start to walk again

At the end of this year, I just think that I will start to walk again, especially around an old city. The smells from old wooden temples comes from west. See you soon.

cloudy toronto

The pic is the view from the centre island. As you see, it was so cloudy and would be almost raining. But it wasn't cool and hot, but good for walking around the island. From the ferry port of the island, I followed the majority of the people who got off the ferryboat with me, 'cause I had no idea where I would go.

Many people seemed to go automatically to the small amusement park in the island, so I went there at first. Then keeping walking, I was impressed that this island was well-kept clean, and (though I just walked only in the middle-part of the island) seemed to be just like a nice garden.

After walking aimlessly for a while, I tried to go to the opposite site to the city, in order to see parts of the great lake, Lake Ontario.

Here was Toronto, Canada.

on a ferryboat

The ferryboat going to the centre island was very crowded, cause it was at the end of the week in summer vacation season. There were lots of children that were eagerly waiting for going to the island, and might play in a small amusement park there.
They were also playing inside the ferryboat, while running with their friends, siblings or even parents. Of course, high school boys and girls were also on the ferryboat and enjoyed seeing the vast panorama of the city.
I enjoyed a little bit humid, but cool breezes from the great lake. And suddenly, I heard a dry, sharp sound at my back. When turning around, I found a girl hitting her head against an iron pipe of the ferry, while playing with her friends. Fortunately, she was O.K. enough to laugh about her bump on her head.
Here was on the ferryboat, Toronto, Canada.

suddenly clouded

On a way to CN tower, suddenly it was getting cloudy, and a little bit later, it rained (you can see the person who had an umbrella in the pic). I didn't know whether this city would usually have a sudden change in the weather in mid-summer day.

Anyway, maybe, there might not be so many people who would go up at the top of the tower to see the city view on such a cloudy day.

I gave up to go to CN tower on that day, instead of the tower, I just walk to a ferry port to go to the Toronto Islands, especially the centre island.

Here was Toronto, Canada.

cn tower

When I found CN tower from the street, one of the tallest buildings in the world, it was in high summer. Though it was maybe a record-breaking hot day, it wasn't humid, so, sometimes, I felt nice dry-breezes.

Before coming to here, I thought that the tower might be so high that I could easily find it wherever I walked in the city. This prejudice was partly correct. The tower I found from the street seemed to be so near to me, but actually it took a little bit more time for me to reach the tower than I expected. And sometimes, this tower was hidden by other high buildings, especially around the business district in this city.

Anyway, I would go up to top of the tower to see the entire landscape of the city. The sun was shining strongly, and a couple of summer clouds were floating slowly. Of course, the blue sky was higher than the tower.

Here was Toronto, Canada.

walking around a small shopping arcade

The pic was not in Arashiyama area where I was looking for a tofu, but in the relatively southern part of Kyoto city, Fushimi ward. In the pic, I was walking through a small and local shopping arcade. What I want to say with this pic is that wherever I walked in Kyoto city, always I found and entered small alleys (including a shopping arcade) and streets that consisted of a quasi-spider-web-map.

Anyway, this arcade was totally for locals, so, you couldn't find any Gucci, PRADA and Chanel. Instead, you'll easily find a cheep Japanese wooden clogs, "geta". Looking at the left side of the pic, there is a wihte board showing in hand-writing Japanese that the shop would offer a good geta.

Here was Fushimi, Kyoto, Japan

looking for a famous tofu shop

As I mentioned in the previous blog, the main purpose of my visiting in Arashiyama was that I would buy a "tofu" , which was made by soy-milk, from a famous tofu shop around here. The tofu-shop was so-well known that the book I had read before, but forgot the tittle, mentioned that even the rich in Ashiya town(known as a fashionable suburb in Kobe city) drove her/his Mercedes to here to buy a tofu.

But as I said before, streets around here were just like a spider-web, so I had a certain difficulty to find a right street I should follow. I slightly remember that my guidebook mentioned about the temple near the tofu-shop, so I aimed at the temple, and somehow, I found the shop, which was not so larger than I expected.

I slightly remembered that on the front door or window of the shop, there was a menu-board. On the board, I found that a standard tofu was just US$1. Basically, a tofu was not so expensive one, and a standard tofu in an usual supermarket was just about 50 cents. So, I might say that this tofu in the shop was a little bit expensive. I bought a standard one, and later I ate it, and thought the taste was really good.

Anyway, the pic was a part of Tenryu-ji, a famous temple in Arashiyama area. Once I heard, inside the precinct of this temple, there was a restaurant that could offer a good boiled tofu. Of course, the tofu in the restaurant was from the famous tofu-shop. But I'm not still quite sure if the restaurant is really there.

Here was Arashiyama, Kyoto, Japan.

baked octopus

Walking around Arashiyama area for looking for a well-known famous "tofu" shop, I found a local supermarket. Around here, there were lots of small-alleys that looked like a spider's web, so I was not sure where I walked at the time. In other words, I might be lost.

In front of this supermarket, you can see the two girls waiting for something from the woman in a stall. She actually was making "takoyaki", which was baked-octopus-ball made by small diced octopuses, flour, egg and kind of leek, with oyster sauce and mayonnaise (if you like) on it. The girls eagerly looked how the takoyaki-chef could make small balls, and maybe they also enjoyed smelling the flavor of oyster sauce burning on an iron plate.
Here was Arashiyama, Kyoto, Japan.

the moon crossing a bridge

It was at the beginning of July, in early summer or already in mid-summer when I was in Arashiyama, Kyoto city, a former capital of this country. Around here, I felt accumulated flavors of historic afterglows people had saved from over 1200 years ago (It's very well-known in this country that Kyoto was build in 794).
In the pic, there was a bridge. Though the parapet of this bridge was made by "hinoki", a kind of cypress, the fundamental construction was maybe in reinforced concrete. So, this bridge was not the original one that was said to have been made over 1000 years ago, though I didn't know exactly when people had bridged the river at this place, or even I had totally no idea whether the original bridge was actually at this exact same place.
One certain thing I've known was its name. The bridge had been called "Togetu-kyou". In Japanese, "Togetu" is a literary phrase of saying "the moon crossing", and the latter "kyou" means just "bridge".
The moon was crossing a bridge.
The beautiful name had still remained over 1000 years ago.
Here was Arashiyama, Kyoto, Japan

around the downtown

I almost forgot about what I ate at a Mexican restaurant in Cancún's downtown at the time. Slightly I can recollect some kinds of beef dishes with plenty of bean sauce. I think they were good, but still wonder how good they were actually.
Anyway, walking around the downtown area, sometimes, I found several bars or restaurants that were for so-called "nightlife" (according to my guidebook) of tourists who would come here for seeking a little bit more excitements than in the hotel zone. When I walked around here early in the afternoon, I hardly met with the bars' bakers, but saw the staffs cleaning up around their buildings.
While kept walking, I found a school that some pupils were on the playground and seemed to have a kind of exercise-class.
Finally, I came to an ordinary supermarket, just like Wal-Mart or K-mart. Looking around inside the building, I found that there seemed to be no food or good, which I could hardly get in the United States. Looking at a showy cover of a "People" magazine at the magazine section, I vaguely felt about the power of globalization.
Here was Cancún city, Mexico.

again, i took a local bus

Even staying in such a first-rate resort area, I unintentionally took a local bus in order to walk around the downtown area of Cancún city without any purposes. So, again, I took a local bus from the bus stop on the avenue in front of my hotel. I was not exactly quite sure where the bus I took would go, but certainly knew from my guidebook that the bus would have several stops near the heart of the downtown area.

