Arm Chair Traveler

Friends and international travel buddies Lisa Stevens and Sherri Neofotist shared their stories of recent travels to Japan and South Korea with a group at the Monticello Public Library on Oct. 12. The gals were the first speakers in the library’s popular series titled “Arm Chair Traveler,” where local residents recount their travels to those in attendance without having to leave the comfort of their chair. From Aug. 4-12, Stevens and Neofotist traveled on Princess Cruises around Japan and southern South Korea. They heard about the trip from WMT Radio. Neofotist said she initially signed up to travel by herself; when Stevens heard of the opportunity, she signed up as well. This was the first cruise for both ladies, and they said they enjoyed it immensely. They took in several religious shrines throughout Japan, a Buddhist temples, and street parades. Stevens said she was able to figure out the Japanese currency, the Yen, better than that of South America. She said walking through the streets of Japan, they were some of the cleanest streets she’s ever seen. “There are 30 million people in Japan and it was the cleanest country I’ve ever been in,” Stevens shared. Neofotist said Japan has many high-rise buildings built close to one another, and the streets are very crowded. They both said they felt safe while in Japan and South Korea. And while neither could speak Japanese, they got along just fine. Their ship took them to Nagasaki, Japan, the day after the 72nd anniversary of the dropping of the atomic bomb. There, they toured the war museum. “They have lots of memorials and shrines,” recalled Neofotist of the remembrance. They even met a man who survived the bomb when he was just 6 years old. (Photo by Kim Brooks) 

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