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New Year 2009
2009-01-05 12:49:00
From the first of January and the following few days the streets round Osu Kannon are crowded with people making their first visit to the local temple to pray for a healthy and prosperous twelve months.The first days of each New Year are full of firsts for example "hatsumode" the first temple visit or "hatsuhimode" catching the first sunrise of the New Year.There are others including as I found out earlier in the week "the first ride of the year".Around 10am last Thursday the first day of 2009 I was awoken by the deafening noise of motorcycles pulling up outside the convenience store below my apartment building.Grabbing my camera I lumbered downstairs to see what was happening. I struck up a conversation in my poor broken Japanese with this very personable biker.It seems that he and friends go on a group ride together every January 1st to celebrate the new year and the convenience store was the starting point for the ride.He seemed very proud of his Triumph motorcycle.He didnt mind ...

Friday Flash..French Food Photos
2009-01-02 14:07:00
A small selection of the fare I ate on my recent trip to Paris late November early December 2008.There were no shortage of crepes and the number of outlets all over Paris seems to attest to their popularity.I must have eaten onion soup at five or more different eateries during my visit.Each was different,unique in terms of its flavour,colour and consistency.Some were adorned with thick chunks of crouton like bread while others had chewy almost golf sized balls of cheese lurking in the depths of their bowls.Some had almost caramelised pieces of onion floating around.All were delicious.Had I come in summer Im not sure I would have enjoyed the onion soup as much.Nor had the oppurtunity to enjoy thick hot chocolate drinks.One trade off for the lack of colour and flowers in the gardens was the richness and warmth of the food.Sure some of the tourists attractions lacked their summer splendour.Not all the fountains were operating when I visited the Eiffel Tower and the Jardins du Trocadero...
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Friday Flash...Some French Restaurants I Ate At..
2009-01-02 11:52:00
While on my Paris vacation late November early December last year I visited a few restaurants mainly round the Montmartre and Abbesses areas.There are many restaurants catering to tourists surrounding Sacre Coeur and in the Place du Tertre.Just off the Place is a restaurant called Tartempion on Rue du Mont-Cenis.It has a very reasonable set menu or formule.For 15 euros you get to choose an entree,main and dessert.Other places set menus offered only a starter and main for a similar price so it was very good value.I'd recommend the thick hot onion soup served in a square white ceramic dish.The steak I had as a main came with a salad and loads of fries.I finished off with a big slice of apple pie.The place was interestingly decorated with a collection of fire extinguishers and what looked like industrial sized wooden cotton bobbins.Definitely worth a visit.The photo above shows a bistro La Maison Rose not far from Tartempion north of the Place du Tertre.The restaurant in a small pink ...
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Where I stayed in Paris
2008-12-29 11:48:00
After reading different websites,reviews and books I decided to base my late November to December vacation in the Montmartre quarter.I split my two weeks staying at two backpacker/hostel establishments near Sacre Coeur.Given my limited budget and the fact I only required a bed and shower without the mod cons I reasoned I'd be out most of the day sightseeing.I only required a bed and a shower.I could endure the lack of privacy and mod cons a dorm room lacks.The money saved Id spend instead on one decent meal a day.The Caulaincourt Square HostelThe first week I stayed at was the Caulaincourt Square Hostel.A bed in the six room dorm cost 25 euros a night with breakfast included in the price.As it was late November I was lucky to have the fourth floor room I was given to myself on two nights.The only night all six places were filled it was quite a jam and space for bags etc was at a premium.There was no lift,so you had to carry your luggage up the steep narrow staircase.The bed linen a...
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A Few More Interesting Places I Visited in Paris
2008-12-21 14:02:00
Apart from the obvious Eiffel Tower and Louvre there are many other equally diverting and unusual art galleries and museums to visit.I'll briefly note here some that I visited while in Paris late November and earlier this month.This is an interior shot from the Musee de l'Armee,(Military Museum) housed in the Hotel des Invalides.Its a huge comprehensive museum with many varied collections of armour,uniforms and weapons.I spent the best part of a day walking around looking at the ancient and modern weapons on display.This photo shows the huge courtyard of the Invalides where the Military Museum is housed.In the background is the gilded top of the Eglise du Dome.The Dome Church which can be seen from virtually anywhere in Paris contains the tomb of Napoleon.Napoleons huge sarcophagus like coffin is set in the middle of the Church below ground.There are many famous people buried around the cemeteries of Paris.If you have the time its interesting to discover the final resting places o...
