A drive trip to the coast area in Ibaraki

For a change of life from normal routine packed with chores, I have driven to the coast of Pacific Ocean in Ibaraki Prefecture 30 or 40 miles east of here.

It is the place I used to drive family in our young days. Time has passed and it is the time for me to go there by myself. I have already posted on such a drive to this area in this blog a few times.

In the city of Hitachi, the biggest city in this area, I was going to purchase fresh fish for Sashimi. But the store along the coast was closed. I was lucky having left home after taking lunch earlier. 

Headed north along the coast, I have seen beautiful houses with white wall and orange colored roof, which reminded me a bit of the scenery in the West Coast in the US.

It was the Cape of Sea Cormorant which I visited. Cormorants were told to be wildly living in that cape. There is a famous public hotel facility named after its place. It is so popular and famous for its beautiful location that it has been quite difficult for anyone to book it in the past. 

When we drove there, we used to tell each other we should come and stay this hotel someday. Our busy duty has made it impossible. 

The hotel looks gorgeous. It was notable, however, there were only few cars in the parking.  

The cape is about 2 or 3 km in width covered with low to medium sized trees. A few promenades were prepared in it. I walked up to the peak of the cape. The breeze coming from the ocean was a bit cooler than in the inland area. Walking for 10 or 15 minutes, I have had much sweating.

There were a few wild lillies blooming. I have met only a few people on the way.

There was a beach just next to the hotel even though it was not allowed to go down there. An epitaph said Tsunami in 2011 had reached to the height of the cliff.

On the beach north of this cape, there was a group of surfers camping. There would be many more in the usual summer without the corona virus outbreak.

 At around 3PM, remembering of cooking duty, I headed back to my home. 

At the exit of the parking lot, there was a young staff taking a bow. Wondering if there was anyone leaving hotel, I looked around there. But no one beside myself. She was bowing to me. I have checked if there was any vacancy at the hotel when I came home. The web site said there had been some vacant rooms on plain week days. I suspect reservations were not so many as before. That was why the staff was courteously bowing even to me who just parked there. 

It took less than a couple of hours. May I take my wife for a visit there some day. 

I still love this area. Some years ago, no, even now, I have dreamed of moving there for retirement. This old place my parents and aunt have lived would never allow me to do that, though. I would visit there from time to time, even though, honestly speaking, I am not very excited to drive there any longer. Aging...