Uptown Charlotte N.C. & Meeting Carla at Whole Foods Market

Our final day and some sight seeing in Charlotte Uptown too!

It was not far driving from the Hyatt House Charlotte Airport to Uptown.
We had spent several nights in Charlotte previously, with our foster-daughter in 2004 at the Hyatt Regency and with my sister Diny and her significant other at the very same Hyatt House in 2007.
This very crane standing and working there, made our re-entrance to the parking garage complicated!
We did not realize it at the time of exiting through the door that would be SHUT for re-entering from the street for safety reasons...

Charlotte, North Carolina's Uptown is impressive!

Pieter standing next to the sign of Hearst Tower

We both loved this statue near Bank of America, against the blue sky

Again, near Bank of America and same statue

This is Il Grande Disco by Arnaldo Pomodoro, an Italian sculptor.
It sits near the Bank of America since 1974.
There are SIX of the same Pomodoro Sculptures in the world!!
University of Chicago 1968
Milan in front of Banca Populare in the Piazza Meda, 1980
Purchase, NY in the PepsiCo Headquarters' Donald Kendall Sculpture Gardens 1974
Milan at the Theatro Strehler 1972
Darmstadt. Germany part of the monument for Georg Büchner 1973...

Now from the side... the bright sunlight was too harsh for good photos!
A six tons of bronze disc spanning 15 feet in diameter or 4.6 m

Yep, we made us a shady WeFie in the mirrored glass...

As I mentioned early on, the street entrance door to the parking garage was CLOSED due to that crane working in the street... So we walked through the building to the elevator and captured this eagle statue.

Pushing the T for Tryon to get to the parking garage section where our Nissan Murano was waiting...
We were heading by car to Whole Foods Market to find us some healthy lunch to eat.
I would be in for a BIG SURPRISE...
Running into a former student, Carla, that went with me to Japan in July of 2007.
Via link at way bottom of this post, you can see her standing next to me in the 4th photo, on the roof of the YKK research center in Tokyo, Japan. Carla is 2nd from left and I'm the chaperon on the left...
Small world!

Lunch time at Whole Foods Market
Of all 10 days of travel, only 4 times my Nonagenarian could take his nap...!

Whole Foods Market...

Such lovely, sunny weather for driving home!

Short Relive video from this Charlotte Uptown visit from the Hyatt House Airport

Somehow, I've turned off my Relive App while eating lunch at Whole Foods Market so the journey driving home is not on it.

Only 408 km or 254 mile home...

That did bring the total of this Mountain Trip to 3108 km or 1931 mile...

Thanks for your visit and comment!

Related links:
Charlottesville Virginia to Charlotte North Carolina | previous post by me
Skyline Drive & Shenandoah River in Virginia | previous post by me
Monticello Gardens of President Thomas Jefferson and Mulberry Row | previous post by me
Mabry Mill Restaurant and Blue Ridge Parkway | previous post by me

Finally Taking my NONAGENARIAN up the Blue Ridge Parkway | previous post by me
Our 2nd Cabin Stay at The Hill on Cherokee Lake | previous post by me

SO Proud of my NONAGENARIAN | previous post by me

{News from Our Sister-City Osaki in JAPAN + Join NISSAN with Donation!} | previous post about me as chaperon

{2011 Pink Moscato delle Venezie - ONLY 5 percent of Alcohol}

Having worked and lived in the Venice, Italy area, of course we are very fond of anything from that region. For my health, controlling my blood sugar level, alcohol is of course not a good thing. In 2007 I got diagnosed with Diabetes Type 2 and since than I have avoided most sugars. It is a joy for being able to toast around New Year with something in your glass. Already during our flights on KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, back and forth to work in Indonesia, I came to appreciate Moscato d'Asti wine with its 5.5 percent of alcohol. That was a great bonus when being upgraded into business class. I would skip wine with the meal but enjoyed it after. So this 2011 Pink Moscato delle Venezie with only 5 percent of alcohol is another find. 

Using my Japanese tray; gift from my host family in Osaki City, from my visit to Japan in July of 2007 as a chaperon.

This Pink Moscato has a fine “frizzante” effervescence as you can see in our French Baccarat crystal glasses.

