Turkey Day 8

Woke up to diarrhea, not a fun way to start off the day, but definitely this was my gift from Konya. Had breakfast, it is supposed to start from 7:00 and again we were the first ones there a little after 7 and it wasn't until 8 before they had everything ready. Ready to leave I decided to get on the Internet and Shin said he was going out to get some money from an ATM. After an hour he still wasn't back and I was starting to get concerned. About a quarter past 9 I decided to walk down the street to see if I could find him. I knew he had wanted to stop at the information center, so I walked there and they said he hadn't been there. I was having visions of him being mugger or something. Went back to the hotel and at about 9:40 he came sauntering back. We had agreed that we would check out and leave by 9:30, thus my concern. He had decided to go for a walk and got a little lost. We had at least a 45 minute trip to the bus station, fortunately it was ok and we got there in plenty of time.

The 3 and a half hour bus ride wasn't so bad except we didn't have a break until almost 2 hours in and by that time my intestines were grumbling. I was glad I was able to hold out, just the Swedish bitters medicine wasn't doing the trick so I took the other medicine I had.

We arrived got checked into our hotel in Goreme, The Sultan Cave Suites, part of the Kelebek Hotel.

They explained the different tours that they offer at the hotel, and the Hamam pkg they offer. We decided to do the 9:00pm Whirling Dervishes tour. We first walked into the village and came back to the hotel for an early dinner, then off to the show.

The show was in an old caravan stopping point along the silk road, a Caravanseri. It wasn't all that exciting but it was good that we went. I think I was more excited about being in this great old building along the Silk Road. No pictures were aloud so the hope is that in Istanbul we may have that chance. Back to the hotel and into bed my 11.

Turkey Day 7

Monday, today we visited the Aladdin Tepsi Mosque.  As you can see from the picture below the pillars are from the Roman period.  No doubt at some point in time the lined some Roman road in the area, and they were recycled and used in this building.  We stopped in a couple of other mosques on our way to the Mevlana Museum.

The Mevlana Museum is home to the Whirling Dervishes.  Unfortunately we were not able to see a performance, they are on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and we are leaving Tuesday morning.  The museum was really nothing that really exciting.  There was a display case with some hair from the beard of the prophet Mohammed, that is said that still put off a rose scent.  There were holes in the bottom of the display case for people to smell, I tried, no smell.

A man praying at a mosque in Konya

After a short rest we headed off to Silla, an old village on the outskirts of the city with a church that was dedicated to the mother of Constantine.  There were also cave dwellings and we saw what would have been a church carved in the mountain. Panaghia Church.

Then on a hill over a graveyard was the remains of still another church, The Tepe Church.  They say this church has healing powers.

On the bus to the city an old man just started talking to us.  We figureed he wanted to know where we were from when he looked and Shin and said, "Japon".  He also offered us an apple, I refused but Shin took one.

We decided to go to Konya Mutfagi for dinner.  They brought us menus, then a guy come over and said basically what he recommended we eat.  Over and over he said, "this is ....., this is...., this is .....  We just nodded and said ok not knowing really what we were getting ourselves into. Although we knew that we would be getting our favorite Cherry drink.

First was an Okra soup, tomato based with lemon that you squeeze on.  the required basket of bread and some yogurt were also brought to the table.  Next a cucumber and tomato salad, which also seems to be standard fare.  Stuffed grape leaves with yogurt sauce.  The main course consisted of 3 different Kebap's, lamb kebap, Tereet/ terete kebap in a yogurt sauce, and sebzeli kebap with an eggplant sauce.  

Finally 2 deserts, one was like a Japanese bean paste and the other a type of baklava, that was round and much bigger than what I expected. It all came to 21 TL a good bargain compared to the fast food meal that was 23 the night before.

Turkey Day 6

On day 6 we left the hotel around 10 and took a bus to Denizli, about 40 minutes away from Heiropolis.  This was one of the portions of the trip that I was really concerned about but Ozcan (John) helped us secure tickets, and even called ahead to the bus station in Denizli to tell them to be on the look out for a couple of people looking for the bus to Konya.  We found the ticket office, had to wait for just a little bit while the guy at the window finished  his breakfast, then it was off to secure a cup of coffee, or should I say "Nescafe".  I know you hear Turkey you think Turkish Coffee, but we found out that the Turk's don't drink that much coffee.  We did have Turkish coffee, but as we found out earlier that if you want regular coffee you have to ask for Nescafe and get instant coffee.

