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A Japanese gardener

Traveling. I love it.

I think it’s one of the most educational and eye-opening experiences that one can have. And it’s an experience unlike spending money on something such as a home, a car, clothing, or an expensive piece of jewelry, because when you invest in traveling the experience stays with you forever.

Traveling is such a rich life-experience because you get to see how other people live and open yourself to experience different cultures and customs. And I’m one of those travelers who likes to immerse myself within the places I visit by doing things the way a native would do them, not a tourist. I want to experience a new place wholeheartedly by feeling and tasting it 100%.

I don’t travel as much as I would like to and have only been to maybe a dozen places here in the States, a few countries in Europe, and Japan.

However, I know that many of you have traveled extensively and I really enjoy when you share posts about your travels because it feels as though I’ve traveled with you.

For me, the most favorite place I have ever traveled to was Japan. I was primarily in Kobe (for business), but also had the opportunity to take a day trip to Kyoto. In fact, I wrote a post back in 2008, about an experience I had while in Kyoto that was quite an "awakening."

If any of you ever get the opportunity to visit Japan, please do. Yes, it is a VERY long trip, but so worth it. It’s an amazing country with some of the most polite, kind and gentle people I have ever met. I love the energy in Japan because it's so progressive, yet at the same time humble, basic and simple in many ways. And the manner in which they take care of and respect their elderly citizens is truly inspiring.

Anyhoo, today I thought it would be fun to open the floor to another photo share so that you can share a favorite place you have traveled to. And it can be a place outside your country or state, or even a place within your country and state. It doesn’t have to be some faraway place, just a favorite.

Okay, here are the guidelines (please read carefully):

-Photo shares are open to anyone who reads my blog.
-Submit only one photo.
-If you would like to share more than one photo, please feel free to create a single photo collage like this one:
*I created this over at PicMonkey.  It’s a free and user-friendly online photo editing website.

-Your photo or collage should be no wider than 600px (please resize before sending). You can also resize any photo at PicMonkey.
-Include your name (real name or blogging name) and your blog title and URL, so that I can credit your photo and link it back to you.
-You are more than welcome to share a photo with your watermark on it.
-Also, let me know where the photo is from and a few lines about why it’s a favorite place.
-Deadline for submission is Friday (August 1st) by midnight.

I will post ALL photos and in the order they are received.

You will find my email address on the Contact page below my header.

Feel free to ask any questions in your comments.

I can't wait to see what you send in!

Have a maaaaahvelous Monday, y'all!

38 comments:

  1. What a lovely idea, Ron. Forgive me if I don't take part, though, as you know I lack the time. It will be interesting to see pictures of other people's travels, who knows they might have been to the same places as me.


    I love the picture of the Japanese gardener. Once, when I was in Austria, I met a Japanese family who had gone there for their daughter's wedding. The reason was that weddings were too expensive in Japan so they chose to go abroad where it was cheaper. They were a lovely family and it was a joy to meet them.


    Wishing you a carefree week xx

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  2. Looking forward to traveling vicariously next week!

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  3. I'm not a traveler in your sense of the word - I have moved something like 13 times in the last 24 years tho...including living in the Caribbean for 2 years - so I shall look forward to seeing everyone's photos...

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  4. Great idea, buddy! I've been thinking about going to Japan for a while, especially since my sister-in-law is half-Japanese. Sounds like a fabulous place!


    I'm going to look around my photo library and see if I can come up with a good travel shot.


    Have a slammin' Monday, brother!

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  5. Ron, I enjoy traveling too! There was a time in my life when I wanted to be an international flight attendant so that I could travel the world. I know they don't make much but the perks of flying are great.


    I've been to Spain and Argentina and loved both countries. I need to travel more in the States because I haven't seen much.


    You've been to Japan? How wonderful! That's a place I have always wanted to visit. Also, Hong Kong.


    Looking forward to seeing everyone's photo's. Have a wonderful week, Ron x

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  6. Good morning Valerie!

    Yes, I understand dear lady. Totally. Me too, I'm interested to see pictures of other people's travels!

    "I love the picture of the Japanese gardener."

    He was a gardener who was pruning some trees on the street where my hotel was located. When he saw that I wanted to take his picture, he posed for me! Isn't he adorable?

    "Once, when I was in Austria, I met a Japanese family who had gone there for their daughter's wedding. The reason was that weddings were too expensive in Japan so they chose to go abroad where it was cheaper. They were a lovely family and it was a joy to meet them."



