My Life in Tokyo

Who says its not all roses!

2010-05-17T20:38:00.000+09:00

Here in Tokyo my neighbor grows roses. This is great for me, as I don't have to do anything to enjoy or have a nice rose lined driveway. Great thing I tell you. He even cut a few down the other day and gave some to Kiyomi after she commented how great they looked!

One More Thing for Kodomo no Hi

2010-05-07T22:42:00.000+09:00

One thing I didn't post yet... the koinobori. Set this up on top of the house... was up there only for a few days... will get it up for a couple of weeks next year.

Children's Day (Boys Day)

2010-05-05T22:23:00.000+09:00

Well... the title of this post may get me into some trouble I guess. I know that the name of this holiday is really Children's day, but lets face it, in Japan it really is boys day. It seems that all the traditional things that you do, you only do if you have a boy! Koinobori? Helmet... yup... they really are only for boys. Luckily, Joji does fall into this category, and we have celebrated boy's day in style.

Kiyomi's Parents found this Kabuto (helmet) in an antique shop in their neighborhood... lucky us as it was nicer and way cheaper than any of the crap that we have seen for sale in Itoyokodo, Seiyu, or Akachan honpo. That stuff was price... I mean hundreds of dollars for stuff that Liberaci would have found tacky! Anyhow this is the one we got, and I'm pretty happy with it. We'll have to pack it up tomorrow as you have to clean up the day after its done.

To celebrate the day we headed over to Kiyomi's folks to have a little celebratory lunch. Below is a picture of some of the traditional food we had for the day. The big fish is a Tai... which might (or might not...) be a red snapper. But not really sure.

Joji also got dressed up in a little Kimono for a little bit of the afternoon. He was a surprisingly cheerful little guy during the whole thing. Lucky us!

Ooi Futo

2010-05-02T18:45:00.000+09:00

One of the places that I guess I write about from time to time is Ooi Futo. Its a great place to cycle, as I know I have described many times. In fact, did six loops today of the course we use. By the time I got home it was something like 65km or so. Not a bad amount for a sunny Sunday.This isn't just me, but also a couple of hundred other cyclists that like to use the same circuit as us. I would guess that on a busy weekend there are easily a couple of hundred cyclists. There is also some crazy cycling gear there too.

From time to time, Kiyomi and I will also head out to another spot in Ooi Futo, called Jonan Jima. Its a small little beach park which you can walk around, play in the sand and generally use as a backyard (backyards are just not very common for us normal folk in Tokyo). People will lounge around have picnics and all in all just enjoy being outdoors. Also, its free.

Today, did something a little different... at least for me. I guess in a way it was a little tribute to Mr. Cole heading back to England, but, also had promised Kiyomi for a while. Today she made me keep my promise to go and walk around - despite the above mentioned 65km. I jest, as I wanted to go to. The weather was great and if I didn't get out and enjoy it I know that I would have felt that I just wasted it! We really have waited a long time for spring to finally arrive this year, and I for one, will take complete advantage of it!

Anyhow... here is a couple of Photos that I snapped in Ooi Bird Park:

Perhaps someone can let me know what I photographed here. Got out my 90-300mm zoom lens and snapped away. Lots to see. Therefore lots to photograph too.

Got a guy in flight...

And of him landing...

Kiyom and I enjoyed our time there, I think Joji will more in the future too. Lots of stuff for kids to see and do and run around. I look forward to these days.

Faces of Joji

2010-04-29T20:32:00.000+09:00

Joji can be pretty cute at times I have to say. Especially when his bath has completed. When he first got home and we were bathing him, we probably could have used ear plugs. But... he loves it now, and definitely gets into being in the water. Before and after, he is pretty chatty and giggling a lot.

Joji also has a pretty good head of hair on him, so after washing and drying... he looks something like this:

But I have to say... that he also often looks like this:

Hanami!

2010-04-11T20:25:00.000+09:00

Probably the best time of year to see Tokyo (and many places in Japan) is during the cherry blossom season. Its basically done now, as it only lasts a couple of days at full strength. Some random photos of the season this year.

This is a store near my house.... they light it up at night, looks great. The tree actually goes through the second floor balcony.

This one is the same place during the day.

Didn't get out and drink under the blossoms this year... but hope to resume next year with Joji being a little bit older.

Some Random Photos Of Joji

2010-04-11T20:11:00.000+09:00

Joji has been doing pretty well recently. He's not up and walking or anything yet Well he is only just over two months old now so these things are a little bit far off. He's a real joy though, even when screaming... still have to look at him with a sense of wonder.

Here is a photo of him being genki and happy sitting on the sofa. Well... not quite sitting, but propped up. He was pretty much all smiles and giggles at this point. Pretty sure that he was crying up a storm afterwards, but, at least we captured the best bit!

This is a quick snap of when my mom was over. Kiyomi too the shot, and Joji is with us. Little guy was good fun for the time that Mom was over here, and the extra set of hands and support was really welcomed.

Team Skillhouse

2010-04-11T20:00:00.002+09:00

Big thanks to Paul for organizing Team Skillhouse. Look for us on Facebook, and track our progress. We're hoping to raise money for a Tokyo soup kitchen with people sponsoring us in the Honolulu Century ride.

Some Personal Goals

2010-04-11T19:57:00.001+09:00

Some Personal goals here for the year. Yeah... a little late for new years stuff, I know. But these are a few things that have grown out of a few different conversations that I have had with people.

The first one is easy to define, but hard to do. Well committing the time and brain power to it are the things that I need to do. Goal number 1... get a CCENT (First level of cisco certification). Networking is the area that I really need to shore up both for my current role, and probably for anything in the future that comes my way. Got my books today (from amazon) and will let you all know how it goes. Hoping to get this by the early to mid summer.

The second goal is probably also fairly easy to define, and like Goal number 1, will be difficult to accomplish. Myself and a few friends are going to enter the Honolulu Century Ride. Looking forward to it, but it will be anything but easy. Basically for those of you who don't know, it means riding 100 miles in one day. Up and down the windward coast of Oahu. There will be a lot of training to be done in the next few months if I want to actually make it! Paul, Joel, and Arch all look to be joining along too. If you're interested, drop me a line and ask for details.

I guess that technically I'll be doing the second one as a professional certification, but as my company will not be involved in it in anyway (training or materials) I'll take it as a personal one.

For the Olympics?

2010-03-07T15:14:00.001+09:00

Check these out... Found them on sale at the local "Vie de France" bakery that is near my house (in Omori station. Not really sure if they were for anything special or just some kind of tribute treat for the Olympics happening. Have to say that they are pretty Canadian. Not sure how they taste, they are some kind of Maple Melon bun. Perhaps I'll get one in the next couple of days and report how they taste.

Anyhow I think Canada did pretty well at the Olympics... and all our athletes, win or lose, should be proud of their efforts.

Mom is in Tokyo

2010-03-05T13:55:00.002+09:00

My mom has rushed over to check out her grandson. She's here to help Kiyomi and I out, and spend some time with him. He's still a little scream and poop machine, so there is only so much that we can do :) But we're having a good time never the less. Joji has been a pretty good boy, crying when he needs to (yes ... he cries LOUD) and pooping when it is time. Good times are had by all.

So far the weather has been okay, but today its been really nice! Here is Mom admiring Joji as we walk to a park near my house.

2010-02-15T20:48:00.002+09:00

On Saturday Kiyomi's parents came up to visit and hang out with their Grandson. Their first I would add. Kiyomi's Mom seems very pleased and I know that she really wants to help. Kiyomi of course, is quite independent. I'll let them butt heads and I'll stay out of it as much as possible :)

Here they are with Joji on the sofa we got in the autumn of this year.

Not long after this, he started to cry and Mrs Yabe got her first chance to feed him. Kiyomi and I were wandering around the neighbors, in a Japanese tradition to let them know we had a child and apologize for any noise. They're all really nice people and everyone was really understanding. Its strange for many people to hear of a custom where you head around to the neighbours and do this I would guess... but maybe I have been here too long and do agree that iti is the polite thing to do.

Chilling at Home

2010-02-15T10:58:00.000+09:00

Well Joji is at home, and he's chilling... well when he isn't crying :) Generally things have been okay. It was pretty tough at first, but we're starting to get a little bit of a rhythm down to the day. Even was able to get Kiyomi to head out for a walk yesterday. She got to have an hour or more to herself heading to the library and some shopping. I think that it did her some good for sure.

Here is a picture of Joji chilling at home.