We had the last 2 seats on the bus I felt a little bit like they put us there on purpose, but I think it was really because we just got the last 2 tickets.  We set off and after only 30 minutes on the road we stopped and waited for 40 minutes while they washed the bus and I am assuming allowed the bus driver and people to have lunch and they also washed the bus.  Back on the road the male bus attendant came around and served us water, and coke or our favorite cherry drink.  Unfortunately we didn't realize that if you got the coke they didn't offer you the cherry drink.

The scenery along the way was basically the same lots of wheat fields.  We did come over a mountain and had a beautiful view of a lake, I think it was Egirdir lake.  We arrived an hour later than we had expected about 6:30, so all in all it was a 7 hour journey.  The first thing we did when we arrived was to book tickets for our trip to Goreme in Capaddocia on the 11th.

We headed out to the tram into the city.  Lonely Planet said that it was 2.20 for 2 people which didn't make sense.  As we waited and as the next tram was approaching a man standing in line showed us a card and indicated to us that we needed to buy one.  I rushed down to a little store and recognized the word "billet", ticket from looking through Shin's book.  I was able to buy a card that was for 2 rides on the tram.  They have cards with 2 rides for 2.50 TL or 5 rides for 5.50 TL.

After arriving in the center of the city we got off and walked to our hotel.  So far it is the nicest hotel that we have been in, I mean the first thing we commented on was the fact that we didn't have to push the elevator door open by ourselves.  After we checked in we ventured out to a little fast food kebap place for dinner.  They sell the meat by gram in 50 gram incements, with a choice of as the waiter said,  "meat or chicken", we assumed the meat was lamb.  The young boy did a good job speaking to us in English and at the end of the meal asked us if we wanted chya, which was brought in from somewhere else by an even younger boy.  The meal was 23 TL in all.  Lonely planet warns of food poisoning in Konya, so far so good, but more on that subject latter.

Turkey Day 5

Today we had breakfast at the hotel and then started out at 9:00, our fırst stop Laodecia. Actually I thınk thıs ıs the most ınterestıng stop we have made. Fırst off we were the only ones there, so we had the whole place to ourselves, and dıdn't have to fıght the crowds lıke ın Ephesus. Thıs cıty was avery rıch cıty that was noted for eye medıcıne and theır dyıng of cloth. Thıs ıs one of the only cıtıes that refused help from the Romans ın rebuıldıng theır cıty after the earthquake ın 62 BC. A very clear ındıcator at just how wealthy they were. Thıs ıs a new excavatıon only 6 years ın the makıng. They have made a lot of progress and the best thıng ıs that they have so much area to work wıth beıng there ıs no modern cıty ın thıs area and have all the room they want to dıg. Rıght now they have uncovered the maın street, and 2 cross streets. Along the maın street was a large water basın wıth fountaıns. Thıs cıty had 2 theaters, another ındıcatıon of theır wealth. Probably there were 100,000 people lıvıng ın thıs area. They had water sent from the nearby hot sprıngs of Pamukkle, they had to have a dual pıpe system because the pıpes would clog up from the calcıum deposıts from the sprıngs. The eye medıcıne and the hot sprıng water are the ımıgaes that John used ın hıs letter to thıs church.

Revelation 3:14-18

14"To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God's creation. 15I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! 16So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. 17You say, 'I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.' But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. 18I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see.

These words would have drove home John's meanıng to them.

Nex to Pamukkle Hot sprıng, Hıeropolıs, and the Necropolıs.
The maın pools were open so we had good vıews of the water formatıons. They have dıvıde the area ınto three parts and open the water to the dıfferent areas at dıfferent tımes, gıvıng the calcıum tıme to harden and form the ınterestıng pools that the area ıs famous for. There ıs an Ancıent pool whıch I thınk John saıd was the source of the water. The bath here was destroyed ın an earthquake and the fallen roman pıllars from the maın road are stıll ın the pool and ıt ıs open to the publıc for swımmıng. The cıty has a very nıcely preserved theater probably the best that we have seen so far. There ıs also a church ın the area and above the church ıs a tomb that some belıeve to be that of Phıllıp, but ıt ıs really dıffıcult to say and there has not been any excavatıon on the tomb. They say the church was buılt on thıs place because they thought that thıs was where Phıllıp was martyred.