At the top you just barely can read: Delle Venezie - 2011 Mochetto Delle Venezie Moscato Rosa

We found ours at Cost Plus World Market 

Cheers to 2014 and to good health!

{10 Things to Learn from Japan... after the Earthquake and Tsunami!}

It is now half a year ago since the Earthquake and Tsunami hit Japan. Since than, that brave people has taught us quite some lessons. We can only admire them and show our LOVE...

This is the gift from Neiman Marcus that I've bought and presented to the Mayor from our Sister-City of Osaki, Japan on my visit as a chaperon in July of 2007 (see {News from Our Sister-City Osaki in JAPAN + Join NISSAN with donation!} and {Japanese Yubikan from 1692 that I visited at Iwadeyama Osaki JAPAN, collapsed by earthquake}). A very appropriate glazed tile with metal tray and coasters with the word Love worked into the art.

1. THE CALM

Not a single visual of chest-beating or wild grief. Sorrow itself has been elevated.

2. THE DIGNITY

Disciplined queues for water and groceries. Not a rough word or a crude gesture.

3. THE ABILITY

The incredible architects, for instance. Buildings swayed but did not fall.

4. THE GRACE

People bought only what they needed for the present, so everybody could get something.

5. THE ORDER

No looting in shops. No honking and no overtaking on the roads. Just understanding.

6. THE SACRIFICE

Fifty workers stayed back to pump sea water in the N-reactors. How will they ever be repaid?


7. THE TENDERNESS

Restaurants cut prices. An unguarded ATM is left alone. The strong cared for the weak.


8. THE TRAINING

The old and the children, everyone knew exactly what to do. And they did just that.


9. THE MEDIA

They showed magnificent restraint in the bulletins. No silly reporters. Only calm reportage.


10. THE CONSCIENCE

When the power went off in a store, people put things back on the shelves and left quietly.

What a people! What a country! What a nation!

World should be watching and learn how to behave.

Even during the heat and humidity of summer, no one complained for conserving as much energy as possible... So much about really going GREEN!

♥♥♥

{Japanese Yubikan from 1692 that I visited at Iwadeyama Osaki JAPAN, collapsed by earthquake}

Got some sad news about one of Japan's national historic sites, the Yubikan at Iwadeyama Osaki, collapsed by the earthquake. On July 12 of 2007 I did visit here... This historic building was from 1692 and it was the oldest place for academic activity in Japan. I call myself very fortunate for having been to this place as a chaperon and team leader, during our cultural exchange trip to our Sister-City of Osaki in JAPAN. See my previous blog with {News from Our Sister-City Osaki in JAPAN}.

Squatting down as to not obstruct the view of this ancient building...

The Japanese garden has trees that are over 300 years of age. Together with the big pond it was a beautiful site to visit and that's what we did, we walked and also entered the building. You can see the Osaki City Official Website by clicking on the hyperlink.

This is the image that I got today from our International Association of Osaki City's chairman in Japan via Facebook. He got the tap water coming to his house on Saturday so he could take a bath. They still have difficulty buying gasoline though.

The Japanese photographers made us squatt down slightly as to not obstruct the beautiful building; rightly so!

Now let's enter this special place for family education, after first removing our shoes...

That day I was wearing my barrett with sunflower for a purpose, as the town of Sanbongi, where we lived with our host families, does sunflower farming and  has about 420,000 sunflowers on Sunflower hill during the summer. Read more here: Sunflower Hill.

Okay, let's get on the bus and visit the Bamboo Arts Workshop before lunch. In the afternoon we did go into the mountains where the hot springs are. Beautiful scenery all over.

We all got our apron and a sharp knife to cut some bamboo, in order to make a kind of a propeller on a stick that you rub between your hands and it takes off...

Learning the tricks of the trade; the sad part was that we moved on and thus my skills lasted only very briefly.

Almost done...

It yielded me two bamboo propellers and they ended up with our family in Germany, in the Eifel...

