My Special Cities by Bjørn Lødøen

Every year popular cities are chosen as the most popular destinations in a region, a country or in the world. These cities are picked on the basis of special criteria such as the most visitors, best attractions,etc. My most popular cities in the world out of those I have visited are also based on such criteria, but always because of some special experiences while staying there. Special cities I have visited in the world are San Francisco, Cape Town and Singapore.

Hermanus and Walker Bay in Cape Town

I will never forget Cape Town. One of the most enjoyable cities in the world. Robbin Island, Table Mountain and the Waterfront all make it a fascinating city. But a visit to a small holiday destination a short ride from Cape Town set my heart and soul shivering. Hermanus is fast becoming one of the most loved holiday destination amongst South Africans as well as international visitors. Wedged between mountain and sea offering spectacular views over Walker Bay, Hermanus promises remarkable natural beauty in the heart of the beautiful Western Cape. During the past decade, Hermanus has grown into a vibrant seaside destination complemented by fine restaurants, numerous art galleries, boutiques and shops, as well as a multitude of outdoor and adventure activities for the nature enthusiasts. But why so special for me? On the edge of the sea cliffs there is a café located just near enough to watch what is going on in the wavy ocean.
You will experience seals and whales playing a fantastic movie right in front of your eyes. You will not believe it until you see. It is so near that you almost feel they are there for you. Hermanus is known as the heart of the whale route and offers the best land-based whale watching in the world; undeniably the towns’ most popular tourist attraction. The Southern Right Whales come to South Africa between May and December to mate and calf and are the most frequently seen in Walker Bay. It is a fantastic experience which I will never miss when going back to Cape Town.
Stellenbosch wine district, near Cape Town.

San Francisco is almost always being chosen as number one tourist spot in the USA. This counts for me too, but not only because of Alcatraz, the sight of the Golden Gate or its Cable Tram tour. It is mostly because of the special treat you get at Fisherman’s Wharf. As a person from the West Coast of Norway, the best seafood I get is stone Crab. Stone crabs is one of the real popular thing you can buy at Fisherman`s Wharf. I love them and it is the first thing I do when visiting “Bagdad of the Bay”, as San Francisco is often called. You buy them boiled, ready to eat. Bring them to your hotel room, buy bread and mayonnaise and a bottle of good white Napa Valley wine. This meal is perfect for me and after having stuffed myself with this delicious treat, I can go out and enjoy the life in this wonderful city. Why do I eat it in my hotel room ? Because I can do it my way, without taking notice of the way the restaurant want me to eat it. I can forget about the eating code and the other guests and just dig in. Therefore, visiting San Francisco; The Stone crabs make my day!

Singapore has always been a popular tourist spot. A modern vibrant city, mixed in with all of the old parts of the city; Little India, Chinatown and Orchard road. I love Singapore; The people, the food, the smell and the different cultures. On our first tour to the city, I think it must have been about 15 years ago, we went on a tour of the city and ended up outside the famous Raffles hotel. We could not miss the opportunity to visit one of the Lions City most famous attractions, dated all the way back to 1887. Having heard of all of the famous playwrights, novelists and actors, Noel Coward visited the hotel for the first time in 1931, we were really looking forward to enjoy the fantastic atmosphere. We headed into the Writers bar, a bar tributed to the writers who have stayed at the hotel or have written about. Of course we ordered a ‘Singapore sling’ but we were so surprised being kindly asked to leave. We did not know there is a dress code at the bar, no shorts, but appropriate long trousers. At first we felt embarressed but later on we understood that our shorts did not fit in. I have been back to Singapore later, also to the writers bar, but properly dressed! However, I will never forget the moment when we had to give up our Singapore Sling.

These three places have given me a special experience to be remember for ever. In that way they became My Special Cities.

My First: a Trip to the Top of Mount Fuji!

In our klik2travel blog we want to share information and give ideas on where to travel and how to get most out of your stay. Today we kick off a series of “My First” travel articles, with a story from Bjørn Lødøen on his first trek to the top of Mount Fuji:

"The devastating earthquake, tsunami and the problems with the power plants in the aftermath of all this, triggered me to revoke one of many surprising adventures we experienced during our stay in Japan. Japan is a beautiful country, so different related to culture, nature and the people itself. Travel-wise we see suggestions for visiting a lot of countries around the world, but very few focus on trips to Japan. There are different reasons: the language - as soon as you leave the big cities very few speak English; the cost - it has been considered a relatively expensive country. Both can be solved if you are keen to really get something out of your travel. If you have not been to Japan, you are really missing something.

Mount Fuji is located in the beautiful lake district of the national park named Hakone. The mountain itself, an active volcano, is considered a symbol of Japan. The name has different meanings: “richness”, “deathless”, “without comparison” and is often being a topic for all sorts of arts: paintings, poetry and religious symbols. What is though so special in climbing the top of Mount Fuji, being only 3776 meter high? Writing about mountain climbing is usually related to Mount Everest and K2 and other really high peaks. I will tell you it is the feeling you will experience after having been there that is so unique! First of all it is a trip a tourist can perform by just being in a normal physical condition. If you have the right equipment and go during the season, almost everybody will manage. But remember, even during the season the climate can change from summer to winter. The fauna varies from almost impenetrable woods and bushes to hard volcano rocks. You can avoid these by following the marked trails. Some years back, the woods of Fuji was the arena for a lot of suicides among young people; They went into the woods and never came back! They could not find their way back, and as strange as it sounds, magnetic compasses do not work because of all the lava stone. The Japanese experience something superstitious that attracts you to this holy mountain and the saying goes like this: “To climb Fuji once is wise, to climb it twice is to proclaim oneself a fool”.

Having prepared yourself the best way, you will go either by train or bus to what they call Fifth station, which is located at approximately 2300 meters. From here you have no choice: start walking.  Plan for approximately 5-6 hours to get to the top. You can choose between starting in the evening and sleep over in one of the primitive mountain huts or start around midnight from The Fifth station, doing it all in one stretch.. Remember to bring some water and food as the price of the food at the huts increases according to the altitude.

If sleeping over in a hut, the next morning quite early make yourself ready for the last stretch, arriving early enough to reach the sight of a glorious sunrise. This is some sort of a ritual to the Japanese and what they call “goreiko”. It is a breathtaking view if the weather is on your side. But before reaching the top you will experience something I never expected to experience. The last 200-300 meters you will probably be “attacked” by some sort of altitude sickness, only being able to cope with more than 50 meters climbing at a time, until you will have to sit down and rest due to the lack of oxygen. Stretching your hand to get a grip of the stone you are planning to rest on, you suddenly will pull your hand back, because….the stone is warm; It is really an active volcano. It is not burning hot, but warm. I will never forget these. I will either never forget the moment we reached the top. Stunning ! I felt the strength and kindness of Japans most worshipped mountain. The way “back home” is much more easy, as you will in a way glide through the lava stones. For the time being it is not advisable to go to Japan and the Tokyo area. But the Japanese are a strong people, things will settle down again and life will go on as normal. Sooner than anyone will expect. If you are going to visit Japan in the future: Plan for a trip to the top of Mount Fuji. You will never forget, because I have not done."

 --Bjørn Lødøen