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Friday Flash..Christmas Treats
2008-12-19 01:15:00
Two more seasonal offerings from a local cake shop in my neighbourhood.The one above is a simple lemon sponge like creation with a kind of creme brulee toffee topping.The dessert below is a rich cream like creation with ginger cookies and fruit floating in it.
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What I Did in Paris.Part 45..Highs and Lows
2008-12-15 09:34:00
Tour MontparnasseThe Tour Montparnasse is your typical skyscraper that would be quite at home here in downtown Nagoya or rubbing shoulders with other nondescript structures found throughout Japans urban morass.However as you can see from this shot taken from Montmartre it really does stick out in low rise Paris .On the top of the Tour Montparnasse is a 56th floor exhibition space and bar/cafe that offers great views of Paris below as well as exorbitantly priced coffee and sandwiches to match the heights.On the 59th floor above the exhibition area and bar theres an open air terrace with 360 degree views of Paris.Here you can see a shot from the terrace.Behind the Eiffel Tower you can see La Defense an area of skyscrapers on the edge of the city.While I suggest you should look out the windows in the warmth of the exhibition centre Id avoid the cafe due to its prices.I'd also recommend a coat if its windy or winter when you venture to the 59th floor terrace.The day I was up there I had...
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What I Did In Paris..Part 365..Notre Dame
2008-12-15 08:49:00
Obviously one of the places to see when one is in Paris is the Cathedrale de Notre Dame .Notre Dame took over two hundred years to build and offers lots of great photo opportunities from whichever way you approach it.Inside there are three massive rose stained glass windows.Outside on the narrow walkways on the towers you can get close to many of the gargoyles that perch on the cathedral's ledges.You can also get good views of the skyline.Admission to the Cathedral's interior is free so you can wander around and take photos of the rose windows and the various altars inside the huge building.Admission to the towers cost 7.50 euros as well as a chilly half hour wait in the queue and climbing a narrow spiral staircase.Once you reach the towers via the stairs and through the gift shop you can get views of the skyline.In this shot you can make out Sacre Coeur on the hill in the background to the left of the gargoyle.
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Friday Flash..Nagoya Station Christmas Lights 2008
2008-12-12 14:32:00
Once again the Christmas Illuminations are burning brightly around Nagoya Station .This first shot shows the big display above the main entrance.This shot shows in more detail the Christmas town scene that is illuminated.It gradually builds up with more and more lights and buildings lit up and slowly fades away.At its height the scene includes small figures with Father Christmas and his sleigh appearing in a star filled sky.The whole cycle seems to last a couple of minutes at most and drew many "uhs" and "ahs" from the warmly clad crowds below. Just as many people seemed to be visiting the well lit area to the left of the station.As with last years display its a kind of illuminated garden with lit up teddy bear figures featuring prominently.There were other smaller lit animals and creatures including this butterfly.This final shot shows people walking around the garden and through a greenish-yellow archway.If you look closely you can probably pick out at least two or three illuminat...
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Mad about Monet
2008-12-12 00:47:00
If you want to see more of Monets works than are on offer at the Musee d'Orsay I'd recommend a visit to the Musee Marmottan or the Musee de l'Orangerie.Or both if you have the time and are interested in this painter.The Musee Marmottan is housed in the home of famous art historian Paul Marmottan.In 1971 the museum acquired a collection of works by Claude Monet as a bequest from his son Michel.As a result The Musee boasts the worlds largest collection of Monets works.Some of Monets most famous works are on display in the downstairs area of the mansion.There are the familiar waterlilies paintings but also examples of his work at Giverny and later works.One notable painting on display was Impression-Sunrise which gave rise to the name of the Impressionist school.On the upper floors are more larger works by Monet including some waterlilies works mounted on the walls as you go up the stairs.Also on the upper floors are paintings from Monets personal collection including works by his ...

