www.porcelain-monkey.blogspot.com

Picasso at the Pavilion

2011-11-03T21:15:00.004+08:00

Last Friday I ventured down to the site of last year's Expo where a Picasso exhibition has just started it's three month run housed in the impressive Shanghai Expo Chinese Pavillion.There are 48 oil paintings,seven sculptures and numerous photos of the artist according to the pre-publicity I read.The exhibition covers the major periods of his life including his Blue and Rose Periods as well as Cubism and there are works on display as examples of each period.

Curiously there's no mention of Guernica as far as I could tell which I'm sure is one of the works most people associate with Picasso.The exhibition comes via the National Picasso Museum of Paris which is undergoing renovation.

A timeline at the entrance charts his life and development as an artist.Unfortunately most of the information and Picasso quotes dotted round the walls is only in Chinese so come armed with a dictionary if you cant speak the language or even better bring a Chinese friend who can have fun trying to translate and explain what 'synthetic cubism' is.

Due to the length of his life and his output (according to Wikipedia he owned some 50,000 works at the time of his death) there's probably something on display that will appeal to everyone even if triple breasted,bug eyed,geometrically challenged,lurid coloured canvases aren't your thing.
I think my favourite painting was his homage to Manet's 'Le Dejeuner sur L'herbe.You can see a postcard of the painting above complete with two disembodied nude women and a picnic.Of the sculptures,the one that caught my eye was a hefty,bronze head of a bull.Again you can see a postcard of said bull above.

It wasn't too crowded for a late Friday afternoon and very orderly though I suggest you dress warmly as the concrete floors and walls of the Pavilion meant it was cool inside.Monday to Friday the entrance fee is a reasonable 80 rmb while weekends Saturday and Sunday admission is 120 rmb. All in all an interesting couple of hours-even if you don't like the artist it was fun to look at the reactions of the other viewers bearing in mind the last Picasso exhibition was here in the 1980's.

Umm....Since You've Been Gone

2011-10-27T18:41:00.005+08:00

Well since my formerly reliable VPN fell foul of the local authorities in March Ive been trying to find another VPN that could leap the firewall.I've found a temporary solution so here goes..more of a test than anything of significance follows-

Not all that much to report as Im trying to remember what has elapsed since my last blog.Summer heat and humidity has erased a lot of my memory.We celebrate Halloween this weekend at work and have lots of tacky decorations sellotaped and pinned round the office.You can see my feeble efforts above and below.

I noticed that Blogger has changed its dashboard as well as some other changes I will get to grips with later.In the meantime I'll probably be back next Thursday or Friday with a fuller update.

Shamrocks and Salt

2011-03-18T14:21:00.007+08:00

Been really busy trying to catch up and to contact friends in Japan and back home hence the lack of blog entries.
Apart from a few expat Irish themed bars offering cut price drinks and faux Irish food St Patrick's Day seems to pass largely unnoticed.Given the current state of the world that is not so surprising.Most people seem to be focused on the plight of the Japanese archipelago.
Watching the early videos of the raw power of the tsunami waves as they swept in was unreal.As a colleague remarked it was more like Hollywood than reality.More than one local person has remarked to me about the organisation and orderliness of the Japanese population following these catastrophic events and how things here would be 'less so' or words to that effect.

The Shanghai Daily newspaper reported shoppers around China were panic buying salt this week.In the wake of possible nuclear radiation leaks from Japanese nuclear reactors, iodized salt is rumored to ward off radiation sickness.The article reports that some supermarkets had run out of salt within minutes of opening and people were resorting to stocking up on soy sauce instead.Rumors that future salt stocks would be contaminated has also led to hoarding.
The article quotes a doctor as saying a person would need to consume 4-5 kilograms of iodized salt a day to avoid radiation-which seems not only impractical but unhealthy.
While supermarket shopping today,I did notice the section where salt is usually sold looking somewhat depleted while a vigilant staff member stood nearby.In the checkout queue I didn't notice anyone buying large amounts of salt.Hopefully common sense will prevail and the small blip in the price and the shortage in supply will pass.

