27.3.10

Spring break 2010

Whew! Spring break finally arrived after a long, hard winter here in Tokyo. Although winter is not yet over (yes, it's still cold!), there is a hint of spring in the air during the days at least, and a few cherry blossoms are beginning to bloom :)

We were both sick over the first weekend of the break, so stayed in bed watching movies and relaxing. Monday morning we were ready to take off on an adventure with our friends, Terry and Sherry. After a 2 hour drive north west of Tokyo, we arrived at our destination in Gunma Prefecture. This area is famous for its apples, and we were impressed by the large number of apple tree fields. At the moment, the trees are bare, and their grey, wiry branches spread out like long, gnarled fingers, ready to grab you - a perfect setting for scary movies! In autumn/fall, they will be loaded with apples... can't wait to see that!
Apple tree fields
The man who owns the field (pictured above), was kind enough to give us some apples from his cold store to sample - we all enjoyed the crispy, sweet flavor.

Off to the waterfall... Now, I have seen a lot of waterfalls in my time, and usually the ones I've seen in Japan don't really impress me... but this one is truly spectacular! The water rushes to flow over and down steep rock faces, and with no barricades, you have to keep behind the white line for fear of being swept away!
Out in the nature :)

Checking into our ryokan was a breeze, and we were pleasantly surprised by our room. In the traditional Japanese style, it was a tatami room with a large cupboard to house the futons which are to be made up each night and put away each morning. The bathroom (toilets, washbasins) was just across the hall, and the dining room was at the end of the hall. The best part though, was the onsen... each morning and night we luxuriated in the steamy bath... the perfect way to start the day, and the best way to end it - 100% toasty warm before sleeping :) If you've never had an onsen experience, try to do so at least once in your life...

The meals (breakfast and dinner) at the ryokan were delicious... Japanese cuisine, with a few Western foods thrown in at breakfast time. The food was plentiful... we ate way too much... pickles, vegetables, soups, rice, nabe, sashimi...
Content man


The next day we visited a temple which was so peaceful... the various plants were just about to bloom. The koi (carp) were not very active... I think they are tired of winter and want some heat! With snow-topped mountains all around the various towns and villages there, I think they will need to be patient for a few more weeks :)
Shishi-Odoshi (bamboo fountain)

On to the highlight of this mini-break... Takaragawa Spa. This place is magical! With one female only onsen, and 4 mixed baths, you need to be brave! Fortunately, large towels were provided for women, so I didn't feel so shy about onsen-hopping! Ale, however, had just a little hand towel to cover himself with... bare-bottom alert!! Outdoors, surrounded by snow, these baths really do relax you. Yes, it is cold as you disrobe and approach the natural bath, but as soon as your body touches the steaming hot water... agh... and drinking cold Sapporo beer whilst relaxing adds that special touch ;) Photos to come...

Cards... we love to play cards... and someone amongst us is a shark... enough said!

On our final day, we did a spot of shopping - the local fruit, vegetables, and yogurt are wonderful! Then, sadly, we made our way back to Tokyo. Thanks to Terry for doing all that driving, and to Sherry for organizing the booking, etc. We had a great time away with you, and look forward to another trip away in autumn/fall. Can't wait to taste 'them apples' :)

28.2.10

Summer in Australia 2009/10

Finally, I have found some time to write about the summer holidays! We had a great time in Australia. It was wonderful to catch up with family and friends, and to enjoy the hot weather. We spent most of our time in Brisbane, staying with Ma and Pa Hoger, but we also headed south to Melbourne to check out the city and some possible locations in which to buy a house, apartment, block of land for a tent... it is expensive, but beautiful :) Highlights - too many to mention, although dining at Bistro Vite at Southgate in Melbourne would have to rank in my personal top 3 ;) Here are a few photos - and there are many more to enjoy on our Flickr page.
David, Sam, Ale, Kurt, and Rose
Aussie mangoes
Mad women!
Ale, bronze lady, and Ale
Mum, Rose, and Dad
Carlton Draught in Carlton!
Strawberry tart in Acland Street

17.1.10

The last few months of 2009

October through December were fairly quiet months for us here in Tokyo. With the weather beginning to cool down, we tend to become hermits!

Ainsely and Greg visited Tokyo in October and we had the chance to catch up with them on several occasions which was lots of fun. I took Ainsley to our favorite coffee shop in Harajuku “Snob’s Heart Café” which has delicious coffee and some of the best cakes in Tokyo!
http://www.cafe-master.com/yamanote/harajuku/snobs-heart-cafe.html#menu
Ainsley in Tokyo!


We did have the lucky chance (thanks Marjon!) to attend the Bledisloe Cup final at the end of October. Even though Australia lost to the All Blacks, it was very exciting to watch the game and cheer the Aussies as they played their best against the powerful New Zealand lads. We also enjoyed watching our first live Haka – the Australian players must feel terrified after watching it! ;)
http://www.newzealand.com/travel/about-nz/features/haka-feature/haka.cfm
Rose at the rugbyAle at the rugby


One weekend in December we spent a long afternoon exploring Ginza, and to refuel, we enjoyed a fantastic Korean meal at a restaurant called Hantejiya – so spicy!
http://www.ramla.net/casual_restaurant/hantejiya/index_english.htm
This little piggy...

On our last Sunday in Tokyo before flying to Australia for Christmas, we went for a 3 hour walk along the Tama River, which is in our neighbourhood. We soon shed our many layers as the sun was shining so brightly – large dose of vitamin D! The river was roaring after the heavy rain Tokyo had received, and the birds were enjoying the sun, the gentle breeze, and the steady flow of fish to be caught.
Take care!Rose on the river

Jiyugaoka coffee van


Jiyugaoka coffee van
Originally uploaded by ainsley2006
Relaxing with hot coffee at one of our favourite spots in Jiyugaoka!

The whole gang


Spanish restaurant (3)
Originally uploaded by ainsley2006
We had lots of fun at this Spanish restaurant in Shibuya. The sangria is delicious!

30.10.09

Tsukiji Market - Tuna Auction - LIVE!

Tsukiji Market

This morning, we woke up REALLY early (4:45 AM) to get ready to go to the Tsukiji Market in Tsukiji, Tokyo. Thanks to Annmaree and Owen for encouraging us to get out of bed so early - it was a truly unforgettable experience!
This 24 hour market sells food products such as fish, vegetables, fruit, meat and flowers. Many tourists go there each day to watch the very lively 'tuna' auctions (see next post). It is an incredibly busy place, with little vehicles zooming around with fish deliveries, old men on bicycles with big baskets full of fish, and wheelbarrows overflowing with fish being pushed by muscly blokes! Hmmmm... note the overuse of the word 'fish' in that last sentence? Well, that's because Tsukiji is the LARGEST fish market in the world! I have never seen so many fishy things. I was quite shocked by the vast quantities... and my "what are we doing to the planet?" voice screamed inside my head as I watched a seller tease and taunt a live crab, and looked into containers full of extremely undersized fish! I much preferred the fruit and veg section, where we were tempted to buy a very big box of tomatoes...
Hunger pangs struck us around 7:30 AM, and we ventured into one of the market stalls to eat sushi with rice. I had 'Maguro Salmon Don' - tuna and salmon on rice, and Ale had 'Maguro Don' - both were extremely delicious, though I still feel very guilty...

Fish delivery IMG_0801 IMG_0800 IMG_0813