Paris Vacation.. Musee D'Orsay and Centre Pompidou
2008-12-08 11:53:00
A quick review of some of the art galleries and Museums I visited on my brief trip to Paris .Id suggest planning which museums and artists interest you beforehand and checking on prices,opening days and hours before you set off.There are various discount options available if you intend to visit many places or for any length of time.Most of the museums and tourist attractions were around the seven euro region.The most expensive admission price from memory was 10 euros for the Centre Pompidou while entry to Rodins Garden was I thought a bargain at just 1 euro.Id also recommend getting to the places as early as possible to avoid herds of tour groups and school parties and not doing more than one or two places a day.I found a morning of peering at Cubists and Surrealist paintings did my head in and I needed something more diverting.The Musee D'Orsay is a converted railway station on the banks of the Seine River.It features art from the 1840s to the early 1900s.It takes up from the North...
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Paris Vacation..Musee Du Louvre
2008-12-08 09:23:00
Musee Du Louvre This huge,rambling Museum has collections of Oriental,Egyptian,Greek,Etruscan and Roman antiquities,scultpure,objets d'art such as porcelain and European paintings.I avoided the crowds and the cold winds waiting above ground at the pyramid entrance by using the exit from the Palais Royal-Musee du Louvre metro station.While there still was a queue at the entrance gates to the Museum at least I could wait in warmer surroundings than above ground.I took this shot to show what a huge place the Louvre is.Even though I set out to only see a few things it took the best part of a day to accomplish my plan.I took but a few moments to glance at the Mona Lisa,surrounded by camera touting Chinese tourists and encased in glass which reflected the many camera flashes aimed at it.If anything did surprise me about the portrait it was how small and mundane it actually is.I was more interested in another famous exhibit the Venus de Milo.Again it attracted a crowd of admirers often t...
More About: Vacation , Paris

Friday Flash..A Few Photos From Paris
2008-12-05 01:33:00
The first few shots from my recent fortnight or so vacation in Paris .Above you can see the large clock in Musee d'Orsay a former railway station now converted into an art museum.A creepy photo from the Catacombes tour of underground passages lined with bones and skulls.One of the many gargoyles that adorn Notre Dame.One of the many cups of coffee that I drank.A shot of Sacre Coeur in the Montmartre quarter where the two hostels I stayed could be found within walking distance of this Roman Byzantine basilica.More on Monday once I get over my jetlag and return to Nagoya and work.
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Bon Voyage...
2008-11-17 09:03:00
Im taking a few weeks vacation.Finally.Its taken a while and a mountain of paperwork,faxes and phone calls to get the time off.If I hadnt said anything at work last week and produced a fax I sent in August Im sure I would still be on the work schedule.Ironic that the company includes the word "Communication" in its title.God knows what Alanis Morissette would make of it. Anyways be back hopefully refreshed,Air France strikes notwithstanding,early next month..
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Friday Flash...
2008-11-14 02:28:00
A relatively cheap lunchbox for under 500yen.Another manhole cover I spotted on one of my many trips into outer Nagoya.
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Autumn...
2008-11-10 10:51:00
According to the weather report last night on NHK the weekend marked the start of winter under the old traditional calendar.Certainly its getting cooler at night and first thing in the morning.Theres a refreshing bite in the air.Many of the local trees,at least those that have escaped the attention of the local council workers,are shedding their leaves or displaying their autumnal colours.I bicycled past this old building yesterday.Its harsh dirty exterior is softened to some extent by the creeping red ivy which seems to have gained a foothold. On the opposite side of the canal to the buildings is what appears to be an old abandoned wooden shrine complete with altar.The doors are locked with a chain and heavy rust encrusted lock.The whole building is ringed with sharp razor wire to deter attempts to climb the walls.As there is a lot building demolition and redevelopment in the vicinity I well imagine that the structures days are numbered.
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Friday Flash...Matcha Latte and a Bento to Go
2008-11-07 03:20:00
I recently saw this new Starbucks flavour available in many supermarkets and convenience stores.I found the green matcha latte quite thick and smooth.I was also surprised how sweet it was compared to other green tea products such as ice cream I have tried. This fairly ordinary bento contains some autumn fare such as sweet potato and mushrooms.Nothing spectacular but typical of the seasonal bentos or lunchboxes that are currently on sale.
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Strange Currencies...