Christchurch Earthquake

2011-02-25T16:20:00.007+08:00

Quite a depressing and anxious week.A 6.3 magnitude earthquake struck my hometown of Christchurch,New Zealand on Tuesday just before 1pm.Apparently this was an aftershock from the September 2010 earthquake which was bigger but without any loss of life.The one on Tuesday was shallower but also struck at lunchtime with fatal results.
Obviously being in Shanghai I was in no immediate danger.However my mother happened to live near the epicentre and I was unable to get in contact with her or other family members for over 24 hours as power and other essential services were destroyed.
Thankfully my sister emailed me.My mother came to no harm while my sister and two nephews who were in the middle of the central business district were also unscathed.My brother's house is uninhabitable and like many others will probably have to be demolished.Seeing the scale of damage and the rising death toll,(which at the time of blogging stands at 113 confirmed deaths) one can only get an idea of what it must have been like to be there on Tuesday.
I took these shots in this blog when I was last back home in January 2009.The stone building above was the old Provincial Chambers near the centre of town.Like many stone buildings it collapsed.

This statue of Captain Scott that stood near Oxford Terrace has like many other statutes been toppled from its pedestal.Viewing the TV video reports and other websites it seems the older churches and buildings such as the Arts Centre have suffered badly tho newer ones such as the Pyne Gould Guinness and CTV buildings also were flattened.

The iconic Christchurch Cathedral in the Square was badly destroyed in the quake and lost its spire.There are reportedly 16-20 people buried under the rubble and masonry of the collapsed spire.At the time of writing,rescue crews were beginning to sift through the rubble.However,after four days,there seems little hope of finding anyone alive under the stones and brick.Again this was photo was taken in 2009 -well before the Sept 2010 and last Tuesdays fatal quake.
I know when I return the city scape will have changed and looking at these older shots and seeing the destruction has been very sobering.

WinterSweet and the Shanghai Tower

2011-02-18T17:06:00.003+08:00

Wintersweet,(Climonathus) or mei hua is a deciduous or evergreen shrub native to China.It flowers during the Chinese New Year where the small yellow flowering sprigs are used as hair accessories.Cuttings are dried and kept to perfume linen cupboards.The spicily scented yellow flowers stand out on drab,foggy days as today.The shrub is seen as a symbol of resilience and strength blooming as it does in the midst of freezing,damp winters.

Slowly rising near the Jin Mao Tower and the Shanghai World Finance Centre is the Shanghai Tower.Due to be completed in 2014,the Shanghai Tower will rise 632 metres dwarfing the Jin Mao and Shanghai WFC buildings.

There's not a lot to see at the moment.There are four cranes strapped to the side of the huge concrete base busily lifting steel beams up to the top of the structure which currently stands at 11 floors.You can see the JIn Mao and Shanghai WF Centre in the background.Below you can see the cranes and building silhouetted against the grey,foggy skies.

Bits and Pieces

2011-02-11T15:42:00.003+08:00

Had a couple of days off this week.Too cold to do much plus spent most of one day waiting for my washing machine door handle to be repaired.
Valentines Day in Shanghai doesn't seem to be so popular as it is in Japan from a cursory glance at shops this week.There are of course the usual chocolate and jewellery shop "bigging up" the event .There didn't seem many takers for Godiva confectionery at 500 odd rmb a small box.One also has to remember that it is still the Spring Festival vacation period and the day falls on the traditional Chinese Lantern Festival which was a romantic holiday in feudal China.
The traditional Chinese Valentine's Day is called 'qixi' and is celebrated on the seventh day of the seventh month of the lunar calendar commemorating a fabled story about a couple who could meet only once a year.

A photo of my lunch mid week consisting of shredded pork,bamboo,mushrooms,carrots and various vegetables.This came accompanied with a similarly sized container of rice for the princely sum of 12 rmb.A little on the oily side but quite delicious and spicy.