Some Flowers For Mom

2010-02-15T10:50:00.000+09:00

My folks asked to bring some flowers to Kiyomi at the hospital... but they were pretty strict with what you can bring in and out. So waited until Kiyomi was home to get her some flowers. Actually where I live there a are a lot of flowershops in the area. I think this is because we are not too far from the Tokyo flower market. I would say though that as a general rule there are a lot of flower shops in Tokyo anyway. Could be because of the Japanese art of ikebana? hmmm... not sure. Anyhow... here are the flowers I got from the nice guy near my house!

The Big Day

2010-02-13T23:13:00.033+09:00

Man… so this was kind of a stressful time for Kiyomi and I. Joji was about two weeks late and we both were waiting for the little guy to pop out so we could say hello to the world.

After a check up around the due date Kioymi's Doctor told her that she should report to the hospital on Tuesday February the 2nd to be induced if there were no signs of labour. Well… as things are want to do, no sign of Joji until that point. So we reported to the hospital as we were instructed. We got there a little before 9AM and checked in. Once Kiyomi was settled in the Room I went back to work as there was LOTS to do, and really wasn't supposed to be there for visiting hours. More importantly Kiyomi had a bunch of test that needed to be done and I would just come back once she was finished.

I came back to the hospital in the late afternoon, once things had settled down and all the tests had been completed.It turned out that they thought if Kiyomi was induced it would be too long and be too stressful on Joji. As Kiyomi had no signs of labour at this point they expected and induced labour could take two days. Which sounded like it would be dangerous on Kiyomi and Joji as he was late already.

Therefore a cesarean section was the best option. I have to admit that I was pretty nervous, but knew from my reading that this was pretty much the standard thing to do in this situation. Even so, words, and study are often not enough comfort in this situation.

I then went home at the end of visiting hours and was asked to report to the hospital around noon as there wouldn't be a window for surgery until the mid afternoon. I said I'd be there around 10AM. After a restless night, I was up and getting ready to leave the house at 9AM when Kiyomi called to tell me that she would probably be going to surgery at 10AM. I was shocked, and worried and a bit pissed off as this isn't what we were told. I know that this is a scary time, it was really important for me to be there before she went in. I hauled ass, and got to the hospital (one of those rare days when all trains connected) in record time and was there about ten minutes before 10. Luckily Kiyomi was still there. I really didn't want her to face surgery without seeing me, and me without seeing her. Thankfully the doctors were wrong, and we had about an hour to hang out and talk about things before she was taken away in a gurney to the operating room.

Then I waited.
In this spot.

A bit grim, but I managed to stay calm until they brought Joji out. I was surprisingly calm at this point. When joji came out he was with Nurse Tanaka who was super sweet and really helpful. Here's how he looked when I first saw him.

A very very vocal ltitle dude at this point, and was really crying quite passionately. I was enchanted… despite the noise. I have to say I didn't understand what the hospital wanted me to do at this point, but Tanaka san was pretty good and explain. We went… cleaned up Joji… weighed him (3.988 - birth time at 11:44am) and I got to hold him for the first time.

(Thanks to Tanka san again for taking this photo)

After all this I went back to Kiyomi's room to wait for her to come out of post-op. This is where I got nervous and would have to say that this is one of the most stressful times I've had in my life. I was truly worried for her. She came out from surgery, and was fairly lucid. I got a call from her parents right as she was wheeled in. Was pretty happy to tell them everyone was okay. The bad news was that Kiyomi wouldn't be able to visit him, the hospital keeps the newborns in a nursery with strict access. Plus with the anesthetic she wasn't able to stand or hold him.

I did however manage to visit Joji a couple of times that day, running back down to show Kiyomi the photos of him (there were about two hundred in the first two days, I won't bore you with them - unless you come over for tea). I really didn't want her to get any poor spirits after what must have been one of the most traumatic things in her life.

The next day, with her parents in tow... we all went up to visit Joji. Here's Kiyomi for the first time with our lovely little guy.

For the duration of the next week Kiyomi and Joji were in the hospital. During this time Kiyomi was able to make huge strides in her recovery, receive a bunch of "baby training" Her recovery after the operation was fast and she was even walking the very next day. I was (and still am) proud of her grit. Happy to say, that after a week of running to the hospital and work I'm on paternity leave and both Kiyomi and Joji are back home now.

Not Waiting any more...

2010-02-13T20:16:00.001+09:00

For the those who don't know ... Kiyomi and I aren't waiting any more. Joji is here, and certainly has announced himself to the world. Well at least to our world. Definitely a change. Had a very different Friday night than usual, and I expect that I won't be out at Muse either tonight. So here is the run down on the little guy... Joji entered the world on February 3rd at 11:44. Weight... a svelte 3.988kg, and I believe about 53cm. Not a small kid by any stretch of the imagination.

Without any further delay… here he is Joji himself:

Say Hi to Joji. Joji say hi to everyone.

Kiyomi is doing well, and I'll give a more in-depth account of the day. Can't do more right now, as he's getting our attention.

Yup... Still Waiting

2010-01-26T08:49:00.001+09:00

Nothing new to report on the kid front. He's pretty happy where he is it seems. Anyhow, off to the doctors for a check up. All good though here.

Just Waiting

2010-01-23T11:35:00.001+09:00

Not really much to do here now... other than wait. The house is setup, we've got good clear weather, but Joji is staying put. Kiyomi is really hoping for things to come to an end soon! As am I... but heck she's actually carrying a bigger belly than me for now. Hopefully that will stay the same :))

Anyhow we're waiting, and in pretty much a holding pattern. Stay tuned for updates here, as I'll post pictures when I can.

Turkey Pie

2010-01-10T20:13:00.003+09:00

One of the things I love about roasting a turkey is all the things that you can do with it afterwards. Kiyomi and I both like to use some of the left over turkey in a pie. Its pretty easy and well I think really tasty. We use a lot of fresh veggies and some cream of mushroom soup that makes the pie inside. Then just use frozen pastry. Overall it doesn't take long to prepare and about 40 minutes in the oven. You're set.

Not long now... and we'll be cooking for three!

New Years In Japan

2010-01-02T16:15:00.004+09:00

New Years is a big thing in Japan. Its probably more equivalent in a way to Christmas. Its certainly a time for families to get together. There are special types of food (not turkey) that gets eaten... and usually in most families, a pile of drink too. Certainly with my in laws! :) The food is actually relatively cool, which I find a little bit strange considering the time of year and that it is quite cool outside. But it is prepared and then put into a special kind of box, which is opened after the first toast.

Here is the table all set:

Here is the contents of the new years box. I'd mention what it is called... but Kiyomi is sleeping and I really can't remember what she called it. Hey I only hear its name once or twice a year. Then we drink! Sorry folks... if you have to know, please don't hesitate to drop me a mail and I will find out. Here are the contents of the box close up. The stuff on the left is really good and where I first worked in Japan is quite famous for it. The food is called Kameboko, and is actually ground up fish. Doesn't sound good? Trust me it is. Hey, if you eat sausage its a heck of a lot worse for you.

Kiyomi's Mom does some really nice origami. Check out this... there is a Crane folded into the handmade chopstick holder. As well the character is hand painted too. Nice touch I think.

Anyhow... wherever you are, whom ever you are with. Happy 2010. May it be filled with joy and good health.

Last Day of the Year

2009-12-31T09:38:00.004+09:00

Wow... end of 2009 already. End of a decade. Interesting. Doesn't feel like it. Is it just me? I mean I have a lot of stuff going on that really seems to get in the way of thinking of new years eve. With Joji due at the end of January I'm not really thinking much about what happens tonight. At least not in the big party sense. That and some of the projects at work that are going on (yes some span the new year's break).

The end of the nineties just seemed HUGE 10 years ago. But that might have been also due to the Y2K thing. I didn't party much to be honest with you. I had a HORRIBLE cold/flu and it kept me on the bog and down with a fever. This time, we're going to meet some friends at their place, but I don't see it being too crazy. I'm guessing the fact that its ten years on that also making us all more mature and less worried about a single evening.

Anyhow... here is to the end of the year, and the decade. Health and happiness to all my friends and family for the next year.

Kiyomi's Birthday

2009-12-31T09:32:00.002+09:00

Well it was Kiyomi's birthday a couple of days ago. Feel a bit bad for her right now, as being so preggers she just can't have any drink or get out too much.

Anyhow on the day I gave her some electric toothbrushes that she had asked for. Had those and and ready along with a card on my way to work. Then we went to a nice Italian place for dinner after I had finished work. Food was pretty good. I am constantly amazed with the quality of restaurants that we have in Oomori. There are a lot of really good places that won't cost you an arm and a leg.

Oh... also got her some roses.. here they are.

