Saturday, May 16, 1970
Departure back to Japan
7:00 a.m. Mark drives me to Philipsburg in the ragged (sorry) Volkswagen
Beetle. Melina, his fiancée, is with him.
Lv. Philipsburg 9:00 a.m. (AL600)
Ar. New Ark 10:00 a.m.
Stay YMCA at New York Downtown
Sunday, May 17
10:15 Ride Gray Line Tour No. 6.
China Town - Statue of Liberty - United Nations Bldg. - Empire State Bldg.
In the rain unfortunately, I finally see New York. Exciting, dirty, awesome!
Monday, May 18
Lv. La Guardia (New York) 11:00 a.m. (AA305)
Ar. O'Hare (Chicago) 12:10 p.m.
Stay two days at YMCA, Wabash Ave., Chicago ($5.30/day)
Chicago's Y is very close to Hilton. The room is cramped, and the communal
toilet and shower are unavoidable.
"Hair" is hanging at the Schubert Theatre. I booked the highest seat. ($9.00)
I want to eat fried rice. Walk for about 30 minutes to China Town.
Turn right on State St. near China Town and see about 10 black boys hanging
out. It's in front of a twin circular high-rise apartment. Though thinking
"It's bad," I walked up to them. It's a wide road, but quiet.
One of them called me out. He pretends to point a pistol in his pocket
with hand. It may not be a pretense. He threatens me with a slang peculiar
to blacks.
It's curtains for me. My important camera was ripped off with a tripod.
Due to this happening unfortunately, I won't be able to take pictures from
now on! Moreover, that's why I cannot carry any precious pictures here
at all around this return trip including a lot taken in New York!
However, a passport, air tickets, a wallet and others are safe. Wasn't
I rather lucky?
Fried rice at China Town. Bus to Schubert Theatre. I walked around the
area with a lot of traffic.
"The Hair" was impressive. Joke and dirty words come up frequently. Fierce.
Tuesday, May 19
Chicago
Tour on Grayline. Museum of Science and Industry was good.
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The view from Prudential Bldg. The contrast between the harbor and the
town is beautiful. 50 cents |
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Almost no money. What about souvenirs? |
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Are they members of the Black Panther in town? Aggressive pedding of newspapers? |
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The town is predominantly for black people. Conversely, in Hilton and Palmer
House are all white except for boys. |
Wednesday, May 20
Chicago → San Francisco
Lv. O'Hare at Chicago 11:30 a.m. (TW175)
Ar. San Francisco 1:47 p.m.
Stay Victoria Hotel, San Francisco
8:30 Wake up.
9:15 Take a bus from Hilton Hotel to O'Hare Field.
Beef stake on TWA, how delicious!
At the bus stop in San Francisco airport, Mr. Nakata, manager of Ichiyoshi
Security, talks to me. Take a taxi with him.
Two of us board a boat. $2.50. Golden Gate and the harbor are with a nice
view.
To China Town with Mr. Nakata. Eat park chow main with sea weed soup.
At night, we enter O'Farrel Theater. ($5.00)。 All nude, amazing!
11:00 p.m. Arrive at Victoria Hotel managed by a Japanese. $5.25.
There are no bath or toilet in the room, but the room itself is excellent. Eating two oranges and drinking Budweiser, relax after a long interval.
Thursday, May 21
San Francisco
10:00 Wake up. Tammen in China Town. 90 cents.
Book a 1 o'clock Grayline at Hilton Hotel.
Barber $3.00.
Book "1776" at Curran Theater. $3.75 (second cheapest seat).
Grayline, comfortable. Savor the varied scenery one after another.
I saw the Golden Gate Bridge so many times, but I don't get tired this
time either.
Twin Peaks, Oakland, Cliff House... a tour of 3.5 hours.
Dinner is also in China Town. Fried rice with meat bun, 90 cents.
20:30-23:00 "1776" with no breaks. So wonderful!
Friday, May 22
San Francisco → Hawaii
8:30 a.m. Wake up
9:30 a.m. Check-out
Breakfast: Toast & eggs plus milk $1.00
Lookout at Fairmont Hotel and listen to church music at Grace Cathedral
for about an hour.
11:00 Pick up Mr. Nakata at Beverley Plaza.
11:30 Departure on a bus to the airport. Thanks to Mr. Nakata.
13:00 Flight United 021 to Hilo, comfortable. Under the clear sky, scattered
clouds, the blue of the clear sea below, and above is the blue of the sky.
San Francisco Coast is also stunning
Finally, Hilo. I'm really running out of money. How poor I am in six more
days. It'll be okay because I have a ticket. Still, it's a good trip!
By the way, this plane isn't going to Honolulu, so I may be an only Japanese
passenger.
15:00 (Hawaii time) Arrive in Hilo.
No luggage storage. But, United's staffs were kind enough to keep my luggage
until the day after tomorrow.
The lady at the information center was also kind. She drove me to the hotel.
Hotel: Palm Terrace ($6.24/day), managed by a Japanese. The room is excellent
with a bath and toilet. Better than the Penn Garden Hotel in New York ($15.00).
Rent an instant camera with one film at Hertz. If you return it at Honolulu,
you will get back the $5.00 of deposit.
Night: luxurious version of chiken and egg bowl, sashimi, miso soup, and
udon noodle. Stuff myself.
Buy a beer and dryed squid on the way back. Took a shower and breathed
a sigh of relief. Pleasantly intoxicated.
Saturday, May 23
Hawaii Island
Got up before 7 o'clock. Breakfast with banana and coffee. Refreshing.
Sightseeing Bus Tour ($15.00)
Limousine ride with two elderly couples. Unfortunately raining. In this
area, "Even if you forget your lunch box, don't forget an umbrella."
Lava gravel all over.
Rainbow Falls, so-so.
Black Sand Beach, weird... Is this peculiar to Hawaii Island?
Kilauea Volcano, splendid... Plumes of smoke everywhere. On the contrary,
it is also a frightening sight.
16:00 Tour completed. It was a fun tour. The guys were good, too.
Sunday, May 24
Hawaii Island → Maui Island
8:00 Enjoy the scenery of Hilo on the coast. Lava lava....
Air to Maui. Mr. and Mrs. Yoshida were waiting for me at Kahului Airport.
"Are you okay in Japanese?"
They accepted my wish. However, mixture of English, Japanese and Kanaka.
Arrive at Yoshida's house (Wailuku). They serve seaweed roll sushi and
Lau Lau as lunch.
About 30 minutes drive. The seaside resort town of Lahaina is the best. At this point, Mr. and Mrs. Sasada joined us and went to Aoki's house. I was allowed to swim in the sea.
After that, we drove for about an hour and a half toward the top of Hareakala Volcano. It's snowing here. Cold!
Sasada couple, Yoshida couple
from left |
On the top of Haleakala,
the proud volcano in Maui Island |
City hall of Lahaina City
Symbol of Kamehameha Dynasty |
Thursday, May 28
Check-in and departure procedures are completed in conjunction with JAL
Flight 73 from Honolulu at 11:10 a.m. I only have $2 on hand!
Goodbye to America staying for a year. Traveled considerably with enthusiasm.
Invited to American families and made many friends.
I'm happy to have spent precious time in the United States. Mahalo, America. Aloha!
After returning to Japan, I came back home to Nagoya, with my wife and
daughter, from Tokyo via Nagano.
On the way, at Oni-oshdashi around Karuizawa, carrying Yoshiko, my daughter,
on my shoulder.
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