Sushi in Kingwood

Yesterday David and I went to the Thai Curry and Sushi Bar in Kingwood to eat lunch. It was pretty good. I would rank it just below the kaitenzushi in 鶴見　where I used to work in terms of quality. It was Americanized a bit and wasn't Tokyo style. Not that I am snooty or biased or anything. I asked the chef in Japanese if he was Japanese. He responded in Japanese that he was Chinese - neat huh? The rest of the wait staff was speaking in Chinese so I should have figured it out. Anyway, it is recommended. They give you a big bowl of edamame and the mizo soup was fair...

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New Electronics

My children were starting to catch up with me in terms of what their cell phones could do so I picked up this new i-mate Pocket PC with Windows so I can take a picture, post it to my blog, and view it. Of course I can also create an Excel spreadsheet or a Word file as needed.

This cell phone has more power than my first PC by a significant amount. That PC had 32 k of memory (16k RAM and 16k ROM) and when I first got it I used a tape recorder for storage until I could afford a floppy disk drive. And it didn't even have a built in camera or ability to access the internet. I shall not tell tales of punched paper tape or IBM paper cards. Or learning to use a slide rule...

How is the Camp?

The camp is OK. As you can tell from the photo, the interior decorator was not a woman. The sheets and towels get changed twice a week and the air conditioner works good. I have my own bathroom, living room with TV, microwave, refrigerator, and office.

The canteen has both Japanese and European food. The Japanese food isn't too bad but there are some not quite right things. Like, the miso soup has wakame and potatoes in it. OK though. We get hamour tempura (grouper) instead of anago. But I like it.

The vegetables are really good and the fruit isn't too bad. Deserts are not the specialty of the chef which is probably a good thing for me. The weather is over 40 deg. C now in Doha.

Road Hazards

There are a number of road hazards here. As in most places, but maybe more so here, the number one hazard is other drivers. There are also sandstorms (on the day after I took this picture I had to slow down considerably because of visibility and there is dust in the air in this picture as well).

And then there are the camels. Camels are a lot like moose in Alaska. A lot of weight up high on spindly legs - just right to come crashing into the passenger compartment if you hit one. So far I am avoiding them. You see them from time to time. Today I saw a big lizard. Other than that, not much moving...

I am getting settled in but having to work some long hours. My shipment came in from Japan today so soon I'll have the rest of my clothes, stereo, massage chair, tea pots, and television. I don't know why I got that television. There is already one here so I don't really need it. Oh well. Better having surplus corruption than not having what you need...

How did I get from Tokyo to Here?

This is my villa in Doha in the late evening. Parked in front is my Volkswagon 4wd SUV. Pretty cool (except that it is 40 deg C and about to climb to 50 every day). It is 4 bedrooms, 4 and a half baths, a living room, kitchen, dining room, and utility room. I don't need the space - it is way too much.

I will probably move out to the camp - I have reserved a one bedroom with office out there. They also have a swimming pool, gym, tennis courts, and Japanese food. I will probably keep this place or a place in Doha though. I have to be there one day a week and there are always the weekends. Maybe even visitors!

Last week I went and spent the day with the laborers. Their life is much different than mine. At lunch we were given a metal tray and food was dished upon it. No fork or spoon - you eat with your hands and using the bread in the traditional style. The food wasn't bad though and there were more than enough calories for me - I didn't eat it all. It seemed pretty healthy too. I ate on the Indian side and it seemed pretty spicy to me but the workers didn't think it had enough curry. Each worker had to carry his own cup or bottle in for water.

The accomodation for laborers is pretty sparse compared to what I've gotten used to. It can be a hard life for some. Be grateful for an education and the opportunity for more.

Last Day in Yokohama

Here is the group photo on my last day in Japan. My going away gift was a man's yukata and geta - traditional Japanese daily wear and wooden shoes. I haven't tried the yukatta on yet but it is very pretty. I was assured the shoes were large, but my feet are XL by Japanese standards.

I am in Doha now and all is fine. The weather is plenty warm and the sun is out. I'll start writing about that (I miss Japan but will try not and make that the topic of my postings).

Hashioki

I have a few strange quirks. Most are harmless like this one of collecting hashioki (chopstick rests) but only those that are in the shape of a fish and where there is both a "boy" and "girl" fish. I display them on a piece of cloth showing a scene from an Edo era screen with koi on it. Most are ceramic.

