NAGOYA TO HIROSHIMA

The big news of the day is that Israel and the Hamas reached a deal to release 50 civilian women  and children held in Gaza.  

• Details on equivalent Paletinian prisoners are being worked out, but 150 women and children could well be in that mix.  
• There will also be a four-day pause in fighting. 

• 
  Thank Qatar, especially lead negotiator and Minister of State, Mohammed Al-Khlaifi, plus Egypt and the White House.  Photo above.
• Additionally, an average of 42 aid trucks per day have been going into Gaza through the Rafah gate since October 21.
• Israel remains recalcitrant and indicated that there will be continued warfare until ALL hostages are returned.

• 
  Big day for Joe Biden.
• The overwhelming relief to the above is that expanded hostilities seem now to be unlikely, and the path to a two-country solution appears on the horizon.

So back to our Japan Rail Pass.  I mentioned yesterday that all we saw were banks of clouds when our Bullet Train passed where Mount Fuji is sometimes seen.  Four years ago when we did just that, here is what I shot.

Well, yesterday was again a non-eventful day, for we made an initial attempt to see Nagoya Castle, but on our way there we changed our mind and stopped at Takashimaya to pick up food for our room lunch instead. which was terrific.  Chicken, o-toro sashimi, unagi sushi, hot sake and cold beer...with a view of snow-capped mountains.

Musk melon for $72.

Why didn't we visit Nagoya Castle?  Too lazy, but a bit of "been there, done that."  For example, my posting of 14November2014 indicated that I stayed at the Westin Nagoya, and had this view of the Nagoya Castle.

Note the Fall colors.  If we had gone yesterday, there would have been none.  Two more photos from 9 years ago.

When I returned to my room then, I had a night view.

Incidentally, I went on to Tokyo and in 2014 took these photos at Shinjuku Park.

So far on our Japan visit, nothing like the above.

Remember the Fall failure in Sapporo?  Well, in 2017, these are the photos I took at Hokkaido University.

Then at Nakajima Park.

Odori Park.

Well, tomorrow, off to Hiroshima. and perhaps we will see colors in Shukkeien, which is close by the Sheraton where we will be staying.

Sad that all I show are photos of the past.  But we still have two weeks left and, who knows, things could change. 

Final night in Executive Lounge.

Our view.

Our dinner was a chicken wings salad.  Yes, not a good executive lounge at all.  Only walked 1618 steps today.

 On to Hiroshima.

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