Lake Shikotsu

Lake Shikotsu is near Sapporo and is a very scenic place. There are supposed to be a lot of birds but these swans and some crows were

about all I spotted...

David does the Pacific Music Festival

Here is the bass section playing taking a bow at Sapporo Concert Hall Kitara. The program featured Don Quixote Op. 35 (Strauss) and Symphonie Fantastique Op. 14 (Berlioz). It was a nice concert and a very nice venue. David also got to play with the Sapporo Symphony.

Japanese Shinto Wedding

Today we saw a wedding at the Hokkaido Shrine in Sapporo. I was lucky enough to be able to take some pictures and you can see the rest here.

I guess that makes me an international wedding photographer.

Fireworks along the River

The fireworks were spectacular! This isn't my best ever shot (I'll make an excuse - I didn't have a tripod), but it does show the crowd and it was a large and enthusiastic one.

Summer in Japan

It is summer in Japan and this stylish couple is wearing the proper attire to go watch fireworks. There are usually a lot of girls wearing yukata at these events but I thought there were an especially high percentage here in Sapporo.

Otaru Canal

The town of Otaru, North and West of Sapporo, was a large banking center and important port during the development of Hokkaido. It had a lot of Western influences and this scene along the canal almost looks European.

Fashion News from Hokkaido

I saw these high heeled tennis shoes on the train from Sapporo to Otaru. Remember you saw this first here on my blog. By this time next year they'll be everywhere.

Tanuki

This is a giant flying tanuki (I think) in the long arcade in Sapporo. Japan is still the land of cute. Sapporo is much cooler than Tokyo, but it has been raining. Hopefully, we can get out and see some countryside as well as Dave play his concert.

Sensoji Temple

When you get to the top of the temple stairs and look up at the ceiling at Sensoji, this is what you see...

Sensoji Gate

I am back in Japan again, but not lost at the moment. This is Sensoji Temple Gate at Asakusa just past where all the markets are. It looks like it has been recently repainted and looks great. Japan is a bit warm though...

Look Ma, No Hands

One of my readers accused me of "doctoring" my photographs and in the interest of transparency and good journalism, I am publishing the photograph he sent me at left, along with the full contents of his email below.

"

BULL JIVE!!!!

Little do you know Frank that I am friends with almost half of the three man Gulf Breeze Police Department. I had one of my buddies analyze your photo in the GBPD Crime Lab, and this is what it showed before you "doctored" it up. Nice try,

-StuMonkey

"

Gentle Readers, he is make reference to the blog entry I made on June 28th. I prefer not to expose you to this sort of thing, but thought it best to do so as I of course would never hide anything from you, even if it is untrue.

The Woodlands

The Town Center in the The Woodlands is nice enough. You can walk around and get a nice cup of coffee and visit the various shops...

July 4th in Kingwood

Cody and I went down to see the fireworks at King's Crossing Town Center in Kingwood last night. It didn't seem like they were as good as usual. I would have to rate them much lower than Buddha's Birthday in Brisbane, Qatar Day, or the summer fireworks in Japan. They say that River Fire in Brisbane is really good but we missed that. Of course this was just the Kingwood fireworks - the Houston fireworks downtown were probably better.

Here in Montgomery County you can buy and set off your own fireworks. I almost think they had a better display in the neighbor's yard than they did over in Town Center. They are pretty strict in Houston and will arrest you for pyrotechnics. The biggest problem with the display itself around here is that there is nothing scenic to contrast them against. The ones in Kingwood are fired from the golf course and you watch them from the Park & Ride or HEB over the pine trees. Much better to watch them set against the city or over some water...