Travels to Nippon

It's hard to believe that, after more than two years of planning, our trip to Japan has come and gone.  We had an amazing time visiting friends, eating delicious food, and touring Tokyo, Kyoto and Iberaki prefecture.  Here is a brief rendition of the good, the bad and the unexpected:  

Highlights

- unsurpassable Japanese hospitality

- excellent, healthy food (especially the traditional breakfasts and not-   too-sweet desserts)

- our whirlwind tour of Tokyo with Ayano, our fearless leader

- the beautiful sakura (cherry blossoms) everywhere

- riding the Shinkansen (bullet train) and catching a glimpse of    Fujiyama

- the history and beauty of many Kyoto temples

- staying at two lovely ryokans (Japanese inns) and sleeping on comfy    futons

- the constant juxtaposition of the ancient and the modern, the rural    and the urban

- the cleanliness and safety of Japan

Lowlights

- our inability to read/speak Japanese

- the trek to/from Narita airport before/after a long flight

- the lack of recycling

Surprises

- the lack of spoken/written English

- complicated shoe removal/slipper-wearing etiquette

- driving on the left side of the road

- the lack of ovens in homes

A small shrine in Ushiku

Lovely sakura in front of Byodoin Temple in Uji (20 mins from Kyoto). The temple was built in 1052 and is on the back of the 10-yen coin.

Gardens at Daigo-ji in Kyoto

Kiyomizu temple with Kyoto city in the background

View of Tokyo from the Imperial Palace

Cutting my first bamboo shoot!

Huge thank-you to Marna for being our chauffeuse extraordinaire and to Mom for taking such good care of Holly.  Doesn't look like she missed us much!

More Bookish Thoughts...

  Although this book bears a banal and generic title, Curtis Sittenfeld's second novel, "The Man of My Dreams,"  is almost as enjoyable as her first ("Prep," 2005).  When the book opens, 14-year-old Hannah Gavener is grappling with her mother's decision to stand up to her controlling father.  The storyline follows Hannah through college and afterwards as she tries to find the kind of romance she believes she desires.  As is so often the case in life, things don't quite work out according to plan; as a result, this novel rings completely true, vividly capturing a young woman's anxiety and confusion about finding love and direction.

 To create this tremendously affecting memoir, Jean-Dominique Bauby used the only tool available to him: his left eye.  The 43-year-old editor-in-chief of Elle France suffered a rare stroke to the brain stem but, rather than accept his "locked in" syndrome as a death sentence, Bauby employed his imagination to journey to exotic places, serve himself gourmet meals and compose a poignant, unforgettable novel. Tragically, he died just two days after the release of the French publication but he certainly left a legacy behind.  

Happy New Year!

 As hard as it is to believe, the new year has arrived; astrologically speaking, it promises to be an interesting one.  Here's what Georgia Nicols has to say about planetary activity in 2009:

It's been said that the future is much like the present, only longer. Some years this is true but, eventually, a turning point occurs by which winds of change bring new ideas, values and fashions.  This is what's happening in 2009 as a result of two major changes: the return of Pluto to Capricorn and the return of Jupiter to Aquarius.  Pluto is all about reform so reforms of all kinds will be in fashion for the next 15 years.  All governments will reform education, health care, the media, air travel etc.  The influence that shapes this reformation arrives in the form of Jupiter in Aquarius.  Aquarius brings about change for the better from the grassroots level; people of like minds will join forces knowing that they have power in numbers.  Thus, there will be a shift of power to a wider population base.  Collective action and group effort will bring about change for the better in the immediate future...but sometimes the rallying cry of reform can marginalize the rights of the individual.

More Bookish Thoughts...

I've sorely neglected my book reviews over the past few months but here are a couple of highly recommended reads:

In "A Spot of Bother," the follow-up to Mark Haddon's "The Curious Incident of The Dog in The Nighttime," protagonist George Hall becomes convinced that his eczema is actually cancer.  He launches into a psychological tailspin while trying to channel a host of other problems: his daughter, Katie, is raising a toddler and is engaged to the unlikable Ray, his wife, Jean, is having an affair with George's co-worker and his son, Jamie, has been dumped by his boyfriend.  Haddon does an amazing job of getting into the head of each character, intimately describing Jean's waffling over her affair, Katie's overwhelmed state as a single mother and George's depression.  The book is hilariously odd but also touching and it leaves the reader with a genuine sympathy for poor George.

I can't claim to be a big mystery enthusiast but Em recommended this book after I got my "28 on the 28th" Virgo tattoo.  It describes a murder case in which a female's severed limbs and head are found in a locked bathroom by two admirers: Hayakawa, a collector of tattoo skins, and Matsushita, the lovestruck brother of a Detective.  Two subsequent murders add intrigue to the plot and impel the investigators to enlist the services of Kamizu, the "Boy Genius."  Kamizu analyzes the deaths, interviews the prime suspects and quietly but impressively solves the case.  The book is quite a page-turner, not only because of its suspense but also because it incorporates the Japanese traditions of myth and superstition, ritual, and familial relationships.  The author, Takagi, is apparently Japan's most acclaimed mystery writer and I can see why!  

Sticky and Sweet

 

Talk about the chance of a lifetime!  Way back in June, Mel got us tickets to the Madonna concert in Vancouver.  Madonna had never played in Vancouver before and perhaps never will again; although amazing, she is 50 years old and who knows how much longer she'll want to tour. Anyways, Thursday night in front of 55,000 people at BCE Place, she put on an incredible performance complete with eight costume changes, scores of dancers and blinding light shows. Most of the music was off her newest album, Hard Candy, but she did hit some of the old favourites like "Vogue" and "Like a Prayer."  Okay, so she was obviously lip-synching, she pretended to play the guitar and, from where we were sitting, she was about the size of a bic lighter but just being in the same room as her was exciting enough!  I'll continue to be her #1 fan...along with millions of others, that is.     

28 on 08/28/08!

I had a terrific "champagne birthday" yesterday.  Jean, Holly and I went for a nice walk, which started and ended at Coles Bay in West Saanich.  The rain even held off so we got to enjoy our picnic outdoors instead of in the car!  In the afternoon, Jean took me shopping along Oak Bay Ave and bought me a couple of shirts to go along with my other presents, which included this extension to our favourite game (yes, I was feeling spoiled!).   

We had also commissioned Anita Doornekamp, Mom's talented colleague, to draw us this artichoke.  She finished it in time for my birthday and we're thrilled with it; it adds so nicely to our growing collection. 

Dan's pencil sketch (2005)

David Blackwood (2007)

In the late afternoon, we dropped by Mom and Dad's as Dad is in town for the weekend.  Then we went for dinner at Stage, a stylish and delicious tapas-style restaurant on Gladstone that was very reminiscent of Jamie Kennedy's wine bar.  Definitely one of the best birthdays yet!

Mid-Summer Highlights

Aside from the rain and 16 degree temperature today, we've managed to enjoy the late July/early August sun.  A couple weeks ago, Jean, Holly and I took a walk through Gordon Head, which culminated at Glencoe Cove/Kwatsech Park.  It's a lovely, accessible beach area with high rocks, arbutus trees and lots of greenery.

Of course, we've also been making trips up Anderson Hill with the dogs, often before enjoying an al fresco dinner in Mom's garden.  It's so nice to make a meal of easy, fresh food: bread, cheese, smoked salmon, fruit, salads and our favourite frozen yogurt "ice cream" sandwiches!