i have no idea whether Google Language Tools translated it appropriately... "私は日本を訪問する!" is what it spewed out. does anyone know how it ought to be pronounced or articulated?! there's only one word or two characters i am certain of: "日本" == Nippon; the Japanese word for Japan... and i am guessing that "訪問" has to do with visiting... even though it looks to me more like 'interview' or a term for some "official diplomatic visit"... everything else is japanese to me!
in any case, i will be stopping in Japan, for about 5 days en-route to Singapore (for a family wedding & US-visa-paper-bureaucracy) in the first week of July! i am attending a conference in Yokohama, during which i will embarrass myself in front of some strangers trying to explain to them what it is i am trying to investigate in my research.
that aside, i was wondering if any of you might have some good suggestions of where i ought to go, during my spare time... and how i might find the chocolate boutique of Pierre Hermé Paris, in Tokyo... i've heard so much about it... and am really intrigued.
i hope to visit the RIKEN institute and i am also thinking of maybe hiking up Mt Fuji... if i can fit it in; i wonder if anyone has done that and would care to let me know how to get to the starting trail? i'd love to try some wonderful Japanese sweets and food... and visit a shrine to make some wishes for the future, too!
drop me a line or two if any of you dear readers have suggestions for me e.g. accommodations / places to visit / things to try etc.! i'd really appreciate it! =C)
for a while, i've noticed the signs "HOURCAR"at the lightrail station i stop at nearly every day when i don't cycle to work... i've also noticed a spiffy car parked at the lightrail station when usually cars aren't parked there longer than 20mins max. hmm... something seemed odd and potentially fascinating... so i decided to dig deeper into the mystery.
it took a while, BUT now i am a member of the HOURCAR car-share in the twin-cities!i am glad they accepted my UK driver's license and clean driving record! RAH! to test out the idea, i booked a wee slot of time this afternoon, cycled to the car, and did a grocery run at United Noodles. zipping, or rather, gilding about in one of these spiffy HYBRIDs feels pretty space-age, if you ask me!
i also braved the crazy network of highways to REI, the outdoor gear store, and TARGET to pick up a few things with AM (the navigator) who needed some stuff too! but alas, i didn't manage to get all my errands done (i didn't make it to the superTARGET at roseville... sob)... but i sure got a wee kick out of the fact that i got to drive ppl around today, instead of being driven, otherwise... =) kinda nice... although, anyone who's been my passenger(s) will know i am quite a nervous driver... oh well! i can only get better with practice! hahah
car-sharing is a pretty new but more common phenomenon in 'old' Europe. i think it started in the european continent in places like Germany and Switzerland and inspired similar trends in the UK; i lived near a car-share hub in Edinburgh before venturing into usa... as car-ownership seemed like the default practice for most people, i was pleasantly surprised that the idea or philosophy migrated to the States too... perhaps if the gas prices keep soaring (as they are!)... people will be forced into sharing cars... meanwhile the 'luxury' of owning a car here seems like a norm due to some form of 'necessity'.
i am not sure how this car-share thing will pan out... it seems like a wonderful (green & hippy) idea for running errands, particularly when i don't own a car (which is quite a huge responsibility, never mind the cost of it... something i am not sure if i can really afford...). and i get to drive a really cool car when i do! the only thing is that i've got to make sure i fit all my errands in within the time slot... so there's no dilly-dallying when it comes to using the HOURCAR... hmm ... guess it will teach me to be less indecisive... and i suppose i could rent a car over a longer period if i need to... like when i make my road-trip to somewhere exciting, someday... hmmmmm... hopefully, i'll still get to drive a spiffy car then!
i've not managed to update my little adventures lately... so this is a little catch-up on my nomadic experience...
some weekends ago (seems like nearly four?!), i had a trip to the suburbs to help out looking after a wee furry dog.
if dog-sitting were to be made fun... it had to be with a particular combination of enticements... like a personal mexican omelette chef, a grand piano for someone who's quite deprived of the opportunity to tinker on ebonies & ivories, the lure of outdoors, ... and of course a good-natured pooch:
Max, the pooch, has an incredibly social personality... and an obsession with his tennis balls. the first time we met, Max greeted me with a belly-rub request -- some dogs (like sweet Bailey) just know who they could approach for what they want! -- and proceeded to show me his ball tricks that AM taught him. he could play all day with himself and is utterly amusing to watch, almost like a feline-canine... which i hesitate to state... for his owners are not cat-lovers... hee.
a few of the lovely things one can do in the suburbs include walking in the woods and by the lake... the promenade of Wayzata by Lake Minnetonka reminded me of the scene of historical towns like the sets used in Dr. Quinn, Medicine Women (an american drama series, which i have to confess being quite addicted to while growing up), only somewhat modernized... with Ben&Jerry's ice-cream palor, a quaint little tea-room, small clothing stores, and restaurants with patios over-looking the lake, from which one enjoys a good probablity of witnessing the sunset. when the temperature starts heating up, sail boats will be dotting the lake and the quietness of winter will give way to the summery bustle... only to be interrupted by the passing of the cargo trains along the tracks.
perhaps what i need is a suburban panacea once in a while... to get through with this crazy thesis-finishing-up process! hmmm... on second thoughts, perhaps only after the pollen season... aaacchhoooooo!
"Literary and Historical Notes:
Today is May Day, a day on which you should wash your face with morning dew to keep yourself looking young and beautiful. You should also gather wildflowers and green branches, make some floral garlands, and set up a Maypole to dance around."
who's up for a wheelin' around with me?