Da Bird

2009-12-26T09:36:00.004+09:00

So last night cooked up a turkey for a few folks here too. DId my usual stuffing as well. The bird was big... but not that big. Its about the best size for my oven I think (6.5 Kilos - that or a little bit less). We got it at costco, and it was probably the best price around. If you're looking for reasonable priced birds... go there. This one was about 3000 yen, and if you get one smaller I think you can get one a little cheaper. If you're in Tokyo and don't have access to a car, then I would really recommend going to Nisshin (Meat Rush) in Azabu Juban. They're not as cheap as Costco, but they aren't that expensive either. I've heard of Japanese supermarkets charging up to 10,000 yen for birds. Some of the on line shops were about double Costco. Which is kind of a rip off in my books.

Anyhow... I fully cooked the stuffing, and then cooled it off. Stuffed the bird and it was ready to go:

After it was seasoned I put it in a Turkey bag, and put some tinfoil on top. In a small oven like we have in Japan... both of these are really important. Otherwise it is too easy to dry the Turkey out. The top of the bird is going to be very close to the heating element. In the bag I some white wine, the neck, some carrots, and a couple of raw italian sausages. They will all roast nicely with the bird.

And now... the final product!

The Crib

2009-12-26T09:31:00.004+09:00

Wow.. buying a crib was not that easy I have to say. But Ikea made it a lot easier! In Japan Kiyomi and I really had trouble finding something that would be safe, and fit our house... that was a reasonable price. For those of you who don't know.... furniture in Japan can be very expensive (for junk too).

Anyhow... Ikea's crib was fairly well reviewed on the web, and we decided to go and check it our. Its pretty good, and the nice thing is that the "system" allows you to get everything you need and know that it fits! So we basically got everything and are ready to go. (Less than 4 weeks now).

A BIG shout out to Masa who was here the other week, and he was kind enough to put this together while I was in Kamakura with Karen.

More Photos

2009-12-20T17:36:00.004+09:00

Check out this... was at the Westin hotel the other day. Had a nice lunch with Kiyomi and some friends. As Kiyomi is not overly mobile we took the car. Plus we would get free parking with the lunch, which basically meant it was the most logical way to get there. In the basement... as you could imagine there were some pretty nice cars as it is one of the nicer hotels in Tokyo. Here is a picture of one line. It went Ferrari - Porsche - Ferrari. And yes this was even an F40. One of the rarest of rare Ferrari's.

There were some pretty nice Christmas trees that I saw yesterday too... This was the one in the lobby of the Westin.

This was the one that was next to Ebisu station.

Fall in Kanto

2009-12-16T22:25:00.003+09:00

So had a couple of Temple days recently. Not long ago a friend from work was visiting from Australia. We did a little walk around Tokyo. Starts in Shibuya, covers Yoyogi, Meji Jingu and then over to Harajuku. Covers a lot of ground in a couple of hours and you get to see a lot of Tokyo.

The next day had a big walk around Kamakura with a friend from Canada. It had been a while since I was in Kamakura in this season. It was really nice... I bet the colours would have been even better a couple of weeks before. Still was a good walk (again!) and did really like getting out of town. Some photos from the walk below.

Christmas In Japan

2009-12-13T11:22:00.002+09:00

Christmas in Japan is a little weird. Its not really a big family night, as such a very small percentage of the population is christian. Its more of a date night. All the single folks rush out, book a nice (as they can afford... or sometimes more) restaurant, a hotel, and if you are a guy - get a nice gift. Think something like a tiffany bracelet, earrings or something along those lines. If it is shiny and expensive you really won't go wrong. Its a very, dunno, commercial feeling.

Families will usually get a bucket of KFC for christmas dinner. No ... I am not kidding people will actually line up for that sh**.

You do tend to see some pretty nice christmas trees here though, this is the one in the lobby of my building.

A quick visit to Akihabara

2009-12-12T16:46:00.004+09:00

Not too long ago, had a quick visit to Akihabara with Paul. We dropped by on our day off, looking mostly at the import video games stores. For those of you who aren't familiar Akihabara is the electronic capital of Tokyo... Hundreds of electronics shops and computer stores all crammed into a few blocks just two stops away from Tokyo station. Its a bit bizarre, kind of like the people who shop there.

Took some photos while there... the first one is a couple of guys watching a guy demonstrating good model building technique. Kind of impressive that he was locked behind a booth or something. The next three are off fake air pistols that you can buy here in Japan. They look COMPLETELY real to me... supposedly they are also accurate to the weight of the actual guns too. They fire small round pellets.

Akihabara is a pretty interesting place... but stay away from the maid cafes!

December in Japan

2009-12-02T20:24:00.003+09:00

So exactly cold is Japan in December... well I guess it really depends where you are. Those folks who are in the mountains or up north in Hokkaido will find it pretty cold. In Tokyo though, well its pretty warm. Especially by Canadian standards. The last couple of days when riding to work, its been around 10 degrees celsius. Which I feel is pretty warm. Its no Florida or anything, but a hell of a lot warmer than Toronto!

Check out my neighbors rose growing next us. I took this last week, and there are three more in bloom right now.

Honey Garlic Mustard Sauce (For Chicken or Salmon)

2009-11-29T12:28:00.004+09:00

Here is something I like to put on Salmon or chicken... works pretty well...

1 tablespoon butter, melted
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons honey mustard
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon garlic powder

Combine the melted butter, vegetable oil, Worcestershire sauce, honey mustard sauce, brown sugar, and garlic powder in a large bowl. Whisk to combine. Reserve 2 tablespoons marinade for basting.

Basically then just put what ever you are cooking into sauce and let it marinade for an hour or two. Cook... eat... Good.

Mike

3 dollar Mac and Cheese

2009-11-21T21:03:00.001+09:00

I'm going to file this under the "Not quite the deal of the century" section. Its a box of Kraft Mac and Cheese in Tokyo... all yours for 300 yen. If I'm not mistaken... isn't this like 5-10x the cost you could get it in Canada / US. But then again... I'm really not sure you its even worth that!

Trip to Kamakura

2009-11-08T21:42:00.005+09:00

We had some great weather here on Saturday. About 22 degrees (yes celcius!) I'm guessing that things won't stay that warm for much longer, but it was a day to get out. Get out and ride! Well... I rode my @ss down to Kamakura beach. Essentially just rode through Yokohama, then Kamakura itself, and finally to the beach. I did the trip down in one straight shot, not stopping other than to make a quick call to see if Doug was around (he wasn't - he was doing real work, running 26km!!). It was a great ride down. Here are some photos.

My bike parked at the stairs to the beach. With the bike shoes on ... didn't go on the sand.

This is a picture of the beach. As it was warm, it was BUSY. Probably can't tell by this photo, but there were a lot of people around playing volleyball, surfing or generally just relaxing. The great weather brought all the beach combers out.

Some folks dressed up for their wedding...

Couple of Good Recipes

2009-11-08T21:36:00.004+09:00

If you haven't been following much of Jamie Oliver's site, you should. He's got some good food on there, and really makes the recipes accessible to all. Also what I've found is that most stuff is fairly simple and the ingredients can be bought or easily substituded even if you live in Japan. Check out the chicken breasts that he makes, and this is probably the one that Kiyomi and I make the most:

http://www.jamieoliver.com/about/jamie-oliver-videos/ministry-of-food-fish-pie

Recently I also made a bit of comfort food. Some bangers and Mash! The sausages area actually really easy to do in the fish griller that Japanese stoves have. Was fairly easy and fairly quick. Always good, topped off with Gravy. I think I haven't had this since one night when living with Ryan and Yuko!

Interesting Japanese Product...

2009-11-01T22:26:00.002+09:00

Really not sure what to make of this...

Octoberfest

2009-10-31T21:10:00.003+09:00

Yokohama stages a pretty good Octoberfest. All german beers, the food wasn't great, but the beers were really good. We went down for Brandon's birthday, and had a few drinks together. Was a good afternoon, not the best weather, but managed to not let a little rain scare us off. The only problem with events like these, is that even if they generate a little interest they will be massively crowded. Basically you've got 20 Million people who live within a couple of hours train ride away (or less.... ) and its not hard to get 10,000 people to show up. So yeah. It was pretty crowded. But we got seats, and sat. And drank. Goodness.

Beers were all german (well some from Yokohama brewery ... but were german style and good!) Eirdenger, Paulaner and even the Hoff Brau Haus. The crazy thing was the deposit on glasses, 1000 yen for a normal glass, and for the cool stiens and big one liter glasses was two or even three thousand yen!! You got it back. Some advice... watch out for the Yanks from the base trying to take your glasses to get the deposit back.