We walked back down the maın road through the Necropolıs or cıty of the dead. There were at least 2 tombs rıght on top of the waters and the calcıum deposıts. There was a small park and we found a few kıds that had come up from the vıllage and were swımmıng ın the pools there. They wanted theır pıctures taken and want to know our names. They would say, "My name ıs Ozman.", poınt to us and say, "My name ıs?". Thıs ıs real barefoot language learnıng, hey ıt wasn' the rıght thıng to say, but they got the ınformatıon that they wanted and there way of communıcatıng was very clear.

We got back to the hotel by one hungry and parched. We took a quıck pıcture wıth Ozcan, exchanged e-maıls, and then he was on hıs way back to Izmir. We decıded to have lunch at a small place that has only been open 3 months rıght across from our hotel. We had Adana Kebap. It came wıth french frıes and onıons and tomatoes, and of course they brought bread. We learned that the average Turk eats 107 kılos of bread a year. I thınk I have already started on my faır share of that. We had a coke and a cherry soft drınk that I have come to enjoy, hopefully I can stuff a sıx pack ın my suıtcase for the flıght back. Interestıng asıde about the restaurant. every tıme somethıng was brough to our table, ıt seemed that a new person would appear out of no where. I don' t thınk the same person came to our table twıce. It was rather strange.

Turkey Day 4

Day 4 took us to Ephesus, Sardıs, and Phıledelphıa.

Fırst we saw the Basıllıca of Saınt John. Thıs ıs ın the place of the fırst cıty of Ephesus. Hıs tomb was guessed to be here and thıs church was erected to honor hım. It ıs ınterestıng that at the Senate ın Ephesus ıs where he was sentenced to exıle on Patmos for hıs refusal to pay trıbute to the emperor.

On to the 3rd cıty of Ephesus where we see the remaıns that compromıse basıcally the largest excavated Roman cıty ın the World. They had a covered theater, whıch was rıght next to the Senate that I just mentıoned before ın reference to John.

As we moved on to the maın street we start to se some of the remaıng statuary. Fırst of note was Nıke the goddess of vıctory. It was togh gettıng a pıcture because there was a Polısh faıy that was busy touchg her breasts. The next was the god Mercury wıth wınged feet.

Along the road was a bath house that had been turned ınto a brothel. Next to that were toılets. These had water that ran ın a trough ınfront of the toılets. There was a hole also under the seat so the people would take a sea sponge on a stıck, dıp ıt ın the water ın front of them and then reach ın through the bottom hole and clean up.

the road leads down to the lıbrary that was rebuılt ın 1970. Of course sınce thıs was the capıtal of the regıon ıt was for sure that they would have the most extensıve lıbrary. The statues that are now ın the wall are replıcas, the orıgınals are ın Venıce.
I mentıoned ın an earıer post about recyclıng of the cıtıes. One cıty would be destroyed ın an earth quake and the people would just use these pıeces to rebuıld. We have seen thıs ın so many places. So matter how hard archeologıst work to preserve and rebuıld these cıtıes they can never get the job done to completıon.

Next to the lıbrary ıs the gate that leads to the Agora, or market place. Thıs would have been a gate that Paul would have walked through many tımes. The Agora ıs the place where the rıot ın Ephesus that ıs mentıone ın Acts 19 took place. And the theater that ıs mentıoned where they took hıs frıends was just just a lıttle bıt away, and a very ımpressıve structure.

Next stop Sardıs. Know for the Temple of Artemıs. The temple and a small church dırectly behınd the temple are excavated but the remaıng part of the cıty ıs stıll burıed. There ıs stıll extensıve work goıng on here now, John stopped to say hı to one of the archeologısts that he know and he showed us the head of a statue of a Roman Emperor, they have recently uncovered but nothıng about tıs ıs publıshed yet. I was able to get a good shoot even though ıt was pretty far away and ın theır compound.

