2008 3rd International Maple Symposium in Japan (Nov 12 to 14, 2008)

Discussion in 'Maples' started by Daniel Mosquin, May 21, 2008.

  1. Daniel Mosquin

    Daniel Mosquin Paragon of Plants UBC Botanical Garden Forums Administrator Forums Moderator 10 Years

    Messages:
    10,574
    Likes Received:
    615
    Location:
    Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
    For those of you flagged as Maple Society members on these forums, you can read the full details of F. Todd Lasseigne's email regarding the 2008 Maple Society meeting in this thread.

    If you are a dues-paying Maple Society member, and have not yet registered for the UBC Botanical Garden forums, here's how to register. Once you register, send me an email to let me know you are a member of the Maple Society (you'll have my email address when you register) and I'll give you the permissions to access that forum.

    If, by chance, you are 1) a dues-paying Maple Society member and 2) registered on these forums, but have yet to be flagged to have access to that private forum, please contact me via private messaging so I can flick the switch.

    For all others, here are some excerpts from that email, if you are planning on joining the society and attending:

    and...

    from

     
    Last edited: May 22, 2008
  2. Frank Byles

    Frank Byles Member Maple Society

    Messages:
    26
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Olympia, WA USA
    Re: 2008 Maple Society Meeting in Japan (Nov 12 to 14, 2008)

    Judy and I are looking forward to attending. Thought you might enjoy our sharing what we have found out so far:
    1. We checked out the internet for plane tickets with travelopcity, orbitz,expedia,& etc. and best we could do out of Seattle was $1050, Called AAA and got quote of 915 then called Tavel Tokyo 1-800-331-5858 and got tickets for 845.07RT each. New York is only 1100.
    2. Put photo copy of your passport in your travel partners passport and a copy left at home with someone. Could help you get home faster and more comfortably.
    3. Put a change of clothes in your travel partners luggage in case yours gets lost. At least you can get by a few days or until your luggage is found.
    4. You must fly out on the 10th with 11th arrival so you can make meeting on the 12th.
    5. Judy and I are taking off on the 10th and coming back on the 20th so we can have the 19th to see what we missed before coming home.
    6. With new travel regs we found a great travel bag by Samsonite called the rolling split duffel at Costco for $39 and is light and just under airlines 63 inch limit. Should help with one bag checked limit.
    7. More tips to follow and look forward to seeing you across the pond.
    Frank & Judy Byles
     
  3. Frank Byles

    Frank Byles Member Maple Society

    Messages:
    26
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Olympia, WA USA
    Re: 2008 Maple Society Meeting in Japan (Nov 12 to 14, 2008)

    Japan is 110 volts electricity so your shaver and hair dryer should work fine.
    Frank & Judy Byles
     
  4. Frank Byles

    Frank Byles Member Maple Society

    Messages:
    26
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Olympia, WA USA
    Re: 2008 Maple Society Meeting in Japan (Nov 12 to 14, 2008)

    Gift giving is a way of life in Japan so don't be supprised should you get a gift. It is always nice to reciprocate the kindness so you may wish to have a few gifts like a bag of Starbucks or Peets coffee, real melt in your fingers chocolate like Sees, low salt macadamia, almond or cashew nuts, beef jerky or whatever comes to your mind as convenient and easy to pack. It's the thought that counts and not the value. May you make many friends across the pond.

    If anyone has any questions it would be appreciated if you would post them here so all of us could benefit from the answers.

    No one should be reticient of going because they don't know the language. We will have several in the group who are bilingual. English is taught in all the schools so most young people will be able to understand you. And greatest of all we will have the benefit of getting from here to there conveniently and efficiently to see many sights we would never be able to see on our own or at least without great difficulty. This is very definately a not a trip to be missed even if it means the pain of paying costs off in the future. You'll never be able to get such deal at these low costs again especially if oil is in our future. Don't delay, come join us.

    Frank Byles
     
  5. Frank Byles

    Frank Byles Member Maple Society

    Messages:
    26
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Olympia, WA USA
    Re: 2008 Maple Society Meeting in Japan (Nov 12 to 14, 2008)

    Hi again!

