tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-54394629908129285482024-03-19T17:54:36.886+01:00Joost & Eric's Excellent AdventuresAdventures in Japan.
With several good tips & tricks.Joosthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15434756233847335886noreply@blogger.comBlogger44125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5439462990812928548.post-25851974676174082342010-07-26T17:22:00.001+02:002010-07-26T17:23:23.266+02:00This is Tokyo<object height="300" width="400"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/uMcUQDCtLbA&hl=nl_NL&fs=1?color1=0x006699&color2=0x54abd6"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/uMcUQDCtLbA&hl=nl_NL&fs=1?color1=0x006699&color2=0x54abd6" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="400" height="300"></embed></object><br />
This video gives a great impression of Tokyo<br />
"Shot with a Canon HV30 camera over four days between August 8th - 11th 2008. <br />
<b>Locations in Tokyo were:</b> Shibuya, Harajuku, Roppongi, Ginza, Akihabara, and Shinjuku."Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5439462990812928548.post-13661026513045914412010-06-11T13:40:00.000+02:002010-06-11T13:40:27.505+02:00Tempels tempels tempels......maar daar gaan we jullie natuurlijk geen foto's van sturen, want dat is saai! <br />
Wel zijn er foto's van: <br />
<br />
<img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji8md5G4mGiGSlQ25wqAFxXBG3sb_nUxsBrjRjYHC17phYWmnLC40FZoEvFpzhkJXwLuxaZBie-U5P3-vZC0ecqLFAurYcs1VNDsnA07tx7KQf1VPdtDGbPeWM-8KwbKZR-BXxCridx3U/s320/IMG_3714.jpg" width="380" /><br />
vertraagde treinen (!!!) <br />
<br />
<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBvMW0IxO_wiuUocibYYLKMAIdC05UpSswRX64VaQseFbO2MT0uo91VuE-B0TRz7GqjjPaNQ4LQrqeblbNgpKWgEB1ifvz-xUof4rITeUiyWi3vj8OPOOBKqX4KhgyuRAR_IVV963lomo/s320/IMG_3745.jpg" width="380" /><br />
Het uitzicht op hotel Chuo vanaf de voordeur van ons hotel<br />
<br />
<img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK-xwP9Ed0vveN3Z4rjmxTnk2nLPq0L2s3_CMN0Rd5LG28E1yF6Al1RJz8SlQhlCmSCvvc5k0szN_Gfm0OHEgOY_6WRn0o4b96FgkkKmSpkAXxYI-T1tg8CuPYonMQ6yTzXcmTQQMOY9Y/s320/IMG_3763.jpg" width="380" /><br />
de hoofdattractie van alle schoolkinderen in Kyoto (beter bekend als Daan en Richtje, alias die lange en die nog iets langere) <br />
<br />
<img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcoZ7lYaQeZa3pMcWWzV09U2fWp1Srl2gclKZ6ukPv1XUZ6hWdRDhtk_yR9VtcGkmWs_eMFbW3yWbpGdqoco3Xs2PSggklW8W3nH1jua1yA0lg3MgbsC2UWUex-kjShBoDEw3A5rexfmc/s320/IMG_3792.jpg" width="380" /><br />
en tot slot Little Paris aan het kanaal van het path of philosophy, inclusief Edith Piaf, maar dat zie je natuurlijk niet op een foto.<br />
<br />
Kortom, het is hier heerlijk (weer).<br />
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Liefs,<br />
<br />
Daan en RichtjeUnknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5439462990812928548.post-75528578553766699282010-06-07T23:52:00.000+02:002010-06-07T23:52:30.882+02:00Hayaku: A time lapse journey through Japan<object height="300" width="400"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/BTGZiVat52c&hl=nl_NL&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/BTGZiVat52c&hl=nl_NL&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="400" height="300"></embed></object><br />
<b>Hayaku: A time lapse journey through Japan</b> <i> </i><br />
<i>by Brad Kremer</i><br />
<br />
<blockquote>" Japan is one of the most beautiful countries in the world. This is my Japan. This is one of the many reasons why I love Japan. I shot this in many locations around Japan in the summer of 2009. Some of the location include Tokyo, Matsuyama, Imabari, Nagano, Gifu, and Ishizushisan.<br />
<br />
I started this as a personal project to try and capture the beauty that I see in Japan. It started as just that...<br />
<br />
But now that I have finished, I see it only as a beginning. This video, along with SAIJO MATSURI www.vimeo.com/7458088 is just the start of a much larger project that I have now decided to do.<br />
<br />
So I hope you enjoy this preview of what is to come in the future. "</blockquote><br />
"Hayaku" definition: Hurry up<br />
<br />
Camera: Canon 5DMKII<br />
<br />
Additional equipment: Mumford Moco<br />
<br />
<u>Music:</u><br />
<br />
Royksopp - Triumphant<br />
<br />
The Album Leaf - WindowUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5439462990812928548.post-31732183683635696812010-06-07T16:21:00.003+02:002010-06-07T16:25:58.663+02:00Richtje en Daan in TsumagoHoi Familie!<br />
<br />
We wilden graag onze tijd in Tsumago met jullie delen. We hebben heerlijk geslapen in een Ryokan, met uitzicht op de tuin met Koi-karpers en 's avonds een vijf-gangen diner (incl. wespenlarven). Tsumago was prachtig. Vandaag in Nara hertjes konten en honden zien bijten. Morgen naar Kyoto!<br />
<br />
Kus,<br />
<br />
Daan & Richtje<br />
<div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFf9GVjQhXkkQyK505XJh7RHu07Enso1IeRacmjLy-x-O5Sp_DyG0aSEiRqUM-IkIDPZGa6znbSjjG3mtcOoNd3dsJQE3711AFrbW2nfRt-CEPVEkHgktR_RItGQsAOKIFOICw1A8LSAM/s1600/IMG_3623.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFf9GVjQhXkkQyK505XJh7RHu07Enso1IeRacmjLy-x-O5Sp_DyG0aSEiRqUM-IkIDPZGa6znbSjjG3mtcOoNd3dsJQE3711AFrbW2nfRt-CEPVEkHgktR_RItGQsAOKIFOICw1A8LSAM/s400/IMG_3623.jpg" width="380" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6qOmc0m9U2slQevEzfZvPzGIAv-JN2uwbNyKpeozeSSujPSw34Lw24cod-yhOYSeJbmGLfCTKc0tCW8Bh5YolZi5NAV_YChBbrLg9z5Fq_gs9x6qtmY1IfmEpE-vA1TOWjpYwlezzYb4/s1600/IMG_3619.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6qOmc0m9U2slQevEzfZvPzGIAv-JN2uwbNyKpeozeSSujPSw34Lw24cod-yhOYSeJbmGLfCTKc0tCW8Bh5YolZi5NAV_YChBbrLg9z5Fq_gs9x6qtmY1IfmEpE-vA1TOWjpYwlezzYb4/s400/IMG_3619.jpg" width="380" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioOfWjjaFdEJbGfeR5aPJPXLN7xrOoq66TCT1zj0rjO7Kt4AroxJAFuLu7F4QB-qXyn7e5jR8MCj46wk7e6IqMaeTTPa42bqUrnIujrSUOg1FcOfM6u4ydF8P94klCcMVJtPa_0464zC8/s1600/IMG_3591.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioOfWjjaFdEJbGfeR5aPJPXLN7xrOoq66TCT1zj0rjO7Kt4AroxJAFuLu7F4QB-qXyn7e5jR8MCj46wk7e6IqMaeTTPa42bqUrnIujrSUOg1FcOfM6u4ydF8P94klCcMVJtPa_0464zC8/s400/IMG_3591.jpg" width="380" /></a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5439462990812928548.post-2543196079843882742010-06-04T10:22:00.004+02:002010-06-07T16:26:12.297+02:00My sister following in my footsteps<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg15wXOfBlxcnELVkcScjUe0sSQO4Rk1uF_Goo8ft0YILa5hK1ShyphenhyphenQex3SiLcvYa8VNSQdp3tzLhg-U1k8CzS9WksWFCrmrbhHjQ08_yJDa_PB0SYVnzW9pHYgaUAlClp5s1xZJFBEo3uY/s1600/IMG_3448.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" width="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg15wXOfBlxcnELVkcScjUe0sSQO4Rk1uF_Goo8ft0YILa5hK1ShyphenhyphenQex3SiLcvYa8VNSQdp3tzLhg-U1k8CzS9WksWFCrmrbhHjQ08_yJDa_PB0SYVnzW9pHYgaUAlClp5s1xZJFBEo3uY/s400/IMG_3448.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>My sister is in Japan now.After all my stories she and her boyfriend Daan just had to see it. (Well in all honesty I wasn't the only one to tell them, Daan's sister is in Japan for an intern ship, or something like that I think). <br />
Today I got this brilliant picture in the mail, with the following Caption: <br />
"Schijnen hier een goed metrostelsel te hebben! Niks van gemerkt..."<br />
(Translated to English: "Apparently they have a good metro system here! Didn't notice any of it...")<br />
:)<br />
<br />
Have fun sis (you too Daan)!!!<br />
<br />
In the background you can see <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tokyo_Tower">Tokyo tower</a>. The structure is an Eiffel Tower-inspired lattice tower that is painted white and international orange to comply with air safety regulations. As to be expected from the Japanese, Tokyo Tower is 9 meters taller than the Eiffel Tower :D<br />
<br />
Riding a bicycle in Tokyo, stay on the sidewalk though!<br />
As for storing your bike: <br />
<object width="400" height="300"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/lRjN6Y7tTV8&hl=nl_NL&fs=1&color1=0x5d1719&color2=0xcd311b"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/lRjN6Y7tTV8&hl=nl_NL&fs=1&color1=0x5d1719&color2=0xcd311b" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="400" height="300"></embed></object>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5439462990812928548.post-73813924877992247882010-01-12T18:22:00.012+01:002010-02-08T15:54:54.173+01:00'Nagoya newspaper' - The ConclusionThe newspaper arrived today:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKLW0sOFECGW5VTIIotq6ZxiP6t1Cmrb-eTJW1nHNAVBcpKm7kQgVmVtpSPD9D3yQiIXMgEpFslOr-msxPBnumsafmxwyWOVBZBFQ12EiN_5DvI2y69RDP03nkx7engefS_qyMc5-m_68/s1600-h/DSC01259.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKLW0sOFECGW5VTIIotq6ZxiP6t1Cmrb-eTJW1nHNAVBcpKm7kQgVmVtpSPD9D3yQiIXMgEpFslOr-msxPBnumsafmxwyWOVBZBFQ12EiN_5DvI2y69RDP03nkx7engefS_qyMc5-m_68/s400/DSC01259.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425907094328870866" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwN6UgGRX0x1t1lAMMyIYFRxuRIz1Kz8UVtrn4jOeexk3n4UU-_zkNRRKwuRfS_GDE18xwT7Beoz9mGrqrjegVxmEhyKo4c0pHtRQRvBoZtCHyQpMwu5s5TtIg_53dL0tqV5_7uOzNpMc/s1600-h/Nagoya-newspaper.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwN6UgGRX0x1t1lAMMyIYFRxuRIz1Kz8UVtrn4jOeexk3n4UU-_zkNRRKwuRfS_GDE18xwT7Beoz9mGrqrjegVxmEhyKo4c0pHtRQRvBoZtCHyQpMwu5s5TtIg_53dL0tqV5_7uOzNpMc/s400/Nagoya-newspaper.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425911736915207570" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWgzhtt_jiviq1p7UrljmmyhuDnRVt53rJZULn0fqSjCd-2UKNueFu0_ZY5GpAklqooxEpmrsJ6eWUl96RjhnpS2njkqtjXdiDOE_Oz67o3owJKs8quZ4CU-1ydTkM7rLoBITxXvZNdaY/s1600-h/DSC01255.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWgzhtt_jiviq1p7UrljmmyhuDnRVt53rJZULn0fqSjCd-2UKNueFu0_ZY5GpAklqooxEpmrsJ6eWUl96RjhnpS2njkqtjXdiDOE_Oz67o3owJKs8quZ4CU-1ydTkM7rLoBITxXvZNdaY/s400/DSC01255.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425907084601210786" /></a><br />"<span style="font-weight:bold;">Enter the Nagoya Guesthouse</span><br /><br />It's not a hotel, nor a ryokan (a Japanese style inn). A new cheap hostel/guest house has made it's way into the heard of Nagoya. A room with 2 beds is between 2-3,000 yen, beyond the cheapness the guests become friends and can exchange travel information. Next year is Nagoya's 400 year anniversary. Located between Tokyo and Kansai, Nagoya is often passed over. Will this be enough to encourage more travelers to stop in?<br /><br />A 5 minute walk from Kanayamasogo Station, Hostel An is a 40 year old wooden building with 6 rooms and 2 floors. The ex-salesman from Yokohama, Ayano Kimishima (34) opened this establishment in October of this year (2009).<br /><br />"I wanted to create a place as comfortable as a normal Japanese home." She said. In the room with a TV, computer, and manga foreign travelers relax and occasionally make travel-buddies. <span style="font-weight:bold;">Eric Ras (30) from Holland said, "I found a <a href="http://joosteneric.blogspot.com/2009/12/nagoya-day-one-part-two.html">kendo dojo</a> when I was walking around, and the sensei let me in!" and proudly showed me his pictures!</span> Over 80% of the customers here are foreigners.