Sado Island August 2008 - Sado Island August 2008

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IMG_0227 * The Maxi Shinkansen. A double layer bullet train (or is it a space ship?). We are going by train right? * 3648 x 2736 * (1.52MB)

IMG_0228 * The front of the train/space ship. * 3648 x 2736 * (1.68MB)

IMG_0229 * From Niigata we took a hydrofoil to Sado island. It travels at 80 km/h so you have to wear seatbelts and no deck to stand on. * 3648 x 2736 * (1.68MB)

IMG_0234 * Out of the hustle of the city to the calm rice paddies. * 3648 x 2736 * (1.67MB)

IMG_0236 * There are a lot of buildings that look like this with the tile roofs. Many are abandoned now since the gold mine in the area closed 10 years ago. * 3648 x 2736 * (3.45MB)

IMG_0239 * One of the beaches * 3648 x 2736 * (2.57MB)

IMG_0243 * The coast of the island facing west. * 3648 x 2736 * (1.63MB)

IMG_0247 * 3648 x 2736 * (2.93MB)

IMG_0248 * Beyond the horizon is Korea and China * 3648 x 2736 * (1.95MB)

IMG_0253 * Rugged beauty near the coast * 3648 x 2736 * (1.71MB)

IMG_0256 * The Sado gold mine opened in 1601 and produced gold until 1998. About half of the 80 tonnes of gold and 2000 tonnes of silver were retrieved in the Tokugawa shogunate (before 1800's).
This is a water pump similar to Archemides screw pump design. * 3648 x 2736 * (2.56MB)

IMG_0258 * 40 tonnes of gold were mined by hand from 1601 to about the 1800's. * 2736 x 3648 * (2.69MB)

IMG_0259 * When a large vein of gold was discovered, a ceremony was carried out to pray for a long producing vein. * 2736 x 3648 * (2.51MB)

IMG_0261 * Mika at one of the entrances. The temeprature outside was about 28 celcius and inside it was 5 celcius. Very refreshing after hiking up the mountain. * 2736 x 3648 * (2.27MB)

IMG_0262 * A 12 Kg bar of gold. * 2736 x 3648 * (1.76MB)

Album last updated on 26/08/08 10:34 AM

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