Summer holiday in Onomichi 尾道 (day 9 - 21st August 2011)

Last day of the trip.

From Matsuyama, we went to Onomichi 尾道. First, our planner planned to take bicycle and cycle from Shikoku 四国 to Honshu 本州 via Shimanami Kaido しまなみ海道 that span across a few small islands. Along the way, there were many natural attractions. However, most of us were lazy, so we opposed that idea. So, we just sit comfortably in the car and travel to Onomichi. 

Shimanami Kaido (taken from Onomichi city guide)

It was a rainy day. So, when we reach Senkoji Temple 千光寺, one of our travel mate decided not to walk in this kind of weather. She just found a cafe and read her IPAD while we toured the temple with umbrellas and got our shoes and pants wet. According to the Onomichi city guide, Senkoji temple was built on the first year of the reign of Emperor Daido in 806. And according to the legend, years before, there were 19 Buddhist temple on the area, however, wars brought destruction and a lot was destroyed. There were a lot of Buddhist statues on that area. However, the appearances of the statues were quite different from the one I saw in Malaysia. To reach there, one can take ropeway after dropped of at Nagaeguchi bus stop. However, our car GPS system already brought us quite near the temple, so we just walked up there. Since the weather was really not conductive, we decided to have our lunch instead of continue to tour the whole place.

Summer holiday in Shikoku 四国 (day 8 - 20th August 2011)

Kochi 高知 to Ehime 愛媛 (long journey by car)

Since the bed was the best for us in this few days. All of us decided to wake up late. Initially, our plan was to go to Dogo Onsen 道後温泉 in Matsuyama only. However, we found a brochure introducing a car museum 'Shikoku Automobile Museum 四国自動車博物館'. The guys were so excited, so off we go to see cars.

the ticket to the Shikoku Automobile museum

the brochure of the museum

The museum was quite near to the place we stayed, about 30 minutes car ride. The ticket into the museum was expensive, 800 yen per person. There were a lot of cars inside, I am not a fan of car, so I just read the plate introducing the car specification and snap the photos of the cute cars. Inside the museum, apart from cars, there were antique motorcycles and bicycles. Beautiful! (Speaking of  bicycles, I like Japanese bicycles, there were more variables and more beautiful compared to Malaysian bicycles.)

Summer holiday in Shikoku 四国 (day 7 - 19th August 2011)

From Shodoshima, we took ferry to Tokushima 徳島. After a very long drive with a very moody weather, we reach to take Oboke Pleasure Cruise 大歩危遊覧船. Although the car was provided with GPS, it brought us into wrong turn and we kept drove up to a narrow hilly roads which only allowed one car though. It took us a while before we found the port. Actually I was quite scare because the day before, the tv news showed that a child died due to a boat accident in Shizuoka 静岡. However, after assurance from my friends, I took the ride.

the boat ride start from here 大歩危

大歩危（the rocks, water）

大歩危

大歩危

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl

I have to admit that I bought this book for the illustrations. It was done by Quentin Blake. Another reason was that this book have been used for a lot of chorus competitions during my school days, but I have never read this. This book was printed in Japan and used for the TOEIC test reading. 

Charlie and the chocolate factory

the illustration

the illustrations

Once Removed by Andrew Leci

once removed by Andrew Leci

When I first read this book, I thought it was a real account of what happened to Graham who wrote this diary. However, it was one third into this book that I realised it was a novel. Muahaha!

Since I was not a sport lover, either really doing it or just become a spectator. I didn't know the author. He was a presenter for ESPN Star Sport. However, inside the book, there were comments from Jit Murad, Paula Malai Ali, Kam Raslan and Patrick Teoh whose names I had heard before, so I bought this book.

American Gods by Neil Gaiman

Finished reading this book. I knew this book from the Neil Gaiman short stories "Fragile things". After 'fragile', I was so keen on this book that I ordered it online from Amazon Japan. That was the first time I bought things online. It is very convenient in Japan, after placing an order, an email will notify the payment number, and one can pay in any convenience store in Japan. However, one can only pick up the goods from Lawson. Although there are no Lawson near my apartment in walking distance, there's a Lawson in 10 minutes bicycle rides from my apartment. I chose to pick up there.

American Gods by Neil Gaiman

The book centered around gods, as the tittle suggested. It told of gods were created when the immigrants to America brought along their beliefs. So, there were all sorts of gods, Europeans, native Americans, Asians, Africans, etc. There were new gods too, like media, internet, car ......... For example, the people nowadays spent too much time in front of TV, so it created TV god because people sacrifice their time or love to the TV. Quite odd, but in my family belief, apart from the deity statue that we prayed in our house, other dolls or figures were not allowed on the altar because according to my mom, since we pray everyday to the god, the figurine or doll (something with eyes) will become spirited or jin (a Malay word for you know what) after a period of time. I think the theory was around the same.