When the bus passing through the beach area, I saw a huge Mexican flag flapping in the wind. The heat from the sunshine seemed to be a little bit strong, as I was leaving from the seaside area, or I can say, hotel zone. While looking at the landscapes out of the window, I just remembered my Mexican friend's advices or recommendations including "must-go-places" around Cancún city. In the must-go-places-list, she said that there was an only-locals-knowing beautiful beach. Unfortunately, in order to get to each must-go-place including that beach, I would at least need a car, which I didn't have. Basically I rarely drive.

Finally, the bus stopped at one of downtown's stops. I got off and looked around for a minute with thinking about where I would go. It was just around noon. So, I decided to go to a restaurant. Of course, I looked for a good Mexican cuisine.

Here was Cancún city, Mexico.

coming to see a part of caribbean sea

Though I usually prefer walking around unknown cities or towns on my vacations over enjoying staying in resort areas, such as on a beach in Hawaii, I sometimes can't help choosing the latter one without any reasons. Especially, in such a case, I would like to stay at a seaside hotel, 'cause I can feel so relax to smell salt breezes, listen to sounds of waves, and see the quiet sea for a long time while doing nothing.

This time, I chose to enjoy a part of Caribbean Sea. While staying at a hotel, which was so expensive that I eventually could afford to stay only for a short-term (in spite of the off-season), I always had been on a beach near the hotel.

Whenever coming and touching a beach I had never seen before, I felt an excitement or impression. Because I was born in a seaside town in a small island and had lived near the sea in my youth, I always thought that this unknown sea would be connected with my (hometown) sea, and in case of going for a sail, I eventually could reach my town.

Anyway, this sea was beautifully green-blue. Of course, sky was so high. A few people were on the beach, 'cause I was there at the beginning of June, which was not a best season for staying around here. But we could still enjoy the sea and the beginning of the hottest season in this country.

Here was Cancún city, Mexico

a black and white lighthouse

After walking around the station, I found that I would have an hour-bus-riding to go to the top of Oga-peninsula, which was in parts of a national park. Around the station, there was a small main street, and along with it, I found a sushi-shop, not a restaurant. In front of this sushi-shop, a little girl was waiting to get a sushi-meal, maybe for her and her family's lunch. It was a really good winter day, not so cold, but a little bit warm.

The bus I took was nearly empty. Eventually, when reaching the last stop that was at the top of the peninsula, I found that I was the only passenger for the bus. The buy ran so slowly that sometimes boys riding on bicycles easily passed us. But by the grace of its slowness, I enjoyed the landscapes out of the window. The small library seemed to be a assembly hall for locals. School kids enjoyed playing on an empty parking lot. A line of coniferous trees reminds me of Manahage seeming to appear from the shadow of the trees.

The bus finally came to the last stop. I got off the bus, and from the bus stop, I easily found a lighthouse that had painted horizontal stripes of black and white on its side. In front of the lighthouse, there was a grassland, and over there, the winter sea made white waves beating the shore. The salt breeze brought the smell of the sea.

It was a so good landscape to see that I was beside myself with an impression, but finally I came to myself when my spouse called to me to say that she would buy a good sofa for our living room.
It was at the top of Oga-peninsula, Oga city, Japan.

going to a peninsula

One off-day during my business stay in Akita city, I decided to go to the top of the Oga-peninsula, which was near Akita citry and projected into the Sea of Japan or East Sea. According to the tourist information around Akita train station, this peninsula had good hot-springs, a beautiful mountain, and traditional fierce monster house, "Namahage" museum. To say correctly, Namahage was a monster-costume that seemed to be used for locals for a traditional event around here.
I'm not quite sure about the event, but know a little, 'cause sometimes I saw the event broadcasted by TV news. According to my imperfect knowledge, this event was a little bit similar with Halloween, especially in the United States.
In Halloween, kids will dress up as witches, on the other hand, in Namahage event, usually local adults will dress up as Namahage, a fierce monster.
In Halloween, dressed kids will ask neighbors for treats, mostly candys or sweets, on the other, Namahage-adults will ask neighbors for bad- boys and girls. In case of successfuly finding any kids (not necessarily really bad ones), the Namahages threaten them to be nice for their parents or everyone with Namahage's fierce face. Usually, in this event, kids will wail and wail badly because of just a simple fear, and it makes a TV news.
Anyway, I took a train that took about an hour to reach Oga station from Akita city.
Here was Oga city, Japan.

without a futon-set on december

On business, I've been in Akita city for just a month and stayed at the cheap guest house. On the very first night of my stay, maybe, around 24:00 (pm), when I began to prepare bedclothes including "futon-set" (or I can say, "make a bed"), I realized that there was no bedclothes, but only a mattress in a closet in my room.
Maybe, I have to explain about a "futon-set" and my self-bed making in a guest-house. A futon-set usually consists of a Japanese mattress that can be used for sitting, and a Japanese quilt usually made by feathers or cottons for covering with a body. In case this set is not enough to keep warm, people usually use blankets sandwiched between the mattress and quilt. As for self bed making, this is not a typical Japanese guest house style (I guess), but is one of reasons why this house was so cheap despite of good dinner and breakfast included just for a $30 or $40 for a night.
So, in short, I couldn't find most parts of my futon-set. I just had a Japanese mattress made by cotton. Of course, my room had an air-conditioner for keeping warm, though using this machine throughout the night made my room so dry that I might have a sore throat.
It was around 24:00 and I guessed that there were few chances of the elder landlady's still waking up. Moreover, I remembered that there was no check-in counter or particular room for us to contact with her. Moreover, these was no phone in the room, and I didn't know the number that would connect with her at mid-night.
I somehow wandered the length and breadth of the house for asking for my futon-set, but never found the room that the landlady would be. Eventually, I came back to my room with my empty hands, and decided to use the mattress for covering my body, and keep wearing my coat. I made the air-conditioner turned on all over the night.
Next morning, the elder landlady appeared from nowhere, and made for us a pretty good breakfast. At the time, I said to her that there was no futon-set in my room.
She just shouted, "Ohh, damm it! I forgot to bring it". She said sorry to me with plenty of smile.
In the same morning, it began to snow. I remembered that these were at least 2 inches of snow by the evening. Of course, it was a cold winter day at the beginning of December.
Here was Akita city, Japan.