Windows 7 Burger

2009-10-31T20:58:00.007+09:00

This is no bulls*t. I am not joking. If you didn't hear about this... in Japan, Burger King and Microsoft teamed up for a special promotion. The Windows 7 burger. Seven patties for only 777 yen (if you were on of the first 30 in the store). I think the special ended on October 28th. I didn't try one, but some guys at work did, each one of them wasn't able to finish... and felt quite sick. The guys who went to the store actually saw a group of skinny Japanese guys finish these things. Ug. Wonder how many calories are in this, as a regular whopper is something like 1000!!!

One guy had asked for one to be brought back for him... It was unbelievably heavy ( I think it was about 800G of meat). Here is the unveiling.

I guess though you can do this kind of thing at In n' Out burger in the US. Anyone up for giving it a try?

Pottery Show

2009-10-31T20:51:00.003+09:00

For those of you who don't know ... Kiyomi's Dad is very much a potter these days. I guess you could say he's just pottering around in his retirement. He's really found a passion for something that fills his days with something, and I believe that he finds a lot of solace and meaning in his work.

Recently he got together and had a gallery show with a group of people (all older students) who were at Kyoto school of Fine Arts that attended at the same time. Here is some of the work that was there... Kiyomi and I actually picked up a couple of pieces that we liked and thought we could use around the house.

I thought a lot of the work was really of a very high caliber and the gallery was small, but a really good space to show work. It was in Yokohama, very close to Motomachi.

If you're interested in pottery... let me know, I'm sure we can get you some pieces.

Vegas Baby! Yeah!

2009-10-19T22:01:00.004+09:00

Just had a quick trip to Vegas with Paul and Mike. Was a good time and hope that the boys enjoyed it too. We'll have to have another boys trip... but I think it will be a LONG time away. Anyhow, here are a couple of quick snaps!

The three of us near the famous Las Vegas Sign.

This is a scene at night near Paris.

Paul and Mike hanging out at Red Rock Canyon. I dig it there, and would like to hang out for a day hiking. Maybe next time!

New BBQ

2009-10-19T21:51:00.003+09:00

Check out my new BBQ. Its a pretty cool little thing. Runs on these little gas canisters. Easy to clean and quick to use. We've used it a couple of times upstairs. Stop on buy... we'll cook up some Sausages and steak.

Also... here is the new seat on my bicycle... its pretty cool too. Makes the bike feel so different. I won't tell the cost, as it would shock most people who aren't bicycle people.

Mike's Stuffed Tomatoes

2009-10-18T14:00:00.002+09:00

What you need

1 clove garlic (just one piece)
1/2 a medium onion (or one small one) (chopped)
2 table spoon fresh chopped basil (fresh... not dried)
2 table spoon fresh chopped parsley (fresh not dried!)
6 normal tomato (one box that they sell now)
little bit of sugar
salt
pepper
1/2 cup of rice
table spoon of olive oil.

How to make it

Clean the tomato and cut the tops off (keep the tops).
Use a small spoon to take the "guts out" in to a bowl
add the chopped basil and parsley into the bowl and mix around (break up big chunks)
Put the tomotos into a pan for the oven, and then add a pinch of sugar to the bottom of each one.

cook the garlic in the olive oil
then add the chopped onion
once the onion is soft add the tomato, and then the rice... cook about 5 minutes... should start to look a bit like risotto. Add salt and pepper to taste
Spoon into the tomato - each one about 1/2 ~2/3 full (it will expand)
put the extra rice and sauce around the tomatoes.
Then cook in oven for about an hour on 180 degrees C.

Actually not really mine... found the recipe on the web... but changed it for what I had in the kitchen and what can get in Japan. Was pretty happy with it.

Been a Long Time

2009-10-18T13:25:00.003+09:00

Well... its been a while since I updated my blog. In fact, haven't done anything on it since Golden week. Some big changes I guess, and I think that Facebook has taken some of my time away too. Micro blogging is a little less demanding than sitting down and writing. Sometimes, don't have much to write about, and therefore just didn't put pen to paper. Or... type to LCD as the case may be.

Some changes around the house... as you can see by the picture below, we finally got rid of our old Sofa. The new one is a good size... although I'm still getting used to it. Need a couple more pillows. It fits the space perfectly though, which is a big thing. Not many did.

Our search took a LONG time... and I think we got a pretty good deal on this one. Hopefully it will be with us for many many years to come.

Cycling Camp Day 3

2009-05-04T21:30:00.002+09:00

A fun day today. Met up with Pete and Arch and Paul at 10AM in the morning. Foley showed up, as a loyal fan to give us a proper send off. Nice thongs dude. (I don't mean the ones up your butt either).

Did about 75KM today on the bike, and feeling pretty good. We rode up parallel to the Yamanote for a while, before heading up past up to the Arakawa. Went through Ebisu, Shibuya, Harajuku, Shinjuku, Ikebukero... and then finally to the meat of our trip. It was a 30KM ride up to the Arakawa, and we then rode back down for about another 30KM. From the end of the river... it was a bout 15KM to home. A good day out. Didn't really have a chance to take any photos though. Sorry. But you can take my word that it was worthwhile, and a good ride if you are looking for a long circut (not that fast).

I would say if you really want want to see a CHUNK of Tokyo ... it is a Fantastic ride. If you want to tear up the asphalt and go fast Jonan Jima is probably better. Frankly... I'm more of the former. I like to go my pace, and see more of where I am around. Have to say ... loved ever minute of it.

Just hope that Pete is okay after he Bonked. Pete... next time... eat a good breakfast.

Kiyomi's Parents

2009-05-03T22:45:00.003+09:00

This is a quick shot from Kiyomi's house... its the famous Yabe Hat :) More than one person has put this on after a few beers! Although I have to admit... that hasn't been me. Yet. Maybe next time.

My Dingo!!!

2009-05-03T22:44:00.001+09:00

Grr Grrr Grrr

Cycling Camp Day 2

2009-05-03T22:36:00.002+09:00

So Today, we headed out in the sun, on our bikes to Jonan Jima. I know I've written about this place a number of times. But today... well it was great. We had a fantastic run, literally didn't stop for peddling for just shy of 2 hours. Had some great tarmac, and were surrounded not by cars... but other cyclists! Basically if you're into bikes, you really need to get down to this place... its cycling porn. Really, considering this isn't a race or anything, and my Trek Madone 5.0 is actually a low end bike there!!!

Basically the area is really Ooi Futo and all the port is shut on Sunday. This makes for HUGE roads with no traffic (other than above mentioned cyclists) and what ever is on your mind.

Anyhow we did 50KM in just around 2 hours, which isn't bad timing for the two of us, the bulk of it was done flying around the roads. Just can't speak well enough of it. It made for a fantastic morning.

Didn't see this today (Didn't have time to sit around as went over to Kiyomi's parents in the afternoon), but here is a shot of the planes landing in Haneda airport near where we cycle.

Cycling Camp Day 1

2009-05-02T13:20:00.002+09:00

So... the Cycling Camp for Golden week has started in full. We had a day 0 last wednesday (as it was a national holiday) and did about 50KM around the Tamagawa river. Paul and I were joined by Jason, a guy who recently ran the Tokyo Marathon. Needless to say we were pretty whipped by the end of it all, but it was good to get out and have more strenuous pace.

Anyhow... today, Jason joined us again, and brought Deno along. Deno, who is has climbed everest. We met up not far from Hatanodai, and we rode along #2 all the way into Yokohama. This is a good route, as the traffic is not bad, and has some nice hills. Once past Yokohama station we stopped at Yamashita koen, where Deno proceeded to make a new friend.

Took route 15 back to Tokyo and where in Tokyo a little after 12. Not a bad morning.

About 100KM between the two rides so far. Tomorrow... we're off to Jonan Jima.

2009-04-09T20:18:00.001+09:00

Its a nice time of year hear in Japan. The cherry blossoms are out in full force, and really keeping Tokyo looking beautiful. For pretty much all of winter, Tokyo is a very bleak city. It is very grey, and not enough green. Then spring comes, and what a change the city has. There are explosions of colour all around the city, mostly due to the cherry and plum blossoms which cause pinks and purple blotches all around the city. The other trees also add a decent amount of green.

Near my house is a pretty nice flower store that has a cherry tree that goes right through the second floor balcony. Its a pretty impressive thing to walk by every day, but even more so when the cherry blossoms are out. Here's a photo of what it looks like at night as the guy lights it up.

The owner of the store is a nice guy. Speaks a little English, is friendly and always says hello when I walk buy. Its a good thing to have a sense that the community where I live is friendly and welcoming.

Tokyo has pretty much a completely different atmosphere during this period. People are leaving work earlier... heading out to parties, and having evening barbeques. Its great to have people in a happy and positive mood!

