peace, love and cheezu

it has taken me over a year to get to see the famous ' big buddha' (daibutsu) and of course it was the slushiest, rainiest day of the year.  alas the rain did not deter us from taking in a multitude of japanese sites, mostly of the traditonal kind - a much needed break from the bright lights of the city.

kamakura is high on the recommended list if you are looking for a good mix of japanese history, culture and cuisine all at a stones throw away from the big city (1430 yen for round trip/ 90mins one way). there is so much to take in and if i get to do it again on a sunny day, a bicycle will be a must have item.

soggy

have so many stories to share about today's sopping wet southern adventure to kamakura and enoshima island...but all the jumping in puddles and buddha spotting has worn me thin, so it will have to wait til the morning. thought i would keep with the flower theme and post a picture of another gorgeous blossom i stumbled upon today. its beauty added so much colour to the grey grey day.
oyasumi (good night)

sugar plum

for mel

spring has sprung

it is no secret that the weather can alter your state of mind and well being. i dont think i was the only one in high spirits yesterday, wandering through the 144 acre garden known as shinjuku gyoen. a public holiday in japan, for vernal equinox (Shunbun-no-hi - buddhist ans seasonal ceremony), the park was filled with frolicking families, cuddling couples and titilated tourists. the shinjuku skyscrapers loomed overhead as constant reminder that we were still 'in the city', but the surroundings provided a tranquil retreat. as my feet crunched on the pebble path and my eyes lit up with the site of spring, my ears where filled with the cackling of happy people - voices drifted through the spring air singing 'ureshii' (happy) 'kawaii' (pretty, cute) 'kirei' (beautiful)... i smiled as a beautiful grandmother and her adorable granddaughter skipped past chanting 'happy, happy, happy'. yep that warm sun and sweet breeze has been a long time coming. spring means blossums and in japan blossums mean hanami (thats a whole new story...)

let's get physical...i mean personal

ok i love tokyo, i really do and i know if i had to leave her right now i would be devastated - but i have to admit that my mind has begun to wander recently. maybe its the long, cold (for a sunny queenslander) winter, of which im sure i spent half in bed or coughing and spluttering my way through the day and night.

but my recent daydreaming includes scantily clad healthy bods soaking up the rays as they pop the ball over the net on the sand of impanema.  i fill my ears and thoughts with sounds of bosa nova and brazilian samba as i ride the subway, drifting away to a space where i am practising hip shaking at frightening speeds readying myself for my debut at the sambodrome.  these fantasies are seriously worlds away from the life a live now and in reality years away. for now im just gonna have to stick to the daydreaming plumped up my my lonely planet guide, ipod, exotic fruit products from the convenience store.





ps am off to park to study japanese, nibble on onigiri and hope to get a sighting of some cherry blossums (probably a week or so too early) and try and appreciate the exotic wonder of this crazy city