2008-11-03 12:43:00
Global financial crisis.Credit Crunch.The Japanese yen has been on a roller coaster ride over the last few weeks.Falling and surging against other major currencies including the euro,the U.S dollar,pound,and the Australian and New Zealand dollars.Back in August the NZ dollar was trading at 80cents to 100yen.Late last week it fell briefly to 49 odd cents.Quite a difference if you are sending some money home.Quite a difference relatively speaking to your income earnings.Its difficult to know when is the best time to send it home.Wait a bit and hope it falls further or send it back right away and hope it doesnt drop further.Hoping either way you arent left out of pocket.Laughing all the way to the bank.Unlikely.Its the same delicate balancing act when it comes to deciding to convert yen into currencies for vacations.Late last month the euro was changing hands at 136yen while early last week it fell to 122yen.With such volatility its pretty much a matter of guessing and hoping it doesnt...
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Friday Flash..Chocolate and Beer
2008-10-31 00:14:00
The latest KitKat product Ive sampled is a tie-in with McDonalds.The KitKat Caramel Macchiato bars have an attractive marbled appearance and are very sweet.The caramel flavour envelops you as soon as you tear open the wrappers.I cant see myself eating these regularly as I found the sweetness too overpowering and prefer something a little more subtle. Asahi's new Ginger Beer caught my eye recently after seeing it advertised on subway carriages.The alcoholic ginger beer has a smooth ginger aftertaste with an emphasis on the alcohol rather than being merely fizzy lolly water.I wouldnt drink it regularly but it has a certain novelty value.
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The Perry and Harris Exhibition
2008-10-27 09:08:00
The Perry and Harris Exhibition ..The Dawn of U.S-Japan Relations..The current exhibition at the Nagoya Boston Museum of Fine Arts looks at the start of the U.S and Japanese relationship and the US-Japan Treaty of Amity and Commerce signed in 1858.The exhibition concentrates on Commodore Matthew Perry who was responsible for the initial negotiations and Townsend Harris the first US Consul General in Japan.On display are various books,reports,drawings and gifts associated with the meetings and negotiations between the United States officials and the Japanese bakufu or shogunate rulers.While there appears an overabundance of books,scrolls and other printed matter particularly on the second floor of the display,there are enough flags,hats,swords and examples of lacquerware and porcelain to keep ones interest from wandering.I was pleased that there are lots of English language captions explaining the history and process that led to the Treaty of Amity and Commerce being signed.I was als...

Friday Flash..
2008-10-24 03:12:00
This poster pasted on a nearby telephone pole caught my attention this week.Its for an upcoming concert.Of that Im fairly certain.However more intriguing is whether the event is called Tokai Bullshit or this is the name of the band?Whatever the case,using "bullshit" to promote something hardly suggests its going to be any good does it?
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Nagoya City Art Museum October 2008 Exhibit
2008-10-20 10:22:00
The latest exhibition opened last Saturday at the Nagoya City Art Museum located in Shirakawa Park near Fushimi.It runs until December 14th.The exhibition consists of 64 paintings and collages from 23 artists from the first half of the 20th century.The items come from the K20 collection of the Kunstsammlung Nordrhein Westfalen in Dusseldorf,Germany.The bulk of the art on display are works from Picasso and Klee though other painters who also feature include Chagall,Magritte and Miro.Apart from the opening statement at the entrance there are no English language captions.There are a number of "isms" on display in this exhibition including "expressionism", "cubism","surrealism"and one I'd never heard of"fauvism".Consulting my dog-eared copy of "Art for Dummies" "fauvism"is described as paintings ...."in which the landscape and human figures had become a riot of conflicting colors -flesh tones and purple combinations"pg169."These works were derided by critics as "Fauvism" a French word ...
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Friday Flash..Autumn Desserts
2008-10-17 15:16:00
A couple of seasonal desserts.The first one is obviously aimed at the Halloween crowd.The small orange pumpkin container is filled with an appropriately coloured custard and bulked up with small fragments of shortbread.This second dessert is more traditional fare.A thin biscuit base supports a small jelly like cake topped with various berries.