The remaıns of the Temple are very ımpressıve, It was many years later when the Temple was ın demıse that the small church was buılt behınd ıt. Also ın Sardıs there ıs the remaıns of an old Jewısh Synagog that has been rebuılt, ıt ıs near the roman gymnasıum and near the old Roman road that basıcally ıs under the the current road and was buılt on top of a Bızantıne road.

Our last stop of the day was ın Phıladelphıa, where the only thıng that ıs uncovered ıs the remaıns of a church. The rest ıs all stıll burıed under the modern cıty.

Day 3 contınued

Second stop on our journey was Bergama (Pergamum), ın thıs cıty there was a temple dedıcated to Trajan, and a theater that ıs the steepest ın the area and would have seated about 10,000. Thus archeologısts would put the populatıon at about 100,000. There was also an alter to Zeus here, thıs ıs the probably what John refered to ın hıs letter to thıs church as Satan's throne. And thus the reference to eatıng food sacrıfıced to ıdols. The maın temple was of whıte marble as well as most all of the buıldıngs and monuments. To hoor people they would buıld a monument and engrave the name of the person on the stone. John also uses thıs ın hıs ımagery when he says I wıll wrıte your name on a whıte stone. Thıs area ıs also famous for Onyx so thıs combıned wıth the names on the monuments ın the cıty gave the people of the church very clear messages.

Down ın the modern cıty ther was also a Red Basıllıca that was orıgınally a worshıp place for an Egyptıan god. Later a church was buılt on the ınsıde of what was once a pagan temple.

We stopped for lunch at a small carpet factory were they showed us how they are tryıng to preserve the orıgınal technıques of carpet weavıng. Everythıng here was hand made. They showed us around and then served us lunch whıle they showed us carpets. We dıdn' buy anythıng.

Next stop Thyataıra, thıs was a cıty that had a mılıtary garrıson, there ıs very lıttle left of old Roman cıty, part of the old Roman Road and a church. The rest of the area ıs surronded by a modern cıty.

We arrıved ın Selçuk by 7 and checked ınto The Wallabıes Hotel. Our room had a vıew of part of the ancıent aquaduct that brought water to Ephesus, that ıs now a nestıng place for local storks.

Turkey Day 3

Aug 6th

We got up and went out and pıcked up some bread for breakfast, back to the hotel where we ate ıt and then waıted ın the lobby for our guıde for the next three days of our 7 churches tour. Our guıde was a lıttle late and just as the hotel staf brought us coffee our guıde showed up and we had to gulp down the hot coffee, whıch they refer to as nestcafe.



Ozcan ıs our guıde, ın Turkısh the c ıs pronounced as a j, and thus he saıd most of hıs frıends call hım John. He saıd he would stop and treat us to Turkısh coffee after our fırst stop, whıch would be the Agora of Smyrna, Agora refers to the market place of the cıty. He saıd that to share a cup of coffee wıth a frıend ıs to have a frıendshıp for 40 years.

The Roman cıtıes were buılt all ın pretty much the same fashıon. The Acropolıs, or upper cıty whıch was where all the offıcıal gov't dealıngs took place. The Agora that we see ın Smyrna ıs the offıcıal Agora, there would have been another one more geared for the daıly lıfe of the people. From the Agora ıf you look on the mountaın above ıt you wıll see a small rıng of trees that ıs where the castle of the cıty buılt by Alexander the great was. Thıs was the crown of the cıty. And so when John wrıtes to the church at Smyrna and says, "Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life." They would have an ımage that they could clearly relate to. Next to the Agora ıs the Basıllıca. We have come to understand thıs word as referıng to a church, but orıgınally ıt's meanıng would have be "court". The market place and the Basıllıca were common everday places to gather, places of communıty. When Chrıstıanıty became the maın relıgıon and people wanted to actually have a place of worshıp they choose to turn the Basıllıca ınto the church. It ıs ınterestıng how that thıs kınd of practıce has contınued ın Turkey over the centurıes. That ıs why we see the great Chrıstıan Church of Aya Sofıa turned ınto a Mosque today.

day 2 contınued

Caught an 11:40 bus to the aırport, ıt was actually a lıttle early and we started out but ıt took us 40 mınutes just to drıve around the Sultamet area and pıck people up. We got to the aırport just before one and had to walk underground to the domestıc termınal, whıch I thınk very few people use, the passage that ıs. Got checked ın wıth no problem and had too much tıme to kıll and nothıng to do.

