The Rubik's Cube

When I was in China back in February, my cousin's 10-yr old grandson Li gave me a 3x3 Rubik's cube as a gift. It was lined up so perfectly for all 6 sides and was placed in a fancy plastic box.

Little Li is one of the top cube players in his elementary school. He used his cube to show me all the patterns and moves - so elegant and smooth; so fast and incomprehensible... Apparently, all these patterns and moves need to be memorized. I showed real interest while watching his quick hand moves, asked adequate questions, and promised to study it when I have time.

It's been 56 days since I got back home. Today, I made time to study the cube. I considered it as a great opportunity to CHALLENGE myself; to beef up my "declining" learning capabilities; and to start a new memory exercise. Wow, it took me over 3 hours to learn from scratch, and finally, I MADE it!!

My goal is to practice it often; fully memorize all correct moves; and improve speed. Once I can master all above, I'll record my performance and send it back to little Li, my cube teacher -:))  

 

 

Greenland

Wow, for so many years traveling to so many places, I've never felt that planning a trip can be so unbearably difficult.

Greenland has been on top of my travel list for MANY years. No, I'm not looking for a cruse-ship trip circling along the shorelines. I wanted to stay on the island and take the small vassal out at night to Disko Bay - the pure arctic - to photograph the biggest icebergs in the world under the midnight sun... Just imagine that!! And - if needed - the attached photos can help you imagine.

My first planned trip to Greenland for 7/2020 was cancelled on 4/19/2020 due to the global pandemic. I posted attachment 1 on my Facebook to document the heartbreaking event.

Since 2020, I have been searching for photography groups that can organize similar type of trips with the same amazing scenery. After exploring all possible itineraries of National Geographic expeditions (my only other unwilling option), I decided to go with the group that can take us on a small vassal to see the BIG icebergs!!

The exciting trip is in early August 2025, and I booked it in 2024! Guess what happened this time? There are no tickets for my scheduled arrival and departure dates. In addition, the hotel accommodations are very limited outside of the group travel dates. Wow, what a bummer!!

After countless struggles with a different combination of less desirable traveling schedules, finally, today, 4/19/2025, I cancelled my 2nd Greenland trip. At this point, I don't know if I still have the courage to say: "Some day, Greenland, some day, I will go visit you!" Maybe I do need to downgrade my dream trip to a Greenland expedition by National Geographic.

Let There Be Snow, Japan

Yamagata, Japan

February, 2025

Red-crowned Crane - Hokkaido, Japan

The Japanese 丹顶鹤 (Tanchōzuru, 丹顶鶴), also known as the Red-crowned Crane, is a symbol of longevity, good fortune, and fidelity in Japanese culture. The Red-crowned cranes are native to Hokkaido, Japan, and can also be found in parts of northeastern China, Russia, and the Korean Peninsula.

In winter, many cranes gather at feeding grounds in Kushiro Wetland on Hokkaido, Japan, providing a spectacular view for bird watchers.

February 19-20, 2025

Hokkaido, Japan

 

Bear Blockade at Yellowstone: 3/24/2025

This is how humanity will be fooled by AI...

Bears Form Unprecedented Blockade at Yellowstone Entrance—Scientists Fear They Know Something We Don’t.

Yellowstone National Park – Tourists hoping to take in the breathtaking landscapes and geothermal wonders of Yellowstone were met with an unexpected natural phenomenon Monday morning: an impenetrable wall of bears. Hundreds—possibly thousands—of grizzly and black bears have gathered at the park’s entrances, blocking all roads and refusing to budge, causing traffic delays, camper evacuations, and an existential crisis among park rangers.

“We’ve seen bears near the gates before, but never like this,” said Yellowstone wildlife biologist Dr. Henry Clawson, watching nervously from a safe distance. “It’s almost as if they’re organizing. And that’s… deeply unsettling.”

The bears, appearing well-fed and unusually calm, have reportedly been standing shoulder to shoulder, occasionally exchanging nods and guttural grunts. Some are even holding up crude wooden signs that, while unreadable, have fueled concerns that bears may now be literate.

Scientists are scrambling to understand the cause of the gathering, with theories ranging from early hibernation confusion to Yellowstone finally becoming the first national park to unionize under bear leadership. However, the most chilling hypothesis is that the bears sense an impending event—one that human scientists have failed to detect.

“What if they’re trying to keep us out for a reason?” whispered park ranger Doug McAllister, staring wide-eyed at the bear barricade. “What do they know that we don’t?”

Adding to the tension, reports are surfacing of elk, moose, and even wolves retreating from the park’s interior at an alarming rate. Conspiracy theorists have already begun speculating about everything from an imminent super-volcano eruption to a long-overdue bison uprising.

For now, Yellowstone remains inaccessible, with local authorities unsure of how to proceed. Some have suggested negotiating with the bears, but others fear such talks could lead to the realization that humanity is, in fact, not at the top of the food chain.

Until more is known, scientists are urging the public to remain calm, avoid feeding the bears, and “maybe just… not go to Yellowstone for a bit.”

 

March 24, 2025

Yellowstone, MT

 

 

熊野古道 - Kumano Kodo, Japan

Kumano Kodo (熊野古道) is an ancient pilgrimage route in the Kii Peninsula, known for its scenic beauty, cultural significance, and connection to sacred shrines. Kumano Kodo in Japan and the Camino de Santiago in Spain are the only 2 UNESCO World Heritage pilgrimage routes in the world.

During our trip in Japan, I was so inspired by the thoughts of one day to be able to hike 熊野古道. Super excited, I came home and watched many 熊野古道 related hiking videos... Not sure how to tell you the outcome of my studies. The initial assessment is - this may not be something I can accomplish in this life time!! We'll see, maybe I'll find a way to try it...

Day1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mFqKBR-gB1g

Day2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VCdevOECo1g

Snow Monkeys, Japan

It was another unusually crowded day. We stayed in line in the snow for over 30 minutes to get to the ticket booth. I knew there would be people by the hot spring, but didn’t realize there would be SO MANY people!!

 

By the time I finally found my spot, took out my camera, I was hit by the shocking reality - my camera stopped working. Can you imagine the panic going through my head at that moment???

 

I had to switch to a different camera, which produced less ideal photos…

 

Nagano, Japan

February 16, 2025

 

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Jigokudani Yaen-Koen (地獄谷野猿公苑), also known as the Jigokudani Monkey Park, is a famous attraction located in Yamanouchi, Nagano Prefecture, Japan.

 

It’s home to the Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata), commonly known as snow monkeys. The monkeys are famous for soaking in the natural hot springs, especially during winter. The sight of snow monkeys in the warm onsen while surrounded by snow is a unique and globally recognized attraction.