Total Eclipse of the Sun!

It's been quite an interesting year astronomy-wise, a lunar eclipse back in December, a spectacular supermoon last month, an annular eclipse today, another lunar eclipse on June 5th and there will be a transit of Venus on June 6th, which I am very looking forward to! (Unfortunately only partially visible in the UK)!

This was the second eclipse I've experienced, as I viewed the partial solar eclipse while I was on a Girl Guides camp half my life ago in August 1999.

At the peak!!!!!

My own pictures: Before, during totality and after!

Most eclipses occur over the sea, since the Earth is 2/3 water, and this eclipse was particularly special due to the fact that its totality was visible from several of the most densly-populatied cities in the world.. my very own Tokyo included (others being Hong Kong, Osaka, San Fransisco). There certainly was a lot of media hype, and luckily the eclipse occured in the morning before work started!

Something that I was really disappointed with, though, was the lack of media emphasis on the fact that special sunglasses are *absolutely necessary*, and I regrettably saw people viewing the eclipse with their naked eyes..  

Stay tuned for pictures of the transit of Venus next month- I'm glad to be able to use my eclipse glasses again too! (*^^*) If you've no idea what I'm talking about, look here

Golden Week 2012

Golden Week is the holiday in Japan at the end of every April, like Easter break I guess.
This Golden Week was busy! First I went camping in Shizuoka 200km south-west of Tokyo, and then on a family trip with Toshi's Osakan family to Wakayama, the 'Hawaii of Japan'.

Camping

Driving 200km along the highway/motorway for the first time (left) and carp banners for Children's Day (right)

 Can you see Mt Fuji faintly towering over us?

Video: I catch a very easy Sakuradai fish!

Two sakuradai fish and tempura for lunch

Two lovely-looking fish that Toshi caught (*^^*)

Campfire's burning..

The campsite

Osaka/Wakayama

 Why wasn't our plane the Pokemon one!!?? (;_;)

 Feeling motherly with Satomi-chan and singing English songs to her ♪

 At a Yakiniku restaurant, grilled meat (especially beef).

This is the most delicious beef I've ever had! But one plate of cost about £10! Luckily I wasn't paying ;P

 

 Speaking of meat, I saw whale meat for the first time at a Wakayama fish market.
And no, I certainly did'n't buy any. The price of the smallest cut you can see here is about £10.

 Beautiful Shirahama beach!

 

 We visited a cave that was the location of a secret pirate hideout several hundred years ago!

 At Senjō-jiki, a very windy rocky point and Engetsu-tō, a natural sandstone arch

 Snorkeling!

 All-you-can-eat buffet back at the hotel after my no less than third hot spring bath in three days!