    Most people like to keep their expenses down as much as possible. One way is to share a room. This forum is probably as good a place as any to get the word out you are looking for someone to share a room. I know of a very personable young nurseryman from Oregon who would like to share. Any takers? Kawaguchi rates are about $160 for 1 or 2 people but shared brings it down to $80 each - not bad.

    Frank Byles
     
  6. Frank Byles

    Frank Byles Member Maple Society

    Messages:
    26
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Olympia, WA USA
    Re: 2008 Maple Society Meeting in Japan (Nov 12 to 14, 2008)

    Hi again,

    For those of us past 65 please remember that Medicare pays NOTHING outside of the United States. Check your own medical plan to see if and what it will cover and know what documents you MUST carry with you. Judy and I have 80% coverage which will be plenty sufficient as medical costs are much lower outside of U.S.. Unfortunately we have found out about medical care in several countries. Another alternative is short term coverage that you can get through your travel agent. Also you may wish to contact your own insurance agent for solutions. Those under 65 also need to check their medical coverage so you will know what to do out of country - pay and get reimbursed or have provider bill direct(not likely) or just what procedure is necessary. Best not to take chances or foul up payment procedures and have to pay all yourself with no chance of some dollar recovery. Best wishes for good and safe health.

    Frank & Judy Byles
     
  7. Daniel Mosquin

    Daniel Mosquin Paragon of Plants UBC Botanical Garden Forums Administrator Forums Moderator 10 Years

    Messages:
    10,574
    Likes Received:
    615
    Location:
    Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
    Updated thread title - as Sue W informs me, this is the triennial Symposium.
     
  8. Frank Byles

    Frank Byles Member Maple Society

    Messages:
    26
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Olympia, WA USA
    Hello

    Viviane Decker (pearlsfarm2@gmail.com) 404-918-7635 cell 678-393-6344 Hm has asked to find someone to share a non-smoking room for conferance and both post tours if possible. We have four singles paired up so far to help keep costs down. One way to develop new friendships. Thanks

    Frank Byles
    360-352-4725
     
  9. jacquot

    jacquot Active Member Maple Society 10 Years

    Messages:
    174
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Larchmont Z7, NY, USA
    I have been holding off waiting for more detail of the post conference trips. Kyoto has so many old historic gardens, cultural treasures really, are trips planned to any of these? If not, could it be arranged? The same for Tochigi Prefecture: is a trip planned to the Nikko Palace? I've dreamed of seeing these historic places and was hoping some at least would be included. When might we know? I think anyone interested in maples in a garden setting would benefit from the historic Japanese gardens that remain. Just wondering.... David
     
  10. yweride

    yweride Active Member 10 Years

    Messages:
    144
    Likes Received:
    3
    Location:
    Portland, Oregon
    Frank,

    Is there a sign up list of people attending?
     
  11. yweride

    yweride Active Member 10 Years

    Messages:
    144
    Likes Received:
    3
    Location:
    Portland, Oregon
    Also what is the sign up deadline.
     
  12. Frank Byles

    Frank Byles Member Maple Society

    Messages:
    26
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Olympia, WA USA
    This is in response to YWERIDE's questions.

    Sue Wiegrefe,Sec/Treas would have any list. Second I don't know of any cutoff date but the sooner registered the better for planning purposes. Also travel costs may increase significantly but fortuneately not too much so far. I could have saved several hundred dollars if I had made arraingements 3 or 4 months earlier than I did.

    Frank Byles
     
  13. Gomero

    Gomero Well-Known Member Maple Society 10 Years

    Messages:
    1,382
    Likes Received:
    31
    Location:
    Southwest France
    Where do you register?

    Gomero
     
  14. Daniel Mosquin

    Daniel Mosquin Paragon of Plants UBC Botanical Garden Forums Administrator Forums Moderator 10 Years

    Messages:
    10,574
    Likes Received:
    615
    Location:
    Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
    Well, it's mostly my fault that no updates have been posted. I've been away, and since returning, I can't seem to find a digital version of the information (if one was sent to me).

