Nagano - Snow Monkey Park - Matsumoto Castle

Up VERY early this morning and off to Nagano - a four hour drive.  Thanks Dave for saying yes to this trip!

Too early for Ryan...

but Colin was a little more alert!

We're heading for snow monkeys....hopefully in the snow.  It's part way through Tokyo so slow going but then onto the Expressway and good traveling.  

A lot of very long  tunnels!!

Almost there...a beautiful hike through

the forest and what do we see....

 snow monkeys...big, little...

 inquisitive...

 angry...

 playful...

 relaxed...

 sleepy...

hungry...

reflective...

pestered!!  THOSE Photographers!!!

John being the one with the yellow pack!

But he did get some great pictures!!

After a long visit we headed back down the trail.  Great visit with even a few flurries of snow in the air and some on the ground, though not quite what we had wished for.

This great twisted vine was among

all the tall straight trees.

Nagano is famous for it's apples.  Many of them

are grown in greenhouses and their reputation

is well deserved!

and great greenhouse strawberries :-)!

 It was a beautiful day though cold and windy...

Lots of snow on the back range...beautiful.

The more solid areas of snow are the ski areas...

some of the areas around here make snow.

These are known as the Japanese Alps.

We headed to Matsumoto to visit the Castle there.  The sun was just getting low in the sky which gave our photographer some great light for pictures!

The Castles black walls have earned it the name of "Crow Castle.  It's small in comparison to many and very dark inside but in wonderful shape.

There are very steep stairs that go between the floors.  This was a defensive castle so many small windows for guns.  There are displays of the armament of the time on the lower floors.

Fascinating roof lines...

great views of the town and the distant mountains

picking up the pinkish hue from the setting sun.

 They are proud owners of a space

azalea.  The seeds went into space

and were donated to the Castle.

When they prepare their plants for winter they

add these wonderful straw bodies to them.

Once the sun set the Castle Lights came on it

brought about a whole different feeling.

A wonderful stop!  Now for the long drive home.

We stopped for dinner on the expressway.  Lime Sodas for the boys!    Thanks to Jill's back road shortcuts we shaved an hour off the time as well as no traffic.  Go Jill!

We got home and still had work to do.  Tomorrow is the Chippy Thanksgiving at lunch and Dave is responsible for providing Mashed Potatoes and his famous Stuffing.  John and I peeled 10 pounds of potatoes and then his the sack.

Dave browned sausage and worked on the 

dressing.  Will finish up in the morning!  

Very long but wonderful day!

Thanks Bairds!!!