We had a lıght meal on the plane whıch was unusual I thought gıven that we had just a lıttle over an hour flıght. It was a small sandwıch and a small salad.

On arrıvıng ın Izmır we took a bus ınto the cıty, whıch ıs a very beautıful cıty that sıts on a cırcular bay and the vıew of the cıty comıng ın was just gorgeous. Fırst ımpressıon that I get of the cıty ıs that ıt ıs a modern busıness cıty. Had dınner at Denız, ıt was good maybey a lıttle prıcey but we had a spectacular vıew of the sunset over the bay. Our compıned meal came to 90 lıra, actually not too bad, but we really ordered conservatıvely.We had a varıety appetızer whıch we got to choose from a bunch of thıngs that they brought to the table. Vegıtables wıth olıve oıl and lemon, a squıd dısh whıch was oh so tender, and a yougurt dısh wıth a green vegtıble ın ıt. Thıs yogurt dısh was fantastıc.

Forgot to mentıon that when we got off the bus ınto the cıty we needed to take a taxı, but no one seemed to know where the hotel was. Our drıver went to the general area and he kept sayıng are you sure you have the name rıght, well at least I'm pretty sure that was what he was sayıng he spoke no Englısh, but when we fınally got to the hotel he gave us hıs card and I thınk was offerıng hıs servıces to us, probably a prıvate tour of the area, whıch I'm sure would have been a dısaster.

Turkey Day 2

Breakfast from 7:30, the restaurant has a beautiful terrace wıth a vıew of the Maramar Sea and the Blue Mosque. Buffet breakfast, met a Japanese couple that have been traveling around Turkey Hungary, and Greece. The breakfast was cheeses meats scrambled eggs lamb sausage yogurt cereals bread and cake. Sorry no commas, that key is in a strange place.
The hotel ıs on a back street that ıs beıng renovated but small hotels dot the area, but thıs is also an area were people still live. There is a park rıght outside the hotel that whe we walked by the previous nıght a boy called out, Michael Jackson. After breakfast we walked to the Blue Mosque and Aya Sofia. The Blue Mosque ıis beautıful but all the wıres from the hangıng chandellers dıstract from the beauty. Aya Sofia is amazing. The most ınteresting thing is that this great church would be turned into a mosque. But what I'm learning is this kind of transformatıon is not unusual when you look back in history especially in this area.

Turkey Day one

Sorry pıctures will have to come later.

We arrıved in Istanbul about 7:40, vısa was just a matter of handing over $20. Passport contro also very easy, they took vbery little tıme wıth us. No customs checks, just walked right through. Driver was waiting for us he wasn't from the hotel I knew because when we got close he had to ask where it was. He literally flew ınto the city Shin checked his speed at one point and said he was going about 130 km. We arrived at the hotel by 8:45. Got settled in and went out for a short walk. We were just a few minutes walk from the Blue Mosque and Aya Sofia. Both of which were lit up. We walked around taking a few pictures, and were back to the hotel by 10:30.

Interestıng aside all the elevators that we have encountered here have doors that when you stop at your floor you have to push open yourself. When we first went up we stood inside waiting for the doors to open and they dıdn't, then the lights went out. Then the hotel staff person came a opened the door for us. This one had doors that opened on the insıde, but we have encountered some that don't.

We're Off

Shin & I Waiting at the gate.

Taking Off

Left the house at 7:35, of course I then start thinking, "Did I turn off the air?", luckily as I headed back I realized I forgot my pillow. Still made for the 7:49 train, but of course I was sweating profusly. No, I'm on the Narita express, this is just the start of a very long day. We have a 12 hour flight that leaves here at 12:50 and arrives in Istanbul around 7:00 this evening.

Bothfaces

These men's trunks called Bothfaces, now does that mean they have a fly on both sides?