The final picture is of Marks and Spencers four storey department store at 863 Nanjing Road.There's the usual men and womens and kids shoes and clothes departments and a small cafe.The men's department had some clothes on sale and larger sized shoes were also being discounted.I was disappointed by the food selection available-no cheeses or anything that really stood out in terms of comfort food like baked beans or even any tempting biscuits.There was a small bakery with fresh cookies and bread but nothing really making it a 'must shop here again' store.On the plus side I did note a number of shelves devoted to foreign wines from New Zealand and California among others if wine is your thing.
Access to the store is very easy- just head out Exit 2 of the Nanjing West Metro Station and you can't miss it.

Chinese New Year

2011-02-04T16:39:00.006+08:00

This year's Spring Festival/Chinese New Year started yesterday February 3rd.New Year's Eve(Tuesday night) was punctuated with booming firecrackers reaching a crescendo round midnight.The noisy fireworks are let off to frighten away a scary mythical creature called Nian (year).They rattle the windows and set off car alarms throughout the days leading up to and following the start of the New Year.There were three statutory holidays plus most companies also give a couple of holidays leading to a week of vacation or more for most workers.In total the festive season lasts around fifteen days.

This years animal in the Chinese Lunar Calendar is the rabbit ,the fourth character in a twelve year cycle which also includes a cycle influenced by fire,earth,metal,water and wood.Each of these have a yin(female) form and a yang(male) form.Some people believe the rabbit is the luckiest sign and this year that may be the element symbol is metal-which symbolises great wealth.
The photo above shows a mall frontage displaying the Chinese Zodiac sign of the Rabbit.

People born in Rabbit years are considered to be financially lucky.Personality-wise rabbits are seen as honest,sophisticated and modest but by others as standoffish,oversensitive and introverted.
Famous rabbits include Johnny Depp,George Orwell and Albert Einstein.
The photo above shows the red envelopes that parents and relatives fill with money as gifts for their children-ya sui qian or New Year gift money which is sealed in a red envelope -red is believed to be a lucky colour in Chinese culture.If you wear red it allegedly brings you good luck,health and happiness particularly during the festive season.

Some Chinese Food Photos

2011-01-28T17:23:00.006+08:00

Another cold wintry week has ended.Not that the immediate days look any brighter or warmer.Saturday is forecast to hit a maximum of 4 degrees celsius up from -2 in the morning.Sunday's low is minus 3 up to a sultry 4 degrees again.Not that it's the coldest place in China by any means.Harbin in Northern China which is currently holding its Snow Festival is a balmy -26 to -18 degrees celsius.The shot above of roast duck and the two photos below were taken on a recent outing to a restaurant in the Puxi District of Shanghai.

The big event of the year has been gearing up for the last two weeks or so namely the Chinese New Year which falls on February 2 and 3rd this year.Migrant workers can be seen dragging all manner of boxes and parcels onto trains and buses as they begin their journey back to their hometowns.Laden with goods and presents for their families which they bought from supermarkets and stores bulging with liquor,tea and biscuit gift packs covered in rabbits, which is this years animal according to the traditional Chinese calendar.
Some of those leaving literally had to queue for days to get a ticket which may only be a standing ticket on a fifteen hour trip.In some instances,people were queuing in lines for a number to enable them to queue up in a shorter queue to get a ticket in the next day or so.
The local CCTV TV station reported that more fast trains were being put on to provide a better service for those returning home.Unfortunately the cost of the faster trains is out of the reach of most of those workers returning home.As someone told me during the week putting on faster trains with more expensive fares is only exacerbating delays and problems of ticket touting and overcrowding as it's reducing the number of trains that those wishing to travel can afford.
The shot above shows some steaming spare ribs in a spicy sauce.