<br /><br />Ms. Kimijima traveled around Southeast Asia 10 years ago and started to dream about opening her own guesthouse. Until last year she worked at the Chubu Airport while looking for a good place for her enterprise. She said, "As foreigners have a different sense of difference than Japanese people, I think Nagoya is a good place because Takayama and Himeiji are an easy day trip away."<br /><br />There are guest houses like this in other countries and in Okinawa, but there weren't any in Nagoya. This year, the first guest house, Otohaya Besso opened (In the Nakamura ward near Nagoya Station South). It has a bar where than even non-guests can enjoy themselves. Now, they are re-designing it to allow for live performances. They also give local artists a chance to display their works.<br /><br />"Travelers and locals can sit together and drink sake and go for one of Nagoya's famous huge "morning" breakfasts," said the owner. The ex-metalworker from Hiroshima, Takahiro Tange (38) said his goal was to create a "melting pot".<br /><br />Nagoya is said to have very few travelers. In the French travel book Michelin, Takayama got the full 3 stars, however Nagyoa only got one star! It says, "There is not much to attract most travelers, but that doesn't mean there are no places to go and enjoy yourself."<br /><br />Mr. Tange said, "I want travelers to not only go to big concrete museums, but also go to the places that only locals go, and enjoy the local food as well." Nagoya is different from Kyoto, as you can easily find things 'not on the map'". The key to getting more people interested in Nagoya is having the locals help create an atmosphere that captures their interest."<br /><br /><i>Thank you Levi and Miyuki for translating this!</i><br /><br />(original posts: <a href="http://joosteneric.blogspot.com/2009/12/nagoya-newspaper.html">1</a> & <a href="http://joosteneric.blogspot.com/2010/01/vervolg-op-nagoya-newspaper.html">2</a>)Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5439462990812928548.post-69924303313160301662010-01-10T16:12:00.018+01:002010-02-08T15:54:54.179+01:00Back in NLWe've been back in The Netherlands for a week now.<br />For me, 'Excellent Adventures' was an understatement. Joost turned out to be one of the best travel companions one can ask for ( as long as he gets his caffeine shot ;p ) Japan has been so cool that I'm considering going for a year. I'm really happy with my job right now so no short term plans, but I'm looking in to getting some English degree or certificate to increase job opportunities.<br /><br />Anyway, I thought I'd give you guys a few more pics to enjoy:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhILnDT48GuX31BGQIV8Te4Y-zG6H74ktqHolDgyoiDlixmt_pS2Zc_YH1x2eUTVWGt0oh1AM_FIj06z-pQQSvtpKLPwq734NwtyQqnVNgIN1E62Ln_QniN3EoniHzXueG7lsiIPPFJmDg/s1600-h/DSC00242.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhILnDT48GuX31BGQIV8Te4Y-zG6H74ktqHolDgyoiDlixmt_pS2Zc_YH1x2eUTVWGt0oh1AM_FIj06z-pQQSvtpKLPwq734NwtyQqnVNgIN1E62Ln_QniN3EoniHzXueG7lsiIPPFJmDg/s400/DSC00242.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425134771900677890" /></a>What would you like to order?:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm_BKVThhHZqFgAc5Afd_CtxyEAOsVK65suNgyjF2d4pdD2_9jH-VjrNrqI0aCLeBq9MObJ6VZ1wh_BnwoPyGPSHaID5LZ8ryRV6JhLArnyZ31T7JCWPsHNmpLz83OajMpO7-VU4Jzy7k/s1600-h/DSC00024.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm_BKVThhHZqFgAc5Afd_CtxyEAOsVK65suNgyjF2d4pdD2_9jH-VjrNrqI0aCLeBq9MObJ6VZ1wh_BnwoPyGPSHaID5LZ8ryRV6JhLArnyZ31T7JCWPsHNmpLz83OajMpO7-VU4Jzy7k/s400/DSC00024.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425245751872504258" /></a>McKroket eat your heart out:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW1odt9HfqbSi5TL457kEi3cEDB0YuBtwGPmz6Qxm3igk09qqY1A4_qsHQMfdrG4vYWBw8UkAq13JOBVeFh_dV_Wc5qN3RS6wrW5hC_SPUPRy9o38cnXaaXSgFsgZab1l5XvpfOqE8JrA/s1600-h/DSC00399.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW1odt9HfqbSi5TL457kEi3cEDB0YuBtwGPmz6Qxm3igk09qqY1A4_qsHQMfdrG4vYWBw8UkAq13JOBVeFh_dV_Wc5qN3RS6wrW5hC_SPUPRy9o38cnXaaXSgFsgZab1l5XvpfOqE8JrA/s400/DSC00399.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425134765757826850" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglnPgeus3QcI4bQ3r-e_qillYPhr4idCkg0aHggfThYvJoRpi2R1JWAl9s8V0ivUqC1rRvSAAZJzYEVrgQmvrpEG3eqwaVFK-fyj9_XxDgHTz92mtncAT8o0ZlmMT7Oqp7Gcux8xSbeeg/s1600-h/DSC00048.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglnPgeus3QcI4bQ3r-e_qillYPhr4idCkg0aHggfThYvJoRpi2R1JWAl9s8V0ivUqC1rRvSAAZJzYEVrgQmvrpEG3eqwaVFK-fyj9_XxDgHTz92mtncAT8o0ZlmMT7Oqp7Gcux8xSbeeg/s400/DSC00048.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425237915914758770" /></a>Osaka supermarket:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9PAeKMxgWj5NDb0tdw8gxmKdRTvIuUwnAWdIw4uK7_ws50uyvONpeJNn_zv5Z4MZ0_MCbVRQtAjo7UY5lE9uq_CVeUtTr9N5aWEB3K0Gqr2huq7U3s3teN5xiXTNwkjRXQl-uKqUoDtU/s1600-h/DSC00401.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9PAeKMxgWj5NDb0tdw8gxmKdRTvIuUwnAWdIw4uK7_ws50uyvONpeJNn_zv5Z4MZ0_MCbVRQtAjo7UY5lE9uq_CVeUtTr9N5aWEB3K0Gqr2huq7U3s3teN5xiXTNwkjRXQl-uKqUoDtU/s400/DSC00401.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425134761325302290" /></a>Jellyfish (Wallpaper anyone?):<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9mWGp-cRvardHBTjm_ZYmt6XKpmxGJU4yo3A5GxAGzFm8NFQ_6Ggc8nIau5q3XGzEv4VFef_TB6QwZm53RvZmoTGXFN74s28AVC_Hhul1p6Nx_n7iGMG3Go_WhjLlWefTVFPDEzxxrOw/s1600-h/DSC00479.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9mWGp-cRvardHBTjm_ZYmt6XKpmxGJU4yo3A5GxAGzFm8NFQ_6Ggc8nIau5q3XGzEv4VFef_TB6QwZm53RvZmoTGXFN74s28AVC_Hhul1p6Nx_n7iGMG3Go_WhjLlWefTVFPDEzxxrOw/s400/DSC00479.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425134756756115938" /></a>Maneki Kitty:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgcoR_aQKa5Vs_H66q0Af4vz_0GgHFR9Ryzrc-hk5H85IZZYbCoOeLUBIhyphenhyphenP-vgCkMCbW7EoNNPTbUw64OiBNdRBH0WgJUMGLFgqsMMxKZx_7U0Nqv4xCGQaV4XpFIWYupzFvsP_QAXF4/s1600-h/DSC00635.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgcoR_aQKa5Vs_H66q0Af4vz_0GgHFR9Ryzrc-hk5H85IZZYbCoOeLUBIhyphenhyphenP-vgCkMCbW7EoNNPTbUw64OiBNdRBH0WgJUMGLFgqsMMxKZx_7U0Nqv4xCGQaV4XpFIWYupzFvsP_QAXF4/s400/DSC00635.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425134748465637202" /></a>xmass:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyDR_rnmLKyU7GlBnTN0R9TSXvHkwxxMgW8745OYYyIrLy-7deF-rQhmqvheKtxvAQGEhti8v8eXoX9ohC0X85hxoES7fPZ8MfTNTyzS-cHZZPpl9_AnWSFv1JTZ0r3tBMHAvhOwFgnac/s1600-h/DSC00647.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyDR_rnmLKyU7GlBnTN0R9TSXvHkwxxMgW8745OYYyIrLy-7deF-rQhmqvheKtxvAQGEhti8v8eXoX9ohC0X85hxoES7fPZ8MfTNTyzS-cHZZPpl9_AnWSFv1JTZ0r3tBMHAvhOwFgnac/s400/DSC00647.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425139082287428162" /></a>xmass:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii_M5NHwDzPbzbOuErMlKWzCaOB2WYmxufAJEXKXykewIR2L5q65-r6wIk_aeLt2EErjZLdndt5TQSiNlRBY56FscEQH22uUwObcv2p-ddPg_y990d254kzpRue3tmR8-3P18ZQd-HoWY/s1600-h/DSC00649.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii_M5NHwDzPbzbOuErMlKWzCaOB2WYmxufAJEXKXykewIR2L5q65-r6wIk_aeLt2EErjZLdndt5TQSiNlRBY56FscEQH22uUwObcv2p-ddPg_y990d254kzpRue3tmR8-3P18ZQd-HoWY/s400/DSC00649.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425139073235200930" /></a>Nara Kōen:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh80Lk0imuDi5fmI5OFNLfjy3iGlYsz7wBfvKf7fx7hHCxDkjfgBnJxAv8Ti6SxOrcrWGoDMqfLvTJKtc6ZMeGNOEXVwfQXsimpdWvN7wmpa1OPoMAngySUvE5YdTfZOwbZC1SD0w8lSRk/s1600-h/DSC00732.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh80Lk0imuDi5fmI5OFNLfjy3iGlYsz7wBfvKf7fx7hHCxDkjfgBnJxAv8Ti6SxOrcrWGoDMqfLvTJKtc6ZMeGNOEXVwfQXsimpdWvN7wmpa1OPoMAngySUvE5YdTfZOwbZC1SD0w8lSRk/s400/DSC00732.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425139070316318226" /></a>Nara Kōen:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx0mymNidl22F7GTgvgQqnscpbd6iS8cNj8mH_teZzHGL8D1SD4xYC4CK0nJyaQheRlzIUodQ9lAwuscEldSjWUf3fhUUQTJQeXKbJcmnFVr8TFzXOBBnXyjidQMsh41huK49yNJqrwoY/s1600-h/DSC00740.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx0mymNidl22F7GTgvgQqnscpbd6iS8cNj8mH_teZzHGL8D1SD4xYC4CK0nJyaQheRlzIUodQ9lAwuscEldSjWUf3fhUUQTJQeXKbJcmnFVr8TFzXOBBnXyjidQMsh41huK49yNJqrwoY/s400/DSC00740.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425139060562491346" /></a>BYO Controler:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhik2VhtucakxKTJ3adPf72Pr0rEUVBrGHiPpW2IAoVm-XqChsZM_0NXk4L8q3AR82WXBd0QAzpWWGCjLkBibEVIZTX5xc1xT-mRyDqLbGmKyK3uO1VKzQOOW8VB86E9xW6wP0bRQ50hQs/s1600-h/DSC00943.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhik2VhtucakxKTJ3adPf72Pr0rEUVBrGHiPpW2IAoVm-XqChsZM_0NXk4L8q3AR82WXBd0QAzpWWGCjLkBibEVIZTX5xc1xT-mRyDqLbGmKyK3uO1VKzQOOW8VB86E9xW6wP0bRQ50hQs/s400/DSC00943.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425143771882632482" /></a>Nagano:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf-g1HEQhj92-0rqSnjBN_F6yOOrNmumqfB0C7vrgdVBzcIYYhBgMFEy_hT9RGFvqpWL5G8KoejTK8l89GnmfO8cqz4OyiqUIT9_xF2BP9aZnW5Pxw1RwOEB9ZMxa6zFW9CeBPg0nyQb4/s1600-h/DSC00996.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf-g1HEQhj92-0rqSnjBN_F6yOOrNmumqfB0C7vrgdVBzcIYYhBgMFEy_hT9RGFvqpWL5G8KoejTK8l89GnmfO8cqz4OyiqUIT9_xF2BP9aZnW5Pxw1RwOEB9ZMxa6zFW9CeBPg0nyQb4/s400/DSC00996.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425143767095188674" /></a>Not Nagano:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY3pC2K1GiukRTYc8g25_GM3Bzyhhjf-yLxIhopbWiTR-11gVRQ-87S3C9Vp_U2L-7Sa0TaV4KEgxp1ww3dQDHJtk2zGb8Lv0uByqAyuFhWXdLbg2TPbdppWheKUnHyyn6BldaOcDclPs/s1600-h/DSC00988b.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 322px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY3pC2K1GiukRTYc8g25_GM3Bzyhhjf-yLxIhopbWiTR-11gVRQ-87S3C9Vp_U2L-7Sa0TaV4KEgxp1ww3dQDHJtk2zGb8Lv0uByqAyuFhWXdLbg2TPbdppWheKUnHyyn6BldaOcDclPs/s400/DSC00988b.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425143761593959026" /></a>Ride with a view:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivSHKTjLQpZ0n6bvu33_B1LHZm23ND9hT41HXu7WuE0Q_TyQcb9jlRu1ES4X4sXDbpC1FI7Daom5se6F0mlzWyrEKdlRyqi2C4e43CQK8RwAVJF_LaAvVWaVFMbFNyXqRvuKahKeOjolM/s1600-h/DSC01016.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivSHKTjLQpZ0n6bvu33_B1LHZm23ND9hT41HXu7WuE0Q_TyQcb9jlRu1ES4X4sXDbpC1FI7Daom5se6F0mlzWyrEKdlRyqi2C4e43CQK8RwAVJF_LaAvVWaVFMbFNyXqRvuKahKeOjolM/s400/DSC01016.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425143756223868082" /></a><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/jCp3jlt52Yc&hl=nl_NL&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/jCp3jlt52Yc&hl=nl_NL&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br />Nike flagship store:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5e1pBVh9ONMe390PWpnOE_7bEnotP1e9LSYB_Z6_jqCflFmO-hmaVBy8OVTM514jp6aWXLKNN6sJ1VymdJUiL32YFzu4DfXeQXzHcr-6nvc4-nsAj2PrmLb-hreQonqF1RsiJ8ZW0PAk/s1600-h/DSC01115.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5e1pBVh9ONMe390PWpnOE_7bEnotP1e9LSYB_Z6_jqCflFmO-hmaVBy8OVTM514jp6aWXLKNN6sJ1VymdJUiL32YFzu4DfXeQXzHcr-6nvc4-nsAj2PrmLb-hreQonqF1RsiJ8ZW0PAk/s400/DSC01115.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425143747485658210" /></a>Get in line for NYE:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis7pfLJIHFaPXzPi9FbU-AJUgNSTJphL51MbGXWM0Yb37fhg-uJxX7psIATrxch_haoylJAelRCzHutV_iYW00U1xpH3ik-9Ie_N-ay_aJKw75_cYTaMkrANavOXeCbZ4oNVuGAu7CkO4/s1600-h/DSC01134.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis7pfLJIHFaPXzPi9FbU-AJUgNSTJphL51MbGXWM0Yb37fhg-uJxX7psIATrxch_haoylJAelRCzHutV_iYW00U1xpH3ik-9Ie_N-ay_aJKw75_cYTaMkrANavOXeCbZ4oNVuGAu7CkO4/s400/DSC01134.