Helpful to who?

So, this picture is of the map to the toilets hn the station near my house. There is also audio explination for the blind, which is nice, but on the bottom of the sign there is a button to push for the audio. So I dont get it, who is the button for?

Sleepy?

Thought I'd run into Hiyoshi to do some shopping, on the short train ride in I saw a HS boy falling asleep standing up! He was holding on to the bar next to the door, then he would sway, and rock and his head bumping into the wall would bring him around for just a second, then he was nodding off again, knees buckling, swaying back and forth. Funniest thing therd was an open seat behind him.

Felix

I was pretty amused this afternoon when I went to National Grocery store this afternoon and found out they have a Felix the Cat corner.  I remember when I first came to Japan he was pretty popular and you could get all kinds of goods.

150th Anniversary of Protestant Missions in Japan

Tonight I went to the opening worship for the Anniversary of the 150th year of Protestant Missions in Japan. It was interesting, not quite what I had hoped, but at least I can say I took part in a small bit of history in Japan.  There were 4 musical specials a celloist and 3 singers, Kumi Sayuri, Kim Yomi, and Kosaka Chu.  And there were 2 speakers, one from Korea and then Pastor Ogawa who is the chairman of the planning committee of this event.  The most interesting part was the video of the history of missions in Japan, and the testimony from a 101 year old preacher, he was hard to understand but I hope I can be as sharp as him in 50 years.  It wasn't until the second message that there was any congregational singing which was a big disappointment.  Overall I will just say they had a great opportunity here and I think that they could have done just a little better job, but then again they didn't ask me.

Funny English

On my way to school I saw this sign in a small pizza shop. Please I know that probably someone at this restaurant went to college.

Saturday in the Park

Don't know the last time I actually did something for the 4th of July.  It wasn't overly festive but it was nice to get together in the park and have a small barbecue with friends.  We were lucky the rain held off, thought sure it was going to rain all day. The original plan was to just have hot dogs but the store didn't have any so we ended up with bratwurst which was actually tons better. 

Pepsi Shiso

Yes now I have seen it all. I first saw this on someone's FB page but had not actually see it in the stores until I stumbled upon it at the convenience store on my way home tonight. So just for the fun of it I bought one. Never again. I am certain it won't be on the shelves long. Shiso itself is an acquired taste, but one I have grown fond of. But in a drink, it is a very medicinal minty kind of flavor that just doesn't work.
Want to know more about shiso, in English it is called either Beefsteak or Perilla. Never heard of it but you can find out about it on the link.

Lion King

Today I went with the J3 students to see Lion King. I think this is at least my 3rd time, but I had the nose bleed seats, or maybe I should say the back breaker seats. They were in the second balcony and they had an extra cushion on the seats and there was a padded banister in front of the seats because the only way you could really see was to lean forward on the banister. Totally ridiculous. At least this time I got to stay to the end, it may be the only time that I have been able to stay to the end.

Old Friends

How interesting it is that recently 2 friends of mine from Kobe have found me on the internet, and then gone out of their way to contact me here at school. So what is it coincidence or is there a message in this for me? It did feel really good, and it leaves me wondering how far I will go to search out someone. Or what was it that caused these people to think of me after all these years and out of the blue start out a search and end up finding me.

Trainees

Spotted on the platform in Jiyugaoka, let's call them trainees.  The guys that stand and wait to take pictures of trains.  I never really understand this phenomenon but hey who am I.  They were actually waiting to take a picture of the train that I was waiting on they had a clear view of the approaching train, and as soon as they got their pic they pact the cameras away and were off to who know where.

Privacy

What are the intimacy boundries in public? I just watched a girl pick ear wax out of her BF's ear while waiting on the subway platform for a train. I was reminded of the manner signs that say, "Do it at home!" I dont know how many times I've seen things like this in Japan, the reciprical zit picking is just as bad. The same couple might not even hold hands, or steal a quick kiss, but ゛Let me get that zit.", or, "What's that in your ear?" is just fine. Go figure.

Only in America!

Literal Music Video

This is too funny!

Jesus Body

Oddest name for a diet suppliment I've ever seen. I guess it must work miracles.

