Dinner

I bet my Mum wouldn’t believe I’m cooking squid (for the first time), so I’m posting this picture！ Your fussy-eater of a daughter is long gone！
Made one of my favourite dishes, Korean Kimchi soup (*^^*)

お花見 Cherry Blossom Viewing

Possibly the most anticipated event of the Japanese calendar has come and gone in the blink of an eye.

My student who is a Buddhist monk tried to explain the significance of cherry blossoms in Japanese culture; their fleeting opening and falling to the ground reminds us that life is short, yet beautiful. The flowers remind us to enjoy life and beautiful nature.

So in the spirit of the season (my third in Japan! Blimey!) I managed to squeeze in no less than three cherry blossom viewing events (known as o-hanami) into my busy schedule!!

• On the Sunday, the first hanami was my own Marshall English School's party, and students coming along meant lots of amazing home-cooked food!!! I myself prepared cold clam pasta, which seemed to go down pretty well!

 

Delicious rice balls and .. take-away pizza (!?)

 My boss opens up some champagne!

 With some of my students

• The following day on Monday I went on a bike ride before my afternoon classes along Meguro River, one of the most famous viewing spots in Tokyo and only about 3 minutes from my place, on an unseasonally hot day with my cowoker, Tom.

 So beautiful!!

 All dressed up to see the blossoms in suits and kimonos!

 We went exploring and stumbled upon this gorgeous hidden Japanese garden in Hiroo city

• By Wednesday the petals were already falling, and the white sakura near Toshi's house looked just like snow!

 Snowy-sakura!

Then we went on a drive (as we do) to a park with reportedly 40,000 cherry blossom trees near Tokorozawa City, though regrettably it was raining so I didn't get any decent pictures..


Coming up.. in 3 days is the start of my 9-day long Golden Week holiday!! I can't wait!
Toshi and I are planning 2 days camping, 3 days with the family in Osaka including a family vacation to Awaji Island for some sightseeing :D

Trip to the UK Pictures!

Hanoi, Vietnam

 Eating Pho noodles (pronounced 'fur') on teeney tiny plastic chairs. A common sight at Vietnamese restaurants!

ちっちゃいプラスチックいすを座りながらフォをたべた

 Hoan Kiem Lake

 An overloaded motorbike-shop and twittering birds outside shops. Japan has a similar custom of hanging wind chimes out shops in Summer.

 お店の外よく鳥さんが掛けられていました。

 A cyclo round Hoan Kiem lake, and a sauna where I could finally have a shower!

自転車タクシーを乗ったり、スパーでやっとシャワー浴びました！

Preston, North England

 The Cousins Club

いとこと一緒！

 Yummy Lancashire Hot Pot for dinner!

大好きな来たイギリスの「ランカシャホットポット」ってコーンドビーフが入っているシチュ

A horse and carriage ride along the promenade in sunny Blackpool

ブラックプールでは辻馬車を乗りました

Grandad and Val on the observation deck of Blackpool Tower

ブラックプールタワーの頂上まで！

Blackpool Tower looks a lot like Tokyo Tower!

ブラックプールタワーは何か似ているかしら？

An artistic shot

Toshi learns to dunk from the Master himself, Grandad!!
トシははじめてダンクという紅茶にクッキーを濡らして食べる方

Parents and Grandparents together for pub grub!

両親とおじいさんとおばあさんと一緒

Wales

 Fish and chips with old school friends!

学校の友達とフィッシュアンドチップス

 The countryside back at home

 出身の田舎

 Milking a goat!

Petting a deer and a donkey for everyone!

かわいい動物をなでました！

We made new animal friends!

新しい友達をできました！

Yummy food in Tenby!

A Japanese tea cup for my Japanese-studying Grandfather

おじいちゃんが日本語を勉強しているのでこのマッグを買ってあげました

My favourite dish "Rakott krumpli" (right)!

一番好きな料理はハンガリーからの「ロコッとクルムプリー」です（右）

Tenby's castle walls, and a history lesson from dad

テンビーの城の壁と教会でお父さんから歴史の話を聞いた。

Pretty Tenby!

きれいなテンビー！

London

 Sightseeing in London

ロンドンの観光

 St Paul's Cathedral at sunset

 So many friends came to meet Toshi!

トシの最後の夜にいっぱい友達が会いに来ました。

 The Physics crew picnic

大学生の友達

 Boating in Regent's Park

学校の友達

 Tower of London

 On a ferry on the Thames under Millennium Bridge with Kate

 Boris Bikes- just £2 for an hour =D

ロンドンの人気がある自転車を貸すシステム

Ho Chi Minh (formerly Saigon), Vietnam

 Heavy traffic at rush hour and fake Japanese-brand earphones

込んでいた道と日本のグッズのにせもの

 It was so hot and humid, so I bought a frogurt!

暑すぎてアイスを食べた！

(By the way I look good in this photo considering I hadn't slept on the 12 hour flight there!)

 Reunifition Palace- the site of the end of the Vietnam War when American tanks sieged here in 1975

１９７５年アメリカと戦争が終わった所です

 Notre Dame Cathedral, Ho Chi Minh, with weird neon stuff

 Haggled-for coconut milk!　ココナツミルク！

 This pork pho was SO delicious!! Better than ramen, soba or udon in Japan!

ラーメンよりフォがおいしい！！