the capital of the feudal lord and special chicken

The final stop of the bullet train we took was Akita city, which was of course, the capital of the local feudal lord, Mr Satake in the edo period, in this country. After this my first walking around here, I came back to this city on business (again! if you have a chance to look at my very previous weblogs (NY's and Hong Kong's), you'll find that I often come back to the former "walking places" usually on my way of a business trip).
I remember that it was at the beginning of December, maybe in 2001, and a snow day when I returned here. At the time, I and my colleagues reserved rooms at not a typical hotel that people usually use for a shot-term business stay, but a so-called tourist home, or I can say, a traditional Japanese style cheap guest-house. The guest house was really cheap, I remember, one night stay with a dinner and breakfast was about US$30 or US$40 (of course, we paid by JPN, Japanese Yen). The elder landlady of this cheap house always welcomed us with smile and saying in strong Akita dialect. I enjoyed its dinner and breakfast that were full of Akita local dishes, in other words, plenty of local sea foods and chickens.
By the way, one of the most famous special products in Akita prefecture is chicken. It is not an ordinal chicken, but special one, of course, its taste is so good. The chicken's name is "hinai-ji-dori". "Hinai" means the name of a particular region in Akita pref, and "ji-dori" means "local chicken". So, we can call it "hinai-chicken", just like famous "kobe-beef".
Anyway, here was Akita city, Japan.

samurai's european paintings

My friend and I were still in Kakunodate town known as well preserved samurai's houses. In here, I heard later that besides samrai's houses, there was another samurai's heritage, which was called "ran-ga", European paintings. Especially, the paintings made by the samurai around this area were called "Akita ran-ga". Akita is just now the prefecture's name, and in the edo period (from around 1600 to 1860's), it was the name of the fief of the feudal lord.
The feudal lord in Akita was the house of "Satake". Maybe, one of Mr Satakes in a middle of edo period, liked painting, at first Japanese style, then European's. He knew European paintings from his samurai, Mr Onoda who learned European paintings from imported books, and favored them. So, we can now find well-preserved samurai's European paintings around Akita area, and a library in Kakunodate town seemed to be known as the one having some Akita ran-ga.
By the way, in term of ran-ga, "ran" means "Netherlands", and "ga" means "painting" (therefore, to say literally, ranga means just Netherlands style painting. Of course, ran-ga is European painting as a whole, actually). This is because Netherlands was one of few countries that could trade with this country.
So, how's the samurai's European paintings?
Sorry, I actually missed them 'cause the library was closed at the time, and never have a chance to enjoy them.
Here was Kakunodate town, Japan

preserved samurai town

After staying at Star Hotel, my friend and I walked to the station in the early morning, while talking about where we would go next. At the time I hardly knew about northern parts of this country, so-called Tohoku area, so, my friend proposed to go to the preserved samurai town, Kakunodate. It would be almost an hour trip from Morioka city to there by taking a bullet train, and we had a free ticket. Without alternative ideas, I had no objection.
It was on Sunday, mid-June, which was considered as mid-rainy season in this country. So, it had been raining all day long.
One of my trivial memories on that day was that before getting on a bullet train, we went to a burger shop in Morioka station. In that shop, I found a croquette-burger meal on its menu and ordered it for my breakfast.
I guess that it was around 9:00 or 10:00am when we reached Kakunodate town. It was more than 10 years ago, and I guess the town just now has been re-developed to attract more tourists. But when we were there, around the Kakunodate station, there was nothing. No shop, store and restaurant. I even couldn't find a tourist information around there.
Fortunately, my friend knew the entire map of this town, especially how to reach its main street where we found several well-preserved samurai manor houses.
I say again, it was on Sunday, not a weekday. But at the time, we were maybe only two tourists who entered the quiet, beautiful samurai houses, 'cause we never met anyone, but saw only a dog wandering along with the street. Its quietness seemed to be essential for me to feel the solemnity that houses had.
By the way, just now I find the web-sites of this town, and one of the samurai-houses. Interestingly, the samurai house's HP has an English-version.
http://www.samuraiworld.com/english/index.html
http://kakunodate-kanko.jp/index.html
Here was Kakunodate town, Japan.

getting another bowl of soba noodle

As I said in the weblog put below, one of "big three" noodles known by people in Morioka city was ja-ja men ("men" in Japanese means just a "noodle", not a male, anyway). So, the other two were a small bowl of "soba" noodle called "wanko soba" ("soba" is a Japanese noodle, and "wanko" is a kind of dialect in Morioka city, and people in Tokyo ususally say "wan", which means a small bowl.), and "rei-men" that originally came from a Korean dish, "Naengmyeon" (cold noodle), but was arranged for Morioka's taste.
Anyway, in this my first walking in Morioka city, besides ja-ja men, I didn't have the other two. But on the other day, I got wanko-soba at one of the most famous soba-restaurants in Morioka city. This was, maybe, a pretty interesting story for people who never try to have wanko-soba in a restaurant, 'cause I didn't know that there was a certain manner or rule or style to have it, until entering in the restaurant.
In the restaurant, after ordering a traditional "wanko-soba" style meal for my lunch, I was just curious about the elder waitress who gave me an empty small bowl and kept being beside me. She looked just ready to serve a small chunk of boiled soba noodle.
Then, she said to me, " are you ready?"
I don't know exactly what she meant, but said just "yeah".
She began to put a small chunk of soba into my bowl, and rushed me to empty the bowl. As I was said, I ate it pretty soon and completly made my bowl empty. As soon as I made it empty, she put another small chunk of soba, then I was rushed again to empty my bowl as soon as possible. This endless flow was continued until I said to her that I just enjoyed my wank-soba at my own pace. In short, I said "don't do that, any more, please".
Later, she explained that rushing to eat was one of wanko-soba styles, and many young guys would try and like this style, 'cause they could have small chunk sobas as many as possible at a same price.
For me, I just forgot the tast of wanko-soba at that restaurant.
Here was Morioka city, Japan

kinds of noodles in morioka city

Whenever I remember my walkings, in other words, my travels, my biggest trigger to recollect a memory is always a "food" I had at the time. So, in order to tell my walking in Morioka city, I've better start to show what I ate on the night when I reached the city.
As I said in the previous blog, there were few restaurants or even snack bars around the station. So, my friend and I decided to find a restaurant on the way to the hotel we somehow reserved. The way to the hotel was a little bit far from the station, but located around the downtown (though the downtown was not so large).
At the heart of the downtown, we found a small-scale shopping arcade that had several shops and restaurants. Fortunately, these restaurants were still opened around 21:40, though we found few people on the street. The restaurant we decided to go was serving the famous noodle around here, which was also a peculiarity of Morioka city. The noodle was usually called "ja-ja-men", originally coming from China, but arranged for Japanese taste, maybe, by using "miso" or something, I guess.
Of course, we ordered dishes of ja-ja men, and I ate it for the first time in my life. Taste was so good, but I was surprised the color of its sauce, totally black.
Morioka city was said to have "big three" noodles. One of them was of course this ja-ja men, and I'll maybe tell about the other two in a later weblog.
Here was Morioka city, Japan.