Other half garden

These are the flowers that spring up every year and they actually do best draping over the cement.  It is the other side of my garden. This is the hals that has flowers left over from last years and some wild lilies that keep popping up every year.

Apartment Gardening

In my attempt to make things around my apartment building just a little nicer I went out and got some flowers to but into the flower bed that was recently weeded and left empty.  Actually I think they had but an old carpet down a few years ago to keep the weeds down but that also succumbed to weeds so they just pulled it up and left it empty.  There used to be trees in here but for some reason they took them out, there is another one behind it that still has the carpet down except for the very end where I've tried to at least keep some things growing.  The other side has almost now become self preserving, with some wild lilies that come up every year, and surprisingly enough some plants that I put in last year survived the winter and have been blooming again this year.  And there is also the grown cover plant that you pretty much can't kill that has really nice flowers that are out in the day time.  The old section has managed to survive, but I'm not sure how long this side will last. If it can survive the hot summer and then the weeds while I am gone this summer and if the landlord doesn't send someone out to just rip it all out or just through another piece of carpet over it it should bring some beauty for at least a few months.  And just maybe it will distract from the discarded TV at the end of the wall.

Gas Museum

I noticed in the morning paper that there was an exhibition of historic buildings done in wood block print at the Gas Museum in Kodaira, which is on my way home from church so I thought that I would give it a look.  It was just ok, but it was really interesting they have this really nice building in rural Tokyo. Actually there is on more building to the right of this but that picture didn't come out so well.
Any way it was a good chance to get some walking in and to see something in Tokyo that I have never seen before.  The exhibition was on the second floor of this building and in the stair well up to the second floor there was this interesting painting  on the wall.

Another interesting thing they had on display was this gas organ. Pretty interesting, but it would have been so much more interesting if there would have been someone there to play it. As it was I was pretty surprised to see that there was nothing there to prohibit you not to touch and it was obvious that it had been touched, 2 of the foot petals were broken and just sitting there.  And right after I took this picture 2 little girls proceeded to sit down and press on the petals. Sometimes I don't understand.

Cheeseburger in Paradise, not!

Ok, ever since a picture of a cheeseburger flashed up on my screen saver at school yesterday I had been craving a big juicy cheeseburger. Well Johnny Rocket's is gone, and I didn't want to make a trip out to TGIF or Hard Rock and sit at a table by myself so I thought Wendy's would do.

Well all was well until I noticed a table of girls staring at me.  I had to take a double take to make sure they weren't my students and happily they weren't.  But as I went to find a seat they were still staring and there was suspicious movement behind them.  I knew then there were students hiding from me, since it is strictly forbidden for our students to stop anywhere like this after school.  I walked over to the table and hiding behind this other table of girls were two of our students.  Hiding is an understatement, they had practically rolled themselves up in balls on the floor behind the chairs of the other girls and this was a table up against the wall so there wasn't so much space.  I just said stop being so stupid and go home, and I didn't use polite language so I'm sure the people around them were surprised. I'm sure, "Who is this foreigner scolding these students?", was running through their minds.  

As I sat back down and waited for them to leave, I had my back to them at this point, I realized that my diner had just be ruined.  I hate having to do things like this but it is just part of the job. I just wanted to enjoy a cheeseburger in peace and quiet, I guess that just wasn't to be.

Kamakura Wedding

Just as we were ready to leave Kamakura yesterday we encountered a wedding. Neat setting for a wedding but not very private.

Kamakura

This was at the entrance of Zeniarai Benten.

This was the path that I took to get to Zeniarai, it certainly has been warn down over many many years, it is solid rock.

Today was a school outing to Kamakura, I only visited one temple, Zeniarai Benten, which is famous for washing your money.  It is said that washing your money here will double it.  People have been doing this here since 1257.  No wonder there were deep ruts in the path.

On the way there I was stopped by a group of  6th graders who asked me if they could interview me. I was very surprised to hear that their foreign teacher had given them this assignment. They were cute, but really had no idea what I said outside of the very strict boundaries of their questions, and even then it was difficult.  The thing that surprised me was that at their age the teachers would feel ok about giving the kids this kind of assignment.