The Chinese New Year includes almost a week of statutory holidays and already the air is rent with the sound of firecrackers exploding.Businesses,not just supermarkets and chain stores,are having sales and special offers as people prepare to celebrate.
One luxury hotel is offering a dinner package for eight people at 388,888 rmb for New Year's Eve.The price includes a dinner of 10 courses featuring shark fin and white truffles as well as one night's stay in a presidential style suite and transportation.
The final shot shows a dish of fried rice liberally mixed with egg,shrimp, bacon and mixed vegetables.

Snowy Shanghai

2011-01-21T15:42:00.005+08:00

The last couple of days have been very cold.Snow and sleet and a chilly wind have kept temperatures hovering around the zero celsius mark.According to the local Shanghai Daily newspaper Shanghai is experiencing its coldest winter in thirty years with the average temperature at 1.9 degrees celsius.

Certainly not the best weather for travelling at the start of the Spring Festival or waiting in line for a bus or train ticket back home.The two shots were taken from my new abode early yesterday morning.You can see the low rise apartment blocks below liberally coated with two or three centimetres of snow.Not enough to build a reasonable snowman but enough to be annoying and a hazard to motorists and pedestrians when it later froze at night.

Chandeliers and Bats

2011-01-14T17:16:00.007+08:00

There are numerous reasons why I have been unable to blog recently.I don't think there's anything as desolate as an abandoned blog.Cut off in mid flow .Often no reason given for the sudden exit.Empty,unused bytes hanging in hyperspace.
My excuses stem from the fact I've had to move apartments.Not only was the old apartment cold,it has a family of bats living in the roof cavity.

I first became aware of these nocturnal squatters when one flew in the kitchen window and started doing laps round the living room one balmy summer night.I thought turning off the light might calm it.Quite forgetting of course they can see readily enough in the dark.Anyway it stunned itself against a door and I gingerly picked it up and put it on the window sill.Like Lazarus it came round and flew off.Returning several minutes later to scramble around,above my head in the roof cavity.

I couldn't remember anything in the lease about bats- not that it mentioned the fact the hot water could equally scald or chill you in seconds nor any word of a leaky rusty washing machine when I signed up.
Things came to a head when on several occasions a bat fell into the shower stall while I was showering.The picture shows the rather bedraggled bat on the shower floor.I don't know who was more shocked.
Anyway with the coming freezing temperatures together with the increasingly annoying nightlife an opportunity to move presented itself.

So Christmas Day which was a day off I started shifting my stuff across to the new apartment.The new place is in an apartment building about twenty years more modern than my former low rise building.The apartment faces south so catches the early morning sun and being higher up is less noisy and warmer than my previous abode.I can still hear the ambulance sirens from the local hospital at all hours and the road traffic is audible but bearable.

There's still the problem of poor water flow from the taps and the shower temperature is at best lukewarm and tepid.And the dust and air quality remains a problem even up in the nosebleeder apartments.The dust seems to gather in coats and it's not your ordinary household stuff.It smears and leaves marks.It has a gritty,oily,greasy industrial element to it.

One of the odd decorating touches is this chandelier in the photo above that dominates the living room.It was dusty and grimy but a few hours effort cleaning each individual plastic part restored it to its former shiny glory.

The other reason for the lack of blog is China Telecom.They cut off my internet connection in the former apartment a week before I was leaving it then took three weeks to reconnect it at the new place-which involved them coming around twice when I was at work despite having given them instructions when I was available.

I also forgot to mention that my faithful Apple G4's screen died on New Years Eve.Being eight years old parts for it are unavailable so I had to decide if i needed a new computer and which one to buy.But that's another story...

Yuyuan Gardens

2010-11-19T14:57:00.008+08:00

Yu Gardens is one of Shanghai's top tourist attractions.Situated next to a huge bazaar area heaving with specialty and souvenir shops and restaurants together with crowds of locals and hordes of tourist groups,it can get overpowering and claustrophobic by mid morning.Best to follow the guidebooks recommendations and get there early.Avoid holidays and weekends if you want to keep your cool and have the chance to linger.This shot shows a wall and door within the gardens.Different shaped doors are used throughout the gardens.