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425215338955906290" /></a>They are in Japan too (en ook hier incl. bontkragen):<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihq2mAfs6G1wTFt-dFeF1URODALpt-WTlYZs1VAzELCezQeJq9vu9V3SgbpRxP3p-0DIDfZnF3nfAL_9eRSeXQWowTRP9j4T7k2_R070j3XrBBwsHB0KtXoZSUSHIXc6hl5LE6Fu7ojQw/s1600-h/DSC01157.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihq2mAfs6G1wTFt-dFeF1URODALpt-WTlYZs1VAzELCezQeJq9vu9V3SgbpRxP3p-0DIDfZnF3nfAL_9eRSeXQWowTRP9j4T7k2_R070j3XrBBwsHB0KtXoZSUSHIXc6hl5LE6Fu7ojQw/s400/DSC01157.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425215334485591186" /></a>NYE = Big Buisness:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjoP_f62neoqYQFm_bIBdRcCOk9W1tpo8OFymiJ0ellur6zPiXCr7-Z4zfPzgWwx7KWyt9xMgY-jJXQQxRqV8uEr7i4FWFs9nSxuQaOzVzTxMlt3l7_x138Y27bPElLmT6PW8ydMadxR8/s1600-h/DSC01158.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjoP_f62neoqYQFm_bIBdRcCOk9W1tpo8OFymiJ0ellur6zPiXCr7-Z4zfPzgWwx7KWyt9xMgY-jJXQQxRqV8uEr7i4FWFs9nSxuQaOzVzTxMlt3l7_x138Y27bPElLmT6PW8ydMadxR8/s400/DSC01158.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425215324882851410" /></a>Happi Coat:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6szS_JInyAr6kQ_N75w8un3_cIdL3yFRdWM2zcqpuHADToUJvkp7q_kD61FTpW8CKlibfFzP6xwFDHPWRXRI3k1uP69pf77EOGAWqRqvQWSMoW1zbKXCfeNtVgL0pKO9xBOrJcUd1bVo/s1600-h/DSC01180.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6szS_JInyAr6kQ_N75w8un3_cIdL3yFRdWM2zcqpuHADToUJvkp7q_kD61FTpW8CKlibfFzP6xwFDHPWRXRI3k1uP69pf77EOGAWqRqvQWSMoW1zbKXCfeNtVgL0pKO9xBOrJcUd1bVo/s400/DSC01180.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425215323267273426" /></a>Last meal:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnkjpt552OGVIHw77S7oo_BpMnYoEVFXG5pXcfQzBjwyoCh-igq5K3oz4U4cPEnBpUupFCFtj_2ldvlvFXYTfXPoUT2AijVA6sRXfLFgcv7EvnVzktMmO0Ncm2Jb_cSL7KFqJLxtDV9tw/s1600-h/DSC01222.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnkjpt552OGVIHw77S7oo_BpMnYoEVFXG5pXcfQzBjwyoCh-igq5K3oz4U4cPEnBpUupFCFtj_2ldvlvFXYTfXPoUT2AijVA6sRXfLFgcv7EvnVzktMmO0Ncm2Jb_cSL7KFqJLxtDV9tw/s400/DSC01222.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425215315309626386" /></a>Last look:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1n8vINnDaGb-xMjCQ0Rctp5B7zWPuvHHXzwJniVPxCnFPVdBRXPSoXq_9NW2eAaunE9O5jyw-GxR4lwrP_O9Dv80mbCiwE_27XUKchH7ZXk0eNv-Lr9G7M9UBXs8xrNZTQ-H-u6r7nck/s1600-h/DSC01223.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1n8vINnDaGb-xMjCQ0Rctp5B7zWPuvHHXzwJniVPxCnFPVdBRXPSoXq_9NW2eAaunE9O5jyw-GxR4lwrP_O9Dv80mbCiwE_27XUKchH7ZXk0eNv-Lr9G7M9UBXs8xrNZTQ-H-u6r7nck/s400/DSC01223.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425217131962001394" /></a>Last Subway:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQG_egvXUSXpJY7M7sjjkLUsYaBeZTndQr0svjjWpSq_BZ93C5OliilwxYCXJ5GStzoavgV_C0ANxIx1_LaOpumqT8MtfdBxMUNdIMu5i4GTeo006xpDfCi-51jCadJ3W3SAovtfXR264/s1600-h/DSC01225.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQG_egvXUSXpJY7M7sjjkLUsYaBeZTndQr0svjjWpSq_BZ93C5OliilwxYCXJ5GStzoavgV_C0ANxIx1_LaOpumqT8MtfdBxMUNdIMu5i4GTeo006xpDfCi-51jCadJ3W3SAovtfXR264/s400/DSC01225.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425217127505284098" /></a>First signs of home! but still in Japan!?!:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSKaXYzwslTojZVz6WgMJhShFuTFhlTUsXOzaXlq3F-1yJjJNW3uipCBI4xKtv4BrmsTnqljvmGVe335hMwmOc2Lms-3qgQq7EwYven-QpNdoixE-aUYrXHc98MaCPp1_evvbH4H7u8UA/s1600-h/DSC01226.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSKaXYzwslTojZVz6WgMJhShFuTFhlTUsXOzaXlq3F-1yJjJNW3uipCBI4xKtv4BrmsTnqljvmGVe335hMwmOc2Lms-3qgQq7EwYven-QpNdoixE-aUYrXHc98MaCPp1_evvbH4H7u8UA/s400/DSC01226.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425217123335363458" /></a><br />For the stories behind them just ask me or Joost :)Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5439462990812928548.post-87796943831035706842010-01-09T15:39:00.000+01:002010-02-08T15:54:54.179+01:00EngrishWe weren't exactly on the lookout, but as you might expect we cam across some beauties.:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_GAJA3euXQPjKZw5f6JWtTY53soSSqVAz8is0gIYhiETMEtXfzzbPjfFOau3o_So5654M_xriWIMusrbZ4_CrMQ-tFLNe3lEmr2LpC5t49ChjZetSpJcZd65zj13337j2RL05LV80-OY/s1600-h/DSC00085.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_GAJA3euXQPjKZw5f6JWtTY53soSSqVAz8is0gIYhiETMEtXfzzbPjfFOau3o_So5654M_xriWIMusrbZ4_CrMQ-tFLNe3lEmr2LpC5t49ChjZetSpJcZd65zj13337j2RL05LV80-OY/s400/DSC00085.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425231949352582338" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU4qLx9Onwmj7JsA-j7bYjGVqWj1j7WKDArr92R5nE-aUXhSS3-djeMYV2cCCmsUIg-ltqA25tGqHY0cdwSoIdq2VHJQhVhAZFwVphyMOOUCHU9q1orsIBDUa00MmLKhSg-SzIO_GZ1Bg/s1600-h/DSC00312.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU4qLx9Onwmj7JsA-j7bYjGVqWj1j7WKDArr92R5nE-aUXhSS3-djeMYV2cCCmsUIg-ltqA25tGqHY0cdwSoIdq2VHJQhVhAZFwVphyMOOUCHU9q1orsIBDUa00MmLKhSg-SzIO_GZ1Bg/s400/DSC00312.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425231943175300690" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPNDFrnw4v23QIpOQhsSsMkFK9PB7CArSbICPpIe7fzM8DLFAoVZywPnprD6pY68mni7HUqaNey0lEL9cQsXhEHeHPuG96wnnwEZDhhk5YIpd0l-pm1NcWM5J-YVZi91IIJwM42J1T71c/s1600-h/DSC00522.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPNDFrnw4v23QIpOQhsSsMkFK9PB7CArSbICPpIe7fzM8DLFAoVZywPnprD6pY68mni7HUqaNey0lEL9cQsXhEHeHPuG96wnnwEZDhhk5YIpd0l-pm1NcWM5J-YVZi91IIJwM42J1T71c/s400/DSC00522.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425231936267117458" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzr-SDKFDKTKnBtMyiKT01Z6orrW7lo-Ur7UR-mWUs1gukEYUoCKiC4kP_tRAywuEIWvphtcwjRh7NvWq4vXreOpyldzY4fN3H_AGwKrJKh0VPaL24HqAN83vr_ORw64tygj_DPtvyPqc/s1600-h/DSC00177.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzr-SDKFDKTKnBtMyiKT01Z6orrW7lo-Ur7UR-mWUs1gukEYUoCKiC4kP_tRAywuEIWvphtcwjRh7NvWq4vXreOpyldzY4fN3H_AGwKrJKh0VPaL24HqAN83vr_ORw64tygj_DPtvyPqc/s400/DSC00177.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425231932999921682" /></a>And this one, no Engrish here bus still pretty bizar:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDAROD_B9mF8IvN-fjFAF6Zs7rbBnrqcPGrh4yLsDRMpYukqY4gNwH0but0_zbm7zNvoxRfwuNU0qxQ0DzyeZddVpOmjpv32DdjMDI1E10Xr6VG9YN2WwzP38tPCUe2-XqTJi2CwnPVCE/s1600-h/DSC00241.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDAROD_B9mF8IvN-fjFAF6Zs7rbBnrqcPGrh4yLsDRMpYukqY4gNwH0but0_zbm7zNvoxRfwuNU0qxQ0DzyeZddVpOmjpv32DdjMDI1E10Xr6VG9YN2WwzP38tPCUe2-XqTJi2CwnPVCE/s400/DSC00241.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425231920801169282" /></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5439462990812928548.post-56745688970792060962010-01-02T05:02:00.008+01:002010-02-08T15:54:54.180+01:00Japanese manholesJapan's manhole covers often include a symbol specific to an area or town as part of the overall design and vary depending on their purpose. Here are the ones we found on our trip:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzIfHCPUPaBswBcqExOdcYlTbFJ23q6Tyqh1yID_X5NJHp7wMdVjMiSH5CiHxiFUpsD1lg1zDcCTuDlyBmkn-jdGf0nwR-4LEAdjnpxNTr90NtWKvKz_iXwSGZtPwesqf2roP2C8ujWmQ/s1600-h/DSC00299.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzIfHCPUPaBswBcqExOdcYlTbFJ23q6Tyqh1yID_X5NJHp7wMdVjMiSH5CiHxiFUpsD1lg1zDcCTuDlyBmkn-jdGf0nwR-4LEAdjnpxNTr90NtWKvKz_iXwSGZtPwesqf2roP2C8ujWmQ/s400/DSC00299.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5421989703657006178" /></a>(Himeji)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYUbZaQNrZSKhIorYjDxZWAB-MCXg8Tt1Eq-A_RYUSLp7RR6WkUqodY08WrSatFHG3JIxuoj9XHPVOxvdkkPV-u1k4HdgeUrgBnCQv3cbZrtl4R-iQirUaIvPtiJ1yq8A2BrCTr_-2uqA/s1600-h/DSC00376.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYUbZaQNrZSKhIorYjDxZWAB-MCXg8Tt1Eq-A_RYUSLp7RR6WkUqodY08WrSatFHG3JIxuoj9XHPVOxvdkkPV-u1k4HdgeUrgBnCQv3cbZrtl4R-iQirUaIvPtiJ1yq8A2BrCTr_-2uqA/s400/DSC00376.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5421989697914303762" /></a>(Himeji)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMaR6QWZL5vd59lqgAXdcTOl2Cb_0d3knwvPqtAUVpvSzmqhUD_BiCDbj643yz3hB_2f9quqMPGC5I5-RzXTxKN4I33hWGRGSKRAh9pI7967tdTW_UPwbsZtnCwjRFw7QdETLLZEEsZic/s1600-h/DSC00377.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMaR6QWZL5vd59lqgAXdcTOl2Cb_0d3knwvPqtAUVpvSzmqhUD_BiCDbj643yz3hB_2f9quqMPGC5I5-RzXTxKN4I33hWGRGSKRAh9pI7967tdTW_UPwbsZtnCwjRFw7QdETLLZEEsZic/s400/DSC00377.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5421989689471650178" /></a>(Himeji)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKxljZsuQYipYa01L0lxkjQGYRcQlE4a26eQQ4L6N2eDsWjl1XKrMlv2awQH9_s1-hXNU4inUBxmssjxNvYsL5A-N5VHNT8KemJlLtVwdqrX5B9-yFJHfxnjK9cyw6dKnGVO14-mkvOVw/s1600-h/DSC00400.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKxljZsuQYipYa01L0lxkjQGYRcQlE4a26eQQ4L6N2eDsWjl1XKrMlv2awQH9_s1-hXNU4inUBxmssjxNvYsL5A-N5VHNT8KemJlLtVwdqrX5B9-yFJHfxnjK9cyw6dKnGVO14-mkvOVw/s400/DSC00400.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5421989683739318578" /></a>(Osaka)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq-QCJIgnFlIv6dfAqy_bcckzDT-h4u0x6JGBDkl8vxL3gVGDDdNDWi2EZcoEBBstkJUlbrj9lbF0hUJREaTxx9bgIkmolXiBeD7asZRY977GTTYURTJr8fkkxElJZZvqH47jbjU9kRl8/s1600-h/DSC00725.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq-QCJIgnFlIv6dfAqy_bcckzDT-h4u0x6JGBDkl8vxL3gVGDDdNDWi2EZcoEBBstkJUlbrj9lbF0hUJREaTxx9bgIkmolXiBeD7asZRY977GTTYURTJr8fkkxElJZZvqH47jbjU9kRl8/s400/DSC00725.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5421991486908574210" /></a>(Nara)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEssZTJtGy4mT4MNiGbbAOjiDownZpI0ui7czP7zkguFIWEDchmvSTTqsb_Zl0JpTEbOLvDhMRa3OIDEGafAg_aiKV880CT6_tcAigEBWKVXmpr-YLe615TYLe-DLMHtYsgIcA4qovMpo/s1600-h/DSC00787.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEssZTJtGy4mT4MNiGbbAOjiDownZpI0ui7czP7zkguFIWEDchmvSTTqsb_Zl0JpTEbOLvDhMRa3OIDEGafAg_aiKV880CT6_tcAigEBWKVXmpr-YLe615TYLe-DLMHtYsgIcA4qovMpo/s400/DSC00787.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5421991476491566450" /></a>(Nara)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-ZAi6yhJSJcJ1-JX_1i6qCUrmL_vPxcXrE2nA0mCIej-MJDnGywPI6Pf86L3fl7inVJvWk6uuEvEiuVB1uTUHHgoxbaGIoqpTgXNQMZlW6GbnqZKjCnHoeao1TJRynsa1atSEWcSr0Ig/s1600-h/DSC00788.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-ZAi6yhJSJcJ1-JX_1i6qCUrmL_vPxcXrE2nA0mCIej-MJDnGywPI6Pf86L3fl7inVJvWk6uuEvEiuVB1uTUHHgoxbaGIoqpTgXNQMZlW6GbnqZKjCnHoeao1TJRynsa1atSEWcSr0Ig/s400/DSC00788.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5421991470083385570" /></a>(Kyoto)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJIftdIoE55gWpkAqRTQJbwkD9zX1waCupoCgZi0_XWJLpywJwETit7pil48nX6Ou95QkAebAriAeJCbKB8pBhDUgV55SOubNi2JdLYe7zTyzVJ_Q5vAYM3IcdwSeL0BpaTJ0v1ZvQmsU/s1600-h/DSC00920.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJIftdIoE55gWpkAqRTQJbwkD9zX1waCupoCgZi0_XWJLpywJwETit7pil48nX6Ou95QkAebAriAeJCbKB8pBhDUgV55SOubNi2JdLYe7zTyzVJ_Q5vAYM3IcdwSeL0BpaTJ0v1ZvQmsU/s400/DSC00920.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5421991460774735346" /></a>(Kanazawa)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi12Kf8xMXKIQAcXnUW3SSHPEPd1E7uPDVOTSxk1-HEDLreNiuzfRXZciPM6Qrq8rD-B-X9w4tx2OwahnkbXlVfYwVZqenjwwGgqdvQgPxzAN9_gB0EgOSN7Ccxn7uIgytoDvpBQYLqwQ0/s1600-h/DSC00997.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi12Kf8xMXKIQAcXnUW3SSHPEPd1E7uPDVOTSxk1-HEDLreNiuzfRXZciPM6Qrq8rD-B-X9w4tx2OwahnkbXlVfYwVZqenjwwGgqdvQgPxzAN9_gB0EgOSN7Ccxn7uIgytoDvpBQYLqwQ0/s400/DSC00997.