Anyway, I am up to 12 pairs of hashioki now. Starting in the upper left hand top row they are: tai (sea bream), kingyo (goldfish), some little critters I forgot that look like gobies, koi no bori (carp streamer shape); left middle row: another pair of koi no bori made from glass, kingyo, some Vietnamese haishioki made from horn, tai, fugu (poisonous blow fish); bottom row: kingyo, tai, hirame (flounder).

In Japan, pink is for girls and blue is for boys. You might also see other pairs like the orange and black or gold and orange in the picture. Tai are popular because they are thought to bring good fortune. They are often eaten at ceremonious meals and Yebisu is usually seen holding one. Of course this is the time of year to fly koi no bori with May 5th coming up.

The fish shaped ones are a bit hard to find in pairs. I asked about them once and was told that they are a little old fashioned and really only used on special occasions at home. Some nice restaurants have them. They are kind of fun though. If you have special china and silver I suggest you get them out and use them. They aren't doing much good in the cupboard. Have a tea party :-).

The weather is great right now! This morning was very clear and Fuji was clearly visible.

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Guess What is for Dinner

Since I don't have much time left in Japan, I am trying new restaurants whenever I can again. I have made it into a game that goes like this: pick one at random that looks like it does not have an English menu (pictures and plastic food displays also make it too easy), then go in and try to get something to eat! I will eat about anything so that isn't a problem. The game is to try and read the menu at least a little, ask questions, and then see if you get what you thought you were ordering without letting the waiter or waitress know you are clueless. I do better than 70% at this game but there are enough errors to keep it interesting. So far, I have always been able to get enough food and not go hungry.

I am OK at asking questions. My trouble is understanding the answers. I can ask for recommendations and figure out generally whether the dish consists of rice, vegetables, fish, or meat based on what I am told most of the time. Tonight I was really doing good and then got caught right at the end when I couldn't tell her what kind of ochazuke with ume I wanted and ordered wrong. Last night I got through the whole meal without missing a beat.

Have a happy Easter!

Clown Shoes

There isn't much to write about this week. I have been working instead of engaging in people observation or learning about cultures. However, that didn't stop me from seeing this young man on the train. Look at those shoes. They were even more impressive in real life. At first I thought it was some afflicted person with feet the size of David's on a regular sized body. Then I began to think the guy was wearing clown shoes on purpose - probably for fashion.

It is hard to tell what is going on in this picture. So I have denoted the clown ratio on the photograph. For the purposes of this discussion, the clown ratio is the length of extra shoe over what is normally required to house the foot. (By the way, "kutsu" is the word for shoe in Japanese - just thought I'd throw that in to make this a little more educational). Expressed as a percentage, I estimate the clown ratio on this fellow to be around 50%. The shoe itself, up close, actually looked like the extra had been grafted onto it or somthing. Note the box toe on the left foot and also look at his feet relative to everyone elses. Almost bozoesque. OK, enough about big shoes.

All too soon I have to leave Japan and it is going to be a sad day. I have never taken so much enjoyment from observing people elsewhere although I know there is just as much opportunity. I just really like Japanese people and it is not going to be the same...

More Pachinko

A girl with a sign showing the way to a pachinko parlor. The kanji at the top of the sign with the yellow background says "nihon" which is the Japanese word for Japan. The katakana, which indicates foreign words, below it says "gurandoinpakuto" when romanized. Can you guess what it means? See the comments for a translation.

What is this Dude About?

BROOKLYN

CITY

MANHATTAN

I AN AFFORD

A MORE STYLISH

Bureikou

Here we are at the party after viewing the cherry blossoms. The title "Bureikou" means putting aside rank. This is important in Japan because during the work day there is a high level of formality and politeness that results in less than direct communication. So, in the evening, it is common to let your hair down and speak a little more directly about work related items.

The result is karaoke, drinking too much, and at a party there will be assorted silliness and games that everyone participates in.

In this picture Ikeda-san and I are recreating a famous Japanese skit. One person sits, covered in a costume where he can't see, behind the other and feeds him noodles. Ikeda-san and I won the prize for "Best Couple". There was much ooh-ing and aah-ing about my ability to use chopsticks without seeing. "It looked like one person was eating" I was told. We also gave stirring speeches, ate, and drank. The food was French (excellent) and the cocktails had a cherry blossom in them.

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Kaisha no hanami

This is the office hanami party. This year we walked part way around the palace moat and had the party at the Imperial Hotel. Being stylish, I wore a pink cherry blossom tie.