a bullet train going to a northern city

It was Saturday when I and my friend decided to take a bullet train going to a northern city. At the time, we were teens, and I'm sure it was at least my first journey without my family, or my first "exploration" of unknown places. We had a little money just enough to buy a special Japan Rail (aka "JR" train) ticket that allowed us for free to get on and off any JR trains, including expresses and even bullet trains, at any stations in northern parts of Japan.
We started this journey from Tokyo station, maybe in the evening, 'cause we were busy at day time. We took a Tohoku-Sinkansen, which was a bullet train going to the northernmost station at the time, Morioka city.
We didn't decide any purposes or any destinations (as usual since then for me on my travel), but thought slightly that we would talk about it before reaching Morioka city. But in the train, which took less than four hours to reach Morioka city, we've just completely slept. I still remembered that at the Morioka station, maybe, around 21:00, we were reluctantly talking about finding a cheap hotel to stay for the night, but didn't know how to find it. Around 21:00, the shops, stores and restaurants around the station were almost closed, because this city was not a metropolis like Tokyo that any shops were hardly closed until midnight.
We had two options at the time; The option 1 was finding an outside, safe space around the station to stay throughout the night. The option 2 was calling to cheap hotels that we could find tel-numbers on a yellow page that we luckily somehow found at the tel booth in the station.
We took the option 2 'cause we were so tired, then found a cheap hotel to stay. Still I remember the hotel's name, "Star Hotel". Sound simple.
Here was Morioka city, Japan

a's cap and hancock-clarke house

After leaving from Buckman Tavern, we walked from Mass Ave to Hancock Street, which might be named after one of the legends famously known as a colonial leader, John Hancock. So, you know, our next destination was Hancock-Clarke House located along with this street, of course. When entering the house, we again met with the elder staff in the 1775 style of costume. At this site, I almost forgot whether we had a guide tour or not, but still remember that we walked inside the house with the elder Bostonian couple. They were pretty quiet, kind and so polite to us.
I think it was at the time when we went up to the second floor. Suddenly, the elder gentleman said to me with full of smile, "you know, here is New England, so".
He pointed to my head, to say precisely, to my A's cap. "You must have a "B" ". He added, and the elder lady nodded slowly.
I said just, yeah, yeah.........., while thinking that I safely had a pretty right decision of not wearing my "NY" cap on that day.
Here was Lexington, MA, of course, New England, USA.

lexington battle green and buckman tavern

The atmosphere in Lexington, especially a quietness, was a little bit similar with Concord town, though Lexington was relatively larger town having more population than Concord. When walking along with the main avenue, Massachusetts Avenue (or just say "Mass Ave"), we found a good library looked relatively brand-new. There were several nice shops and stores on the Avenue, including a Starbucks. Because we couldn't find the beloved Dunkin', so we decided to get cups of good coffee there (In order to clear up the misunderstanding, I also love the coffee of Starbucks, but here was New England, you know).

Anyway, after coffee break, we firstly went to Lexington Battle Green, and took the pic of the Minute Man Statue. Then we entered Buckman Tavern, which was also a museum and offered a pretty good guide tour inside the house. The elder staffs of this museum seemed to be volunteers and dress up as people in the tavern in 1775.

Here was Lexington town, MA, USA.

here comes lexington

On a nice day of late May, 2004, I finally went to Lexington with my spouse in order to complete my trail tour of Battle of Lexington and Concord. At the time, I lived in somewhere Cambridge, MA, without any cars, so, in order to get to the heart of Lexington town in Middlesex County, we firstly took the red-line, subway, and got off at Alewife station. Near the Alwife station (or we can say just "T"), there was a local bus terminal to go to Boston's outskirts, including Lexington town. I slightly remember that it seemed to take about 30 or more minutes to reach the bus stop, which was located in the heart of the town.
During that 30 min, I kept reading the book, which was Michael Lewis's Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game (maybe famously known just as "Moneyball"). Because of this book, I chose to wear A's cap on that day, instead of my favorite "NY" (maybe nearly taboo around New England area or just "bosox nation"), or greatly respected "B".
Here was Lexington, MA, USA.

going back home from concord

Walking around Concord town, I enjoyed several historic constructions, such as Orchard House known by Ms Alcott and her masterpiece, Little women, beautiful scenery on streets, and quiet atmosphere of the town.

After visiting the house of Ralph Waldo Emerson (though the house was closed at that time and I couldn't enter), I went back to the station. On my way to the station, I chose to go along with a little bit broad street. The street was maybe a local school bus route, 'cause I saw the bus passing me with full of pupils who might just go back home.

Near the station, I found a Starbucks and Dunkin' Donuts. Here was New England, so no question about that. I unhesitatingly chose a Dunkin. Having an old fashion donut with a great cup of hot coffee (I think Dunkin's hot coffee is so unique, though I hardly say how unique it is, but still I love it), I was so relaxed.

Here was Concord, MA, USA.

concord river

Still I was no the old north bridge.

Turning toward the left side, I took the pic of Concord River. The greens in the pic were still a little bit light, but the surface of the river, which might reflect the greens on its shore, was so deep that I couldn't see any fishes from the bridge.

In this pic, these was no artificial construction, but I found that there was a little (quasi-) pier over there (left side, maybe we can't see it because of the tree), and two young kids playing on it.

Besides these two kids (maybe parents near here, though I couldn't see them), tourists, a guide and me, there was no people around here. Instead of people, small chipmunks were running over trees. As soon as these small creatures found me, they rushed into small holes.

Here was Concord, MA, USA

old north bridge

I finally reached the famous old north bridge. I took this pic just on the bridge. On one hand, behind me, the Minute Man statue stood quietly. on the other, over there, in case you can carefully look at the pic, you'll find three tourists seem to listen to the man who costumed in an old British Army.

He, of course, was not a Briton in 1775, but maybe a volunteer-guide who could tell us interesting episodes related to The Battles of Lexington and Concord.

When I listened to him over there before coming to the bridge, he just explained why he told the episode at this exact place. He said that the rocks behind him were graves of several British soldiers who died in the battle.

The day I was walking around here was a totally normal business day, so, maybe, this afternoon, his audience was just four (including me).

When I came here again on another day (maybe, a normal business day, again), he was not here. Instead of him, several artists sat around the bridge and Concord river, and painted pictures of beautiful sights in the national park.

