可是姓氏，我將其相留在部落格，這就是我心目中之美女。

2024 Taiwan National Election/Carlos Pueblo

 2024 Taiwan National Election/Carlos Pueblo

There is a hotly contest of Taiwan National Election this year 2023 for the actual voting of January 13, 2024 for the head of the Nation, the President as well as members of the Legislative Yuan similar to the House of Representative in the U.S. Taiwan is a genuine nation belongs to the people in Taiwan nothing to do with the current day China. Taiwan was once a colony of the late Manchu Dynasty until it ceded to Japan in 1895. The U.S. defeated Japan in 1945 and The U.S. put no effort to rule Taiwan and invited Chiang Kai-sek's Republic of China army to enter Taiwan after the War. Mao's People Republic of China army defeated Chiang and forced him to be exiled to Taiwan in 1949. In 1996 Taiwan held the first National Election to elect its first citizen voted President to formally made up the needed Self Determination since the end of WWII in 1945. It's been 7 times of such Election to mandate Taiwan as an Independent Nation.

This year, there are four set of Presidential Candidates in Taiwan, the incumbent ruling party DPP Vice President Andrew Lai; the Shin Taipei Mayor You-Yi Hou of the KMP party; former city Mayor of Taipei Wen-Jer Ko of the TPP party. There is also an independent candidate Terry Gou of the Foxconn, a billionaire. Personally I like to vote for Dr. Ko. I can vote if I dare to spend such money to fly back to Taiwan in 2024.

Ko has graduated from the medical school of Taiwan National University, his wife Peggy Chen is also a graduate of the same medical school and still practicing. He has parents with Japanese background between such era of 1895-1945. Like myself that I currently realize that I also have been influence by such civilization from my parents, they were all citizen of the Imperial Japanese citizen with outstanding Japanese influence.

After the graduation of the medical school, he has entered the medical school hospital to practice and becomes a clinical professor of that medical school. That medical school is the only one institution under heavy Japanese trained physicians professional not bothered by the ruling Chinese refugee scholars. He has learned and disciplined by such advanced environment so that when he has become the Mayor of the Capital City Taipei, he has brought a well discipline government to Taiwan. He starts his work at 7:30 am and he has taken city bus to work every day. He doesn't embezzle any penny at all.

台灣國總統之選舉／莊峻華

 台灣國總統之選舉／莊峻華

最近台灣國總統之選舉白熱化，非常有趣，我先說明台灣是一主權獨立之國家，蔣介石之中華民國軍隊受命接收台灣，到1949年潰敗之國軍佔據台灣，自號中國正統，已經在1996年終結，因為台灣在當年舉行全民投票，選出國民黨之李登輝為總統，國號仍襲中華民國，有別於北京之中華人民共和國，後來台萬繼續投票選舉國家總統八次32年，終戰後欠缺之公民自決，儼然已成立，台灣是一貨真價實的主權獨立之國，反而對岸之中國，尚未有公民授權，政治地位不定。

今年台灣執政之民進黨候選人賴清德，民調似乎領先，非執政黨之在野，有三組人馬出來角逐，國民黨之候選人侯友宜，獨立參選人郭台銘，和台灣民眾黨候選人柯文哲，我中意柯文哲醫學教授，因為他的學識豐富，醫學經驗，政治理想，和八年之台北市長實際經歷。許多台北市長群中，後蔣經國任內，能無瑕疵而又能全身而退者，僅柯與陳水扁兩人，國民黨的馬英九和郝龍斌均涉五大弊案，雖未遭起訴，但許多部屬均因案入獄。

柯之父母均受日本教育，有很好的儒家家訓，柯又天資聰穎，讀書工作努力，台大醫科和台大醫院都有日本教育和紀律之傳承，在蔣家國民黨之腐敗中國文化中，真是出身污泥而不染，柯之有志於政治，造福台灣人，台灣國，實為台灣之福。

柯在選舉策略中，主張連合在野勢力，一舉推翻民進黨，他的連合國民黨是有原則，而且他甚自信民調高於國民黨之侯，眼看與國民黨合作有困難，國民黨開始內亂，有多人開始附合柯，連民進黨之賴都專門攻擊柯，但柯甚厲害，打擊執政黨，不遺餘力。

Back to my real life/Carlos Pueblo

 Back to my real life/Carlos Pueblo

Traveling is a fantasy coming true, an Utopia. Once I figure out the cost which is manageable, I purchase the tickets and make trips. The cruise liner prepares most of my near luxury living needs, foods, shelter, and transportation, etc. Japanese trips is costed more yet I can see more than what the cruise itinerary can be provided. However, once I come back from the Utopian life at home in Houston, Texas, I must face the reality, my old Q45 can't be started and a demand of fixing our house foundation required to be prepared.

I have been absent for my 52 days on the road and my 25 years old Q45 was idle on the street in front of our house. I can't jump up the engine. I thought that was the battery issue. I took down the battery and drove Arthur's car to Walmart. After fa failed re-charging, the clerk gave me a new battery without any hustle. I did put the new battery on and still not working. Suddenly I have felt a pain. I wonder how much it will cost me to repair it. I don't like to drive nowadays yet it is nice to have a car as a spare in case Arthur needs it as a back up of his vehicle.

Amy asks me to pay my share to fix our sinking house foundation which is very common in our subdivision. It's required 50 new piers and a new wood floor afterward. She says that both Arthur and her need to live at this house after my death. I agree and figure out the repair is cheaper than tore it down and removed the debris than build a new house. I agree to pay my share.