    You are so right about that because many Japanese come to the U.S. (specifically Orlando, Florida) and get married in Disney World because it's cheaper. Yet you would think because of the cost of airfare, hotel accommodations, and the price of getting married in Disney, it would be MORE expensive. But I do know that Japan is VERY expensive.


    Thanks so much for stopping by, dear lady. Have a lovely week!


    X to you and Joe!

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  7. That's AWESOME!!!!!!!! And I'm so looking forward to hearing all about it.


    Thanks so much for stopping by, my friend. Have a super week!


    X

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  8. " I have moved something like 13 times in the last 24 years tho...including living in the Caribbean for 2 years."


    WOW Grace, that's awesome! And to me, having lived in so many places IS traveling because you have experienced a vast array of locations. What a great life-experience!



    Thanks for stopping by, my friend. Have a SUPA' week!

    X

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  9. " I've been thinking about going to Japan for a while, especially since my sister-in-law is half-Japanese. Sounds like a fabulous place!"

    Rob, Japan IS faaaaaaaaaabulous! And knowing you and your interest in Holistic and natural healing modalities, you would love it because the Japanese are very much into that. Plus, the overall energy there is so beautiful.

    "I'm going to look around my photo library and see if I can come up with a good travel shot."


    GREAT! Looking forward to it!


    Have a super week, buddy, and thanks for stopping by!
    X

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  10. Hola Denise!

    "There was a time in my life when I wanted to be an international flight attendant so that I could travel the world. I know they don't make much but the perks of flying are great."

    OMG...me too! In fact, I applied to two different airlines (Delta and Eastern) to be a flight attendant when I was still living in Florida, but never got the job.

    Argentina???? That's a place I have always wanted to visit. I work with a girl who is from there and she's lovely. I have such a fascination with the history of Argentina and Eva Peron. And the pictures that I've seen of Buenos Aires are stunning. Beautiful architecture!



    If you ever get the opportunity to visit Japan, do. Because it's fabulous!


    Thanks so much for stopping by, girl. Have a wonderful week!


    X

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  11. Ron, if I ever won the lottery I would take a year and travel to all the places I have ever wanted to visit, here and abroad.

    "because when you invest in traveling the experience stays with you forever. Traveling is such a rich life-experience because you get to see how other people live and open yourself to experience different cultures and customs."



    I agree. Traveling rocks!


    I had no idea you visited Japan.That's a place on my travel list. What a great photo collage. And I read your post on your experience in Kyoto. Wow! I believe in reincarnation too.


    I'm looking forward to seeing what photos are submitted.

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  12. " if I ever won the lottery I would take a year and travel to all the places I have ever wanted to visit, here and abroad."

    HA! Me too, Matt! And I would even do it alone because I don't mind traveling solo. When you travel, you meet so many people anyway, so it's not like being alone.

    "And I read your post on your experience in Kyoto. Wow! I believe in reincarnation too."



    Yes, my experience in Kyoto was one that blew me away and totally unexpected. As I shared, I have always believed in the possibility of reincarnation and that experience made me believe even more. To me, reincarnation seems very natural.


    Thanks so much for stopping by, buddy. Have a most excellent week!

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  13. I followed your link on Reincarnation and wanted to be the first person to comment on your post in 5 years, but as luck wouldn't have it, comments are closed. Drat!


    I just wanted to say that, not only do I believe reincarnation is possible, there are times in my life (THIS life, I should specify) when I feel that I have lived past lives before. In fact, I have a very specific idea of who I was and what I did before. I won't go into too much detail because that will probably become a future blog post at some point, but I will say it all matches up with when I was born and what I am interested in today.


    I'll look around for a great travel photo to send your way, too!

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  14. "I followed your link on Reincarnation and wanted to be the first person to comment on your post in 5 years, but as luck wouldn't have it, comments are closed. Drat!"

    Yes, and I apologize for that Mark. I have Disqus set up so that it closes comments after a month because of spam left in my achives. But thank you very much for taking the time to read that post :)

    "I just wanted to say that, not only do I believe reincarnation is possible, there are times in my life (THIS life, I should specify) when I feel that I have lived past lives before. In fact, I have a very specific idea of who I was and what I did before."