Here was Concord, MA, USA.

at the heart of the town

The pic was taken by me at the heart of Concord town, though this was not from my first visit in mid or late spring, but from re-visiting in an early summer. So, you can see the deep greens over there.
At the heart of the town, I was looking for a pizza shop or restaurant to have a light meal for lunch.
Going straight along with the side walk, I could reach the building having the Stars and Stripes, which was a former "Fleet Bank", now, Bank of America. I slightly remember that I walked to the alley around this Fleet Bank, then found a good cafe that served a smoked salmon sandwich and iced coffee. Maybe, the outside tables in front of the cafe just faced the parking lot of the bank. Around the parking lot, I found a tourist info, where I eventually got a free simple-map of the town.
According to the map, there was a grave in the center of the town, and turning left at the intersection in front of the grave and keeping walking for several minutes, we could reach one of the prestigious historic site in the town, or in Massachusetts, or in the entire nation, Old North Bridge, the heritage of Battle of Lexington and Concord.
Here was Concord, MA, USA.

near a library

I used to take a commuter train in my everyday life from Cambridge to Waltham, Massachusetts. Though I took off the train in Waltham city, I sometimes wanted to keep going to far next stops on such a good day in spring.
So, the day when I took the pic was such a good spring day.
I finally got off the train at Concord. I still remember that the quasi-station was actually a store selling nice sundries, and on the opposite side of the Thoreau Street (maybe named after Mr Henry David Thoreau), there was a pizza shop.
I went to the shop and got a pepsi to satisfy my thirst.
It was a so warm day in middle or late spring that there were plenty of greens making themselves so deep. The breeze was also warm, but sometimes carried a thin cold breath in a moment. In short, the day was actually good for walking.
Without any guidebooks, but with my limited and imperfect knowledge about historical traces, great philosophers, and a famous novel about four sisters, I just kept walking in the entire town.
I took the pic near a library, which was maybe over the intersection. Moreover, I finally found the heart of the town over there, and sighed with relief, 'cause I had just regretted not getting a piece of pizza in the shop in front of the station.
Here was Concord, MA, USA.

taking a tram from sheung wan to north point

In my first traveling in Hong Kong Island, I took a tramcar from Sheung Wan to North Point without any purposes. Before taking a tram, I walked around the Sheung Wan area. I hardly remember where I walked around this not-so-large, or in short, narrow area, but certainly remembered the name of a particular street, "Cat Street". I found lots of old benders dealing in real or fake antiques and sundries along with the street.
Walking for a while from Cat Street, I found a Chinese noodle shop that hung a magazine article featured the shop's wonton noodle on its front door. The elder mistress beckoned me to come in, then said something in Cantonese that I hardly understood. With her gestures and pinpointing to the wonton noodle article, I just understood that I should order that noodle for my lunch, or the noodle would be served automatically without my saying any words. After a few minutes, as I expected, the wonton noddle came in front of me. The noodle bowl was a little bit smaller than I expected, but the taste was so good that the magazine wouldn't take any rake-off from this shop to make an article. Moreover, the noodle was so cheap, maybe, US$ 1 or less than US$ 2, at that time.
So, after finishing lunch, I took a tramcar to go to the North Point. I sit on a front seat in the second floor and looked out of the wide front window, while a tram running.
The scenery I saw was nothing special, but I still remembered it, and I guess, maybe I'll never forget it. A part of the scenery was a constant line of people, their excitements, signboards of shops, neon signs in day time, tall buildings, and the blue sky.
When getting off the tram, I felt the heat and high humidity as usual around here. Then, I walked and looked for interesting streets in North Point.
Here was Hong Kong, SAR of China.

wan chai and causeway bay

After several years when I firstly got to Hong Kong Island, I just returned there, this time, on the way of my business trip. Just like NYC story I was telling in the very previous weblog, I hardly imagined that I actually came back here in my business suit. Of course, pieces of the Hong Kong scenery I used to see while previously wandering, seemed to be totally different for me, though the buildings and excitements around the locals were not quite changed.
I stayed in a middle-class, but a little bit cheap hotel in Wan Chai for several days, and walked everyday to the meeting place that was a good conference room in one of the most expensive hotels in Hong Kong. The hotel located between Central and Admirality area, and walking from Wan Chai area to there, I always went across the old red-light restrict. Around there, there were lots of bars, parts of which were filled with tourists at the evening. One day during this business stay, I had no dinner appointment. So, I just looked for a famously nice Chinese (hopefully, Cantonese cuisine) restaurant. I walked and sometimes took the subway, and eventually reached Times Square Shopping Mall in Causeway Bay area (though it was eventually just next stop to Wan Chai by a subway).
There was a pretty good Chinese restaurant there, and since then I went there more than two times for dinner after business meetings, but never had a meal, 'cause each time I went there, the restaurant was fully reserved as wedding receptions.
Here was Hong Kong, SAR of China.

going to stanley

In Hong Kong, I stayed in a cheap hotel around Yau Ma Tei, which was in Kowloon and a little bit far from the top of Tsim Sha Tsui. I remember that my stay was for 5 days, and everyday, I walked from my hotel to the top of Tsim Sha Tui. It was about an hour or more walking. Of course, I didn't go straight to the top, but often wandering around interesting side roads I incidentally found. Near Kimberley Street in Tsim Sha Tui, I found lots of turtle shells in a huge pot, and the shop displaying the pot in its front served a cup of famous turtle jelly. According to the shop's ad written in Cantonese (though I slightly understood), it seemed to be good for health.
Everyday, a certain destination of my walking in the morning was the Star Ferry pier, of course, to take the cheap ferry to go to Hong Kong Island. But after reaching the island, usually I had no destination to go. So, usually, I took a bus that I hardly knew where to go, but only knew the entire island wasn't so big that I could return easily anytime from anywhere. One day, I took a bus that showed the destination, Chek Chue, in short, Stanley, in its front plate.
So, I was going to Stanley without any purposes, but hoping to see parts of Pacific Ocean.
At that time, Hong Kong had the rain continued on all day long.
Here was Hong Kong, SAR of China.

on a plane going to Hong Kong

In the very previous weblog, I mentioned about my first travel in a foreign country, which is Hong Kong. I remember Simon kindly commented on it. This time's my walking is also related to that Hong Kong story, again.
When I was on a plane going to Hong Kong, I got a window seat that I do/didn't like because of inconveniences especially to go to a bathroom when having a meal. Next to me, a young guy, who looked like same age of me, sit and read a book quietly. Coincidentally, I noticed that the book this guy read was the same one I had in my backpack.
The book was a pretty good travel essay about Hong Kong written by a non-fiction writer, and became famous especially among young people at that time, partly because the TV drama based on the book.
So, I just said to him, "hey, you read the book"He just gazed at me, and said yes, he did.
Then, I picked my book from a backpack, and saying that I also read it, 'cause I was going to Hong Kong.
He smiled, and said that his going to Hong Kong this time was also the first time traveling alone in an abroad. We talked a lot about the book and the unknown, but upcoming travel in Hong Kong. We surely shared the same kind of excitements at the time.
When the plane landing on Hong Kong, we said good by, and good luck with each other. We thought that that's the way of traveling alone, as the book also mentioned about, besed on the author's traveling.
Here was Hong Kong, SAR of China.

a view from the monument

Before going up to the top of the monument, I knew that I had to go up over 290 stone steps. When I took the first step, I heard someone talking far over my head. It was like the conversation of the family of four, parents, a son and daughter. As I went up higher, the voice came nearer to me. At first, I passed the mother who was laughing and saying she couldn't do that. Then, I caught up with the father who loudly encouraged his wife to keep going up. Finally, I found a son and daughter at about 20 or less steps from the top of the monument.