The gardens date from the Ming dynasty and according to the pamphlet I read took 18 years to be constructed(1559-1577).The gardens have been restored and consist of numerous small alcoves or garden rooms containing rockeries,pools full of carp and various small buildings and pavilions for summer use.

There are some large trees within the confines of the gardens which provide shade and some greenery in contrast to the concrete grey rockeries and the rather murky pools.I spotted some gingkos and pine trees as well as the common willows draping themselves in the pools.Some small cherry trees and magnolias that must brighten up the area in spring were also dotted about the various gardens.As you can see from the above photo there are many photo opportunities if one is patient enough.

A close up of one of the 'windows' in the walls that break up the gardens.The vertical bars have been decorated as bamboo canes.Other bars have been similarly decorated with small insects and dragonflies adorning them.

This shot shows one of the small buildings within the gardens.This particular building overlooks a waterfall and rock pool.
The Gardens are open from 8:30am.From memory the nearest metro station is Nanjing Dong Lu.After that follow the signs or the masses.Adult entrance to the Gardens was 40rmb.

Taikang Lu

2010-11-12T16:22:00.003+08:00

Taikang Lu also known as Tian Zi Fang is a rabbit warren of small,narrow alleys and lanes or longtang consisting of traditional shikumen houses.These typically two or three story houses (shikumen) were a cross between English style terrace housing (think Coronation Street type homes) and traditional Chinese interior courtyard buildings.To the front of the building was usually found a stone gate frame supporting two wooden doors.
Due to redevelopment and demolition many of these buildings and lanes have been replaced by high rise apartment blocks and more modern,bland buildings.

Within the alleys many of the shikumen have been converted in shops,art galleries,bars,cafes and restaurants.There are still families and people living in some of the houses.You can see laundry strung out along some lanes which gives the place a lived in,community feel.It seems a more friendly and humane environment than the huge towering buildings that loom outside the area.

Its best to visit the area like most tourist spots in Shanghai early in the day.Before the rush and crush of unruly tourist groups make it difficult to negotiate the lanes with your good humor intact.Before the touts try your patience and ask for the umpteenth time whether you want a watch.Before you get badgered by an insistent waiter who clutches your arm and tries to frog march you into their restaurant.

The final two shots show more of the lanes that crisscross the area.Its an area worth a morning or afternoon visit with lots of cafes and restaurants to provide refreshments or morning tea and lunch.There are also some interesting shops selling postcards, jewellery and other arty boutiques to browse through.
The nearest subway stop is Dapuqiao on Line 9 of the subway.

Xinghua Lou

2010-10-29T16:05:00.002+08:00

Located at 343 Fuzhou Rd is Xinghua Lou,a venerable Shanghai eatery dating back to the 1850's.At street level there is a bakery serving steamed buns and other local treats.If you enter the entrance to the left of the bakery and avoid the milling queues you can take the elevator up to the third floor restaurant.

The upper floor restaurant comes complete with English menu,white linen tablecloths and some splendid if slightly dusty chandeliers.The shot above and those below are examples chosen at random off the menu.

There are a variety of teas available including jasmine in the teapot above.The longer you let it sit or steep the darker and stronger it became.Very refreshing on a hot,humid morning and a perfect foil for the Cantonese food on the menu.

The steamed buns and Cantonese dim sums were tasty and well worth a second helping.The restaurant was filling up by the time we got there at 10:30am.We got seated immediately but noticed a queue for tables on leaving.The restaurant and bakery open from 7:30am.The prices were reasonable-dim sums from 10 rmb and other dishes from 20rmb.Worth a visit for brunch or an early lunch,I'd recommend visiting early before the dinner rush.

Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition Centre

2010-10-22T17:44:00.003+08:00

The Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition Centre is located in Peoples Square on Renmin Avenue.The photo shows the building from the rear overlooking the gardens of Renmin Park.The roof apparently is capped with four 'florets' meant to symbolise magnolia buds-Shanghai's flower.The Hall has exhibits and models that both look to the past and the future of Shanghai.