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5421991453893368898" /></a>(Nagano)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikuKlsEQgr83vZvhzcXV-6jcaeK8OX9pD2eGn_oPJBhv2WJJ7ouodPnDCMBlbI6gOXJKquT76-AG3kXF6KZyttYWHWAZJrlSCm6hz1ehYwSGvgZtWJ2cvkexAvT-Czo5X-6RwRXcYjEOw/s1600-h/DSC01003.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikuKlsEQgr83vZvhzcXV-6jcaeK8OX9pD2eGn_oPJBhv2WJJ7ouodPnDCMBlbI6gOXJKquT76-AG3kXF6KZyttYWHWAZJrlSCm6hz1ehYwSGvgZtWJ2cvkexAvT-Czo5X-6RwRXcYjEOw/s400/DSC01003.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5421992297678847794" /></a>(Matsumoto Castle town)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC12iR0gKV7_ls5SSETLPPKJ7K186rjrWQf5QqlaBvvGXf1cHYcebz_Gn43wqexANiMwAtgI1fUHv4COfUMMf47S0ER-k4_T4Iyq1lIdVRWELdr_1eM3-hs9hQrboiUPVn2smRVNECPvU/s1600-h/DSC01098.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC12iR0gKV7_ls5SSETLPPKJ7K186rjrWQf5QqlaBvvGXf1cHYcebz_Gn43wqexANiMwAtgI1fUHv4COfUMMf47S0ER-k4_T4Iyq1lIdVRWELdr_1eM3-hs9hQrboiUPVn2smRVNECPvU/s400/DSC01098.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5421992291640452098" /></a>(Yamanouchi/Snow Monkey park)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja7hF2tZgdWExtNIJIZLV9wqy2ZMo04bBOzN0B17HC19envJldl1fydfyUEqTbj2zkfLcgzCopuffKslcn6ysEs5S4p0iSLh0jybd-W26f4jMylQr-wU9Kyy6CHGJOJkJwV-vC2pcy08M/s1600-h/DSC01111.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja7hF2tZgdWExtNIJIZLV9wqy2ZMo04bBOzN0B17HC19envJldl1fydfyUEqTbj2zkfLcgzCopuffKslcn6ysEs5S4p0iSLh0jybd-W26f4jMylQr-wU9Kyy6CHGJOJkJwV-vC2pcy08M/s400/DSC01111.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5421992286071606322" /></a>(Tokyo)Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5439462990812928548.post-59234146022270862732010-01-02T02:33:00.005+01:002010-02-08T15:54:54.180+01:00'Nagoya newspaper' - The SequelEmail received today:<br /><br /><center>"<i>Hi,this is Ann from Hostel Ann in Nagoya.<br />Thank you for staying at my hostel the other night.<br />The newspaper has been published and is almost sending it to your home.<br /> <br />Actually,I would like to ask you one thing.<br />If you are still in Japan around 10th Jan I would like you to appear on TV <br />which is a TV program about travelers from over seas in Japan.<br /> <br />If it's OK for you please let me know and then I will tell you more details.<br /> <br />Hope to hear from you Soon!!<br /> <br />Regards,<br /> <br />Ann<br />Hostel Ann</i>"</center><br /><br />damn damn damn, too bad we're heading back tomorrow :D<br /><br />(<a href="http://joosteneric.blogspot.com/2009/12/nagoya-newspaper.html">original post</a>)Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5439462990812928548.post-64085885654258221952010-01-01T17:18:00.009+01:002010-02-08T15:54:54.180+01:00AkihabaraYesterday I, and today Joost and I went to Akihabara. <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.terraspirit.com/memories/062306_akihabara.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px;" src="http://www.terraspirit.com/memories/062306_akihabara.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a>Akihabara is a major shopping area for electronic, computer, anime, and otaku goods, including new and used items. I really had to contain myself because a lot of shops sold orriginal G1 Transformers, re-releases, master pieces and new toys from Transformers. The re-releases and new Transformers don't really interest me, but the old school and master pieces made me drool all the more. What was worse the prices were quite good. <br />In the end I think I think it was a good thing there was so much choice, I chose to buy only one ("<i>Listen to yourself Eric, you can't buy it all</i>") master piece in a discount store for about a third of the price you pay in The Netherlands:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.transformersmasterpiece.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/starscream-transformers-masterpiece.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px;" src="http://www.transformersmasterpiece.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/starscream-transformers-masterpiece.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><center>"<i>Time makes all things possible. I can wait.</i>"<br />~Starscream</center>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5439462990812928548.post-7885831648372278312010-01-01T14:59:00.009+01:002010-02-08T15:54:54.181+01:00The 47 roninToday we went to Sengaku-ji, the gravesite for the famous 47 ronin. The 47 ronin is the unforgettable saga of a band of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samurai">samurai</a> who defied the Emperor's laws and faced certain destruction to avenge the disgrace and death of their master.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyg9Qg2TuPj1RNWmOyPl0ILDH2t527AYGf_4kba8t1byftKxaB7EqLTuEA3HOffB1Ac-8h-m5klDy6MkouLhlXeLe419NbLYPc8YZbSx2WDxyrNp8NX_tU6TkUTaGlwLmBnn4saKYtU6U/s1600-h/DSC01204.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyg9Qg2TuPj1RNWmOyPl0ILDH2t527AYGf_4kba8t1byftKxaB7EqLTuEA3HOffB1Ac-8h-m5klDy6MkouLhlXeLe419NbLYPc8YZbSx2WDxyrNp8NX_tU6TkUTaGlwLmBnn4saKYtU6U/s400/DSC01204.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5421802599405850130" /></a><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"><u>The 47 ronin</u></span><br /><br />The events took place in 1701, right in the middle of the Tokugawa era. Shogun Tokugawa Tsunayoshi ordered a few of his <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daimyo">daimyo</a> to attend an envoy from the Imperial family. For this purpose, the master of protocol Kira Kozukenosuke Yoshinaka (1641-1702) was designated to teach the daimyo the complex rules of Imperial etiquette.<br />One of the daimyo, Asano Takumi no kami Naganori (1667-1701), head of a branch of the powerful Asano family, did not go on well with Kira. As the tension rose between the two men, Kira made every effort to embarass his student in public. The conflict inflamed when Kira insulted Asano in the shogun's palace. Asano drew his sword (act forbidden in the shogun's palace) and struck Kira, though only injuring him. As striking someone while angry was also against the law, Asano committed a double crime. He knew this and readily admitted his misdemeanor, only regretting not to have killed Kira.<br /><br />Lord Asano was made to commit <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seppuku">seppuku</a>, although the decision was unpopular and seen as unjust by many. His retainers had now become ronin and swore to avenge their master's death by killing Kira. <br /><br />The <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ronin">ronin</a> were not trusted by their enemies, and lived under the watchful eyes of spies for months. They seemed to be adapting to their new circumstances, some more gracefully than others, by taking on the roles of simple tradesmen and teachers. Their leader Oishi, appeared to have lost his path in life, and became a hapless drunk.<br /><br />In fact, the ronin only appeared to have to accept their fate. They were actually making careful plans for revenge, and counting the minutes until the moment was right to strike.<br /><br />On 14 December 1702, the 47 went to Kira's mansion in Ryogoku and attacked it. Lots of Kira's men died in the surprise attack, but Kira had the time to commit seppuku before being caught by the ronin. Only one of the ronin died in the attack, then the 46 remaining were also made to commit suicide for their killings.<br /><br />The 47 ronin (incl. Oishi Kuranosuke), lord Asano and Kira are all buried in Sengaku-ji.<br /><br />Their acts are the source for Japan's most celebrated story of bravery, cunning, and loyalty. It has been told and retold in plays, in print, in books, in movies and on television ever since the news first swept through feudal Japan.<br /><br />There was A LOT of smoke there from all the incense burning there, even more than normal due to the fact that many Japanese traditionally use January 1st to visit temples. <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdUEW66W0CS2Ub1H7QsLsaNqBSeMAK_7OkAjOgNBE38r1Nh256L4RYnstYJLDFenrKIXcfFCIkRd7K1GmeDirjrtzBlJrMkYsNi5AuQzjR-t3kIo6Ee7jJI5oFk5yiaHoFR2-ayFV1VFI/s1600-h/DSC01205.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdUEW66W0CS2Ub1H7QsLsaNqBSeMAK_7OkAjOgNBE38r1Nh256L4RYnstYJLDFenrKIXcfFCIkRd7K1GmeDirjrtzBlJrMkYsNi5AuQzjR-t3kIo6Ee7jJI5oFk5yiaHoFR2-ayFV1VFI/s400/DSC01205.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5421803581188626482" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQx4wbSQWg1iZjaglR2GtfF2wQeNksrvBehtNghWbdDqkx7o4fBIIvkV2o8DoiZqx5SDV6wkq3nytCSx2EPjlEQ3wm6adOQ_ZNJ67dzuUoKHmMOJHkSTKu96G-14SZBEx40Gliveznm6s/s1600-h/DSC01199.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQx4wbSQWg1iZjaglR2GtfF2wQeNksrvBehtNghWbdDqkx7o4fBIIvkV2o8DoiZqx5SDV6wkq3nytCSx2EPjlEQ3wm6adOQ_ZNJ67dzuUoKHmMOJHkSTKu96G-14SZBEx40Gliveznm6s/s400/DSC01199.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5421803570812991778" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqJbU-NZVLFbJGxtg5ZBrg03UockE3z4dYjSNtvHNTELXX2wtHOvY8k1GXCtZahTJElx4G8IivQRlRFZ5sG168VrxQH-Oqd-5iatzp972zvQ2gvt2ysJCTqxcjQIA1I4cgFz21pJtln4M/s1600-h/DSC01211.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqJbU-NZVLFbJGxtg5ZBrg03UockE3z4dYjSNtvHNTELXX2wtHOvY8k1GXCtZahTJElx4G8IivQRlRFZ5sG168VrxQH-Oqd-5iatzp972zvQ2gvt2ysJCTqxcjQIA1I4cgFz21pJtln4M/s400/DSC01211.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5421803592335382530" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZq3Cc0QUhiT9swkYtzxwciuL5iaL-qy4SY8ZYQGL4Ijq2aGYgDmMoYnuseSCLJKl8DJ6VvokTSSSdxDaFUqkdIFSTbTkJU16KnCZOPfu1b28bf3IHDtoKber6pOGc03K62lhv51fQ1cs/s1600-h/DSC01217.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZq3Cc0QUhiT9swkYtzxwciuL5iaL-qy4SY8ZYQGL4Ijq2aGYgDmMoYnuseSCLJKl8DJ6VvokTSSSdxDaFUqkdIFSTbTkJU16KnCZOPfu1b28bf3IHDtoKber6pOGc03K62lhv51fQ1cs/s400/DSC01217.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5421803583997346114" /></a><br /><center>"<i>Among flowers, the cherry blossom;<br />among men, the Samurai</i>"<br />~Japanese proverb</center>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5439462990812928548.post-3945751781794910382009-12-31T19:27:00.006+01:002010-02-08T15:54:54.181+01:00Akemashite omedetou! (happy new year!)We went to the Senso-ji (oldest temple in Tokyo, 1300 years of history behind it) for new years. In Japan they don't do fireworks (well maybe at the gaijin places, but we weren't there) but they go to the temples and there they ring the temple bell 108 times (According to Buddhism, man has 108 sins and that, by hearing the bells toll that number, he can be relieved of all of them). <br />First I burnt one stick of incense for everyone of my close friends and of course my father and sister.<br />There was a huge line, but using our 'stroopwafels' I cut the line a little and tagged along with a few Japanese youngsters :D<br />I was witness to the bell tolling, and more so I saw my first (full) Geishas (as seen in the movies I have posted below.<br />The fire you see is to burn bad luck and things you want to get rid of from the previous year.<br />Again, all our best wishes go out to all of you, family, close friends and people we know alike.