The top floor was a so narrow cube that five people, which were the family and me, somehow stood without touching each other. There were four windows and I took the pic from one of them.

The heart of Boston city was in the pic.

Here was Charles town, Boston, USA.

on the breed's hill

On such a nice day, in case we have a nice couch put on the fresh green lawn, and read a book on it, we'll be sure that we can enjoy not only the book, but also the entire atmosphere surrounded around us.

On my way of going to the Bunker Hill Monument, I saw the woman in the pic, who just looked relaxed and smiled at me. I also smiled at her and exchanged "hello, it's a good day".

The breeze was lovely cool and brought fresh green flavors from the entire green hill.

In my imperfect memory, this monument was build on the location that over 230 years ago, the battle between the British and Patriot forces took place. I slightly remember that in the first floor of the monument, I saw several historical relic or remains exhibited solemnly.

This was a historic battlefield in about 230 years ago, and this was also a nicely beautiful green hill to read a book on a nice couch in 2004.

The place was same, and had a plenty of memories.

Here was a historic battlefield, known as "the Battle of Bunker Hill", Charlestown, Boston, USA.

a monument

On a day of the spring, 2004, I walked around Breed's hill that had a famous monument of the nation. The reason why I aimed at this hill was very simple. I just wanted to go up to the top of the monument, and see the view of the harbor near here. It was really good day, and there was no cloud in the bright sky. The brand-new greens, I mean, leaf buds just came after long winter (though this year, it seems to be unseasonably cold around here) .

Walking from the pier where I got off the commuter boat, I saw orderly constructions of famous Charlestown Navy Yard. The tourists coming from the same boat were directly going to the well-known USS Constitution. I hardly remember that I could see the Bunker Hill Monument from this yard. First time I saw this monument was when I was at the top of Prudential Center Skywalk, 51th? floor. Finding the monument, I knew that I would go up to the top of the monument in order to see the different view that people in mid-1800's could see after going up more than 290 steps.

Here was Charlestown, Boston, USA.

north end of the country in a thousand years ago

I slightly remember that from the Sendai city, we have about three stops to go to Tagajyo city by Japan Rail train, aka "JR". It takes about 10 to 15 minutes, I guess, so it's so near. Tagajyo city is a relatively small city that has 60,000 population, and there were not so many people around the train station when I stood here.
So, you wonder why I write about this city.
The reason is simple, 'cause the city has a huge ruin that shows the fact, which is to say that this city was once the north end of this country. The ruin was just a trace of a construction that was a stronghold for a front defence against the northern people in a so-called "hunter-gather society", and moreover, regarded as foreigners, or more to say, barbarians in the view of aristocrats in Kyoto or Nara, in more than 1000 years ago.
Just now, a huge trace of the construction was partly hardened in concrete, and since it was located in the middle of a small mountain-like hill, the ruin was surrounded by deep green woods.
Looking up to the sky, over the green, there was nothing but the moon at that time (though I was there at the day time). I easily imaged that people in 1000 years ago also looked at the same moon.
Here was Tagajyo city, Japan

fried steamed-fish-paste

When walking through a huge shopping arcade in the heart of Sendai city, I find a crowd consisted of not only the elderly, but also juveniles in front of a souvenir shop that specially deals in steamed fish pasts. One of the most famous souvenirs of the city is a steamed fish past, especially a particular kind of a fish paste called "Sasakama" in Japanese.
The word "Sasa" means a bamboo grass, so as you can image, the fish paste's shape looks just like it. Since the Sasakama is so famous around here, there are so many fish paste shops, but not so many that have a crowd in front. The Sasakama-shop I find is a little bit special, cause the shop has a stall selling a fried steamed-fish paste for 100 yen (just less than US$1). The crowd I find is a line of people waiting to buy it.
The fried fish paste is just like a "corn dog", but instead of a smoked sausage, they use a steamed fish paste (but not Sasakama-type) to coat in cornbread and fry. Of course, the shop offers a ketchup and mustard for us to dip.
The test?
I buy more than two. That's good.
Here is Sendai city, Japan

bush clover

Though the pic is still cherry blossoms in Sendai city, this time of my walking is not about it, but the place where I took the pic. Around here, the region is named as Miyagino-ku or Miyagino-ward in Sendai city. "Miyagino" was an old name of this city, or I mean, this area (I think there might not be a city at that time) in over 1100 years ago that was even far before the samurai-era.

It was a Kyoto "kuge" era in this country, which was known as an aristocratic class era. The aristocrats in Kyoto enjoyed to make "waka", which is a traditional Japanese poetry, and sometimes they used the phrase, "Miyagino", in their poetry to long for the far away place as a quasi-fairyland. In 1100 years ago, Miyagino was near the border between the Kyoto governed and the non-Kyoto territory.

In the wakas, in short, poetry related to Miyagino, the aristocrat usually put the phase of bush clover, 'cause at that time everyone imaged the huge field covered with beautifully blossoms of bush clovers, not cherry trees.

Here was Miyagino, or Sendai city, Japan

drooping cherry tree

Because this is cherry blossoms season, I just keep writing about a series of cherry tree walking. The pic is not in Aizu-Wakamatsu city, but in Sendai city, which is the largest city in the north part of Japan and has about a million population. In case you gaze at the cherry tree in the pic, you can find that it's a different kind of cherry tree from those in below previous blogs.
In the previous blogs, the cherry tree is so popular kind and well known as "Someiyoshino" , which you can find everywhere in Japan.
In this pic, the tree is a kind of a drooping cherry tree and also famous, but not everywhere as Someiyoshino trees are.
Anyway, if it is a holiday or weekend, and is a nice day, you can find people enjoying a picnic under cherry trees everywhere, without regard to kinds of the trees.
Here is Sendai-city, Japan

cherry blossoms in the castle

April is a month of cherry blossoms in Japan. In this castle, there were lots of cherry trees that were in full bloom at their best. You can see pieces of blue in the pic. They were parts of plastic sheets that you might often see it in a construction site. But in here, these were used by people to enjoy a picnic under the cherry blossoms.
People brought plenty of foods, including bottles of beer or "sake", and enjoyed them with talking each other and watching the blossoms. Drinking in such a public place usually was/is not illegal in here. Some special places might prohibit people from drinking, but it might not be a majority.
Here was in the castle. In the samurai-era, nobody but the master of the castle and its high-level samurais would be allowed to enjoyed the cherry blossoms here. But about 140 years later, everyone could be here for free (though we had to pay admission fees in order to go inside the castle), and enjoy watching the castle with cherry blossoms.
Here was still, still, Aizu-wakamatsu, Japan

from a castle

This castle, Tsuruga-castle was not the original one. The original wooden construction had been there until the end of the samurai-era (around 1870s), though the fire of civil war (in here it was called "Aizu-war") destroyed it severely. But still the original castle was there at that time, and today, we can see an old pic of the surviving original one displayed in the new castle. So, this new castle was re-constructed in 1960s and made by reinforced concrete.

