shimoda number one tunnel
Coolest tunnel ever!
Archive for July 2010
23 July 2010
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19 July 2010
two beaches
Back from Shimoda! This was our first long weekend in a long time - since our last visit to Shimoda - and it felt so nice to have a vacation. Since early May, Shimoda has become punishingly hot, though this time around we were able to enjoy more of it thanks to our foldable bikes. Despite buying the bikes with the intention of taking them everywhere three months ago, this weekend was our bikes' maiden voyage out of Numazu by train. We bought bike bags (finally), and learned how to fold them up as small as they would go (finally) and learned, also, that Iain's bike rusted away some metal part of his handlebars, which makes reassembly rather time consuming ("please repair this," said the man selling us our bike bags). I also learned that I am not strong enough to fold or unfold my own bike, and am only barely strong enough to carry all 60 pounds of a still-unwieldy folded bike up and down the train platform steps (while incurring glares from half the other passengers - not cool, other passengers!) Still, it was really nice to have our bikes once we got to Shimoda, especially since one of my students had recently recommended two of his favorite beaches in town.
Our first stop was Shirahama, a 20 minute hilly ride out of town. Flat Numazu has us spoiled; I think it was somewhere along this ride that I learned that my bike desperately needs oil, or a massage, or ... something, because any time I hit the brakes, I'm pretty sure the resulting screeching can be heard all the way back in Tokyo. Sorry, Shimoda.
Shirahama is incredibly beautiful, as you can see from the white sand and turquoise waters. Unfortunately, it is also immensely popular and I'm not sure it's clear from these photos just how packed the shore was - it was probably the most crowded beach both of us had ever seen. The slim area roped off for swimming was so packed with beach goers that all you could do was wade. And while it was nice to be able to rent a parasol to stave off the sun, I could have done without the loudspeakers blaring advertisements and safety announcements at top volume every 10 minutes. So, while Shirahama was beautiful, we probably won't go back during peak season anytime soon.
It was also cool to get a glimpse of more tans and tattoos than I have ever seen elsewhere in Japan. (Above, a crowd of surfers patiently waiting for the next wave in calm waters).
Fortunately, the second beach, Tadadohama, was much different, though this may have been because we went at sunset instead of in the middle of the day. Still, it was much smaller than Shirahama, and nestled between cliffs, so it felt much more private - not to mention you could actually see the water and the sand.
Above: Iain wading out for a swim.
Above: surfers in the distance.
After dark, some families started lighting fireworks and sparklers. Best beach ever!
Yay, Shimoda. It was so nice to get out of town for a bit, even if now I'm sore all over from both riding and carrying my bike.
16 July 2010
joren waterfall (& all the wasabi you can eat)
After our second trip to Nijin no Sato, we stopped by Joren Waterfall, which has to be one of the most beautiful places I've ever seen in Japan.
The fresh water from the waterfall is ideal for wasabi plants!
Wasabi-shack.
Not far from Joren Waterfall is the Amagi Tunnel, a narrow, drafty 100-year-old tunnel made famous by ghosts and a pop song (I think?). While we saw no ghosts, we did cross paths with a group of Japanese tourists who cheerfully broke into the song, their voices echoing with their footsteps throughout the length of the tunnel.
At any rate, we are off to Shimoda again this weekend, as we have Monday off (!!), so more later!
12 July 2010
green & blue
Bugs may have eaten all my basil, and my cucumbers apparently only produce hopeful but doomed female flowers which sprout tiny cucumbers and then shrivel up and die, unfertilized*, but the tomatoes are still doing well in the rainy season heat and humidity. Above are some plum-shaped cherry tomatoes that have just started growing.
Above: One down, five to go!
You know what else is fun to do in the rainy season heat and humidity? Knit a 100% wool sweater! And then wear it outside for a photo. So dumb. At any rate, the vine yoke cardigan is done and now neatly folded up and stowed far, far away so that I don't have to touch it until the temperature drops.
Yay, knitting. It's not the most convenient hobby to have overseas, but I like the fact that wearing this sweater will always remind me of sitting in our tiny Numazu garden (or, more often than not, sitting under the air conditioner inside our Numazu apartment). I may have mentioned that it's kind of hot here.
* Seriously, it is the most tragic thing ever.
10 July 2010
toys
Last weekend, we went back to Nijin no Sato with Yuka and Satoshi. This time around, the torrential rains held off for at least a good hour, giving us plenty of time to play with a random exhibit of traditional Japanese toys.
First you catch the ball in the big cup, then the small cup, then the pointy bit. Easy, right?
Beanbags!
Tops!
Buckets?
Best of all were the stilts - takeuma 竹馬, or literally, bamboo horse, making them one of the like, six words in kanji I can actually read:
After a few gos, Iain felt confident enough to challenge Satoshi to a race:
above: Gambatte!
Despite Iain's efforts, Satoshi easily pulled ahead...
...and quickly hobbled to the victory bench...
... leaving Iain in the dust. Better luck next time, Iain.
02 July 2010
the shy plant
A few weeks ago, I bought a cheap leafy plant for the backyard. After carrying it home and re-planting it, though, I noticed it was looking pretty rough, with none of the pretty fern-like leaves it had had before - now, it was so shriveled up I couldn't imagine why I had bought it in the first place. A minute later, though, the leaves unfurled and slowing puffed back into shape - when I poked at them again, they immediately folded and dropped back down again. Best plant ever! Once we were able to peel ourselves away from tormenting the plant and get on the internet, it didn't take us long to figure out I'd unknowingly bought a mimosa pudica- commonly known as the 'shy' or 'sensitive' plant.