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEgqGMGqq7NNmAGFZATDUGWQ-rqT2XXDzTRvRWJIUZFyH2VL_U34BH3Au5fIEsN789gwjwiF510DwN60UgPQzWknXNOI0d9KNCSpegmtcdIvG0BJqTOKNIaV-h5l08QaT6-hsOmg_4zUUL/s1600-h/DSC01152.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEgqGMGqq7NNmAGFZATDUGWQ-rqT2XXDzTRvRWJIUZFyH2VL_U34BH3Au5fIEsN789gwjwiF510DwN60UgPQzWknXNOI0d9KNCSpegmtcdIvG0BJqTOKNIaV-h5l08QaT6-hsOmg_4zUUL/s400/DSC01152.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5421458216351135554" /></a><br /><object width="400"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/Ae4LnuKigxk&hl=nl&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/Ae4LnuKigxk&hl=nl&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="400" height="300"></embed></object><br /><br /><object width="400"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/DKhukAv1liw&hl=nl&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/DKhukAv1liw&hl=nl&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="400" height="300"></embed></object><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqtRp7GADrwhyJi9WtjTbxrzRy16FR3_y9de3l3nAeN-v2kxlGVzJ2pJDhtfXOjdLnqGV4OGsffC0d95m-V2AeJbu7yKFPDGJG91NjNL9huz-WJiBy2V3fJ_hmeKQdmJIq7z8EYdxj1X2j/s1600-h/DSC01184.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqtRp7GADrwhyJi9WtjTbxrzRy16FR3_y9de3l3nAeN-v2kxlGVzJ2pJDhtfXOjdLnqGV4OGsffC0d95m-V2AeJbu7yKFPDGJG91NjNL9huz-WJiBy2V3fJ_hmeKQdmJIq7z8EYdxj1X2j/s400/DSC01184.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5421459271270059458" /></a>We miss(ed) you guys (and galls)!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5439462990812928548.post-44679825521040863602009-12-31T07:30:00.005+01:002010-02-08T15:54:54.181+01:00We are the futureWe are now once again in Tokyo.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcQEmWpFDDCxJ1FASG3_7MQe_JwDXcKE60EUKLqWGAdAu8JXROP0xdFOnO2P5BUnPaia3jh-D-l_ksAqRYu8ChQet8Ly95SzBFoPiV7Ah-5zeiBqy6S-6RIgaEbdj3M30FQDxcQpEpRD4/s1600-h/DSC01119.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcQEmWpFDDCxJ1FASG3_7MQe_JwDXcKE60EUKLqWGAdAu8JXROP0xdFOnO2P5BUnPaia3jh-D-l_ksAqRYu8ChQet8Ly95SzBFoPiV7Ah-5zeiBqy6S-6RIgaEbdj3M30FQDxcQpEpRD4/s400/DSC01119.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5421287106967549250" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjssnY-rx8jYqo2dBwO9H84imdeFXCe0T93r7cosPwlATHN4suG2xG-xaLOCgwg8Bnval-Dajx1tpHSf5G0qPHS1WE6EnHVhu51gaNJLEwxzlgix5ugfO9s5T8E7q-pYCrr4XOxbv184M/s1600-h/DSC01118.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjssnY-rx8jYqo2dBwO9H84imdeFXCe0T93r7cosPwlATHN4suG2xG-xaLOCgwg8Bnval-Dajx1tpHSf5G0qPHS1WE6EnHVhu51gaNJLEwxzlgix5ugfO9s5T8E7q-pYCrr4XOxbv184M/s400/DSC01118.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5421287096509526338" /></a><br />As we wont be online tonight: All the best wishes, we will be there 8 hours earlier. :p<br />Except for Nana who has us beat by an hour.<br />Oh and Levi, Miyuki, Mirai and all the nice Japanese people we met along the way, they will also be celebrating in this timezone of course. Hope to see you all in the year of the tiger.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTlsxWyfZOZhJy7w0vIbfZW_9GLsaT6RdqgXZBVlmyrsI_26H0TpXGS_hO5zLOGAplPd4L7Gqy54ffbI_fATakV-QiCw_zBFJIvK2zqCCDkwtBoNCVv7-CoBm6VgaaAm8Mud_HpDS-nOk/s1600-h/DSC01124.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTlsxWyfZOZhJy7w0vIbfZW_9GLsaT6RdqgXZBVlmyrsI_26H0TpXGS_hO5zLOGAplPd4L7Gqy54ffbI_fATakV-QiCw_zBFJIvK2zqCCDkwtBoNCVv7-CoBm6VgaaAm8Mud_HpDS-nOk/s400/DSC01124.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5421287243090043090" /></a><br />Be safe and have fun, we'll be thinking of you!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5439462990812928548.post-48859042008003814962009-12-31T02:11:00.008+01:002010-02-08T15:54:54.182+01:00Snow Monkeys!Yesterday was great, after a hike through the forrest along an snowy and icy(!) trail we arrived at the famous monkey Onsen. <br />As with all the animals we've seen here the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_Macaque">snow monkeys</a> are protected and therefore completely unafraid of people. This gave me the chance to get some really nice closeups. Remember, this is not a zoo. If you stare and or grin at them too much they could easily pull a '<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bokito_(gorilla)">Bokito</a>'<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5nnuZjFNPp23Mge4qndyoGc-oUXp8KGFJkembhpSs-rNP1hoEnRNmsVqG-u3PA-ohZbZ-_4y8hbh86lZmeTk01yJq-UljwEFLs2oLlLxGADlLpx89z22Q49xWfsiBVuiFQMpJhyC2d9I/s1600-h/DSC01081.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5nnuZjFNPp23Mge4qndyoGc-oUXp8KGFJkembhpSs-rNP1hoEnRNmsVqG-u3PA-ohZbZ-_4y8hbh86lZmeTk01yJq-UljwEFLs2oLlLxGADlLpx89z22Q49xWfsiBVuiFQMpJhyC2d9I/s400/DSC01081.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5421281407960214898" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7KqZ6XkVfJZcqSG_nfIIKJXU7IXOfetKImnKW6nbvieT5tyeL-5D3i-PGkQnMES03Cll5lr0maK1SS7dKTmn7gF5PK_3oEJvnu6hBHlBF_aX-duyuKybanzoWwf3rD-tENzUpYZmXcoQ/s1600-h/DSC01078.JPG"><img style="display:block; 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margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLYuQ8obF5GSY95zgcswmiMDRsgAZbLV2I-NYiToCCDgpxtarxBsMdM_xsvrO5k0Ewtshkq-R2a_pzJSQyKDuXcoi4_UMuuw9eLnVRXDkYfLdjSQVdeNjvx1SIEuQQ-mePO_N8YyiP_NI/s400/DSC01049.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5421282785636596962" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-RZDR44C_RiCaR9l67nP1zL76fN4vuV7VvnkW98uZ-XevoY3CVwp7MmeBPUdTfM4VwEvM8ziIy-jtYji9OcNSFKxPd0DXO5ANuFLDqAIKrjTOfX_zAIHbQxypNa2W-alW5vwZE6_FV_c/s1600-h/DSC01073.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-RZDR44C_RiCaR9l67nP1zL76fN4vuV7VvnkW98uZ-XevoY3CVwp7MmeBPUdTfM4VwEvM8ziIy-jtYji9OcNSFKxPd0DXO5ANuFLDqAIKrjTOfX_zAIHbQxypNa2W-alW5vwZE6_FV_c/s400/DSC01073.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5421282794994594962" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtYYjtbh8gLrq5GzYzOdcyj0x5HCA-b2jTGW5V1epvEh65FhNOKQbDQhuD1TLiM41tGVWEvTsrsm5pTe73BUom2WTuMMnVVEYYgwREKZo09XYl596DNECklbSaBlu5FPAj_Bg8-ym2QWA/s1600-h/DSC01019.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtYYjtbh8gLrq5GzYzOdcyj0x5HCA-b2jTGW5V1epvEh65FhNOKQbDQhuD1TLiM41tGVWEvTsrsm5pTe73BUom2WTuMMnVVEYYgwREKZo09XYl596DNECklbSaBlu5FPAj_Bg8-ym2QWA/s400/DSC01019.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5421282802365283794" /></a><br />The Japanese Macaque lives in mountainous areas of Honshū, Japan. It survives winter temperatures below -15 °C (5°F), and is perhaps most notable for the amount of time it spends in naturally heated volcanic hot springs in Snow Monkey park located in Yamanouchi town, close to a historical Hot spring area named Shibu Onsen. In Life on Earth from 1979, David Attenborough notes that the monkeys (not the entire population) first moved into the volcanic area with the springs, "Only a few years ago."<br /><br /><i>Interesting read about this type of monkey (in Dutch) came out today: <a href="http://www.nu.nl/wetenschap/2153143/makaken-flossen-tanden-.html">there is a group that actually flosses</a></i>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5439462990812928548.post-9349082057749362782009-12-29T14:29:00.004+01:002010-02-08T15:54:54.182+01:00Japan will never be the sameI changed the flow of a river, Japan will never be the same.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGydfQGSTcn08oQIcL07SAd2sr6oloUpE1v7Vgf0cXUug0X7TKfi6BuD0q7Bh-rzIIVeamL4y3SEGcie6CALzk-UvIRivYykiJoHG2W6muQ8YdScISKozKnWDn0hxzcDQMC3WWtGo9mtk/s1600-h/DSC01006.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGydfQGSTcn08oQIcL07SAd2sr6oloUpE1v7Vgf0cXUug0X7TKfi6BuD0q7Bh-rzIIVeamL4y3SEGcie6CALzk-UvIRivYykiJoHG2W6muQ8YdScISKozKnWDn0hxzcDQMC3WWtGo9mtk/s400/DSC01006.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420651416031031602" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjavXvs7r4nDki43JKOx8hLtcxNINfHJsuwSnzzPn2thKeGZhleJ13VZqNXDaOpKIhJZBAGN8BGxstwCXKT4xPQGkp9h-hcVTSTDSTHPi8fO9t-GXOrgBPGPyt8URdwY0wvKk3sZk8GZHA/s1600-h/DSC01007.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjavXvs7r4nDki43JKOx8hLtcxNINfHJsuwSnzzPn2thKeGZhleJ13VZqNXDaOpKIhJZBAGN8BGxstwCXKT4xPQGkp9h-hcVTSTDSTHPi8fO9t-GXOrgBPGPyt8URdwY0wvKk3sZk8GZHA/s400/DSC01007.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420651408599413874" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDxIBqVzzUaEWhbCEC44aHVwXREmlGjY0C25kXOq2YHXV1ckrxrZ_JHzs1SO5MrmWcYekSln7e0xwkyCmtS_zWAtu-Q_wk6f9ZXMsVcOnK_zxpbdOg4j2xEBtGBuUB-s2CTB6OaFBHXs0/s1600-h/DSC01008.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDxIBqVzzUaEWhbCEC44aHVwXREmlGjY0C25kXOq2YHXV1ckrxrZ_JHzs1SO5MrmWcYekSln7e0xwkyCmtS_zWAtu-Q_wk6f9ZXMsVcOnK_zxpbdOg4j2xEBtGBuUB-s2CTB6OaFBHXs0/s400/DSC01008.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420651405548908082" /></a>(<i>ja pa, alweer :D</i>)Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5439462990812928548.post-1126020169112070792009-12-28T17:48:00.003+01:002010-02-08T15:54:54.183+01:00InsomniaApparently Joost is getting questions why he is sleeping so much, so to clarify:<br />Joost doesn't sleep all that much, I sleep so little. I already have trouble sleeping, but ripped from my normal rhythm I REALLY have trouble sleeping. 3-4 hours a night. I do get my moneys worth that way though ;p<br />For some reason, as soon as I'm in a moving vehicle I CAN sleep though... Just like after a party in Holland :DUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5439462990812928548.post-59972559084216683752009-12-28T14:54:00.020+01:002010-02-08T15:54:54.183+01:00KanazawaThis morning we took the train from Kyoto to Kanazawa. it took us a little over 2 hours to get there, but the view really made up for it. We saw the first real snow of our trip. It was almost a 'Winter Wonderland' :-)<br /><object width="400"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/FIWB4FZXaF8&hl=nl&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/FIWB4FZXaF8&hl=nl&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br />The train station is a really beautiful building as you can see in this picture (Den Haag CS, eat your heart out)<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-0C1OIXwb5M_376MUrNy6hImpEmEahkvoDTSgSTViE72m3VXJV39dNWfKUdCUaekLIxJvcQoZL7vxeTFehLd__Z2PEVWlYmUrjCiB694YkceN_gGkJl9ZwoaUBpp1_15_Fo28SxRudc9C/s1600-h/DSC00921.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-0C1OIXwb5M_376MUrNy6hImpEmEahkvoDTSgSTViE72m3VXJV39dNWfKUdCUaekLIxJvcQoZL7vxeTFehLd__Z2PEVWlYmUrjCiB694YkceN_gGkJl9ZwoaUBpp1_15_Fo28SxRudc9C/s400/DSC00921.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420294627756102754" /></a><br />The <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ryokan_(Japanese_inn)">ryokan</a> (wiki says says they are more expensive than hotels, but thats not true AT ALL) we are staying in is really nice, they even have their own onsen. Too bad we don't have time to enjoy it.<br />After we checked in we went to walk around the town. First we went to the old Samurai neighbourhood where there were some old Samurai houses that you could enter and look around in.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTYkd-pk1jS1TpiPBLRnPH12nObGJvjHxKzsxsfC2lkuqIRvZ8yRK1lvHOGSLheFXGZV50pKFzLFa8NtKTQcIZJpVyU8km0qReDIqAWJDx_SdVMUq0ks83La-Gcda8uDaNqKU6Rc59hWeX/s1600-h/DSC00886.