An Ode to the Cherry Blossom

I wrote the following haiku upon seeing cherry blossoms on the way to the airport this morning (this is common behavior for sensitive, artistic people):

momoiro de
sakura no hana wo
kakushimasu

Poetic translation:

The cherry blossoms
are hidden
by the color of pink

Seriously Nerdy

According to the Geek Test I took on the Newsweek website I sometimes look at for news, I am "Seriously Nerdy". Of the categories ranging from "Last Century" up, this is the highest form of geekdom in the test. According to the statistics, only 5% of the persons taking the test scored this high. This surprised me - wouldn't only nerds take a test that scores how nerdy you are? Here are some of the questions:

• Have you ever emailed a picture taken on your cell phone to a friend? (Everyone in Japan does this)
• Do you text message with your phone (everyday)
• How many computers do you currently have at home? (3 counting my work laptop - that isn't so many)
• Do you have a home network set up? (Who doesn't?)
• A joke about binary code (Of course I got it - I could have understood it in hexadecimal)

I didn't do very well on the one about having a TIVO on your television. Do geeks watch television?

Tokyo Tower at Night

When visitors come, they generally like to sit in the massage chair which has a view out this window. Looking out, you can see Tokyo Tower (that one is pretty obvious) and to the right of it is Mt. Fuji. If you look down, you can see the temple. If I am in the way you can't see anything.

In the winter this window is warm and sunny and there is a nice ledge to sit on. It would be good for a cat, or anyone else inclined to sit on a window sill.

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Hanami at Night

People like to go and view the cherry flowers at night too. I tried to get a good picture but this was the best I could do. The trees are getting near peak now. The best guess is that they will peak in the Tokyo area on Tuesday or so. With my standard good timing, I will be in Doha then.

Meanwhile, I suggest going outside with a flashlight or better yet set up a generator and floodlights under a flowering tree. Pop open a beverage of your choice and enjoy some snacks...

CATASTROPHE AVERTED

I bought a new one - Canon IXY 700. They call it the PowerShot SD600 Digital ELPH in the United States. There were some a little fancier but I decided to stick with a small size and the Canon brand that I was already familiar with. The camera is smaller, lighter, the pixels greater (6 Mega) and the LCD viewer bigger than my old one. It also opens up and gets ready to shoot faster. It won't use my old batteries or memory unfortunately. I think it will be OK...

CATASTROPHE

I dropped my camera and now the lens doesn't seem to be working properly. Maybe I can get it fixed but I would be out of action for a while. I am going to try and check on repair tomorrow. If it is going to take a while, I am buying a new one :-)

King Eagles Pachinko & Slot Parlor

I was out the other day without my camera and took this picture with my cell phone. It is a Pachinko Parlor and the young men lined up outside are waiting to get in early in the morning. When the door opens, they rush inside to get the "best" machine. According to reliable sources, there are professional pachinko players.

Now, I have never played pachinko. But I have seen it and for the life of me cannot figure how you can make a living playing pachinko. It doesn't even require skill - it is pure luck. But I am assured that somehow you can put the odds in your favor. I think it is something about if the machine sits there long enough without paying, it will eventuall pay off big.

When you win, you get little prizes (because it is illegal to get money). Then you take the prizes around back and trade them for money. Hmmm... The only people making money off pachinko are the owners of the parlor I think. I didn't see any of the young men dressed that nicely or driving expensive cars in the line outside. We can also throw our money at the lottery. Haven't I written about Pachinko before? I know I have written about cherry blossoms. I feel like Yogi Berra: "It's deja vu all over again".

Girls in Uniform

I saw this sign at the train station in Kawasaki. It is labeled to the side:

Kawori Manabe Working Costumes Collection

And the individual uniforms or "costumes" are: Policewoman, Bar Hostess, Car Mechanic, Carpenter, Kindergarten Teacher, Office Worker, Nurse, Gas Station Attendant, Flight Attendant, Maid, Sushi Chef, Hamburger Shop Girl, Elevator Attendant, White Collar Worker, Bartender, Sightseeing Bus Guide, Secretary, and Fishmonger.

And that is all I know about that.

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Sakura Starting to Bloom

The cherry trees are starting to bloom. This tree is just down the street from my apartment at the bridge that crosses the intersection to the school. It is the first cherry I remember seeing bloom when I first got to Japan. I can't miss it. When I cross the bridge it is just overhead.

