Camp!

We camped at the Grand Canyon and Monument Valley!

What I wanted to do there was just looking up at the stars in the heavens. 

And we did!!! We were talking about our childhood while we were looking stars.

That was my unforgettable moment.

Thank you Junko!!!!

I was really happy to go to trip with you.

A road

We drove over 600 miles.

Most of driving roads were like this picture.

I'd like to go to Grand Canyon by train someday!

I saw a train at The Grand Canyon station from in the shuttle bus.

Monument Valley 3

Spectacular!

Monument Valley 2

Mitt(left) and Dancers(right)

Monument Valley

We walked on the trail in the morning.

And I hugged a rocky mountain.hahaha...

There are 2 kind of monuments called [Mesa] which looks like table, and the other ones called [Butte] .

Navajo who are native Americans have been keeping there as a holy place and they named these monuments from the monument's shapes.

For example, Mother and child, Dancers, Dragon head, Mitt, Three sisters,etc...

Antelope Canyon

Amazing....

Grand Canyon

Yes, Grand Canyon!!

There was no sound there. We could hear our clothes rubbing sound very loudly when we were walking.

We've been in noisy big city NY, so that was good for us♪

We listened to the sound of wind, birds singing and our footsteps.

And my shoes became Grand Canyon color...

Phoenix

We bought a lot of food for 1 week in Phoenix.

breads, ham, cheese, juice, canned food, cereals, and water water water... plenty of water!

It's hot and dry in Arizona. So everyone advised us to bring much water there.

Arizona trip

I started to go to new ESL last week after the  looooong vacation.

My classmates are very nice and friendly. Teachers are also good!

I enjoy studying English with them!

The end of my long vacation, I went to Arizona with my friend Junko for 1 week 6/9 ~ 6/15!!!

We flew to Phoenix and drove to Sedona, Grand Canyon, Antelope Canyon, and Monument Valley by a rental car.

Look at pictures!!!!

Real purpose

After seeing the falls, I walked to USA across the Rainbow Bridge again and I got a stamp on my I-20.

That's why I came Niagara Falls. I needed to get out USA and get in again with a stamp. 

I'm a Japanese, so crossing the border by walk was exciting!!

That was a good experience.

Niagara falls

I went there only with small bag and it was one day trip.

Going to Canada is very easy but I was so surprised to see the falls!

Wow...I got a lot of energy from the spectacular  view of nature.

Thank you so much

She is Takako (left) who is a great violinist and also a good cook!!!

I was so happy to eat her dishes~~~(*^_^*)

And he is Mr. Yasuhito Sugiyama (right) who is a tuba player and I admire him very much.

This time he arranged everything for my visit.

I appreciate it.

This is a picture when we had dinner in Korean restaurant in the first night.

Sugiyama-san, Takako-san, Jack-san, Yoko-san, Sachs-san, Chono-kun, Rena-chan.....

Thank you for your kindness!

This trip was unforgettable a pleasant experience.

Duet

I was playing duet with Jack in the living room.

That was fun!

Jack  took part in the recordings of the Cleveland Symphonic Winds conducted by  maestro Fennell. 

Maestro Fennell was a former music director of our orchestra and passed away 4 years ago.

It is a chance.

A resort hotel!?

These photos were taken from Mrs.Takako Masame's house.

She is a violinist of cleveland orchestra.

And her husband Mr.Jack is a trumpet player!

I stayed their house.

That was soooooo nice!

There is a Lake Erie in front of house~~~~!!!

The view from living room and guest room is....Oh my goodness!

The lake showed us many different faces in each time.

Cleveland

I visited Cleveland  last weekend.

I  took a lesson from Mr. Sachs who is a principal trumpet player of Cleveland Orchestra and listened to a concert there.

Severance Hall is a home of Cleveland Orchestra.

A Japanese girl Rena who has been studying violin in cleveland picked me up at the airport and drove me to the hall.

I listened to Dvorak's opera rehearsal there .

It's really beautiful hall and the acoustics are amazing....

Of course orchestra is fabulous.

Also decoration of ceiling and walls are gorgeous like rococo.

I felt rich.

Next day, I listened to a concert.

They played 

◆Schubert: Andante in B minor from Symphonic Fragments, D.936A

◆Bartok: The Miraculous Mandarin

◆Bartok: Viola Concerto (Kim Kashkashian, viola)

◆J.Strauss Jr: Emperor Waltz

That was fantastic!