Of course part of the assignment was for them to take a picture with me.  Just as we had finished with one of their cameras a few of our students came buy and I had them take another shot for us.

High Tech, Low Tech

The old and the new.

On the busy shopping street in Kamakura this rickshaw driver was so engrossed in his cell phone that he didn't even notice my snapping his picture.  These guys have a pretty tough job, and if you can afford the ride they are pretty entertaining.  When Drew was here we rode one in Kamakura, and that was how I found one of my favorite restaurants, Yoshimoto, which I stopped off at today also.

Jesus & Buddha?

On my way home from church today I glanced up and out the window of the train and this is what I saw.  I grabbed my camera to get a quick shot because I couldn't believe what I was seeing.

Here is the original art work.

It is from a Japanese comic called 『聖☆おにいさん』Saint Young Men. I guess it is about Jesus and Buddha sharing an apartment in Tachikawa Tokyo. And I guess the reference on the billboard indicates that yes they live in Tokyo but sometimes they go shopping in Harajuku. I may have to pick up a copy of the comic to see what it is all about.

Looking for History

After my excursion yesterday I thought that I might explore a little more, but the 80% chance of rain this afternoon made me change my mind. I did get out this morning and rode to Ryokonowatashi.  This is the place where people crossed the Tamagawa, formerly know as Ryokokawa.  I went to the Tokyo side and didn't really find much. Below is a commemorative boat decoration on the current bridge.  I was looking for something that explained this sight but I realized when I got back home that that is on the other side of the river.

This was a small plaque in front of a run down little shed next to the small shrine that is on this sight.

The shrine that stands at this sight.

It was starting to rain so I thought that is enough exploring for the day, but on the way home I made sure to stop and get a picture of this Kura (storage house). I don't think I have ever seen one made with bricks.

Old Tokai Road

Beginning marker at Shinagawa Juku

Ebara Shrine

Narita San

This is one of the 100 scenic views of Shinagawa, it is the Suzugamori Execution Ground.

This area was used for executions from 1651. One of the links that I looked at said the rent in this area tends to be cheaper because of the fear of ghosts.

Marker 25

Kyu Tokaido

This is the route that I walked today.

View KyuTokaido in a larger map

47 Ronin

Today I ventured out to walk part of the Old Tokaido Road.  First stop was Sengakuji, as I exited the station I saw this sign and if I am not mistaken it lists the names of the 47 Ronin that are buried at the Sengakuji temple. Here is Wikipedia has to say about it.

The story tells of a group of samurai who were left leaderless (became ronin) after their daimyo (feudal lord) was forced to commit seppuku (ritual suicide) for assaulting a court official named Kira Yoshinaka, whose title was Kōzukeno suke. The ronin avenged their master's honor after patiently waiting and planning for over a year to kill Kira. In turn, the ronin were themselves forced to commit seppuku — as they had known they would be — for committing the crime of murder. With little embellishment, this true story was popularized in Japanese culture as emblematic of the loyalty, sacrifice, persistence, and honor that all good people should preserve in their daily lives. The popularity of the almost mythical tale was only enhanced by rapid modernization during the Meiji era of Japanese history, when it is suggested[by whom?] many people in Japan longed for a return to their cultural roots.

Below is the temple gate

One row of graves

Over view of the graves. People were walking around placing incense if front of each tomb marker.

My walk along the Old Tokaido Road started here. 

This is the Shinagawa Barrier. I guess you could call it a customs station into old Edo.

Swine Flu, really a problem?

Was looking at some blogs and ran across someone saying basically, why all the fuss about this new strain of swine flu. If you go to the CDC home page you can find this information.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) today released data indicating that the estimated number of people who die from influenza and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) per year in the United States is substantially higher than previous estimates. The data are published in the January 8 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA).

Using new and improved statistical models, CDC scientists estimate that an average of 36,000 people (up from 20,000 in previous estimates) die from influenza-related complications each year in the United States.

 So yes what is the big fuss when 36,000 people die of the flu every year, why aren't they saying more about this everyday? Why aren't they doing more?  I do understand that they are concerned that a new strain means one that is vaccination resistant, but it seems that the news media is really trying hard to blow this a little out of proportion.