Bala

2009-03-30T11:45:00.003+09:00

I thought this was a good shot of the fozen lake in Bala...

Again using B&W...

This was in the evening, before sunset while waiting to pick up our Pizza. Bala is a small small place, but really very beautiful. Its in a part of Ontario that is known as Cottage country.

Some Guelph Photos

2009-03-27T06:15:00.002+09:00

Hey All... so did a little side trip to Guelph and hung out with some friends. A big thanks to Brendan and Tia (and Liam) for putting up with me for two nights. It was great to see them and I really enjoyed being out of Toronto for a bit. Guelph is such a different place than I live, it is a totally great place to visit. Next time I will have to drag the wife along. It was also good to see Roger pop down too.

Just out of Guelph is a nice little place called Elora. The gorge is well... gorgeous.. and wish it was warmer for a nice long walk/hike around it. Well... as always, next time.

Paul's Rolling Work of Art

2009-03-21T18:52:00.003+09:00

Don't think I've put this picture up before. Well if I have, its a nice one anyway, and I think worth looking at again and again. Paul, i hope you guys have good weather and I hope that you are getting out and enjoying your bike over the long weekend. I see a lot of riders in Toronto, even in the cold weather. Most appear to be commuters, but there is a good chunk of them that are also more enthusiasts.

I guess the big difference is the "level" of bike. I really haven't seen anything like this:

For those of you that are curious. It is a Pinarello FP3. Its not a stock one, as the boys at www.wrenchscience.com offer some great upgrades on the bike. Paul's is a mixture of Ultegra and Dura Ace parts. Nice. Jealous.

Spider Car

2009-03-21T09:41:00.002+09:00

This car has been parked near Oomori station pretty much every morning. Its a shocking design, probably one of the stupidest when I've seen in Tokyo. It basically looks like Spiderman's mask. I don't think the pictures really do this judgement. Or perhaps I am just the one with poor taste, and the Dingo is in serious need of a colour scheme update. Perhaps something like Wolverine in X-Men comes to mine. Or perhaps like superman, a pair of large red underpants should be wrapped around it. (keeps with the super hero theme).

Lunch Place

2009-03-21T09:37:00.003+09:00

This is a place that I walk up to for lunch ... often with my teammates. It is pretty good, and tasty too. I went with Kiyomi for dinner one night. Found that it had a much more varied night time menu, and the Gyoza were also really really good. A good recommendation.

Seems that there a lot of these around town! Found one in Yodobashi camera and one in Shimbashi. The place is called Xi'an and I have to say I do recommend it.

At lunch, try the Tan Tan mein... if you like it a little bit hotter, then the Mah Ra mein is pretty good. Its cut noodles so make sure to use the bib that is provided as it can get pretty messy.

At night time I liked the spicy squid, and was also very keen on the boiled gyoza.

A Good Read

2009-03-21T09:34:00.003+09:00

Just finished this book. Its about the situation in Zimbabwe. I highly recommend reading it.

Fun Bike Ride... start the year with a bang!

2009-01-27T21:06:00.001+09:00

Was a wonderful day in Tokyo for weather yesterday. Extreamly clear, although a bit cool. My friend Paul and I decided earlier on in the week that if it looked okay we would head out for a ride. This proved to be a great choice, meeting up on Nakaharakaido around 10AM, and then cycling towards the Tamagawa. As we approached Marukobashi, had the best view of Mt Fuji that I have ever had in Tokyo. It was so clear, the mountains below it, and the angle we were on... fantastic. I know.. I should have taken a picture, but I didn't have a camera on. Besides, we were there to ride, and that we did. Rode up to Futago Tamagawa, back down to Marukobashi, back up to Futago Tamagawa... then switched to Route 245. On route 245 we headed back down to Khoo Whoo on Nakarakaido near Musashi Koyoma. Paul just got a beautiful (like rolling work of art beautiful) Pinarello FP3. As a result were looking for a few little things that he needs for his bike.

At this point, we called an end to the ride and was cycling home. Was a great day, and would be over 40KM when I got home. Not bad for a Sunday morning. I turned down onto Route 1 and **BANG** my rear tire blew. This nice huge lump of iron stuck itself through the rear tire, and through the inner tube.

It was a real b!tch getting home, but did in the end. Anyhow, still, had a great ride, already fixed my bike and rode in to work today! Used some older tires that I kept as spares. My advice to you is, always keep one inner tube and tired, as you never know when you will need it.

Congrats to Andy B

2009-01-27T20:56:00.002+09:00

Congratualtions out to Andy B. Went to his "nijikai" on Friday night, and it was a really good evening. The dinner was on the 51st floor of Roppongi hills, and we looked upon the city while drinking wine and having good food. The event its self was good fun, with his wife's friends singing (she went to an entertainer's highschool!) and Andy's friends making good fun of him. It all worked out well. Although I would have to say that Mr. B did look a bit nervous.

The photos maybe a bit crap... I was using my phone.

Helpful

2009-01-27T20:50:00.004+09:00

My teammate at work snapped this photo... who says these guys can't be helpful. They were cleaning up around Daikanyama (near shibuya). Guess they don't have much work after the Death star blew up.

Sunset

2009-01-27T20:46:00.002+09:00

Our last full day in Hawaii this time was one of strong winds. So strong that they closed all the schools, most beaches, pools and even some stores! It actually wasn't that bad at all, but I think people were just being a little bit over protective after the blackout they had late last year.

But by the evening it cleared up for the most part, and we could see this wonderful vista from our hotel room. We had to change rooms for one night, this one had a better view, but preferred the first one!

Hawaii - Another Walk, Great Beach

2009-01-27T20:34:00.003+09:00

We found a great walk around from Hananuma bay. Just keep following the man road (its beautiful!). Just after all the viewing spots, and also past a nice sandy white beach you will find a turn off. Turn in and you will find a spot with some parking and a paved path. Get out... start walking. The walk to the top gave us great views (although little shade). Basically along the way you can even see whales out in the ocean, and have a great view of the windward coast of Oahu.

The walk up and down, after the path as well, took about 2 hours. It was a great walk, and we were pretty hot afterwards. We headed down to this beach, and cooled off in the ocean. Was really fun, as the waves were HUGE, and could do some body surfing (yes.. even me!). Would really like to get back there again. I think that this was one of my favorite beaches that I have ever been too.

Climbing Diamond Head

2009-01-26T23:46:00.003+09:00

On the next day after arriving we went for a little climb up Diamond head. It was HOT. But a good walk. When you see Kiyomi next, ask her if she really needed her winter coat. :))

Here are some pics while walking up and the nice view on the top.

Was decent walk, I think it was about 2 hours to the top and back down. It was my first time to do it, and I regret that that I hadn't done it before. I know that next time I am in Ohau I will do this again. It really is an easy and rewarding walk. The only hard... and a bit scary bit, is the part with all the stairs at the top. Didn't like that much, but it wasn't too bad. Nice long cool cave when you get to the top.

Some advice... take water with you. The machines were sold out, and wear a hat... you will fry without it.

Hawaii!

2009-01-26T23:30:00.005+09:00

Yup! We just spent a week in Hawaii (yes again!) early January. Work wise, it was kind of a weird time to go, but weather wise it was fantastic! It was warm, and relaxing, and we were really able to chill out well. We went on a Friday night after work, and got there on Friday, staying at the Ilikai, an apartment style hotel. The place we stayed had a great kitchen, and was a great deal too. I would really recommend it to anyone. It is an older place but well kept up and renovated.

Here is a snap shot of the kitchen than we had. It was great to cook, and it really made for a different style of holiday. Didn't feel as sick of eating out as in the past.

The place had a great view too! Check out the view from the lanai (balcony) that we had! Not bad... sure beats the one I have here :))

On Friday, we could even see the Fireworks at the Hilton. They are pretty impressive, not as long as the big festivals in Japan, but for a weekly event. Pretty good. And it isn't CRAZY busy, and you are comfortable on the beach!

Ohhhhh... I want to go back.

Japanese New Years Food

2009-01-04T22:47:00.003+09:00

We stopped over at Kiyomi`s parents for a new years dinner. We ate a bunch of Japanese food, most of it is associated with the new years celebrations. Here they are... Its mostly healthy, mostly boiled... lots of vegies and pickles too. Good stuff over all and left quite full. A fair amount of drink was consumed along with the food too. That probably didn`t help too much.

Stacked Mochi is a symbole at this time...

Here is what the table looked like...

Anyhow... thats the end of the holiday. Sadly. Back to the grind tomorrow.

All the best to those out there. Hope you all had as good of a holiday as we did.

Love, peace and happiness to all.