Anyway, they look like they are going to bloom in the Tokyo area a little early. This one will probably be in full bloom by mid-week. We planned our office Hanami (Flower Viewing Party) for April 7th and chances are they will pretty much be gone by then. Accordingly, we have adjusted the plan to just having a walk in the park sans sakura no hana and then having a party.

Meanwhile, with my usual penchant for poor timing, I am going to Doha the week of the party and will fly back in on the 6th. So I will probably miss the main bloom this year but at least I'll be at the party.

In Japan, the cherry blossom represents the fragility and shortness of life as well as the beauty. Sometimes you miss out on a few things in life, so, missing the cherry blossom peak is just one of those things. You just have to capitalize on things when you get the chance...

The First Day of Spring

Yesterday was the first day of spring and a day off in Japan. Since I am quite fashion conscious, I was looking to see what people would be wearing today on the train.

Sure enough, the fashionable young men had changed to pastel shirts with matching ties. And women were wearing light colored coats and the boots, alas, are starting to disappear.

Yesterday it was warm but by this morning it had turned cold and rainy. But I saw the first cherry buds breaking open in the Tokyo area this morning on my way to train. One tree was even pretty much blooming. The seasons are changing…

Daibutsu at Kamakura

A plum blooms in front of the Daibutsu (Great Buddha) at Kamakura. It was cast in 1252 by the sculptors Ono-Goroemon and Tanj-Hisatomo at the request of Miss Idanonotsubone and Priest Joko according to the tribute at the site. In 1498 a tsunami swept away the temple that covered it leaving it in the open air. The buddha weighs about 121 tons and is 13.35 m tall.

Girls in the Park

This is Koishikawa Korakuen Gardens in Tokyo with the plums in bloom. The plum tree is not as showy as the cherry. There are fewer blossoms and perhaps not as much color depth. But the flower is very fragrant and they are among the first trees to bloom in Japan. A sure sign of spring.

Ume no Hana

A collage showing plum blossoms in Koishikawa Korakuen Gardens, ranging from white through dark pink...

The Great Buddha in Nara

The Todai-ji in Nara houses the Great Buddha. Cast in 752 by a Korean artist, it is made of bronze and weighs 100s of ton. It is the largest bronze image of the Buddha (see picture behind Yebisu) in the world. The building has been rebuilt several times. The current structure dates from 1709 and is only 2/3rds the size of the original. It is still the largest wooden building in the world.

The Golden Pavillion

The famous Golden Pavillion (Kinkagoji) in Kyoto is a Buddhist temple that was originally the home of a Shogun. Built around 1400, the original was unfortunately destroyed by arson in 1950. This exact replica is covered in gold leaf and topped by a bronze phoenix just like the original.

Look behind Ebisu for some more pictures of Ebisu and Nara...

Firenze

I have just returned from a trip to Firenze, Pisa, Paris, and Doha. I think I have published pictures of the last three before so I thought I'd show you something from Firenze (Florence).

Firenze is a nice small city and of course famous for it's contribution to the Renaissance. It is also famous for wine, food, and fashion - especially leather (think purses Megan). Here are 5 different views of the famous cathedral in Firenze, the Duomo, starting in the upper left and going clockwise.

1 The dome visible over buildings from my hotel window

2 Inside the cathedral looking up at the dome

3 The facade of the cathedral

4 The baptistry with cathedral and dome in back

5 The main entrance

On this trip Ikeda-san bought a $100 bottle of Tuscany wine in a restaurant that I was unable to fully appreciate but thought was very good indeed. Ikeda-san likes wine whereas Hatta-san likes sake. I have decided wine is more likely to give me a headache and I'm leaning towards Hatta-san.

This week my visitors show up and we are going to Kyoto and Nara. There should be more Japanese pictures in the next posting...

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Shinkansen

The Japanese name for the bullet train is shinkansen which means literally "new main rail line" but you may see it translated as super express or more popularly as bullet train. The shinkansen system has been in place now for a number of years and there is an extensive network throughout Japan. In the picture you can see a number of different models that have come out over the years.

The largest is the "Max" which is the extra wide double decker in the upper left. The oldest model is the bullet shaped one on the far lower left.

The rail infrastructure here is amazing. The local train and underground in the Tokyo area is clean, safe, very much on time, and at rush hour very crowded. The shinkansen is convenient, comfortable, and fast.

In Japan, there are a lot of train nuts. They want to see, ride, model, photograph, etc. It is the usual bunch of fanatics - young boys and middle aged men. You can buy a special low cost ticket that lets you stand on the platform like I did here and take pictures. Neat...