    That's awesome, and I'm not at all surprised to hear you say that because you and I have discussed this topic throughout these past years and shared our similar beliefs on MANY things. And yes, I most definitely believe in reincarnation, especially after the experience I had in Kyoto. To me, reincarnation is something that seems totally natural.


    I look forward to your future blog post. Can't wait!


    And yes, please do share a travel photo because I know you must have so many from seeing the one's on your blog. They're beautiful!


    Have a super week, buddy, and thanks for stopping by.


    X to you and Tara!

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  15. What a great idea for a photo share, Ron! God, I wish I traveled more because my desire to do so runs deep. I've been around the U.S.but have never traveled to Europe, which is where I really want to visit next. Asia is also a place of interest, so I think it's ultra cool that you went to Japan. I like your photo collage and the temples. Where were those taken?


    And speaking of reincarnation because I read your post link, I believe in it. I don't think we only get one lifetime, I think we get many. As you shared on that post, that's we grow and evolve. What an experience you had!


    As you know, I don't own a camera so I won't be sharing a photograph. But I look forward to what your readers share.

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  16. Hey ho Robert!


    It's funny because I never had the desire to visit Japan, however, once I got there I fell in LOVE with it! I also want to visit more of Europe because I've only been to a few places.


    Three of those photos in the collage (the two temples and the one of the city and mountains) were taken in Kyoto. The one of Japanese family, I honestly can't remember where I took that. I think it may have been on a day trip I took in Kobe.


    Yes, the experience I had in Kyoto was truly remarkable. I had always believed in the possibility of reincarnation, yet that experience confirmed it for me. As I shared, can reincarnation really be proven? No. But somehow I just know.


    Thanks so much for stopping by, buddy. Have a fantabulous week!
    X

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  17. You've been to Japan?? Might I say I'm just pea-green over that? I'd love to visit Japan -- so many interesting things to see and people to meet. Glad it was everything you were hoping for, too!

    I've been coast to coast, north to south, around the States (sorry, no photos to share, though). The only time I ventured outside this country was my trip to Dublin (and I've already blogged about that). So I'll just wait with interest to see what your other lovely readers come up with!

    Happy Monday, dear Ron!

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  18. Oh, oh oh! I will definitely not miss this one! When our kids were younger, we never hesitated to pull them out of school to travel to another country for the very reasons you mentioned. it was usually a Spanish-speaking country so their Spanish teacher was thrilled when we brought back menus and newspapers as *educational* materials for her to use in class.

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  19. I would love to do this with you but honestly we havent traveled hardly at all. I have a gorgeous skyline photo from our dinner here by the water tonight but Im pretty sure that is not what you meant. I look forward to seeing the results though!

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  20. Japan is my DREAM vacation. MY DREAM. I would love to go there more than anything. I got to travel with my parents... St. Croix, London and Italy. But I don't have money to travel as an adult and it kills me that my kids have never had an adventure like I was able to have. So I don't have pictures but I am excited to see what others share!!!

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  21. Hey there Debbie!

    Going to Japan was probably one of the biggest highlights of my life. And it was place I never really thought I would enjoy or even have an interest in. However, I absolutely loved it and would go back in a second.

    "The only time I ventured outside this country was my trip to Dublin."



    Yes, I remember you blogging about that last year I think.


    Much thanks for stopping by, dear lady. Have a maaahvelous week!

    X

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  22. Great, Lisa! And I sooooo look forward to your photo!!!!

    "When our kids were younger, we never hesitated to pull them out of school to travel to another country for the very reasons you mentioned. it was usually a Spanish-speaking country so their Spanish teacher was thrilled when we brought back menus and newspapers as *educational* materials for her to use in class."



    That is AWESOME! And what great parents you are because you taught your children an educational experience that they could not have gotten in school.


    Thanks for stopping by, my friend. Have a super week!

    X

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  23. Hiya Shae!

    " I have a gorgeous skyline photo from our dinner here by the water tonight but Im pretty sure that is not what you meant."



    As I shared, it can be any photo of a traveling experience you've had ANYWHERE, even in your hometown. It doesn't have to be a place faraway. So, if it's a favorite place that you experienced "new", please feel free to send your photo in.


    Have a SUPER weekend, girl. And thanks so much for stopping by!

    X

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  24. "Japan is my DREAM vacation. MY DREAM. I would love to go there more than anything."