Cheesy Assed Car

2009-01-04T22:35:00.004+09:00

So I was in Akihabara with a couple of the boys one fine day this holiday. When crossing one of the streets we saw this cheesy car. Its pretty bad, and someone really needs to go to taste school to smarten up. Or at least begin to see the error of his ways. The still photo doesn`t really capture the light show that went along with the car.

No man should have a sad image on his car.

Happy New Year

2009-01-01T22:50:00.005+09:00

All,

A very happy new year to those of you reading this. I don`t see enough of you in person... but would like to extend my best wishes for the coming year. Surely it will have to get better right???

Some interesting things about Japan. New Years eve is a very spiritual holiday, almost a relgious event like Christmas is over in the West. People go to shrines, get rid of their old spiritual items and recieve a blessing from the priests. Its a pretty interestin thing, and a very busy time for all the shrines in Japan. NHK (the national TV channel) shows plenty of shrines at midntight each year. No countdown... just people waiting in line to either ring a bell or get a blessing.

Kiyomi and I howerver, spent the night with our friends at James and Nori`s house. It was good fun, and would have to say with a lot of wine being drank. I was pretty good, won`t comment on everyone out there. You know who you are ;)

The line up and events go on LONG into the night (maybe all night?) and even the next day. This is the major temple near my house at lunchtime on the 1st.... still lined up out the front and around the block!

Kiyomi and I popped into the shrine (a pretty big on in Shinagawa) and threw our Omamori and Hamaya (looks like an arrow) in a big pit to burn away.

As you can see by the size of the pit... we`re one of hundreds (maybe thousands??) at this temple to get rid of their stuff.

The weather was FANTASTIC today, so we then headed out Jonan Jima and had a bit of a walk around. It was so clear you could see many of the mountains that surround the Kanto plain in the distance. Beautiful! Took a few pictures of the place, and some of the planes that were flying over our heads (as it is very close to Haneda - the major domestic airport in Tokyo).

That was our day... a great start to the year. All the best to everyone out there.
Happy New Year.

Merry Christmas

2008-12-25T09:59:00.002+09:00

Hey All...

A quick post to say Merry Christmas... Happy new year and great Holidays to all those that have them.

Lets all hope for a good end to the year, and a good 2009.

Miss you all. Lots of Love.

Mike

PS... Next Time I see you... should be on my bike. Anywhere in the world! Kiyomi got this FANTASTIC travel bag. Its from a company called Scicon... and means I can now take my bag on a plane where ever I go!

Saw "My Farm"

2008-12-20T16:48:00.003+09:00

For those of you who have been to Japan, and visted my In laws you have probably had food from their plot of land. They grow a lot of their own vegetables, and happy share them out with Kiyomi and I. The other week, Kiyomi, myself and a couple of Kiyomi`s friends headed out to the the famous plot of land that is known to us as "My Farm". It was quite a hike, and I think that it mus to Kiyomi`s parents a lot of good carrying things to and from the garden. Its good exercise, and in the end some good healthy food too. The climate here also means that they can grow food there 9-10 months of the year. Right now, spinach was gowing.

I was a bit surprised how small the land was.... I shouldn`t have been knowing that this is Japan. But for such a small piece of land it gives a HUGE amount of food. It was truly amazing.

Anyhow here are some Photos of the place, and the wonderful view that you get there too.

Christmas Shopping

2008-12-20T16:43:00.002+09:00

Braved the cold (okay... not so cold) and the hordes to head out to Shibuya to get some christmas gifts. Well actually was unsuccessful in Shibuya, and the streets and shops were surprising empty. Considering that it is a Saturday and that it is close to Christmas, I expected to get caught in a crush. But nope that really wasn`t the case.

In the end I had to head over to check Ginza for a few things, and was successful. But Ginza was packed! I wonder if this has to do with the fact that you can walk aroudn the streets in Ginza as they close them off to cars. It makes it a MUCH easier shopping experience than Shibuya on any given day. I was pretty happy and done with things a little quicker than expected. Here is a picture of the day... was pretty warm... I guess about 15 degress celcius.

Bonenkai Season

2008-12-20T16:38:00.004+09:00

Well... it is that time of year again, when everyone in Japan has their "forget the year party". We didn`t have a big one at work, just a couple of small ones with everyone getting together. It was nice though. Did manage to get out and see some friends.

JR (Japan Railways for you non local folk) has released the following poster to remind everyone to be well mannered. Everyone who has been here at this time of year has actually seen this kind of stuff in the past before. Quite funny sometimes... unless you`re near some guys vomit.

Anyhow... from me, and Kiyomi... Happy holidays to all (don`t pass out on the train and be sick either please).

Good Cheap Food in Japan

2008-11-11T21:30:00.002+09:00

Just a quick bit of advice for those who are wondering if they can eat cheaply and well in Japan. My advice if you need some good, and quick food, go to a bakery. The food is always fresh and the prices are always right. You can get a much better and cheaper meal than pretty much any fast food. Nice fresh bread, sandwiches... even desserts.

I'm sure that those of you live in Japan pretty much know this stuff already. My favorites are probably La Vie de France, and Little Mermaid.

Offally Good!

2008-11-03T17:01:00.005+09:00

Had a big ole' fancy dinner for our Anniversary... okay it wasn't fancy... but it was good. We went to a VERY busy and LIVELY place, that really wasn't too far for us, just in front of Itoyokado. Kiyomi wanted to go to a Horumon place in Oomori (the station near where I live)and have a Nabe.

Horumon for those of you who don't know is basically the intestine of a pig or a cow (I think usually a pig here...). Although the restaurants will say horumon for what they specialize in, most of the time they have a lot of different kind of Offal.

Nabe is a kind of Japanese hot pot, sort of a soup. This is what it looks like when basiclaly prepared with vegetables and guts (and tofu):

If you're squeamish... I would probably recommend against trying this stuff. I like it though. We also had some Yaki horumon, and a few other treats. The place it turned out also did some really nice Yakkitori. I liked the Ebi... at first I thought it might be a bit over done... but it wasn't and the seasoning was really good too.

The one thing though that I couldn't bring myself to try... even though I really thought I could was this. Raw Liver... Liver Sashi... (I'm not a fan of Basashi - raw horse - either). So I skipped it and Kiyomi enjoyed it all on her own.

Washed all the grub down with a couple of beers and then staggered home with the misses. Was a good night. If you want something different, definitely worth a try. This place is good too... as even if you don't want to have the Offal they had plenty of other really good food on the menu.

5 years Yesterday!

2008-11-03T16:59:00.002+09:00

Well... it was our Five year anniversary yesterday... amazing. Doesn't seem that long ago! Was a great party for us all. Thanks very much still to all those that tagged along and made it a very special day.

Halloween In tokyo

2008-11-03T16:53:00.003+09:00

Hey there. A quick picture of some folks walking out of a Denny's in Osaki. Was hanging out at the footnik with a couple of friends having a couple of beers. A very quiet Halloween for us three. Although we did see a few folks in costume... these three folks were kind enough to allow me to take there picture.

Halloween has become a bigger and bigger event in Japan over the last few years. I think that its a pretty popular even more for folks in there 20's than it is for kids. People tend to dress up ('cause the Japanese tend to like a little bit of costume play...) and then go out drinking. But we never have any kids going around the neighborhood saying "trick or treat" or anything. Shame in a way.

Some numpty foreigners have a party on the Yamanote train. I don't really have a huge issue with this, but I've seen there Youtube videos and found their attitudes pretty revolting. Very arrogant as though they know it all and all those who disagree with them are ignorant. Me... At this point in my life, would prefer a couple (or few) quiet beers with friends.

Good Weather... an Upgrade

2008-10-19T22:33:00.001+09:00

Hey all, we've had some really good weather in Japan for the last week and a bit.... as a result done quite a few km's on the bicycle. Its been good fun, and really do not look forward to when we have another rainy spell. All this good weather, and all this good riding made me think it was time to upgrade my rear wheel on my bicycle.

I had a spill on my bike earlier in the year, which involved me breaking the front wheel. So I took the opportunity to upgrade. This was partly due to the fact that if I bought the original wheel I would have had to pay for a set.

So instead I upgraded to the Shimano Ultegra... felt great right from the start. Stiffer and the balance was great too. So finally last week I ordered the old one, and then had the store put it on yesterday. Its great. The balance one the bike is really nice now, and the rear feels much more stiff / ridged. Plus the added benefit of my wheels matching makes my bike look really cool again.

Here it is...

Had just gotten back from riding around Jonanjima... lots of nice bikes there too.

Also a quick congratulations to Lewis Hamilton... one step closer to it happening. Good luck in Brazil!!!

