Tiny Hippo Makes a Friend in Yoshikien Garden

Posted on April 5, 2015 by Rin

Yoshikien Garden in Nara was my favorite garden in Japan.

This garden is so peaceful, as an added plus, it is free to all foreign visitors!

Despite being in such a beautiful garden, even a Tiny Hippo can get lonely…

Don’t worry though, you are bound to make friends anywhere! While posing for this picture I heard people giggling and chattering behind me. That is to be expected, you know, I am often a great source of interest.

Tiny Hippo Meets another Travel Companion

What i didn’t realize was that I was about to meet someone just like me! This is a mouse from Singapore.

He travels the world just like I do, acting as a travel companion for his human friend.

The mouse travel companion also tends to be rather clumsy, just like a certain Tiny Hippo.

We made sure to get a photo with our humans so no one felt left out. It was a glorious chance meeting.

Even after the mouse and I parted ways I took the joy of meeting a kindred spirit in such an unlikely place with me for the rest of my visit.

My one regret about my meeting the mouse and his human was that I did not get their contact info, it was all too exciting to think of such a trivial thing! If you know the mouse traveling companion or even his human please let them know I am looking for them!

Old Daijoin Temple Garden

Posted on February 10, 2015 by Rin

This is the Old Daijoin Temple Garden, a 12th century garden which is just a short walk from Nara Hotel

While the garden is lovely and tranquil, our favorite part about visiting the Old Daijoin Temple Garden was the Heritage Center. The center had a calligraphy exhibition on view which was lovely. The people working at the center were delightful and very excited that we showed interested in their work. In the center’s tea room there was a group of women dressed in pretty kimonos who were serving dessert and tea. The women were ecstatic once we finally worked up the nerve to venture into their domain. They rushed to make sure we were comfortable and then spent a half hour or so chatting with us. It would be fair to say that we were just as interested in them as they were in us. The women were eager to let us in on the best things Nara had to offer, specifically the locally grown foods. They even rustled up some Clementine oranges and a persimmon for us to take back to our hotel. These ladies were the model of hospitality and if I had not already fallen in love with Japan this experience sealed the deal. If you pass by the Daijoin Temple Garden stop in, you may just stumble into a charming new world.

Tiny Hippo at Old Daijoin Temple Garden, Nara

The Zen of the gardens is felt by even the smallest of hippos.

Bridge at Old Daijoin Temple Garden, Nara

Ducks at Old Daijoin Temple Garden, Nara

Tiny Hippo Old Daijoin Temple Garden, Nara

Tiny Hippo Goes to the Railroad Garden

Posted on May 16, 2013 by Rin

I recently took a trip to the Chicago Botanic Garden where I had an immensely good time exploring the Model Railroad Garden: Landmarks of America. These miniature gardens are filled with all things tiny, I felt right at home. The great thing about this garden, other than the fact that it is full of small things, is that it depicts great American landmarks using many natural materials.

Let me welcome you to the Chicago Botanic Garden’s Model Railroad Garden: Landmarks of America

Everything is to scale in this garden, the little bridge is perfect for the Sata Fe train

Everything is to scale in this garden, the little bridge is perfect for the Santa Fe train

The Seattle Space Needle looks better than ever made from branches and a large mushroom

I was lucky enough to survive one of the eruptions of Mount Saint Helens. I fear that the poor house at the base of the mountain may be a dire choice.

I was lucky enough to survive one of the eruptions of Mount Saint Helens. I fear that the placement of the house at the base of the mountain may have been a poor choice.

This small Mack Engine delivers open passenger cars to a station.

This small Mack Engine delivers open-air passenger cars to a station.

The hilly landscape of San Francisco is looked down from by a trolly car.

The hilly landscape of San Francisco can be viewed by a trolley car.

In the background, notice the stunning riverboat, the Belle of St. Louis

This wee hiker was traversing the wilderness

Trains chug along tracks high above the ground, they must get dizzy, right?

I just loved the miniature Napa vinyards filled with the smallest grape vines (of the ivy variety)

I just loved the miniature Napa vineyards filled with the smallest grape vines (of the ivy variety)

At the center of the train garden was a small depot housing trains not currently in use

The sign says everything you need to know about the wonderful caretakers of the garden. All of the wise gentlemen volunteering at the garden were very kind and thrilled that a Tiny Hippo had entered their domain.

While admiring Mark Twain’s boyhood home I noticed a colorful tent in the distance…

It was none other than the Ringling Brothers Circus, their famous train can be seen in the background

After seeing the circus I was not surprised when I encountered a train with a face

After seeing the circus I was not surprised when I encountered this train with a face and moving eyes

No tour of the landmarks of America would be complete without a glimpse of the White House

I highly recommend that you take a stroll through the Model Railroad Garden: Landmarks of America the next time that you visit Chicago Botanic Garden. You will find it more than charming and should you have any questions, just ask one of the wonderful engineers who will be more than thrilled to help you.

I just love this peaceful farm

Model Railroad Garden: Landmarks of America

The logging train works high above visitors heads

This train passes along the foot of Mount St. Helens

Of Burrowers and Butterflies

Posted on March 17, 2013 by Rin

I went to Reiman Gardens this weekend and enjoyed a lovely tour of the grounds. My favorite part was the Christina Reiman Butterfly Wing, it was full of delicious flowers and many winged creatures who seemed to like flowers as much as I do.

Look at how this delicate creature enjoys the flower

This handsome devil flashed neon green in the sunlight

This butterfly reminded me of the mighty tiger, eek

This little guy was not as brightly colored as the rest, but he was still charming

While not as brightly colored as the rest, this little guy was still very charming

I kept startling the butterflies as approached to make friends, they seem to be very timid

I kept startling the butterflies as I approached to make friends, they seemed to be very timid

However, once I explained that I would not steal their flowers they warmed up to me

This kind lady shared her secrets of finding the best flowers with me; sadly, I am sworn to secrecy

To end my visit, I sat quietly with this fellow, he seemed rather tired, I was not sure why, the butterflies seemed to think that was normal for his kind, whatever, that means

To end my visit, I sat quietly with this fellow, he seemed rather tired; I was not sure why, but the butterflies seemed to think that was normal for his kind, he must be a special kind of butterfly?

This butterfly reminds me of a might tiger, eek

I kept startling the butterflies as approached to make friends, they seem to be very timid

This kind lady shared her secrets of finding the best flowers with me; sadly, I am sworn to secrecy

To end my visit, I sat quietly with this fellow, he seemed rather tired, I was not sure why, the butterflies seemed to think that was normal for his kind, whatever, that means