Mount Futaba, Hiroshima

January 9, 2026

The flight from Hong Kong flew directly over Hiroshima Bay on this clear day. The airport is quite small and a very long way from the city. While there is a direct bus that takes about an hour, I opted for the bus-train combo (1). The train ride passed through quiet towns before arriving at Hiroshima.

A wooded ridge to the north of the station beckoned. In addition to a city map, the local tourist bureau gave me a stylized hiking map of the wooded ridge to which I had pointed. A stroll through the city ensued before the short, steep, climb up 400+ steps (and as many feet of elevation gain). The trail had temples and zen sayings (in Japanese & English) along the way.

At the summit of Mount Futaba (2), the Stupa/Pagoda of Peace calmly reflected the late afternoon sun. A few others were enjoying this sunny winter's day on the ridge. I descended via a road in the gathering darkness.

After dark, I walked to the Hiroshima Peace Park, built at the epicenter of the atomic bomb explosion at 8:15 am on August 6, 1945. A hush falls as soon as one crosses the bridge into the Park. There is a simple pool with an eternal flame, a stark clock made with bent metal, and the remains of the Exposition Center, which was only partially destroyed due to its stone and steel construction. Various captioned photographs posted here and elsewhere in the city tell the story of that day.

(1) I thought I had purchased a combination ticket. I discovered at the unstaffed train station I had not and that the railway ticket machine only took local cash, which I lacked (there was no ATM either at the airport or the station). A kind local man bought me a ticket (a), refusing payment in any currency I had (b), or even my offer of assistance with his bags.

(a) Two locals actually offered to get the ticket; kind people here. (Although not the customs official, who seemed quite concerned I might be smuggling tobacco or gold bullion into Japan. After she searched my bag (i), I did declare I had a gold wedding ring.)

(i) Only the second time my bag was searched by customs in all my years travelling. 

(b) I had not planned to come to Japan at all on this trip, but the Pingxi Mountain railway in Taiwan (where I had planned to do some hiking) was not running due to typhoon damage. The weather forecast was also unseasonably warm for southern Japan, and the flight to Hiroshima was cheap.

(2) At about 450 feet above sea level, I would call it a hill, not a mountain. The same ideographic character applies to mountains and hills.

Landing nowhere near Hiroshima

On the local train to Hiroshima

The trail up to the crest of the ridge

Pagoda of Peace in the late day sun

Panorama from Mt Futaba

Local birds at the Pagoda of Peace appear to be from the crow family 

View to the bay in the golden light.

Time to go

At the Peace Park

Fleeing the city center via the warped trolley bridge

Sunset at Victoria Peak, Hong Kong

January 9, 2026

The central business district in Hong Kong is called simply "Central." Rising steeply from Central, Victoria Peak looms over the city. The first mile or so walking up the hill is through steep city streets. The second half is on Old Peak Rd., closed to cars, through the forested hillside. Two Chinese guys and I had a similar pace; they would pause, I would catch up, then vise versa &c.

The Peak noise began suddenly as you mounted some steps and saw two crowded malls (1). Most people ride up on the Peak Tram (really a funicular). The sun set over the islands and bays to the west; the crowd enjoying the natural show. I had thought to take the tram down, but the long line shortly after sunset dissuaded me. The path was lighted and there was usually at least one person within shouting distance, with some people ascending after dark. Overall, 6 miles up and down today with over 1,500 feet of elevation gain.

(1) What better to put on a scenic, wooded summit than two malls?

Skinny, double decker trolleys in Central

Catholic Cathedral

On the right road

The upper character is transliterated as "shan" and means mountain.

Old Peak Rd., now a pedestrian path

View of the city on the ascent

The sunset from the Peak. Hong Kong reported its lowest-ever January humidity at 17% at 4:00 this afternoon, making the skies especially clear

In the gloaming

The city & harbor on the descent

Back at Central

Floating village at Bandar Seri Bagawan

January 7, 2026

An overnight layover at Brunei (1) was copious time to see the sights in Bandar Seri Bagawan, the country's capital. While surrounded by Malaysia, the Sultan of Brunei chose not to join the country in the 1960s; he did want to share the oil revenue from the rich deposits offshore with the rest of Malaysia (2). The Sultan opted for Brunei to remain a British colony until 1984.

Across the Brunei River lies the "floating" village of Kampong Ayer. Wandering to the dock, a small powerboat boat soon appeared and ferried me across (3). The village does not float, but is built in stilts, with rickety docks connecting the houses. Rain soon started, and it was not a passing shower.

Back across the river, the call to prayer rang out from the large Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque, as I walked back to the hotel in the rain. On the flight out next morning me and two flight attendant were the only ones in the aft economy cabin.

(1) Officially Brunri Darusalam (Land of Peace).

(2) At one time, he was reputed to be the richest man in the world.

(3) "You don't want to go see the monkeys?" He asked in surprise.

At the floating village

Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque on a rainy tropical night

The National Gallery of Singapore

January 6, 2026

Morning bus today to Singapore, with immigration clearance at the causeway between the two nations. Singapore was a small fishing village that became an big entrepôt for international trade, attracting immigrants from China and India, in addition to the local Malays. At the end of the British Colonial era, the ethnically heterogeneous colony chose not to join Malaysia, instead forming its own city-state. There are four official languages: Mandarin Chinese, Tamil, Malay and English. Most people speak their natal tounge plus English.

Wandering to the National Gallery, there was a special exhibit on loan from the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, which I skipped. I viewed the general collections, emphasizing art depicting the history of Singapore and southeast Asia.

Raffles Hotel, home of the Singapore sling cocktail 

The Art Museum's architecture betrays the buildings' origins as Colonial administrative centers 

Special exhibit from the MFA in Boston. I can see these at home.

Travel poster art

View of Songapore, late 1800s

"Here they come," depicting efforts to close informal marketplaces in the 1960s

Teaching Mandarin 

From the resident Chinese community

Traditional marriage certificate

Commissioned scenes of Malaya, late 1800s

Cambodia propaganda painting, 1970s

Fascinating sunset painting

Filipinos aiding the Japanese. The original was destroyed during the war and was reproduced by the artist in the 1970s

Signs of the former use of the buildings as an administrative center & courthouse

Ship design spanning the top of 3 apartment buildings

Anglican church yard in the middle of the city