One of the things that my wife and I really miss from our life in California is watching Japan Railway Journal on NHK. Being lovers of both trains and Japan the show seemed a natural fit for us and we fell in love with it immediately. Over the couple of years that we watched it we learned so much about all the wonderful tourist railroads in Japan plus a great deal about the country itself.
Luckily for us NHK is now streaming the show via their website and on YouTube. The show was on hiatus for some time due to the Covid-19 pandemic but is back on the air with a new host Cathy Cat (an internet video personality) who is paired alongside longtime show commentator Takagi Ryo, Ph.D. (Professor at Kogakuin University).
Over the years the show has cycled through several hosts including Russell Totten, Sarah MacDonald and Nathan Berry. We watched a couple of episodes last night and in the first episode Cathy Cat seemed kinda wooden and out of her element, but in the second she seemed to have gotten her legs under her and performed quite well. I'm hoping that she grows into the show.
Cathy Cat (from NHK)
Cathy Cat is born and raised in Munich, Germany. She is fluent in Japanese, English, and German, and has been passionate about anime, J-pop, Japanese fashion, and culture since childhood. After graduating from the University of Chester in the UK, she moved to Japan in 2014. In 2017, she worked as a reporter on NHK WORLD-JAPAN's "NEWSROOM TOKYO" to introduce Japanese culture and trends. She also shares information about Japan on her Instagram and the YouTube channel "Ask Japanese." In 2018, she was an ambassador for Toei Transportation's TOKYO SURPRISE! campaign, where visitors from overseas can experience Japanese culture.
Moka Railway, which runs between Shimodate Station in Ibaraki Prefecture and Motegi Station in Tochigi Prefecture, began operating their tourist train, a Class C12 steam locomotive, in 1994, and opened the museum for retired steam engines in 2013. However, the cost to inspect and maintain the loco and facilities is expensive. Join us as we take a closer look at Moka Railway. See what they are doing to survive these difficult times and the challenges of preserving steam locomotives.
If you grew up in the desert metropolis of Albuquerque, New Mexico in the 60s, 70s or 80s you probably have fond memories of Toys By Roy. This Article Has Moved To Our New Blog At: Toys By Roy - Winrock Center Mall - Albuquerque, New Mexico - A Trip Down Memory Lane
About ten minutes east of the city of Lake Charles are the remains of an abandoned water park . The decaying structures are clearly visible from the busy I-10 freeway and for years drivers have wondered about it's history and why it was left for dead. The Pirate's Cove Water Park actually has a rather interesting story behind it. A story that has been repeated over and over again, unfortunately, here in Louisiana. It's just another example of how government bureaucracy in this state killed an enterprise before it could ever get off the ground. Construction on the park began in 2008 and it was scheduled to open sometime in 2010. The sprawling complex was envisioned as an oasis from the hot summer heat that would feature luxurious amenities like a 900 foot long lazy river, a giant splash pad for the kids and eventually a five star hotel. The Pirate's Cove would have been an obvious tourist destination that could have brought much needed tax dollars and employment oppo...
I have to admit that I have been hanging on to these photos for a couple of months now just looking for the right minute to post them. Back in November I was traveling up to El Dorado, Arkansas and I passed through the small town of Dodson. While driving through town my eyes spotted a very attractive old house up on a hill and I just had to stop and take a few photos of it. I honestly don't know the history of this house, but I'm sure some local will send me message telling me all about it (and someone did see the UPDATE ), and it's not as cool as an abandoned railroad locomotive or old movie house but it really spoke to me. I have to wonder about the people who used to live in it and how it ended up in the state it is now. Anyone can see that it was a beautiful house long ago. What happened? How did such a grand residence end up like this? Those are questions that I can't answer unfortunately. Unfortunately a site like this isn't all that uncommon here in Louisian...
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