    Katherine, Japan was faaaaaabulous! And it's a place I honestly didn't have any interest in visiting or thought I would even like. However, it ended up being a place I would go back to in a minute!

    " I got to travel with my parents... St. Croix, London and Italy."

    Wow...that AWESOME! I haven't been to those places but would LOVE to, especially ITALY!

    Thanks so much for stopping by, girl. Have a terrific week!


    X

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  25. Ron! I'm not going anywhere! I meant I look forward to 'traveling' through all of the photos you post next week!

    I submitted mine!

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  26. Oh Ron you KNOW how much I love travelling and I have been extremely lucky to have traveled to so many different countries, I don't think I could choose a favourite place. However I will email you a favourite photo from our last trip abroad, which I haven't blogged about yet. Not sure about the sizing, if it's not the right size hopefully you will be able to sort it out. :)

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  27. "Oh Ron you KNOW how much I love travelling and I have been extremely lucky to have traveled to so many different countries..."

    Yes Pearl, and I was so thinking of YOU when I decided to post this because of your love for traveling and ALL the places you've been and posted about on your blog! I can't wait to see what you send. I can resize your photo if you have a problem, no worries, m'dear :)

    Have a lovely week and thank you for stopping by!

    X

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  28. HA! OMG...I thought that meant you were travel a lot next week, silly me.


    And yes, I received your photo. Thank you :)

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  29. Ron, Kyoto looks amazing! And I love the photo of the Japanese family. How cute!

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  30. Yes, not only is Kyoto beautiful, but the energy there is very special. You can feel it!

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  31. Oh, this sounds like so much fun, Ron! Would love to participate in your photo-share travel experience. Seeing all the photos, in itself, will be an event!
    PicMonkey, got it! And August 1st is Friday...think I can manage.
    p.s. Japan has always been on my list of places to visit. As you mentioned, its dichotomy of modern with ancient is so fascinating, e.g. Wabi sabi is such a wonderful concept.
    A very old friend is Buddhist and has introduced me to Buddhism and its philosophies, such as The Tao, and, most importantly, to meditation which truly helps me relax and stay focused.
    So looking forward to August 1st, Ron! :))

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  32. Yaaaaaaaaaaay! Petra, I am so happy to hear that you'll be participating in this photo share!!! I usually do these photo shares several times a year and pick a different photo theme each time. This time I decided on the theme of "A Favorite Place You've Traveled."

    Yes, if you need to do any photo editing (resizing or creating a photo collage), PicMonkey is a great website where you can do those things. It's free and easy to use.

    " its dichotomy of modern with ancient is so fascinating, e.g. Wabi sabi is such a wonderful concept."



    That's what I found utterly fascinating with Japan - it's both modern AND ancient. And it's also a beautiful country with such lovely people.



    I've studied a bit about Buddhism and its philosophies and yes, I also practice meditation. I agree....it helps me tremendously to relax, stay focused, and balance.


    Thanks so much for stopping by, dear friend. Have a great rest of your week!


    X

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  33. I just know every time I send a photo you're over there, shaking your head wondering "what part of '600px' didn't she get". ROFL. Which is why I'm hopeful this won't fall out of my head!! (Sending in the photo....not the px number, whatever it was....) ROFLMAO!!!

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  34. Hiya Mel!

    No worries, dear lady. Just send in your photo and I will resize it to 600px.

    Yaaaaaaay...I'm so glad you're sharing a photo!!! Can't wait to see it :)

    Have a faaaaaaabulous Wednesday!

    X

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  35. omg, i just made it here to participate. i've been super busy ron and guess what, i go on vacation next week, but i will share one of my favorite pics from a place i've traveled. i would love to go to japan.

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  36. Yaaaaaaaaaay, Val! I am so happy to hear that you'll be sharing a photo for this share!!!! Can't wait to see what you send in!

    Oooo....and you're going on vacation next week? That's awesome!

    Thanks so much for stopping by, girl. Have a great rest of your week!

    X

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  37. Look how late I am! I completely missed the deadline! It's OK because I haven't been traveling in quite a while so I don't have pics to share. I just feel really bad because I'm so late. Japan looks pretty!

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  38. No worries, Benze, I totally understand, my friend. You've got a lot going on right now.

    I post this photo shares several times a year, so perhaps you can join one in the future.

    Hope all is well and that you're feeling better.

    ((((((((((((((((( YOU )))))))))))))

    X

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