In case we want to find an unchanged heritage from a far samurai-era, I recommend to go to the top of the castle, and see the entire view from there. The mountain line was maybe unchanged.

In Aizu area, there was a tragic story related to young samurais in the civil war and a mountain that we can see from this castle tower. At the end of Aizu war, the castle was fell, and juvenile samurais watched it from the mountain, then decided to follow their seniors who died in the war in a way of samurai.

Here was Tsuruga castle, Aizu-Wakamatsu, Japan.

a samurai who loved a pine tree

Recently, I just listen to podcasts using my ipod, such as ABC's NightLine, CNN or BBC News, while walking. In term of my everyday routines, walking means just going to and from my office. So, walking with listening to news-podcasts, my thinking is always related to topics that the podcasts are talking about. Walking under cherry trees and looking to their full blooms on a way to my office, I think about how lucky the winner of the recent huge jackpot of the lottery in US, Mega Millions, which CNN podcast talked about at the time.

That's strange.

When I took the pic of Tsuruga-castle, ipods had not yet been in showcases of any stores, including Apple stores (I just wonder if there were any Apple stores in this country at that time). So, walking in the castle, instead of an ipod, I just had a book that a famous novelist sketched his travel around here, while citing histories about this castle and samurai culture related to Aize, I mean, around this area. My thinking naturally went to the samurai who loved a pine tree. The samurai, Mr Gamou, originally came from "Oumi" area, which is near Kyoto (former capital of this country) and has the biggest lake. Before coming to Aizu area, Mr Gamou governed the city that is now pretty famous as a source of a good tasted beef, Matsuzaka-beef. So, this city's name is "Matsuzaka", and "Matsu" means "pine tree" in Japanese. So, both cities, Matsuzaka and Wakamatsu (I mean, here, let's see the previous blog) remind us about Mr Gamou's liking for a pine tree.

Here was Aizu-Wakamatsu city, Japan.

young pine tree

Looking at beautiful cherry blossoms over there, I was on parts of the remain of the main gate, "Otte-Mon", of Tusruga-castle, in Aizu-Wakamatu city. This city has been well known for the pretty conservative (in positive meaning) "samurai culture" fostered during Edo-period (from around 1600 to 1860's), partly because the ancestry of its master was a relative to the tycoon of this country, or I can say, "Shogun".

Though a solid samurai-culture had been aged for about 250 years since the tycoon's relative brought the sentiment of Edo (I mean, Tokyo's old name and Shogun's main city) in this area, the original master of the castle was not this relative, but a totally different samurai. He made city's fundamentals and name before 1600. The city's old name was "Waka-matsu", which means "young pine tree". The original master especially liked the pine tree as many people did in his era, cause it associated with an auspiciousness, maybe.

Here was Aizu-Wakamatsu city, Japan.

a movie and reality quiz show

As for movies about the city, besides "The Family Man", the movie that gave me an impressive image of NYC was "Sleepless in Seattle", which was staring Ms Ryan, and of course, Mr Thomas Jeffrey Hanks, great actress and actor, everyone knows. At its last scene, I saw the Empire State Building and its prototypical CG-version. So, when looking up the building from the street, first of all, I was just looking for the heart-shaped illumination at its side. Of course, I couldn't see it and it was day time.

Before watching the movie, I've already known this famous building. The very first moment I saw the building was when I was watching a TV reality-quiz-show in Japan almost about 20 years ago. The name of the show was "Ultra-Quiz Across the USA" in Japanese, and in the show, tons of knowledgeable Japanese competed with each other while answering many kinds of quizzes and avoiding sections' eliminations. The final two eventually did knockout 10 quiz-battles at the top of the Empire State Building. They were so greatly amazingly supremely cool that being final two or being at the top of the Empire State Building was an ultimate dream for geeks of the show.

Here was on the street where I saw the Empire State Building over there, NYC, USA

a palace

In the previous blog, I said that I once read a book related to Brooklyn Bridge. I almost forgot its title and author's name, but still remembered the impressive phrase mentioning about the bridge in the book. In my imperfect memory, the book memtioned something like that this bridge would be regarded as a palace in the city, because of the dignity coming from its inside.

So, walking on the bridge, I just felt that I was going to the heart of the palace, which is to say, the throne of the city.

At the time, it was a good evening and there was no cloud in the sky. The evening sunlight firstly brighten the entire bridge that looked like a gold, then it was gradually fading.

The solemnity I felt just came from this palace.

Here was on the Brooklyn Bridge, NYC, USA.

in a business suit

When walking around wall street for my second time, I was in a business suit. I was on the way of my business trip in the city, and at the summer morning, maybe around 7:30am, looking for a cafe or fast-food restaurant that would have a breakfast meal. Of course, I looked inside a Borders and its Dean & Deluca, but they were not opened yet.
Walking up the street to a little bit north, I found a Starbucks. My first walking was maybe two or three years ago from this second visit, and at the time I surely was in this Starbucks and ordered a tall size cafe-latte. So, I ordered a tall-latte again with a muffin.
For a while, I enjoyed a latte with reading a New york times, 'cause I would be at my business meeting an hour later.
When remembering my first visit and being in this Starbucks, I had a little bit strange feeling, 'cause in my first visit, I hardly imaged being here in a business suit again. Moreover, just being in a business suit made me look the streets or the entire city in a pretty different way.
So, again, here comes another good line of Mr Cage in "The Family Man".
The suit always makes me (Mr Cage) a different person.
(the location of this scene was at the men's wear section in a shopping mall).
He said something like that in the movie, maybe.
Here was still New York City, USA.

walking in front of boaders and dean & deluca

Walking up and down the several avenues and going to the south from 42nd street in the city, I looked around old buildings that reached the sky. My first walking in the city was almost aimless. All of what I wanted to see at the time was Brooklyn bridge, 'cause I've read the book about the story of its construction and Roebling family.
When I walked around wall street, I found a book store, Borders, which had a Dean & Deluca cafe in front of it.
By the way, whenever I find the cafes or stores of Dean & Deluca, I automatically remember the particular line that the actor, Nicolas Cage said in the movie, "The Family Man". Though my memory might not be exactly correct, Mr Cage missed the city's life, part of which for him was the coffee flavor of Dean & Deluca. It was just so good line that the movie was always in my top10 must-see-movie list.
Here was near wall street, New York City, USA.

memory of being in nyc for the first time

It was several years ago when I saw the pic's windy broadway in the Manhattan, for the first time in my life. Though it does not happen so many time for me, fortunately, I still remember my first impression that I got just when coming to the heart of the city. It's just like this.
I was on a Greyhound bus from Boston, and the bus came through a little bit long tunnel before reaching its destination, a bus terminal, which seemed to be around 42nd street, I slightly remember. I looked out of the window that shows completely the darkness, then suddenly turned to the complete white.
It was a so heavy snow day that the bus was delayed more than a hour, and I saw several cars slipped and crushed on the freeway.
In the white sight, suddenly high walls reaching the white sky appeared. The high walls were, of course, high-rise buildings in the city, but I saw only their upper parts. Maybe, the lower parts, below 10th or 15th floor, were missing in the white curtain.
Here was New York City, USA.

a house of a legendary bacteriologist

Near the lake, there were a few souvenir shops that also seemed to be cafes serving cups of green-tea or local foods around Inawashiro area. Besides, I found two sightseeing spots around here, except for the lake and mountain. One of them was the well-preserved house where a legendary bacteriologist, Hedeo Noguchi, was born. Maybe, He was well-known by his discovering the agent of syphilis diseases. He was born near this lake in 1870's, more than 130 years ago.