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTYkd-pk1jS1TpiPBLRnPH12nObGJvjHxKzsxsfC2lkuqIRvZ8yRK1lvHOGSLheFXGZV50pKFzLFa8NtKTQcIZJpVyU8km0qReDIqAWJDx_SdVMUq0ks83La-Gcda8uDaNqKU6Rc59hWeX/s400/DSC00886.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420296666815176370" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzNQUYb3U4fk2_OrwgZKasvWZiimhygNDDad1IkBvz8DZLgPQnNYI8lTMxcGAPSgt5gzbnlp1dlQGHzNAXtSKODbk4DB4ndNJt4uKjJdQ3JSyK9jRGdMGf0Z-vhupj7gMveaNMyiwBa33S/s1600-h/DSC00889.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzNQUYb3U4fk2_OrwgZKasvWZiimhygNDDad1IkBvz8DZLgPQnNYI8lTMxcGAPSgt5gzbnlp1dlQGHzNAXtSKODbk4DB4ndNJt4uKjJdQ3JSyK9jRGdMGf0Z-vhupj7gMveaNMyiwBa33S/s400/DSC00889.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420296655655700754" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVPXoagt7bdutFM7NNsnMPQrnd_W7iF9gjQMwmfGj4o1Ou7oee8pxpjBC8OUTohCwbM7z4z_zPm93YFOXvTwsXFgESyV22-zrYQOOL6U-T2R41QCzIeMLLzM3WyhjNqMCxxjL44AwM26wU/s1600-h/DSC00903.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; " src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVPXoagt7bdutFM7NNsnMPQrnd_W7iF9gjQMwmfGj4o1Ou7oee8pxpjBC8OUTohCwbM7z4z_zPm93YFOXvTwsXFgESyV22-zrYQOOL6U-T2R41QCzIeMLLzM3WyhjNqMCxxjL44AwM26wU/s400/DSC00903.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420297492183220754" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ_5Jnajg2L_IIiYu3KSXghjpExyHP85CZAlg7rtY2tIntvoghNFPPBrZ9j2qINz4EnFCH3d8kX-LcqrxK64xm9vT8BzUIN38umoFoqlMoUdDv2VQ00VDK3nB4nYCLHXbRs5BR-r_GStx6/s1600-h/DSC00907.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ_5Jnajg2L_IIiYu3KSXghjpExyHP85CZAlg7rtY2tIntvoghNFPPBrZ9j2qINz4EnFCH3d8kX-LcqrxK64xm9vT8BzUIN38umoFoqlMoUdDv2VQ00VDK3nB4nYCLHXbRs5BR-r_GStx6/s400/DSC00907.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420296642210439074" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1AI5h3j930fI9JBSN0Nx3eKLYi2Vdc2R9gzW2HArswtmhTJrEutLiCOr-f6dVQRPkuQ5gS8jW6lbQP2BJhrjA9OETflrKkoQ2K_ffQH7kjtDcGS7S9OIQQ0VOTWW3YyQvt3DluUWtl7fi/s1600-h/DSC00909.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1AI5h3j930fI9JBSN0Nx3eKLYi2Vdc2R9gzW2HArswtmhTJrEutLiCOr-f6dVQRPkuQ5gS8jW6lbQP2BJhrjA9OETflrKkoQ2K_ffQH7kjtDcGS7S9OIQQ0VOTWW3YyQvt3DluUWtl7fi/s400/DSC00909.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420296635348533570" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuingkFsfjawF9tntoGL5bbLiSQcgjdVzsUtwlMMw6wgAXshfXsgfwPDsKzo4K85cLe5f0g8LISn5xvEKcaV6NpwVHHCNcaXsPVE7yZ5sdRoG9PuEZf2eUnSvt4GxQh8vD4J3BWkvJbfcz/s1600-h/DSC00910.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuingkFsfjawF9tntoGL5bbLiSQcgjdVzsUtwlMMw6wgAXshfXsgfwPDsKzo4K85cLe5f0g8LISn5xvEKcaV6NpwVHHCNcaXsPVE7yZ5sdRoG9PuEZf2eUnSvt4GxQh8vD4J3BWkvJbfcz/s400/DSC00910.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420300239095222850" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP3fmz53qPAZvVh2wZJPKAa3ImEiSit2llN-1s0buIxch2QxDuzeZscjPcYqPwUAaIgN-UeuHSHSPjXAAnMRQwYSsy6eCeUkO-c3LTn9pkVH8VOU8whO2vQZHWnaOp6EpOGdDsn9StoQnO/s1600-h/DSC00911.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP3fmz53qPAZvVh2wZJPKAa3ImEiSit2llN-1s0buIxch2QxDuzeZscjPcYqPwUAaIgN-UeuHSHSPjXAAnMRQwYSsy6eCeUkO-c3LTn9pkVH8VOU8whO2vQZHWnaOp6EpOGdDsn9StoQnO/s400/DSC00911.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420300236392438546" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaFCXjffBkEJ8t2MLEkdSt29uQSdfYwYuXfnxpOyr1164-mFo_CnUGktnBlrLdriNfRSlyf_wneEsPyclKLC1T7gqILUsWdUnSphi0azrBfZ7N3_8uR_OEnpWgbz8dDsuNu0iNyR6qawTS/s1600-h/DSC00912.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; " src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaFCXjffBkEJ8t2MLEkdSt29uQSdfYwYuXfnxpOyr1164-mFo_CnUGktnBlrLdriNfRSlyf_wneEsPyclKLC1T7gqILUsWdUnSphi0azrBfZ7N3_8uR_OEnpWgbz8dDsuNu0iNyR6qawTS/s400/DSC00912.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420300226771993986" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfl1w2ougroR2WocC310iHi5MzjMiberc3bV-Ry-QbG4CJY0yiDYjLhG-ntG3GpIlD_pKQpJTqIEdvKpj5xBiLxcx43NanBZlUrIFJHzpnVlwWt7WI8zl1onXZAezR-71wfNeyK6hBNms8/s1600-h/DSC00915.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfl1w2ougroR2WocC310iHi5MzjMiberc3bV-Ry-QbG4CJY0yiDYjLhG-ntG3GpIlD_pKQpJTqIEdvKpj5xBiLxcx43NanBZlUrIFJHzpnVlwWt7WI8zl1onXZAezR-71wfNeyK6hBNms8/s400/DSC00915.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420300215699144562" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9-9gQtf-YzGY_I5RRloMC9SrMXlUxvVfxXRKppOZJ_hM9kiskg0waE9MNO6dttHpRuCXKvk8jt4zejw9XC2wbKeGLXw_1iGCZ5n1vqDY6BI_kvt1mKTPyXOIpIuOL-56VNn4ro2RZiJyS/s1600-h/DSC00916.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9-9gQtf-YzGY_I5RRloMC9SrMXlUxvVfxXRKppOZJ_hM9kiskg0waE9MNO6dttHpRuCXKvk8jt4zejw9XC2wbKeGLXw_1iGCZ5n1vqDY6BI_kvt1mKTPyXOIpIuOL-56VNn4ro2RZiJyS/s400/DSC00916.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420300209426679122" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4oKj3uZFP2kYDNGGwZcOWRWB_X39_LQfhUHtedyHWXd8TJA_bPNCyIXXUMwFvAirwWkTg2fYfmOaDolWZLvpsUOfAzfyMoido5X3ZJCpWQmyrLZ1N4RhqhI46yEhpLYLfxoBKp12J5AdF/s1600-h/DSC00917.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4oKj3uZFP2kYDNGGwZcOWRWB_X39_LQfhUHtedyHWXd8TJA_bPNCyIXXUMwFvAirwWkTg2fYfmOaDolWZLvpsUOfAzfyMoido5X3ZJCpWQmyrLZ1N4RhqhI46yEhpLYLfxoBKp12J5AdF/s400/DSC00917.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420300676208135058" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCCs6s9b2Y5fq23O_vnNnX2dab6J_f_WiMZe4WBm3rrnUyJgYDaadS_Rh4UuNftIeOfxo90Au_t1_pekiMTmoQFSMlDgdNCgfGPyl740A5019dg-qM15rSPyYF-VTDvSXjBnXd1U_jqQ4h/s1600-h/DSC00918.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCCs6s9b2Y5fq23O_vnNnX2dab6J_f_WiMZe4WBm3rrnUyJgYDaadS_Rh4UuNftIeOfxo90Au_t1_pekiMTmoQFSMlDgdNCgfGPyl740A5019dg-qM15rSPyYF-VTDvSXjBnXd1U_jqQ4h/s400/DSC00918.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420300668210607922" /></a><br />After this we went back to the Ryokan so i could put on a wool sweater since i was getting a little cold. Warmed up, we went out again so we could look around in the Ninja area. Since it was getting later the pictures are a little dark<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaK7dhaAHPzH4jX5Akj7NVAGWJD1qKipGsQRPIzc5VOkdvDp23DSCs4wxbapxprN7qSlgZ49j4qnriJfWOnZr4nS4I1cIpLXs_H09qnIVJi0AqEu4sboQt5gr9-O_ghTa_1MxjIZ6yLJ_m/s1600-h/DSC00922.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaK7dhaAHPzH4jX5Akj7NVAGWJD1qKipGsQRPIzc5VOkdvDp23DSCs4wxbapxprN7qSlgZ49j4qnriJfWOnZr4nS4I1cIpLXs_H09qnIVJi0AqEu4sboQt5gr9-O_ghTa_1MxjIZ6yLJ_m/s400/DSC00922.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420305177329715634" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5Mk-pc41XtJxrf1wH9-RPDSGQWrUe6sCfz1LbB9u0hBpvsJWsDO2JCo3W0a9wryUjhbUjxjuckdWiZ0QicB1_AjFSB04npjCjczZNMJklt74FvyY8GGBQ4voM_AAdyi4Bk60r_vv7RVsD/s1600-h/DSC00927.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5Mk-pc41XtJxrf1wH9-RPDSGQWrUe6sCfz1LbB9u0hBpvsJWsDO2JCo3W0a9wryUjhbUjxjuckdWiZ0QicB1_AjFSB04npjCjczZNMJklt74FvyY8GGBQ4voM_AAdyi4Bk60r_vv7RVsD/s400/DSC00927.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420303725467785474" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg13sS-wW9PCvZE2xaVjukW_Z7SGGjuD-9MKLv_KaqDkEUb7ad-oN94vnROpnWTe0lm7NGc2sHuM4LXP5J2n_JqNC92u_nemms3EUEeN6DB7xoWbhvbQXMNR-3JfyrIRM0CX-G_e2W6dBsB/s1600-h/DSC00928.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg13sS-wW9PCvZE2xaVjukW_Z7SGGjuD-9MKLv_KaqDkEUb7ad-oN94vnROpnWTe0lm7NGc2sHuM4LXP5J2n_JqNC92u_nemms3EUEeN6DB7xoWbhvbQXMNR-3JfyrIRM0CX-G_e2W6dBsB/s400/DSC00928.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420303716866594274" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDfbWIvft1MQIykX-w1cbu-Ravw3EVISh4rQ7gyqIQzelrn1WMn_IYWom3XLmHrAQNJiQiCo3EJwMG_xvRaGRu_trUSWZAfEfEKBNhfQd-FmzFB3VnPEFm_vhG5jcdHgwSEZiX-YqWCuIt/s1600-h/DSC00932.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDfbWIvft1MQIykX-w1cbu-Ravw3EVISh4rQ7gyqIQzelrn1WMn_IYWom3XLmHrAQNJiQiCo3EJwMG_xvRaGRu_trUSWZAfEfEKBNhfQd-FmzFB3VnPEFm_vhG5jcdHgwSEZiX-YqWCuIt/s400/DSC00932.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420304778280825490" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKFU_ANk7J2ke-tjr9YmPNPl5cr-P9FMUwSd6A8sOwublKknEFREsHmWD6rWoSDCxS60kZjpEBxbm3GNlHHEbDjrZuS1fGczi7ACUX023dRwjZMKH57IegTp9djmBwUNTSRbompjn2BY-B/s1600-h/DSC00933.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKFU_ANk7J2ke-tjr9YmPNPl5cr-P9FMUwSd6A8sOwublKknEFREsHmWD6rWoSDCxS60kZjpEBxbm3GNlHHEbDjrZuS1fGczi7ACUX023dRwjZMKH57IegTp9djmBwUNTSRbompjn2BY-B/s400/DSC00933.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420303701042400338" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglOlhfb2eX91CgHy10yuDsExw79bYVHMnSPDXJ1emsNo4Cw5SIq8DaSCyQ-bp-KRLHbWU04uCnO6ab0s_5zhU02UosWFFRS2xL4Mx7aZK1Q9E5MEELXQtYkSztYZNWk26hmvxJ4MMyFMJH/s1600-h/DSC00935.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglOlhfb2eX91CgHy10yuDsExw79bYVHMnSPDXJ1emsNo4Cw5SIq8DaSCyQ-bp-KRLHbWU04uCnO6ab0s_5zhU02UosWFFRS2xL4Mx7aZK1Q9E5MEELXQtYkSztYZNWk26hmvxJ4MMyFMJH/s400/DSC00935.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420304548194627826" /></a><br />We were getting hungry, so we decided to walk back in to the main part of town to see if we could get some food going. After walking around a little and trying to see if there was some vegetarian food anywhere, we decided to just go into a nice looking place and ask. There was vegetarian food there. My god was there good food. Eric got his meat, his fish, his crab and I got my vegetarian food. Boy oh boy was this good food. We want to make a special note of this place because the service was exceptional and the food even more so. Unfortunately, Eric lost the card for this restaurant in the taxi, so we cant tell you the name, but the name on the restaurant is in Japanese anyway. But, it is easy to find, it is right around the corner from the Toyoko-inn (hotel). <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMuG4GL3OEYO1L3G5gvriqZdsVD0BN2Xi3Fca0xe_X8HHrxKQR5MPHvTvPeRVIk7BNcuBeeG9p5j8hW_jCnFTM5Clz2MyGvDtmbCmacvfbC7vCtMHpSVvHDVBplKaDswowtvyqJOs1y28P/s1600-h/DSC00983.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMuG4GL3OEYO1L3G5gvriqZdsVD0BN2Xi3Fca0xe_X8HHrxKQR5MPHvTvPeRVIk7BNcuBeeG9p5j8hW_jCnFTM5Clz2MyGvDtmbCmacvfbC7vCtMHpSVvHDVBplKaDswowtvyqJOs1y28P/s400/DSC00983.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420328428450008386" /></a>Here a small sample of the wonderful food we had<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpfndzlTOoe1tO4I0Zxn_t-VE1kcTbLhCucJ4K2o1Ek3SdZYq6nang7tSmEhTD1H_ueMtfNFw-q7YUQxbNZgMdsBMWLy4FuAdMweOuITWon2g-w9AukE1KGEvsF4T4yYRAOgb9x5QBBqag/s1600-h/DSC00944.JPG"><img style="display:block; 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margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0n9wPLqlg-8TBMfd2U80WS31w18Tn1xaEK5AaeQx6JWsSuCxCAgxhVD6P26dQjpIVy8iIOugmQhO8Fh6to-fdNsoXZbT872tb7r6jhKf-zPmyzpNQx_lMNJaf-3t7e_Q6DSUhWyKXxt1N/s400/DSC00973.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420315979649042178" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO6gpZv51atC6Bw5brFUrtvLW-e7711IyhSs8UeyIFmhwVdFQTp468yU8BCSufDHQtLIiiNpqZOsVgzswcgRvSd3b2ADb5VedQKUuGKqwYbnfmlbtmlMkj6eWHs_cKahEOoZLVUpxpbf3f/s1600-h/DSC00976.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO6gpZv51atC6Bw5brFUrtvLW-e7711IyhSs8UeyIFmhwVdFQTp468yU8BCSufDHQtLIiiNpqZOsVgzswcgRvSd3b2ADb5VedQKUuGKqwYbnfmlbtmlMkj6eWHs_cKahEOoZLVUpxpbf3f/s400/DSC00976.