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Nagoya Autumn Festival
2008-10-13 13:27:00
The Nagoya Festival held last weekend October 11th and 12th is the largest autumn festival in the area.The biggest attraction is a parade led by the big three local heroes Nobunga Oda,Hideyoshi Toyotomi and Ieyasu Tokugawa along with their courtiers all dressed in period clothing.Various floats,marching teams and other groups also take part in the parades which take place round Sakae and central Nagoya.In my neighbourhood of Osu Kannon there are also various events and performers who appear over the two days.Jugglers,comic duos,dancers and musical groups are scheduled to perform throughout the day and into the early evening.One of the more crowd pleasing,eye catching attractions was a group of gold painted dancers.Covered from head to toe in shiny gold paint and wearing skimpy bikinis,both the male and female members of the group were mobbed by people trying to get a photo of them.It was the first time I'd tried using my new camera at night so the results arent that good.The light ...
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Its Been One Year or Thereabouts....
2008-10-13 13:10:00
Its been one year or thereabouts since Nova Corporation,then one of the biggest language schools with branches throughout Japan,bit the dust.Old vacant shuttered premises,faded rabbit flags and twisted rusted metal signs still bear testimony to its demise.How long its mutant bastard child GCom-Nova remains in the game is anyones guess.
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Friday Flash..Some Random Photos
2008-10-10 02:06:00
One of the signs that autumn is here in Nagoya is the appearance of cosmos flowers.Another edition to the KitKat range spotted earlier in the week.Bite sized down sized KitKats.Another shot of cosmos flowers.You can see them blooming in garden plots and vacant lots.
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Some Green Polar Bears and Long Necked Geese,Some Humpty Backed Camels and
2008-10-06 10:32:00
A small article in The Japan Times newspaper September 24 page 3 caught my attention.Apparently visitors to Higashiyama Zoo and Botanical Gardens here in Nagoya are "shocked by the colour" of the polar bears.The polar bears are no longer white after swimming in a pond this summer with an overgrowth of algae.The bears are expected to return to their natural colour when the algae growth subsides in November according to a zoo offical quoted in the article.Curiosity aroused I went along to the Zoo yesterday morning.I must state from the outset Im not a great fan of zoos and this one in particular I find depressing.I can block out the howls of some distressed feline creatures or the cringing,cowering birds that sit in the shadows of their cells.But its hard to ignore the general down at heel air that pervades the whole area.Closed,under repair toilet blocks,missing tiles,faded,chipped paint.Once at the polar bear enclosure I notice that staff have put up a folder of photos and an explan...
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Buying Bentos
2008-10-06 10:08:00
It seems to be getting harder and harder these days to find a reasonable bento or lunch box around the 500yen mark.Instead of increasing the price,some shops opt not to fill one of the sections or partitions in the boxes.Or they choose to use cheaper ingredients and provide less in each section.Either way I find it discouraging to buy a half empty box or one that wasnt as generously filled as before.My only choice then is to spend a little extra in the hope I can be satisfied.The lunchbox above was in the 600-700 yen price range.In the top middle section one can find a few shrimps while directly below are some spicy chicken pieces.To the right of these chicken nibbles are two small Chinese like dumplings filled with minced beef and vegetables.Two small offerings of rice help to bulk out the box.What it lacked in quantity it made up for in variety and to my mind was reasonable value for money.
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Halloween Cookies
2008-10-06 09:55:00
A big shout out and thanks to Halli for sending me these homemade Halloween cookies.Im pleased to say that they survived the attentions of the Japanese Customs officers who zealously unpacked and inspected the box.I dont know what they must have thought was inside the half metre or so of bubble wrap and oven foil.Cheers again and dont forget to check her website www.kawaiinyc.blogspot.com
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Friday Flash..A Few More Dream Car Show Shots
2008-10-03 00:50:00
A few final shots from the Dream Car Show 2008 held at Port Messe Nagoya last weekend.The first one shows a couple of "kangaru" or campaign girls posing beside a motorcycle.Not my dream car but given the driving habits of drivers in Nagoya it seems a good choice of vehicle.Im just not sure where I could park it. This armoured vehicle along with two or three others was part of the Self Defence Force display at the show.This bright shiny racing car was displayed by a custom paint company.Many specialised companies had their products on display including car stereo,car television and audio firms.Body trim and paint companies as well as hubs,tyres and wheels were on show.Another kangaru posing with her sponsors product in hand.This last shot shows a car with its gleaming paintwork including a bikini clad model featuring prominently on both sides of the car.On the hood or bonnet of the car the said model is sprawled suggestively and seems to have problems keeping her top on.The vehicle d...
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