New Macs

2008-10-15T21:14:00.003+09:00

The new Mac Laptops are finally here... but sad to say that they are butt ugly. Damn. Really don't like the glossy screens very much. Will have to hold off and see what is coming out in the future. Well not like I was going to buy any time soon anyway. I think that HP, Dell and Sharp make much better screens for laptops. (At least here in Japan). I'm typing this on a Mac, but the wife's Sharp has a WAY better screen.

Real Life GTA

2008-10-13T18:56:00.003+09:00

Anyone who has played GTA (especially Vice City) will know that this makes me want to do...

What a Day!

2008-10-13T18:46:00.003+09:00

We really don't get too many days like this... or perhaps it is just not enough. Today the weather was just fantastic, a beautiful fall day, blue skies, a little bit hot... but not humid at all. Was a great day. Didn't get out on the bike, I know a shame, but did go to visit the in-laws down in Yokohama today, then have a walk on the beach down in Jonanjima. I have to thank Sean for showing me this place, as it is really close to my house, and a real treat to go and visit from time to time. Today the place as was really busy not surprising considering the weather.

Lots of people with dogs, families with kids, and people fishing.

I snapped a quick shot of the Tokyo skyline, which you can see from the one side. Its pretty, and the camera in my phone just doesn't do it justice. If you are in Tokyo, this place is worth a picnic in good weather.

If you are a plane watcher this is also the place to be in Tokyo as it is right next to Haneda. You can watch the planes as they take off, and reach up and touch them while they land. Well... its not that close but it is pretty spectacular.

Ohhh.... I want one.

2008-09-22T22:28:00.003+09:00

If I could fit it in my narrow drive... I would already be in debt to own one.

For those that you don't know what "it" is... NIssan Skyline GTR.

Matsumoto

2008-09-22T08:38:00.005+09:00

So, I know I haven't done many posts over the last little while. Things have been a little busy, and I haven't had too much to post about. Or maybe it is just that I have been lazy. Anyhow, want to get a few different things up here now...

My parents are here, and we've been doing some traveling in the car to a lot of different places in Japan. This is the first time that I've done so many road trips. To be honest it has been a pretty pleasant experience to get around and see a lot of places that I really have wanted to go to.

Last Tuesday, we headed out to Matsumoto in Nagano Prefecture. Nagano is up in the moutains, is very green and beautiful, and is well know for hosting the 1998 winter olympics. I beleive the IOC chairman recieved a wonderful sword from the committee duirng the bidding process. Unfortunately all documentation of this was lost by the IOC... wonder why?

Anyhow... we headed to the castle, here it is... and my parents in front of it.

At night we went to Yakitori restaurant in Matsumoto. It was recommended to us by a place we went to for lunch. The Yakitori palce was small, really friendly and good fun. The food was excellent too!!! Here is a snapshot of the cook as he salts the Yakitori.

href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_J4KUjGVImlg/SNbcVc6LrXI/AAAAAAAAAWA/kX2GobMzm9A/s1600-h/CA390293.JPG">

Want to take me for steak?

2008-09-22T08:30:00.002+09:00

Check out this bad boy... Its in Gotanda, and a steak dinner starts at 300 dollars a plate. then up to about 1500 dollars. CRAZY??? I'm stunned with this one. Its a real little hole in the wall, in a not very nice area, but still is amazing price. If it was in Roppongi or Hiro, I would be less surprised.

Anyhow, if you're feeling rich one day, take me for a steak here. I'll settle for the middle one... (about 600 bucks). Isn't that nice of me?

Canadian Beer

2008-09-22T08:26:00.002+09:00

Anyone know this beer? Found it in a local beer store in Omori. But I've never heard of it, and it looks pretty cheap. Actually WAY too cheap, especially in Japan. Normal beer runs around 200 yen... this stuff is only 160. So have to say that it looks pretty dodgy. If you've heard of it... and its good... let me know.

Japanese Nurse Bar

2008-07-30T20:12:00.004+09:00

Well with a title like that, I am pretty sure I will increase my traffic to my blog. Well, if anyone bothers to check it out, they will really see how boring things are for me. Or at least how boring I tend to write. Anyhow... we all know James' lust for Japanese nurses (He married one) so with his birthday passing the other week, we decided to take him out to a place that he could truly appreciate. We went to Alcatraz E.R. for a laugh. It was pretty good, all the staff were either dressed up as Nurses or Doctors. Have to say that the nurses were pretty cute... I can feel a slap coming from Kiyomi as I type. Sorry no pictures... Didn't have my good camera.

BUT I did get some pictures of the weird things they had there... Like how they bring a pitcher of beer:

Or how about the bed pan of fries... well no I know its not a bed pan, but I don't know what you call these things. I think on M*A*S*H (yes I was angry when they cancelled it) they put pretty much any kind of body part, gut, bloody rag into these things. But lets just call it a bed pan for simplicity sake.

Lastly... the cup of beer. Perhaps a little more mental hospital than anything else...

Oh... and yes... the nurses were pretty hot.

More Bike Pictures

2008-07-30T20:07:00.002+09:00

Well I know it has been a while since I posted any pictures of my bike. This is the bike, with new tires (Michelin Pro 3's) which are really quick and have a great feel to them. The picture is taken in my indoor parking that we have at work. I'm one of the lucky few who can actually has a spot.

Domo Kun

2008-07-30T20:04:00.002+09:00

Here is a little bit of Japanese culture for all of you folks out there. Domo kun (Mr. Domo) is the mascot for the national broadcaster NHK here in Japan. Can't remember where I snapped this photo, I think it was Narita. But sure enough to excite any Domo Kun fan.

Fraser... do you still have yours?

Harvest!

2008-07-28T20:46:00.002+09:00

Check this out! So we were able to get about ten little tomatoes and a whole bunch of basil! Actually still have tons of basil, it is growing really well right now. It must be in a good spot, lots of sun. It smell great, much much stronger than anything that you get at the store. Tonight, I picked what I could from the plans, and Kiyomi made tomato, basil spaghetti. It was really tasty. Having fresh veg made the sauce very sweet. Much different from anything in the can, or from the store. If you have the space... give it a try.

Anyhow these are the tomatoes and the basil after I picked them...

Roof Top Garden

2008-07-27T11:14:00.004+09:00

OMG Pictures... yeah I know it has been a little while since I posted any pictures on the web site. Well... I'm not exactly getting paid for this :))) OK... I promise to try to post more. I've got a few pictures of the little bit of gardening that Kiyomi and I are able to do here in Japan. Just to be clear to those of you who have never visited. There are no lawns in Tokyo... no gardens for houses, and certainly no where you can grow anything... except on your rooftop balcony... if you are lucky to have one. Which, as it happens, Kiyomi and I are lucky!!

Here are some pictures of our plants. We've been doing well with the Tomato plants, and we have also had our own Cucumber and Egg Plants. We don't get a lot, but can usually eat something from these once ever week or so. The tomato plant has been the best, giving us a relatively large number. We've probably got ten or twelve that we can eat in the next day or two.

The herb garden is something that we just started. We got the planter at Ikea and some of the plants recently. The basil plant is doing really well and I look forward to trying fresh basil in some spaghetti or other kind of pasta. Should be pretty tasty. Anyhow... its kind of fun to do this... hopefully we can get some more going over the next little while.

We've got some hot peppers in there too... I am not sure what they are going to be like, but they aren't growing as well as they could be.

http://www.japanesepod101.com/

2008-07-23T20:32:00.002+09:00

This is a pretty good site with good audio for learning Japanese. I've started to download the podcasts and listen on my iPod and found it pretty helpful. I really like the stuff that they do on the four compound Kanji... pretty good sayings and quite useful.

悪戦苦闘　＝ did something with difficulty (use with suru)
意気投合　＝ to become fast friends, get along quickly with someone

Anyhow, overall very useful, and hey its also free!!!

Macau

2008-07-09T22:23:00.003+09:00

On Sunday of my trip I after seeing Rohit off to the Airport, and Trevor to see off his hangover. (He also had to get out of the dog house). I hopped on a ferry to Macao. Its kind of interesting, they are high speed boats that take you right there. The place is now turning into a little vegas though. You can see many of the large Casinos in Vegas (the Wynn is EXACTLY the same building) in Macau that you can see in Las Vegas. Why? More money is now spent gambling there than in Vegas. Per table bets are higher... etc. Its really easy to get to for people in Asia... and I would say that the cultures out here love gambling more than any Canadian I know. We really don't have so many pachinko parlors in Toronto.... :)

Macau isn't just gambling and Casinos though. It is also boast some really great historical sights left over from when it was a Portuguese colony. I spent the day wandering around taking in the sites and seeing these... and eventually got soaked by rain... forcing me back to Hong Kong.