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420316525949834610" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhanJwQa-qwCa9fJz5cx0rMcTkEW58KXSO9tgy4EfIWJJKf1GpvL6_GAJ2YYjgsjvKGb3ABTZuTlhClIyTYfdnR_9cmf5oLt_5QPup406lIGF2c_O80AWthoPZQRgGBLIa1kxP2q-rj-UXK/s1600-h/DSC00980.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhanJwQa-qwCa9fJz5cx0rMcTkEW58KXSO9tgy4EfIWJJKf1GpvL6_GAJ2YYjgsjvKGb3ABTZuTlhClIyTYfdnR_9cmf5oLt_5QPup406lIGF2c_O80AWthoPZQRgGBLIa1kxP2q-rj-UXK/s400/DSC00980.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420316517042366754" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdHz0zRafK0Prix6HEaAxPpaTC1vei-o3aW1AAYIGXnxIq9jh7YmOJxHlMnas0Bv8nkvhpWi6EjwJehF8CsoFw-W0tOiVS_t7ybgKL2PFBK8M2bUes6wqrKSo9fXUmNvShXeXA-NZ7XpAM/s1600-h/DSC00979.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdHz0zRafK0Prix6HEaAxPpaTC1vei-o3aW1AAYIGXnxIq9jh7YmOJxHlMnas0Bv8nkvhpWi6EjwJehF8CsoFw-W0tOiVS_t7ybgKL2PFBK8M2bUes6wqrKSo9fXUmNvShXeXA-NZ7XpAM/s400/DSC00979.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420316509319615874" /></a>Joosthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15434756233847335886noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5439462990812928548.post-82693059660667197172009-12-27T14:39:00.007+01:002010-02-08T15:54:54.183+01:00The bamboo forest (Arashiyama, Kyoto)Back in Kyoto once again. Today we came back to Kyoto, because we like it a lot here. <br />Since Joost had yet to see a bamboo forrest, we decided to go to Arashiyama for a good hike through the bamboo forrest on the Arashi mountain (yama translates as mountain). <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI9DKX8cnPspuPj_fQX9bLQbJI9Ro84vO7MQCLt5sIW3q03FSkZs-BSBPsqky5Qqn1hAJJk90M57gX7b3QX_FCjEB3wXHgWRHP_J06mi99B5P6mgBU1lud9SguFZkNAAhaIUkfS548K18/s1600-h/DSC00807.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI9DKX8cnPspuPj_fQX9bLQbJI9Ro84vO7MQCLt5sIW3q03FSkZs-BSBPsqky5Qqn1hAJJk90M57gX7b3QX_FCjEB3wXHgWRHP_J06mi99B5P6mgBU1lud9SguFZkNAAhaIUkfS548K18/s400/DSC00807.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5419923510856811970" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpMpO7R7kSySUANT-z1MQlMaFRB_75WrXMjW_V-Lm16W7oWyAcMx6noKenMmutS84I9w3OUwvw0Z1STC691LroTlfEDc83wupcxZ9Q3Lbj8XUpJknTo4SrJdCAjPxSfOde4LutCBKVEhw/s1600-h/DSC00805.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpMpO7R7kSySUANT-z1MQlMaFRB_75WrXMjW_V-Lm16W7oWyAcMx6noKenMmutS84I9w3OUwvw0Z1STC691LroTlfEDc83wupcxZ9Q3Lbj8XUpJknTo4SrJdCAjPxSfOde4LutCBKVEhw/s400/DSC00805.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5419923494792010546" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisDWrTfeVQRlZoKaYDksqdc2nHOhUNh4tl42rnYH0NfHOCyMY-flEIKPFo3Ic5tL1CdRqQPIR0IUtdbJuL4MfJbhmS8MbTksH44y2NSfy1XbD5SpSYSeyEc2n3Y1o1U6CJBBAtGxRngBI/s1600-h/DSC00806.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisDWrTfeVQRlZoKaYDksqdc2nHOhUNh4tl42rnYH0NfHOCyMY-flEIKPFo3Ic5tL1CdRqQPIR0IUtdbJuL4MfJbhmS8MbTksH44y2NSfy1XbD5SpSYSeyEc2n3Y1o1U6CJBBAtGxRngBI/s400/DSC00806.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5419923502090729666" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiviWK8LeaMrPnYSYiZ-Zxguf5MZA-PNenrMczis0dpi2bT6X_5gezoWZiSo4Uh3aKTfUuvaF8PS-mqiDGaKdfxvPnOyZe2tVjOz7RAKDKQZT0NRrlMhq2K0moVltWnl_LCu-ID5T4vryE/s1600-h/DSC00799.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiviWK8LeaMrPnYSYiZ-Zxguf5MZA-PNenrMczis0dpi2bT6X_5gezoWZiSo4Uh3aKTfUuvaF8PS-mqiDGaKdfxvPnOyZe2tVjOz7RAKDKQZT0NRrlMhq2K0moVltWnl_LCu-ID5T4vryE/s400/DSC00799.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5419929608729477426" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGx0TW07uCDNX_zB29UcedFrfpTOx1ionrE5dDtUQTUN3FqjaiSI7BiI7W0_QZfD5_TTkpIyobFUY94sJwKat0cCcwuoRKtPRQUfLRniMaAa6tkmuvGaLuzwKSieyiJHJo9E3SISvaiQE/s1600-h/DSC00816.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGx0TW07uCDNX_zB29UcedFrfpTOx1ionrE5dDtUQTUN3FqjaiSI7BiI7W0_QZfD5_TTkpIyobFUY94sJwKat0cCcwuoRKtPRQUfLRniMaAa6tkmuvGaLuzwKSieyiJHJo9E3SISvaiQE/s400/DSC00816.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5419923522604785538" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWJbaS3ejyKHg9yjFD9sTqaMZ_tYCVqzzCq5Mu60BXXGvaCuh0G-IKinbhfKC-WgjzG4XiZ4ridXGTC_eBOXhpvlF0VMmOMZgkFGpWrE49-cLLbPxuDd0lVvklPRR8POU5IT1Wi0793FU/s1600-h/panorama-boat.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; " src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWJbaS3ejyKHg9yjFD9sTqaMZ_tYCVqzzCq5Mu60BXXGvaCuh0G-IKinbhfKC-WgjzG4XiZ4ridXGTC_eBOXhpvlF0VMmOMZgkFGpWrE49-cLLbPxuDd0lVvklPRR8POU5IT1Wi0793FU/s400/panorama-boat.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5419923532706267042" /></a><br />It was a really nice and scenic walk that ended up in a gorge where, as it turned out, it was possible to go up the river with a type of house boat (not quite like the ones we have in The Netherlands). Another highlight of the trip for me, but I'm sure Joost will agree. Since "A picture is worth a thousand words" (and I don't really feel like typing a thousand words right now), I will let the pictures do the talking.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnPO1NBGxFNvtuKBpL_UldgWYd4CwjS7GPUlgNRAnsF_iRWAMIz0SMez_ILy6HofI_9v49K7ycN9yhot7KN7UNgHoNMSQFcDzQzMOhlEHdH8ztLHZooE55hWzhB6laN3YRf36VOpXlRRk/s1600-h/DSC00831.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnPO1NBGxFNvtuKBpL_UldgWYd4CwjS7GPUlgNRAnsF_iRWAMIz0SMez_ILy6HofI_9v49K7ycN9yhot7KN7UNgHoNMSQFcDzQzMOhlEHdH8ztLHZooE55hWzhB6laN3YRf36VOpXlRRk/s400/DSC00831.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5419928209809741666" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEW11Syva3nVTxWDe9oFwU9feQlWSFJfw1Ot2lcjIC-bHQxfFzplTEQqRo2jKEcksKelNCuRgKt4uvCUAi2bqWJjvHlIWEQ_LBZPYLoP23o4X7T35dMI1HqZdqy8OL12oXDH0qXEBqMyc/s1600-h/DSC00826.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEW11Syva3nVTxWDe9oFwU9feQlWSFJfw1Ot2lcjIC-bHQxfFzplTEQqRo2jKEcksKelNCuRgKt4uvCUAi2bqWJjvHlIWEQ_LBZPYLoP23o4X7T35dMI1HqZdqy8OL12oXDH0qXEBqMyc/s400/DSC00826.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5419928215795020402" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKSYcwi90O7kg7dACfwDtu0IFHS0k82x8lIQQxMRGZamMjYKiulpwqvL7Cb08u914uLwum4EOxzc45tx-EffmENJRhM8tHO3zgJZ2cl7viAsbtwYxlZqUnh5pkNMKIThNIuYC1wOqex48/s1600-h/DSC00836.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKSYcwi90O7kg7dACfwDtu0IFHS0k82x8lIQQxMRGZamMjYKiulpwqvL7Cb08u914uLwum4EOxzc45tx-EffmENJRhM8tHO3zgJZ2cl7viAsbtwYxlZqUnh5pkNMKIThNIuYC1wOqex48/s400/DSC00836.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5419928223923692418" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr82LXvY05QDAK5aNJ5t_jIhVKUQ41paoKC6A1dNi6YKy7sk_k1sX1snVsRjlnPwB8pUwNQG9lvwSXlUzI9FMqYyQ4gp8Dk_pWlDrpNZimZ-q-ChtykkIMvpzZZiwZ6o5ZEQ9zfIdgeXc/s1600-h/DSC00830.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr82LXvY05QDAK5aNJ5t_jIhVKUQ41paoKC6A1dNi6YKy7sk_k1sX1snVsRjlnPwB8pUwNQG9lvwSXlUzI9FMqYyQ4gp8Dk_pWlDrpNZimZ-q-ChtykkIMvpzZZiwZ6o5ZEQ9zfIdgeXc/s400/DSC00830.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5419928231125066114" /></a><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/h3iy8HdR-DA&hl=nl&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/h3iy8HdR-DA&hl=nl&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5439462990812928548.post-20970787330457055752009-12-26T18:26:00.003+01:002010-02-08T15:54:54.184+01:00Onsen a GoGo (Nara pt 3)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a0/Guidebook_to_Hakone_1811a.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; " src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a0/Guidebook_to_Hakone_1811a.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br />Today I visited my very first public bath house. Eric had warned me beforehand that the water would be very(!!) hot, but that you needed to wash before hand and use that water to get used to the temperature. So there i was, scorching my body with extremely hot water so I could get used to the bath. It hurt. Really. It turned out the bath water wasn't as hot as the water coming from the tap.<br /><br />I must say though, if you're ever in Japan, go to an Onsen because it is one of the most relaxing times you can have. The water contains a lot of minerals that are supposed to be really good for your muscles and health. I think it worked. because i felt really relaxed.<br /><br />(Unfortunately for you) the cartoon above this post is all we have for you, Eric's camera isn't waterproof ;-)Joosthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15434756233847335886noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5439462990812928548.post-59488444447039555552009-12-26T15:57:00.003+01:002010-02-08T15:54:54.184+01:00Kendo/budo shop in NaraOh here in Nara I (finally) found a kendo shop, bought myself a 'tanto bo' (a wooden knife for training). I had really hoped to find one because it's a souvenir I will actually use :)<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsqVr2sBltu8USBmMY-MXcFgbM_4z59BJZHZawBFySBihhjNoShyphenhyphen4U_TdJlnXe0wVilrYkhHeoXjTL4rZXlS6Dv7jGgTJ58Zo47_EZLWKNn_D0x4Mqi0RLMHqroKQOGaSWy_AFigTlhyphenhyphenc/s1600-h/DSC00755.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsqVr2sBltu8USBmMY-MXcFgbM_4z59BJZHZawBFySBihhjNoShyphenhyphen4U_TdJlnXe0wVilrYkhHeoXjTL4rZXlS6Dv7jGgTJ58Zo47_EZLWKNn_D0x4Mqi0RLMHqroKQOGaSWy_AFigTlhyphenhyphenc/s400/DSC00755.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5419558769298422450" /></a><br /><br />I also bought a book on swords and sword maintenance today at a sword museum that had swords that ranged from really old to a few new ones, plus materials that are used to make them. I had no idea that the better swords take up to 8 years to make (at least as far as the new ones there were concerned). WOW, if only I were rich!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5439462990812928548.post-45908220570284625432009-12-26T13:37:00.003+01:002010-02-08T15:54:54.184+01:00Nara Temples and ShrinesToday we went to visit the park in Nara. There are a lot of deer walking around here and you can buy food to feed them. <br /><object width="400" height="319"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/iHrNrF-qzyU&hl=nl_NL&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/iHrNrF-qzyU&hl=nl_NL&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br />But off course we didn't really go there so that Eric could feed some deer. There was a lot more to see, such as one of the biggest Buddha's in the world<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0kvjaWS6Yv4zGQ2bwMUC-zBa8N2_xzbluVP17S4rYEKQA8rpItbEnLA1qRw7A9xMsCHJLn_5fDV9vDaLwKZrJf2qzFK6AiPJNO62DkQASrqVh9fRAg6weuFMoxQo_XErWwky1D12knGo/s1600-h/DSC00766.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0kvjaWS6Yv4zGQ2bwMUC-zBa8N2_xzbluVP17S4rYEKQA8rpItbEnLA1qRw7A9xMsCHJLn_5fDV9vDaLwKZrJf2qzFK6AiPJNO62DkQASrqVh9fRAg6weuFMoxQo_XErWwky1D12knGo/s400/DSC00766.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5419918748775175730" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZqIMFDp7D6ify7PxpLshaAxFLLsSe9Aavv-cawEf6tdvOKWLWVDfUkn9Y6zLNgd6A1AaxLmKYOwUFGovuSJISQ3FdsgjA6SOgPQjnYSB2PGv6nWs4w_EpsI4bDpHE8gEgqTtALSWVOVpR/s1600-h/DSC00775.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; " src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZqIMFDp7D6ify7PxpLshaAxFLLsSe9Aavv-cawEf6tdvOKWLWVDfUkn9Y6zLNgd6A1AaxLmKYOwUFGovuSJISQ3FdsgjA6SOgPQjnYSB2PGv6nWs4w_EpsI4bDpHE8gEgqTtALSWVOVpR/s320/DSC00775.