What It's Like To Ride Japan's Bullet Trains

Above, a view of Mount Fuji from a Hikari Shinkansen. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

One of the most enjoyable things to experience in Japan is taking a ride on one of their famous bullet trains, or Shinkansens.

I have ridden several of them. including the Hikari Shinkansen from Tokyo to Kyoto over the years. It is on this route that Mount Fuji can be seen on clear days.

Monica Humpries took the Hikari to Kyoto and was thrilled with the experience and she writes about it (with plenty of photos) for Insider.

She begins with:

I've had the luxury of sitting underneath glass-dome windows as my Rocky Mountaineer train barreled between Colorado's mountains.

I've peered into a rainforest as a commuter train headed out of Sydney, Australia, and into the bush. 

But nothing could have prepared me for the excitement of riding my first bullet train between Tokyo and Kyoto.

If one wants to ride a bullet train with a Japan Rail Pass, they better do it before October 1. The price of rail passes go up that day.

To read more, go here. 

Camp Near An Active Volcano

Above, Devastated Area with Lassen Peak in the background. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Back in August 2017, I visited Lassen Volcanic National Park during my Great American Eclipse trip up in Idaho.

After the eclipse was over, I headed west into Oregon and then down into Northern California where I stayed a couple of nights at Lassen. I had no difficulty getting a campsite. There were plenty of them available at the Manzanita Lake Campground. 

This wasn't my first visit to Lassen, the first time visiting it was back in 1968 with my parents. We camped at Manzanita Lake in my grandfather's old canvas umbrella tent.

Insider has an article about camping at Lassen Volcanic National Park and what to see and do there.

They begin it with:

Yellowstone may be known for its geothermal areas, but Lassen Volcanic National Park — a smaller, less-visited national park with its own fair share of geothermal features — is also worth exploring.

Located in northern California, this 166-square-mile park is one of the few places with all four major volcanic types. On top of having one of California's seven active volcanoes and the largest lava plug dome in the world, it also has clear mountain lakes and steaming fumaroles.

Plus, Lassen Volcanic usually gets a fraction of the annual visitors that Yellowstone does, meaning guests have to deal with comparably fewer crowds.

It's open all year, but peak season runs from the summer through the early fall before snow cover closes many roads and facilities.

My family loves the outdoors and took a recent trip to Lassen Volcanic. Here's why other outdoor enthusiasts should check it out too.

To read more, go here. 

Elvis "Not Racist" Says Ex-Wife Priscilla

Above, Elvis with Junior Parker (left) and Bobby Blue Bland (right) in a display at Sun Studio in Memphis. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Revisionist "historians" today try to paint Elvis Presley as racist. But according to his ex-wife Priscilla, that couldn't be further from the truth. She should know.

She recently appeared on Piers Morgan's show and set the record straight.

According to Insider:

Elvis Presley's ex-wife Priscilla appeared on "Piers Morgan Uncensored" on Tuesday to discuss the iconic singer's legacy.

Asked how Elvis would fare in "this weird cancel culture," the 77-year-old businesswoman said Elvis was "not prejudiced in any way" and "not racist in any way."

"He's never been a racist. Elvis had friends, Black friends, friends from all over," she said. "He loved their music. He loved their style. He loved being around, you know, Black musicians."

Priscilla cited his friendships with two Black musicians, Fats Domino and Sammy Davis Jr., who she said would "always come into the dressing room" when Elvis performed in Las Vegas.

"He loved, loved being around Blacks and being around anyone actually," she said.

To read more, go here. 

Yellowstone Bison Stampede Caught On Video

Above, relaxing Yellowstone bison. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Yellowstone National Park is known for many things. They include geysers, lakes, hot springs, waterfalls and different species of animals.

One notable animal in Yellowstone National Park are bison (commonly known as buffalo).

Last week, tourist vehicles on a Yellowstone road was caught in the middle of a bison stampede. One motorist was videoing the stampede, during which his rental car was hit by one of them.

According to Insider.com:

Bison are wild, unpredictable animals — just take it from the Delle Chiaie family, who learned that the hard way. Last week, they were on a trip to Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming when they got caught in a bison stampede that halted traffic. 

While the bison swarmed the road, one plowed right into the family's rental car. Footage of the moment is horrific — you can hear a crunch as the animal plows into the front of the vehicle. The "Today" show shared a clip of the incident, which stunned the family. 

"Oh man, there goes the money. Thanks for not taking the insurance," someone can be heard saying in the video.

To read more and see the video, go here. 

12 Places In Japan To Visit Outside of Tokyo

Above, Kyoto's Kinkaku-ji "Golden Pavilion". Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Most visitors to Japan generally head straight to Tokyo with occasional trips outside of the city or just confine their visits to Tokyo. But there are other places in Japan that should be included in a vacation itinerary.

Insider has a list of 12 places to visit outside of Tokyo.

They begin with:

When planning a trip to Japan, it's hard not to think of Tokyo. The enormous metropolis has the perfect balance of modern skyscrapers and traditional offerings to make any avid traveler put it on their bucket list. And while Tokyo is a city that everyone should try to visit at least once, it's not the only place in Japan worth checking out. 

Japan is made up of four main islands (and hundreds of smaller ones) all containing several prefectures that have multiple cities, all of which are worth a visit. 

Here is a list of places in Japan, other than Tokyo, that are worth a spot on your itinerary.

To see what they are, go here. 

Hawaii In Its 1960s Heyday

Above, Diamond Head, not in the 1960s, but in 2016. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Until the 1960s, Hawaii wasn't the mecca for tourism as it is today.

After it became a state in 1959, Hawaii started to become a huge draw for tourists from the U.S. and around the world.

Insider has an article featuring photos of the 50th state from the 1960s.

They begin with:

Simply put, Hawaii in the 1960s was the place to be. The newest addition to the US, Hawaii fascinated Americans with its tropical temperatures, crystal blue waters, and rich culture. 

Naturally, vacationers flocked to the state, as did many celebrities and politicians. Elvis Presley gave the island a popularity boost after filming "Blue Hawaii" in 1961, and as surf culture began to take the nation by storm, so did the state. 

Keep scrolling to see some classic photos of Hawaii during its '60s heyday.

To see more, go here. 

Things To Know When Traveling To Japan

Above, Shibuya Crossing (also known as Shibuya Scramble). Photo by Armand Vaquer.

There are many similarities between the U.S. and Japan. And, there are many differences, too.

In order to make a visit to Japan as pain-free as possible, a good read of an article by Insider would be an excellent start.

They begin with:

When I planned my first trip to Japan, I made sure my itinerary was filled with activities. I did exhaustive research on bars, restaurants, and landmarks I wanted to see, but unfortunately, there are a lot of things I didn't think to look up. 

There are a lot of cultural norms and common decencies that are specific to Japan, plus there are also a ton of logistical differences that I wish I had known about in advance. 

Here are 13 things I wish I had known before visiting Japan.

To read more, go here. 

3 Worst Mistakes National Park Visitors Make

Above, animals in national parks can eat you. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

If you are planning to visit a national park this summer, it is wise to read about the three most common mistakes national park visitors make.

An article by a former national park ranger in Insider tells of the three biggest mistakes visitors make.

It starts with:

Ash Nudd has gotten a lot of dirt in her shoes over the years, but she doesn't seem to mind. 

The Utah resident spent three seasons giving tours, teaching safety instruction courses, and even participating in search and rescue efforts as a park ranger in three different national parks across the US. Now, she runs a blog called Dirt In My Shoes where she continues to share trip itineraries full of expert recommendations. 

Here are the three most common mistakes she saw tourists make when visiting national parks.

To read more, go here.