The Hall has five floors with photos of 1930's Shanghai and a video presentation titled 'The History of the Bund' and a model of Yu Garden on one floor contrasting with the upper floors displays of Integrated Transportation and Urban Planning with scale model ports,airports and subway stations.This photo shows a section of the Pudong New Area with the Pearl Tower towards the lower right hand side of the shot.

For me getting a grip on the size of this teeming city hasn't been easy.One way to get an idea of the immense size is to check out the model of Shanghai on the third floor.The model of the Downtown Area of Central Shanghai covers 600 square metres.At a scale of 1:500 it purports to show the 110 square kilometres of Shanghai that is squeezed within the Inner Ring Road.It is impressive even at a scale of 1:500.
The Expo site has been faithfully modeled as has the yet to be completed Shanghai Centre skyscraper or 'The Dragon' that will dwarf the SWFC and Jin Mao buildings which will be its neighbours once complete in 2014.Apparently the model has faithfully reproduced the buildings in Shanghai-I spotted my lowrise building having perched on the stairs overlooking the city model to get a better view.

Another set of model houses that shows the evolution and variety of housing that have made up a lot of Shanghai's residential buildings.

This rather garish golden revolving model entitled 'Morning in Shanghai' can be seen on the ground floor.Again the still under construction 128 story glass encased Shanghai Centre features alongside the Jin Mao and SWFC buildings.
The Exhibition Hall is well worth a visit even if just for the views from the fifth floor across Peoples Square to the Museum or over the gardens.From memory,entry was 40rmb and the place while not exactly doing a brisk trade had a fair sprinkling of both locals and tourists.I didn't make it in time for the 3D screening showcasing Shanghai's attractions but did walk around a temporary art exhibition on one of the floors.The Hall is open Mon-Thurs 9-5pm and Fri-Sun 9-6pm.

Propaganda Poster Art Centre

2010-09-24T15:02:00.004+08:00

The Propaganda Poster Art Centre is well worth the effort to find.Tucked away as it is not only in a housing complex oddly named President Apartment but also in the basement of Building B of the aforementioned residential block.The guard at the front gate will give you a small business card with directions once you reach the main entrance.Follow your nose and descend down the elevator where the gallery awaits.

There are according to the pamphlet at the gallery some 3000 odd posters from the 50's through to the 70's. There is also some Maoist memorabilia on display such as the collection of busts above .I liked the earlier posters that reminded me almost of Japanese woodblocks with their simplicity and spare use of colour rather than the later lurid almost psychedelic 60's anti US Vietnam era productions.I've included a couple that I liked-the one above and the last one in this entry below.

Not all the posters are political in nature.This being the year of the Expo some posters and photos of life in Shanghai in earlier
times are also on display.There was a lovely almost 2 metre long black and white photo of the Bund in the 1920' or 30's on sale for a not inconsiderable but reasonable sum given its size.Just how to get back home.Not exactly carry on luggage.
The poster below depicts 1930's Shanghai for some people at that time.

The Art Centre is divided into the gallery/showroom where the posters,prints and varied collections of Mao busts are displayed.The posters are grouped historically and there are English language captions explaining each sections significance.
The other section is the shop where you can buy the posters and prints either as originals or copies.There are also a number of related items for sale such as arm bands and caps and other Mao era memorabilia.

The posters represent an important time in the development of China and hopefully they can be preserved as primary historical items that bear witness to those times and be seen by many more people.As I said above the later Korean/Vietnam posters didn't really inspire me as much as the earlier poster and the one below.
The Shanghai Propaganda Poster Art Centre has a website www.shanghaipropagandaart.com.The entrance fee was 20rmb and it can be found at 868 Huashan Road near the intersection with Changle Road.It was a little hike from Changshu Road Metro Station but walking the leafy French Concession streets was an unexpected bonus.