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5419900131524048290" /></a><br />There also were some really impressive shrines and other buildings <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg43WIwWdgd9608Jjw6TGiYOPcKL8xA8_U-eQM-BB8oOuJA_YUCTNQLPrdauB3-KJfK5zifQnmqg7ML6VnynFJxAj5IAqzSi3OjwTN2MGCfZj7eUleLAgmvwAEnhV-tIE-G472TvgHYDM4X/s1600-h/DSC00727.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; " src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg43WIwWdgd9608Jjw6TGiYOPcKL8xA8_U-eQM-BB8oOuJA_YUCTNQLPrdauB3-KJfK5zifQnmqg7ML6VnynFJxAj5IAqzSi3OjwTN2MGCfZj7eUleLAgmvwAEnhV-tIE-G472TvgHYDM4X/s320/DSC00727.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5419902074653627490" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwsgSBFOOS3FiWk10wQ-MfwO-9joPpCdwl7TqxAnzW4sijIR_uplbB4-y4-l4W4H_u0YobJKkSJAWFUNl45da1UGlU11A-eJ3v4lXTIqYTM9ffaS7JgcXxhDUuXkT5YCG4xxWWntxjOebO/s1600-h/DSC00724.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; " src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwsgSBFOOS3FiWk10wQ-MfwO-9joPpCdwl7TqxAnzW4sijIR_uplbB4-y4-l4W4H_u0YobJKkSJAWFUNl45da1UGlU11A-eJ3v4lXTIqYTM9ffaS7JgcXxhDUuXkT5YCG4xxWWntxjOebO/s320/DSC00724.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5419902068218354690" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLk69p-FC-JNk3NcnEjF4E87uUp3UIi3v4xHykWi2mkei1SeiJxTPspY_SC4OZ0lH04MwqHvBh4GHMpS9XrJBuKT_Szakw4u2YU2L-2aP7RdIXUIN0RfdGaZkRQZETNhrvLvBbyaX5loBm/s1600-h/DSC00715.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; " src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLk69p-FC-JNk3NcnEjF4E87uUp3UIi3v4xHykWi2mkei1SeiJxTPspY_SC4OZ0lH04MwqHvBh4GHMpS9XrJBuKT_Szakw4u2YU2L-2aP7RdIXUIN0RfdGaZkRQZETNhrvLvBbyaX5loBm/s320/DSC00715.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5419902059960125618" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3SwRS3mK0Z21dwzW5v8Kk35jaU434F2V3yvfmNGeB-2EHjkQRS99dA6dc63aPHONU4OqOcVT0cjIMCixM8uq4UhTwvjuxcX1hotu0fLsSBcdbY9K0sn1wrGjvV5AbY5wrlh4JN9hoSToG/s1600-h/DSC00718.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; " src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3SwRS3mK0Z21dwzW5v8Kk35jaU434F2V3yvfmNGeB-2EHjkQRS99dA6dc63aPHONU4OqOcVT0cjIMCixM8uq4UhTwvjuxcX1hotu0fLsSBcdbY9K0sn1wrGjvV5AbY5wrlh4JN9hoSToG/s320/DSC00718.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5419902053646050898" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivw6YRUx8bTKP_AA8Uv41tvm3NGoRvbeN40oeK12Nycr7aTrz4OQ_97Ie0SrX38RFzZxzWVqr8k3lK49Fge-vFHuUPeCb-QscqTezH856_3mMnNXU7Kvqi-uxKhODhQHJThvERqDzzhOwr/s1600-h/DSC00721.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; " src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivw6YRUx8bTKP_AA8Uv41tvm3NGoRvbeN40oeK12Nycr7aTrz4OQ_97Ie0SrX38RFzZxzWVqr8k3lK49Fge-vFHuUPeCb-QscqTezH856_3mMnNXU7Kvqi-uxKhODhQHJThvERqDzzhOwr/s320/DSC00721.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5419902043345581522" /></a><br />And if you look really hard you can even find a Japanese kid dressed up in some weird costume :-)<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZrj-DEVbBdQ8sFQ09vHdwHzro2yi3iRd1m4Su2beim5lGOPNTtQLCRf19VB5Vclcetwyb1EiEj-X50VeCFJglSiY7DhDMU3sWfK-wPyjLknAUmfS1e4MiSWTFTKkaSpUTRDfswAgmz_Qh/s1600-h/DSC00720.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; " src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZrj-DEVbBdQ8sFQ09vHdwHzro2yi3iRd1m4Su2beim5lGOPNTtQLCRf19VB5Vclcetwyb1EiEj-X50VeCFJglSiY7DhDMU3sWfK-wPyjLknAUmfS1e4MiSWTFTKkaSpUTRDfswAgmz_Qh/s320/DSC00720.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5419903344609604738" /></a>Joosthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15434756233847335886noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5439462990812928548.post-58116502800342623042009-12-26T12:32:00.001+01:002010-02-08T15:54:54.185+01:00KyotoSo, yesterday (sorry for the lack of an update) we were in Kyoto the whole day. First we went to a flea market (with antiques, food, old samurai weaponry and more) placed around <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kitano_Tenman-gū">Kitano Tenman-gū shrine</a>. Which was a nice change of scene from all the shrines, so we spend more time browsing the stands than we did exploring the temple itself.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhULho1IBKdtjkYt9MPB1qSpj-4P8_PRdJkW4jQlniIEJbG5baKERs5-JKBvZqwEOdi7Pv8WQ8t06TI2AL4_lo5tPfyiSTV1M8jqYvdz_S4ibqasbjsxP1qI7hFrb4Fs0HX0lNxWdSHO9E/s1600-h/DSC00655.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhULho1IBKdtjkYt9MPB1qSpj-4P8_PRdJkW4jQlniIEJbG5baKERs5-JKBvZqwEOdi7Pv8WQ8t06TI2AL4_lo5tPfyiSTV1M8jqYvdz_S4ibqasbjsxP1qI7hFrb4Fs0HX0lNxWdSHO9E/s400/DSC00655.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5419540128016239826" /></a><br /><br />Kyoto also has many <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kyoto#The_UNESCO_World_Heritage_Site">many world heritage sites</a> so naturally we went to see a few of them. We went to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ryōan-ji">Ryōan-ji</a> a rock garden belonging to the Myoshin-ji school of the Rinzai branch of Zen Buddhism.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8PFRGsqi8YCh4bBUD5uNnz-PWu6hGZClyfslXqJ-j59_GHPwCFRCPS2xGoeKJfwcgACDDBVn7NLzLA9wSNgHJ6S6852ICpkHxgpYqz7YwFbWpJFuv8Is3zwtHyU64zU1fQ1qgDE-lYrU/s1600-h/DSC00673.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8PFRGsqi8YCh4bBUD5uNnz-PWu6hGZClyfslXqJ-j59_GHPwCFRCPS2xGoeKJfwcgACDDBVn7NLzLA9wSNgHJ6S6852ICpkHxgpYqz7YwFbWpJFuv8Is3zwtHyU64zU1fQ1qgDE-lYrU/s400/DSC00673.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5419544230207045394" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHcwnLTCH0aKhaPbSC0XKu7KJ8-GDWtaDjUDBgabDCAbpFTQgRHdgpB7buyLRSxnXuF-OrySt7cCenw0EeXDNvZZkRbNpZ3aI5wYmaAKOWUf0_rFac2jBlqUCB3fXqxSIGvWYDaF0TpJo/s1600-h/Ryoan-ji.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 105px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHcwnLTCH0aKhaPbSC0XKu7KJ8-GDWtaDjUDBgabDCAbpFTQgRHdgpB7buyLRSxnXuF-OrySt7cCenw0EeXDNvZZkRbNpZ3aI5wYmaAKOWUf0_rFac2jBlqUCB3fXqxSIGvWYDaF0TpJo/s400/Ryoan-ji.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5419549697745957442" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuX4q-WNfTAw5D_fpgLKtQbMpx41gC9zVGL7fG0Ir3XXb80h2DOljLpGewzrnBA4JEd7WhSN02mQMYPw3kgEVVV9HhWPOyqDaYqTlVebIKa_FpgK7GWRjCvN8E3Q7IO0Fqe7WAEBNwHZA/s1600-h/DSC00674.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuX4q-WNfTAw5D_fpgLKtQbMpx41gC9zVGL7fG0Ir3XXb80h2DOljLpGewzrnBA4JEd7WhSN02mQMYPw3kgEVVV9HhWPOyqDaYqTlVebIKa_FpgK7GWRjCvN8E3Q7IO0Fqe7WAEBNwHZA/s400/DSC00674.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5419549691570819698" /></a><br /><br />After that we went to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kinkaku-ji">Kinkaku-ji</a> the famous golden pavilion. The Golden Pavilion is set in a magnificent Japanese strolling garden (kaiyū-shiki). The pond in front of it is called Kyōko-chi (Mirror Pond). There are many islands and stones on the pond that represent the Buddhist creation story. On the gronds there is also a shinto (the old nature religion of Japan) shrine to the god of fire on these grounds. When I was here 5 years ago I made an offering and after that I had a lot of luck with lighters that other people said were empty (but surprisingly worked when I tried them), so I figured I wouldn't tempt fate and made another offering this time too :D<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm_isbPfVIOdplT0F_u7HC3X7WEvh-GDXJLL9OaDFujzyBNrbeZkSFk5p2t7fFC28iJcM6b0FFQNxYGJOKcxMSrJp0AYbmG9ad7VWrOXHtQ7d87rjZN-85O7_TljsnNOfROgQIim_Viqk/s1600-h/DSC00698.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm_isbPfVIOdplT0F_u7HC3X7WEvh-GDXJLL9OaDFujzyBNrbeZkSFk5p2t7fFC28iJcM6b0FFQNxYGJOKcxMSrJp0AYbmG9ad7VWrOXHtQ7d87rjZN-85O7_TljsnNOfROgQIim_Viqk/s400/DSC00698.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5419552755852364562" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_L2l3bpQ1IPC6Uk906ZptWPWNUfAKptD65RLLnBEaVPzxp5GRp0x-dpO3w1L9Pr5Xv3aY7EobHGM08vqQ1P-EA1jDPs1K2U8osB7Q6jR9wdiV4TxEG9CXKmTP608MhaA4ZZUaI78wVVo/s1600-h/DSC00702.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_L2l3bpQ1IPC6Uk906ZptWPWNUfAKptD65RLLnBEaVPzxp5GRp0x-dpO3w1L9Pr5Xv3aY7EobHGM08vqQ1P-EA1jDPs1K2U8osB7Q6jR9wdiV4TxEG9CXKmTP608MhaA4ZZUaI78wVVo/s400/DSC00702.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5419553192539975106" /></a><br /><br />After dinner we went into <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gion">Gion</a> for a few drinks and hopefully see a Geisha on her way to the next tea house. Gion is a district of Kyoto, Japan, originally developed in the Middle Ages, in front of Yasaka Shrine. The district was built to accommodate the needs of travelers and visitors to the shrine. It eventually evolved to become one of the most exclusive and well-known geisha districts in all of Japan. (AND NO A GEISHA IS NOT A HOOKER :D) The geisha in the Gion district do not refer to themselves as geisha, instead, Gion geisha use the local term geiko. While the term geisha means "artist" or "person of the arts", the more direct term geiko means essentially "a child of the arts" or "a woman of art". We weren't so lucky but I think this might be a geiko in learning (someone correct me if I'm wrong).<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqLj39PwtIui82CVXDRVJZSZ4aNOZBFGaN6Y2oTDLzEvrWUrhk2Dbis3xxx-pMOsQTS4yS2M501PP_Z5FA5EYU2ek02ULhK4R_YFVGD8NM4La8Eu3gjRcMSM545lX2zgaAbxuypUxjl-c/s1600-h/DSC00708.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqLj39PwtIui82CVXDRVJZSZ4aNOZBFGaN6Y2oTDLzEvrWUrhk2Dbis3xxx-pMOsQTS4yS2M501PP_Z5FA5EYU2ek02ULhK4R_YFVGD8NM4La8Eu3gjRcMSM545lX2zgaAbxuypUxjl-c/s400/DSC00708.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5419555216830832338" /></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5439462990812928548.post-87026453317992257782009-12-24T19:21:00.007+01:002010-02-08T15:54:54.185+01:00Merry X-mass from Kyoto<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/611O8unNncc&hl=nl_NL&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/611O8unNncc&hl=nl_NL&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br />(will add website address and story for these guys later (Joost, edit this post if you want), but I wanted to wish everyone a merry merry x-mass)<br /><br />./edit<br />so the website for these guys is <a href="http://music.geocities.jp/thecigarettes1985"> here</a> but it's in japanese and there doesn't seem to be to much information on it. They are however performing every thursday night (7pm) at the east-exit of the Kyoto train station.<br /><br />So from me also a merry christmas to everyone. I hope all of you in the Netherlands are enjoying the snow and we feel somewhat bad that we're missing the first truly white christmas in years.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5439462990812928548.post-2873168263621736482009-12-24T19:16:00.004+01:002010-02-08T15:54:54.185+01:00Thank you Levi, Miyuki and MiraiThanks to Levi, Miyuki (and Mirai) Hiroshima has been an unique experience.<br />Can not thank them enough. It a bit late to make a full post on it, but will edit this post when I have more time.<br />You guys are the best!<br /><br />./edit<br />I also wanted to convey my thanks to Levi, Miyuki and Mirai for showing me and Eric a truly amazing time in Hiroshima. Thank you very much.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0