    So, what I've done is scan the info from the newsletter and made it into PDFs.
     

    Attached Files:

  15. Gomero

    Gomero Well-Known Member Maple Society 10 Years

    Messages:
    1,382
    Likes Received:
    31
    Location:
    Southwest France
    Thank you Daniel, somehow I have not yet received the Newsletter (Are all French postmen on holidays in August? ;o))

    One point remains unclear:
    which bureau?
    where?
    contact?

    Gomero
     
  16. Dave-Florida

    Dave-Florida Active Member

    Messages:
    409
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Vero Beach, Fla., USA
    If all goes well, I'll be in Japan November 8-18 with a small tour group organized by the Portland Japanese Garden. A previous trip visited the Nikko temple complex for a day. The Tokugawa Shoguns created quite a monument to themselves.

    The brochure indicates that the Kyoto tour will focus on maples in forests near the city. The tour should be impressive, since Kyoto has lovely forests (my intro was a path of labeled trees and shrubs back of the plush Westin Miyako Hotel). The plethora of temple and other gardens is such that you can see only a smattering on a short visit to the city. Possibly the only tour-organizing problem might be a tendency to visit top sights stuffed with people. On the other hand, I would have thought Ryoanji would be overwhelmed with visitors, but not so. And everyone was raptly viewing the celebrated sand and stone garden while ignoring the splendid vegetation just beyond that austere garden.

    My own guess is that to really see Kyoto, it would be essential to live there for months, picking up the short-term temple openings, cherries, fall leaves, whatever. But that's no reason not to do a short visit.
     

    Attached Files:

    Last edited: Aug 10, 2008
  17. Gomero

    Gomero Well-Known Member Maple Society 10 Years

    Messages:
    1,382
    Likes Received:
    31
    Location:
    Southwest France
    Dave,

    Thank you for the link but once you are at JNTO website you do what? Surf the nice images posted there?

    What I would like to know is that if I call the hotel and mention the Symposium I would get the $160 rate negotiated or if I need a discount code.

    In addition I am not sure what the $250 registration fee covers, is the Tsukasa Nursery visit included?, also my wife is not a maple (or any other botanical species) fan so she will not attend the presentatios but will take part in the tours, why should then I have to pay $275 for her registration if tours are paid separately?,

    Help,... anybody has the e-mail address of Susan?

    Gomero
     
  18. Dave-Florida

    Dave-Florida Active Member

    Messages:
    409
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Vero Beach, Fla., USA
    Gomero, at least your post will have triggered emails to people on this thread who can assist you. And maybe someone could send a pdf of the newsletter?
     
  19. Daniel Mosquin

    Daniel Mosquin Paragon of Plants UBC Botanical Garden Forums Administrator Forums Moderator 10 Years

    Messages:
    10,574
    Likes Received:
    615
    Location:
    Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
    Gomero, you can send a private message to Sue via the forums --> sue wiegrefe

    It might be good if you ask her to post on this thread, though, as any replies might help other folks.
     
  20. sue wiegrefe

    sue wiegrefe Member Maple Society

    Messages:
    1
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    River Falls, WI USA
    Hello -
    I'm here briefly - between travels but will share the info I have. Thanks, Daniel for the "patch".

    The $250 for members of The Maple Society and $275 for non-members is charged to individuals attending the presentations. This covers the cost of providing the non-Japanese speakers and, potentially, any coffee/tea breaks associated with the actual sessions. Individuals paying the $275 become members for the next year of the Maple Society of whichever branch (North American or the orginal, England-based branch) would be appropriate.

    Individuals not attending the sessions (like Gomero's wife), would not need to register for the Symposium.

    Registration for the other components of the trip, such as lodging and the tours will be through the Japanese Tourist Bureau. The logistics of doing this are still being worked out. Apparently, someone with insufficient English was in the position of handing this, but that is being rectified. The plan is for the directions for registering for these components, as well as the full details of the tours, to be posted to the website as soon as they are clarified.

    I hope you will be able to suspend your plans until then. Sorry for the delay. Sue
     

Share This Page