Finally Fall

Noting that I, in fact, ended up taking 288 pictures this weekend, I think I'll do another photo post. (Warning, pictures may take a moment to load... there're a lot this time.)

On an opening note: Tuesday was "Autumn Equinox Day" (a national holiday) here in Japan. Fall officiously begins in Japan on or about the 23rd of September every year. This year was no exception as, right on que, the weather cooled and the humidity all but disappeared. Both of my days off saw highs in the lower eighties (who knew I'd ever call that cool?) In addition to great weather I also seem to be cured of the previous week's cold. Tuesday I rode my bike West from my apartment then south to a part of the port I hadn't been to before. Wednesday the weather was super clear for the first time since I've been here so I headed back up to Venus bridge to get a good vantage point. After that I recalled something I saw on TV that said you could get a good view of Kobe fom a park on Port Island, so I decided to see for myself. That all said, here's my weekend in pictures:

A Chinese temple a block from my house that I just happened to see out of the corner of my eye for the first time on Tuesday.

After riding to the West of my apartment I rode south and found this disused train platform.

The base of a fountain somewhere in the port of Kobe.

The top of the fountain in the previous picture (note the perfectly blue sky.)

I stumbled upon the Giant Buddha of Hyogo (my prefecture.)
(It may be called "giant", but it's a lot smaller that the one in Nara)

Quintus-Essential

Towards sunset from my balcony on Tuesday.

Sign warning of wild boar on the trail leading up to Venus Bridge.

Sannomiya (foreground), Port Island (the cranes), and Osaka (the distance.)

It was clear enough Wednesday to snap some descent pictures of Osaka.

Port Island (foreground) and Kobe Airport (mid-ground.)

A slightly confusing picture, but trust me JR Kobe Station is in the center.

A dome at Venus Bridge where couples hang locks to signify their love.

The bigger the lock the bigger the love?

I like the An-Pan-Man (a popular cartoon character) bike lock.

I was actually photographing the shinny lock but noticed the ring (on the black lock) later.

Towards Shin-Kobe from Venus Bridge.

A star-fish washed up on a walkway on Port Island.

Looking out from under the bridge that connects Port Island to the mainland.

Japanese, English. Chinese, and Korean are normal on signs... this one has Russian too.

The weather Wednesday was the kind of clear day where you think to yourself, "There will never be another coud in the sky, it's just not possable." And that about sums it up. All-in-all a great weekend. Until next time:

Jaa mata ne.

Ach, another late post this week. Hopefully I'll get around to sorting through the 280 pictures I took this "weekend" tomorrow and drop some into a post in the evening.

Last Friday was payday... and Monday: a national holiday (Hey! Hey! - Respect for the Aged Day.) A three day weekend with a full wallet? Oh yeah! My fun was only curbed slightly by my coming down with what appears to be the same common cold that everyone in Japan has at the moment (everyone's coughing and sniffling... guess it comes with living in such close quarters.)

Monday I slept in moderately late and decided to roll into Osaka to seek out a Mexican restaurant I've been hearing about and to get a camera bag for my new camera. ...Oh yeah, I bought a snazzy new camera on Friday... Arriving in Umeda (North Osaka) about eleven I got totally lost trying to find the camera store I wanted. I walked around the Osaka station complex a full two times before a nice Japanese college student offered assistance (he got to practice his English and I got un-lost, win-win!) After determining that the camera store didn't actually have what I was looking for I headed down to Shinsaibashi (Central Osaka.) What awaited me at the "El Poncho" Mexican restaurant were sub-par tacos and a passable burrito. I'm sure my expectations where too high, but I was really disappointed with my meal (especially at the price I paid.) I think it warrants a second chance... but we'll see... After lunch I headed down to Namba (South Osaka) and found a shop that had the bag I was looking for. Settling for moderate success I headed home and took a nice long nap.

Tuesday I took my new camera (in it's new bag) for a stroll around Kobe. I've been wanting to photograph a part of town called "Motoko Town" which consists of a series of second hand and junk shops under the raised train tracks. The weather was clear and cool (a high of ONLY 90 for the first time in months!) so I headed to Meriken Park as well. Here are some of the 181 pictures I took:

A narrow street with bars on both sides.
Most of downtown Kobe is made up of these small alleyways.

The sign for Motoko Town 3.
There are 7 sections total, divided where the road passes under the tracks.

My favorite piece of graffiti in Motoko Town.

Looking towards Sannomiya from Meriken Park.

Port Tower (again.)

Port Tower and Hotel Okura.

Port Tower, an old ship, and Hotel Okura.

The Submarine Resque Tender Chiyoda being towed into port.
[File under interesting things I didn't know I was photographing.]

Pigeons in Meriken Park.

Outside Kobe station.
I really like all the blue in this picture.

In Osaka, China Mauls You!
(Courtesy: the foreigners for sign spell checking association)

Yesterday I took my bike for a spin around town and got a haircut while I was out. I didn't post in the evening because I was utterly distracted by a peculiar TV show where a seemingly endless string of random people were running a seemingly imposable obstacle course. To my final amazement, after a full three hours of the program, no one was able to finish the whole course.

As I write this Typhoon 13 is making it's way up the Southern Japanese coast. Kind of sad that Typhoons don't get names like hurricanes... makes it so impersonal. Anyways, it's due to arrive some time around 1am and dump all sorts of rain into the morning.

Looking ahead, I finally got a third permanent weekly shift. I'll be going to Himeji on Saturdays starting the 27th. That makes for a current guaranteed minimum of 171.8km of travel a week, 3hours and 42minutes of travel time, and 4420yen of reimbursed travel expenses. Looks like I'll have a lot of time to read on the trains... I'm gonna need more books...

I think that's it for now. Til next time:

Jaa Mata Ne.

The evening got away form me tonight. Hopefully I'll update with this week's adventures tomorrow night.

Whoops, no update this week. Luckily nothing much happened other than going back to Hiroshima to work for two days (the Shinkansen ate the last of my money, I don't get re-reimbursed until tomorrow, and payday isn't til Friday.)

Look forward to a big post next week tough; I have a 3 day weekend coming up and ,as previously mentioned, a payday right before hand. Til next time:

Jaa Mata Ne.

I'm feeling particularly lazy this evening... but... as I did finally get to Nara this week so as compromise I shall skip my usual long-winded-ness and just do a photo post.

One note: when I arrived at noon the weather was sunny. About two it became cloudy. At three it started to pour rain. I took shelter hoping it would pass, but after a while I decided to pack up and head home. I'll have to return again at some later date, as I only scratched the surface of things to see.

The main gate of Todai-ji: Home of Nara's Giant Buddha.
(See Nara's other attraction at bottom: deer.)
(Also to note, those are parasols, not umbrellas... yet.)

The main building of Todai-Ji.

The main doors on the main building of Todai-ji.

The Daibutsu of Nara.
(Honestly, I think the massive bronze statue is similar in size to that on the one in Kamakura. The pedestal in Nara adds a lot of height.)

Deer grazing (in the rain) in a soon-to-be-rebuilt-temple.

Other buildings on the grounds seen above.

Okay, do they really NEED a "caution: deer" sign?

I just had to take this picture.

Putting aside the irony of photographing a "no photography" sign...
I'm more curious about the "no daschunds" policy.
Also, since this is a grocery store, the "no shopping lists" policy is a bit confusing.

Giant. Lighted. Paper mache. Pig.
That is all.

I think that'll about do it for this week. 'Til next time:

Jaa Mata Ne.