The other sightseeing spot was also related to Mr Noguchi. It was parts of the set and location of this man's biographical movie, which was made around 1992, so a little bit old one.

I watched the movie before, and still remember a particular scene. The scene was that the young mother of Mr Noguchi, in short, young Mrs Noguchi, was catching small shrimps near the shore of this lake for their living. So, looking at the surface of Inawashiro-lake, I knew that there might be lots of shrimps near the shore.

Here was still Inawashiro, Japan.

the mountain famed as a treasure in an old song

I was still on the shore of Inawashiro-lake. Turning back from the lake side, suddenly I faced to a beautiful mountain in the pic. The mountain came to fame as a treasure in an old song, and the song was maybe well-known especially among the elderly. I slightly remember the lyrics. In my imperfect memory, it says that the mountain is a treasure and bamboo leaves look like gold. Maybe, the last phrase of this old song is about a local man who went bankrupt because of his liking for morning drinking, bathing and sleeping. Maybe, kind of a funny song.

The song seemed to be made in the samurai-era in this country, and enjoyed among locals in a harvest festival, I guess.

The song's name is same as the mountain's, which is "aizu-bandai-san". Aizu is the place-name, so people call it "bandai-mountain".

Here was Inawashiro, Aizu, Japan.

walking on a rutted muddy way to the lake

In the old pic, I was walking on a rutted muddy way to Inawashiro-Lake. Maybe, this pic is the oldest e-pic I have in my PC. It was on March or April, 2002. As usual, I was on a business trip to the north part of this country. On Saturday, I mean, on my off-day, I just had a short-trip to a rural area, in short, around this lake, from Koriyama-city that had about 300,000 population at that time.

I walked from the train station and took almost a hour and half-, or maybe, two hours-walk to come here. It was a nicely warm, but cloudy day. I walked around here aimlessly, then, decided to go near the lake.

Both sides of the rutted way in the pic were maybe preconditioned paddle-fields. over there, I found the surface of the lake.This lake is the fourth largest one in this country.

So, the fourth largest one. Maybe, the lake isn't famous by its size. I'm not quite sure honestly whether at first the lake is well-known by people or not. But once being on its shore, I found a solemn, impressive outline of mountains surrounding the lake.

By the way, the lake has an another name, tenkyo-lake, which means "a mirror of the sky".

Here was Inawashiro, Japan

a stall had pig mascots

On the new year's eve, the last day of 1999, I saw tons of stalls that sold plenty of pig mascots especially to the locals in Wien. Of course, tourists, just like me, were looking at them and some or many would buy and fill their bags with them. At that time, many stalls on main roads had small wooden gable-roofs, which were perfectly mixed with a classic row of houses in the center of the city.
I still remember that a small, plastic pig mascot was just S5 (Austrian Schilling, not Euro at that time), so I tried to buy a couple of small pigs for my family. My guidebook told me that pigs or pig mascots for the upcoming new year symbolized "wealth" in Wien, because a pig was well known by its fertility.
After looking around several similar pig stalls, I decided to buy a small one, later, not on that eve day, but maybe on a new year or the day after it.
So, on January 2, 2000, I definitely decided to buy small plastic pigs and walked around the city to look for them, but couldn't find a stall itself anywhere. Maybe, people would buy pigs by a new year coming.
I somehow found one stall without any gables on a back street, which sold leftovers. In the stall, a small pig was for S10, costing double. I, nevertheless, bought two of them.
Here was on a back street, Wien, Austira.

riverside of donau

At 20:00, I was on the riverside of Donau, or Danube, the great and longest river in EU. Its surface was totally frozen and on it, there was about 2cm-snow-layer. It was just 2cm and the ice itself was so thin that I could break it easily by throwing only a small snow-chunk.
Inside the ice, the river looked deep and dark. In that darkness, fishes seemed to be too reluctant to move.
I came here by taking subway. When walking on the snow road to the shore of Donau, I saw several juveniles skateboarding on the dry, no-snow place under a bridge. They played skateboards without saying anything. Just a strange feeling. On one hand, I saw the frozen Donau silently running under the thin ice. On the other, I heard only sharp noises occurred sometime by juveniles' boards hitting the concretes.
Walking back to the bridge, I saw that there was a multiplex, or movie theater complex, which at that time had Luc Besson's "The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc", I remember, because of its huge poster in front of the building.
The juveniles might be just waiting for the movie while playing here, or might not.
Here was near the great Donau, Wien, Austria.

on a snow day at schloss schönbrunn

On January 2, 2000, we had a heavy snow falling from the early morning in Wien. I walked from a hotel I stayed to Wien Mitte station. While walking, I was just surprised how the snow scape of the city became so different from what I looked before snowing.
I took just 25-min-walk from my hotel to the station. The huge snowplow ran regularly on city's main roads and made a little snow walls along with them.
I took a subway from Wien Mitte to go to Schloss Schönbrunn, or I can say, Schönbrunn Palace, a world heritage site. Of course, in Schönbrunn, there was snow everywhere, and moreover, it was the heaviest snow-falling moment when I arrived there. So, my impression of this palace, is firstly "a snow scape", but therefore, beautifully white-bright.
After looking around the palace, I took a subway again to go to Stadtbahn Station Karlsplatz.
I don't know why I decided to go to Karlsplatz at that time, but certainly remember that I had a pretty good croissant sandwich at the stall.
Here was Wien, Austria.

in a couchette car

In a couchette car, there are two of three-level-beds placed on both sides of the room. So, basically, a room could have six passengers maximally. I was in one of second-level-beds. Each top-level-bed was occupied by a young couple that seemed to go skiing in somewhere mountainous spot in Austria.
Ironically for me, each lowest level bed was also occupied by an another young couple that seemed to go skiing in somewhere mountainous spot in Swiss.
One of two couples said hello to sleepy me, and went outside the room. They chatted in a corridor over the night.
Unconsciously listening to the chatting from the corridor while sleeping, suddenly, I heard a crew said something about a passport directly to me. Then, I opened my eyes and saw a middle-aged man who asked me to bring my passport for passing a border. As the man told, I handed it to him. He just went outside without saying anything.
Next morning, around 6:00am, the same man brought my passport back with two slices of toasts, a strawberry-jam, batter, a glass of orange juice and small bottle of water.
At 8:00am, I stood in Wien Westbahnhof.
Here was in a train station located west side of Wien, Austria.