catch-up

High school buds on the bullet train, returning to Tokyo from Osaka

This is a catch-up blog - I am posting pictures and short blurbs of moments from the past few (or three?) weeks, from visitor time. The days are really flying by now, and with only four sleeps to go (egad!) we have much to do - people to see, places to go, food to eat, a house to pack up... ugh, it's intimidating. The weather has been amazing, and we have lots of outside-things planned - park visits, walks, bike rides - so I'd best be getting things done around here. Voila, le blog, and I'm off to organize.

This is Sachie, Steve's biggest fan... she is a mega sweetie (she gives us - both of us - presents and cards) and a very dedicated fan; soon after this picture was taken she started crying...

...because she wanted us to come back so much; "fingers crossed!" was all I could say!

An artistic aerial shot, by Anna

We had a gyoza and nanaimo bar making party - an unlikely pair, no? Gyoza is one of Nao's specialties, and under her tutelage, the three of us (Marili, Anna and I) packaged up 90 little suckers before tackling the nanaimo bars. These were a HUGE hit at Christmas, and ever since they have been a top request from Marili's husband and... well, from anyone else that ate them over the holidays. Along with Steve and Hendrik, we ate 86 gyoza and at least half of the nanaimos... GLUTTONS!

Shopping in Nao's neighborhood, Shimokitazawa. Nice shaaaades!

Busy, busy, busy Shibuya.

In Osaks... the weather was amazing!

I went to one of the most amazing museums in Osaka - the Open-air Museum of Old Japanese Farmhouses... it was incredible! There are 12 original old-style farm houses from the Edo period (17th - 19th century) from different rural areas of Japan, all displayed in near perfect condition in a quiet corner of one of Osaka's biggest parks. Stepping into these homes was like stepping into the past, really and truly. You could feel and sense and imagine what life was like - what people wore, what and how they cooked, where they slept and ate and worked... it was a definite highlight for me - a must if you ever find yourself in Osaka!!




The cherry blossoms on their way out on a gorgeous Spring day - down the block from our apt

Nao and Marili on gyoza duty

When my mom and dad were here we went to Happo-en and meandered in the gardens at this fancy, traditional hotel. There was a small stretch of garden that showed off the fruits of labour of many a gardener - some of these bonsai were 500 years old! Teeny tiny and manicured, they have been many hands that have shaped these small trees.


Cheers boys! Hendrik, Dad and Steve

An azalea garden festival at the Nezu-jinja shrine, one of Tokyo's oldest original structures; the flowers were beautiful!