If you head out to Hong Kong I really do advise spending some time in Macau. Even if you don't gamble. Just keep in mind you will be leaving Hong Kong an will need to take your passport. Remember to check your visa status!

Office Behavior

2008-07-06T08:42:00.000+09:00

What is acceptable office behavior? In Japan... there are a number of people that cut their finger nails while sitting at their desk at work. My boss and I find this pretty disgusting and always want to go out and give the people who do this a massive (and well deserved) slap. In my previous roles I used to work some early shifts (starting around 7AM) and remember once hearing a clipping noise in the department heads office. I went to the office supply cabinet near his office, and saw that he had his shoes and socks off and was clipping his toenails into the garbage can. Is this something that is acceptable in Canada? England? Australia? Germany? I would really think not. In all the time working in Canadian companies I really don't recall ever seeing this behavior ever. I'm pretty sure that if someone wanted to do this they would go to the washroom and not subject their colleagues to them clipping their body parts. Anyhow, I'm sticking by my guns that this is inappropriate b
ehavior, and that Miss Manners needs get involved.

Bugs

2008-06-23T21:03:00.002+09:00

In Japan, when the spring time comes, a you boys fancy turns to ... beetles. Yes, its pretty gross, but really popular here with young kids. Especially boys. They love playing with and carrying around there beetles. These things are huge, I mean it, probably not much smaller than a mouse. They don't move fast or anything but to me are pretty effing disgusting to look at. Creepy. Especially strange to me as they are also sold in the same place I buy my groceries.

New Car... thanks PR

2008-06-23T20:59:00.003+09:00

Paul man, thanks for the new car. With the turbo on, its pretty fast. Surprisingly not too bad to control. This it parked on my desk at work. next to my phone.

This is it on my iPod.

Not a Push Bike

2008-06-23T20:57:00.002+09:00

So at least one of my friends has the fastest bike of all of us... actually its probably faster than pretty much anything I will ever own. Unless I get a jet. Its still a nice looking bike Mike F.

Happy Birthday... To Me!

2008-06-23T20:50:00.002+09:00

Just turned the big 3.5. Shocking isn't it. Can't say that most of the time I feel like it, although do have to say that when I look at my mortgage I do realize it. On my birthday my Kiyomi (the wife:)) Took me out to a curry shop that I haven't ever been to before. I see it a lot as it is on my bicycle ride home, and also have heard good things about it. Its not far from Shinagawa station, and I know that I am getting close when I can smell the aroma of the food being prepared. The place almost always has a line up outside (the night we went was no exception). The place is small, the food is good and would highly recommend it. FYI... its also close to Sean MacDonalds house if you plan to drop in for a beer afterwards.

Here is the link
http://www.gnavi.co.jp/gn/en/g198201h.htm

Here is some of our dinner:

I highly recommend the place.

Congratulations Kon Chan!

2008-06-23T20:44:00.003+09:00

Okay... so I'm a little late on this one, but hey ... shoganai. Congratulations to Tokyo's favorite Bartender... Kon Chan. Kon chan runs what is really my friends and I's local. Its a small little place (which my cousin Paula will agree with... although she still found room to dance after a few drinks). Kon has become a part of our little group it would seem, even attending James' and Nori's wedding in England last year. Well he finally tied the knot himself and is now married. Many congratulations to the happy couple. Here are some of the lovely flowers that decorated the wedding party that he had.

Damn thats a Nice Bike!!!

2008-06-23T20:37:00.003+09:00

So I haven't really updated for a while... Sorry, I've been lazy. I also realized that I haven't put a nice picture of my bike up in a while. We actually had some nice weather on couple of weekends a while back (seems like ages ago... especially after all the recent rain). Went out and did a few long rides. This was waiting to meet up with my buddies and complete a 75KM long ride. Was fun!

If we ever get nice weather again... I'm planning to repeat!

PS... quick plug to www.bikely.com (cool site) and here is my ride:

http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/Mikes-Arakawa-Ride

Toyota Should leave F1

2008-06-09T19:44:00.005+09:00

I think that Toyota should leave F1. They just aren't getting anything accomplished from all the money that they are pumping into the team. The current rules of F1 don't really allow for them to really benefit from any R&D and trickle down technology. Toyota's big push will be vehicles that it sells to the public (like the Prius) is dual powered motors, and F1 has banned this in any of their cars. Basically this really isn't a good situation for the, and personally I would cut my losses and run. The money they save could be used in proper R&D with better results. Or split it with Marketing if they are concerned about the "brand".

NeXT Machine

2008-06-09T19:44:00.004+09:00

We still have one of these kicking around the office. Not actually running anything these days... but it is still here :)) IF you aren't familiar with it, go on Wikipedia and check out NeXT. Proves that not everything that Steve Jobs touches turns to Gold. Some things do fail. And that even if you have the better product people still go with the cheaper one.

Mobile Phones

2008-06-09T19:43:00.001+09:00

It amazes me the current coverage of Mobile phones on sites like engadget. I think it is b/c although I've done a lot of tech reading I've stuck with my favorites and really not been a big reader of this site. But it seems to me there is finally a clear push in North America for their mobile devices... despite the fact that they have the best devices available in the world. (I.e. they have the iPhone, the newest and best blackberry's, and a multitude of windows mobile devices) they have the worst infrastructure. Well Japan may have the worst (its great in some ways -fast, clear, and always available) but only if you have a Japanese phone! Yeah 3G is pretty common, but most people I know who come here don't have a 3G handset yet. Not sure about the Europeans, I know 3G is readily available there too, but really is up to people updating their handsets. Some of my friends here change them almost seasonally ( you know who you are you big Belgian!).

Anyhow I also think that in Japan we've had FAR more press on the mobile devices, as it has rapidly become the preferred method of personal computing. (I'm defining personal computing as Web, mail, and web shopping). There is money to be made on phones here, I've even bought a ring tone in the past myself, and I once read that of personal stock trades most are done on mobile phones here. Another big factor has been the great job that the Japanese designers have done in using the standard keypad to input Japanese. It is fast. Even for me as a non native speaker. My current phone (although not 3G) has a 5Mega Pixel Camera, can get on the web, access Google, big clear screen, and cost 1 penny. But to be honest I don't like it. Its a decent phone which is good, but there has been no thought into actually using it. My old Sony Eriksson were excellent.

After all that Ramble... I wonder how the iPhone will do here. As for now, it doesn't offer to much other than any current Japanese phone, other than touch screen.

Angry White Pyjamas

2008-06-07T22:26:00.002+09:00

Just finished a good book about studying Akido in Japan. It was pretty good... I can see why some people who were mentioned in it may have been a little peeved, but overall it is fun, and from some of my experiences fairly accurate. Anyhow if you are here, have been here, or are planning to come, I would say it is a good read about one mans "Japan" experience.

Rainy Season

2008-06-07T22:19:00.002+09:00

Its rainy season here. I guess those of you who live (or have lived) in Vancouver will know what I mean. Its pretty crap, and most days last week it rained. So didn't get in a single commute to work on the bike. I mean I generally don't like taking the train to work, but then when it is packed during the rain, hot from the humidity, and pressed up against wet people with wet cloths and umbrellas its a pain. Anyhow, we were spared some respite and today was a great day, beautiful and warm. A little humid but still... nice!

Oh... on a tech note... 3G iPhone next week? Seems like it will happen, but really not sure when it will be released in Japan. I haven't been able to guess that yet. I would guess in a couple of months. Anyhow out there have a reliable rumor???

GTA IV

2008-05-27T23:04:00.002+09:00

So picked up GTA IV for the PlayStation 3 the other day. Its pretty good... Graphics are great, story is good. Its really the first game for the PS3 that has grabbed me. But there is a problem.... Why the heck does Rockstar continue to have the worlds crappest save games system! I mean this is the same... return to the house to save the game system from GTAIII. I mean, what the heck, is it 1980's? Why can't I just save in the middle and come back to stuff. I'm not a kid anymore, I have things to do, wife to help, the occasional call from work. Why can't I just save and walk away?

Other than that... good fun. I haven't even tried to go on line yet.

Numpty

2008-05-26T22:36:00.001+09:00

Numpty
Scottish usage:
a) Someone who (sometimes unwittingly) by speech or action demonstrates a lack of knowledge or misconception of a particular subject or situation to the amusement of others.

b) A good humoured admonition, a term of endearment

c) A reckless, absent minded or unwise person
a) "No. That wisnae wit she meant, ya big numpty!"

b) i.e. "Silly billy", "You big dafty"

c) "That numpty's driving with no lights on!"s

But I prefer...

A person who never has or never will have a f*ing clue what he is doing
Bobby Gould