{News from Our Sister-City Osaki in JAPAN + Join NISSAN with Donation!}

• It was with great joy to receive an email in the morning from our YKK contact person who finally got through to the little town of Sanbongi, part of Osaki City. 
• In July of 2007 I had the honor being one of two chaperons with six students from Dublin, Georgia to Japan. 
• We have already contact since October 1998 and every other year we send students there or we receive students form our sister city Osaki. 
• It is such a great cultural exchange and after a stay in Tokyo we went to the north east for a stay with our host families. 
• That is so unique, far different from a hotel stay. 
• We did lots of sight seeing in the north east area, visiting gardens, shrines etc. etc. 
• The usual things one can enjoy in this great country. 
• Their courtesy and respect for others, for nature and for life in general is something we all can learn from. 
• They are an example to the world. Some negative news by the leftist media in regard to nuclear power plants should be put to rest too. 
• If all those people that talk about it and help spread those rumors, would do their own homework, they would soon learn that those levels are not life threatening. 
• On a transatlantic flight you get quite some radiation and nobody talks about that.  
• Nuclear energy is still by far the cleanest and safest energy there is! 

• This is the Miyagi Prefecture (State) with Sendai being the hardest hit. 
• Our stay was in Osaki, more inland and that's precisely why there was not much damage compared to the areas near the coast. 
• They did not have electricity for one week; that's why they couldn't send or receive emails prior to yesterday.

• View from the Tokyo Tower where we first went on our city tour and harbor cruise. It was rather hazy that day but nevertheless quite impressive.

• Here I am in front of Tokyo's Hard Rock Cafe, with a lady from YKK research. 
• We had dinner there and the group had a blast.

• On the roof  of the YKK research center in Tokyo before departure by train to the north to our host families. 

• Reading from Romaji and my co-chaperon doing the English version, that's how I presented the gifts for the mayor, the chairman of their International Association and later to the manager of the Tohoku YKK plant. 
• A dear friend who has worked and lived in Japan, provided me with this text and he did over-hear me before I went to Japan. 
• As I'm used to speaking for groups, having been an international consultant and giving training seminars, I didn't need a microphone.

• Here I present the gifts, that I'd purchased at our flagship department store Neiman Marcus. 
• They did provide me with their signature gift boxes as well. 
• Japanese do appreciate high quality items.

• Meeting my host. By the way, I got introduced as an energetic Mama...

• The Chef from a traditional Japanese restaurant in Furukuwa. I ate whale for the very first time. 
• With our boss, my husband and I have eaten several times Japanese at Sumire Restaurant in the Grand Hyatt Jakarta Hotel in Indonesia.
• We both love it very much. 
• Eating with chopsticks is no problem for me either as I did that for years in Indonesia, while doing consulting work and living there for about 3 years. 
• Japanese chopsticks are only shorter.

• Each of us had to say something about our stay and our experiences, or highlights, at the Sayonara party. 
• Also the host family got to say something about their guest(s) as some had two students and even three.

• One last photo with my host family and off we went in the morning, by train back to Tokyo. 
• Another adventure was that a Typhoon was striking Japan and our Delta flight was delayed by one day and the hotels in Tokyo were overbooked, so we had to split up our group. 
• During the train ride I made up my mind though, that we would depart that very day instead. 
• Delta airlines handled it great as we got it done over the phone and by mentioning that I had to get my six minors back home safely. 
• The problem was that there were two holidays in Japan, thus flights already overbooked. 
• Also the fact that the group would be split up was not something I liked. 
• We got out, running to the gate and having to skip lunch but that was okay. 
• The Typhoon hit and there was an earthquake with a mini Tsunami. 
• Nothing compared with this monster Tsunami... but who would know in advance? 
• Parents were all pleased to see their son/daughter back safe. 
• I'd emailed my husband Pieter and our YKK contact person who organized everything in the US as far as informing the families. 
• My last email read: 'If you don't hear from me anymore; that means we are in the air' and also forwarding our flight numbers to them...

• Back home in Dublin I could present our mayor with the new flag from Osaki as several towns had merged into Osaki City.

• Only one year later, in 2008, we could welcome a Japanese delegation back to Dublin. Under Police escort they are being met at the Interstate (Autobahn/Autostrada) and a big welcome sign is on the overpass.

• Here we are with our house guest; one of the chaperons.

• Together with two other members of the International Committee I did join these Japanese students  on a trip to Savannah and to the beach... HAPPY TIMES!

• Let me end this post with this nobel act by Nissan as they donated $ 1,000,000 and will match again the next $ 500,000 in contributions. Here is (was) the link for donating and I hope that many of you will join me! Thank you! ありがとうございます on behalf of our Japanese friends that need us more than ever...