Shanghai Sculpture Park

2010-09-10T18:09:00.005+08:00

The Shanghai Sculpture Park is located in Shenshan about 45 km out of central Shanghai.I took the subway to get there.It's 18 stops from Century Avenue on Line 9.About an hour and half ride to Shenshan Station.You then can either catch a taxi,walk or catch a bus from the station to the Park.The figures above are in the Moon Lake and are part of a series of beach sculptures featuring figures at the beach.

On entering the Park I was impressed with the large open green expanses.And the fresh air.The Park covers around ninety hectares and includes rolling green lawn.A large man-made lake Yuehu or Moon Lake takes centre stage and the whole area is surrounded by the Shenshan Mountains.There are around thirty sculptures of varying size and interest within the Park.One of the features of the Park is a large paddling pool where you can go get your feet wet.A larger deeper pool for wading is located adjacent to this one obviously intended for toddlers.Both pools have been decorated in a faux Gaudi style with small,colourful ceramic tiles being used to cover what would otherwise be a dull expanse of concrete.

One of the permanent,more traditional sculptures on display.Being such a large area the sculptures are well spaced out and you can appreciate each one in it's own right.Some of the sculptures can be climbed or sat on.In fact there is an odd but fun jumping area like a cross between one of those deflated fun kids castles and a rubber mattress.

These sculptures are on the beach shore of the man-made Moon Lake.While you can't swim in the lake there appear to be boats for the nautically inclined to hire.There's also a large concrete tree structure complete with treehouse that provides views of the whole area and a restaurant and cafe that provide refreshments.

The Park has its own website that provides information on prices and opening times.I think because it is a bit of a haul out there and the adult admission price is 120rmb there were few people present.Not that I'm complaining.It was nice to walk around unimpeded by the masses and being able to breath without hearing the continual hacking and spitting that usually fills the city air.As the Park closes around 5pm its worth getting there early.Definitely a place I'll return to sometime midweek in the future.

More Snail Shots

2010-09-03T19:33:00.003+08:00

A very slow week at work.Wrestling with the differences between collocations and compound words.Earth-shattering stuff I know.But damn annoying and difficult to define.So is the word 'school bus' a collocation or a compound word?I've found definitions and websites that go either way.

While pondering such matters,Shanghai felt the effects of a passing typhoon.Lots of grey skies and rain though the strong winds forecast didn't really eventuate.Schools were cancelled the night before the typhoon's arrival.Next day dawned very humid and warm but otherwise most untyphoon like.

I was too tired to do much my last days off so I have resorted to posting more snail photos.You can just make out their white shapes in this shot across from the Jinmao Tower.Theres an observation deck on the 88th floor which I will eventually visit once my summer humidity induced lethargy wears off.

Shanghai Snail Sculptures

2010-08-27T16:16:00.005+08:00

I walk past these metallic gastropods on the way to work every day.They appear to be made of some powder coated punched metal and sit across from the Shanghai World Financial Centre providing a distraction for drivers caught in the traffic that drives past them.During the week an article ran in a local paper about a massive 10 day traffic jam that runs from Beijing to Hebei Province in Northern China.
Meanwhile in Beijing it is predicted that by 2015 with about 7 million cars on the road in the city rush hour speeds will be reduced to about 15 kilometres per hour-not so much a rush as a snail crawl.

I quite like this photo as the snails antennae are echoed in the buildings that surround them-the radio and television masts of the Oriental Pearl Tower in the left background and the assorted banks and financial buildings that cluster in the area.

Moments after arriving back from taking these shots ,the skies which had been black and menacing,did indeed open up.There was another brief but heavy bout of thunder and rainshowers.While they provide a short respite from the humidity and lower the temperature it is only a matter of minutes before the steamy summer conditions return.

Food Prices Increases

2010-08-20T16:35:00.004+08:00

Seems rather mundane but food prices are on the rise here.China's Consumer Price Index accelerated 3.3% last month from a year earlier according to a Shanghai Daily News article.This compared with an increase of 2.9% in June and 3.1% in May.Food costs rose 6.8% from a year earlier in July,while prices in the non-food sector rose just 1.6%.
Just figures bandied about by financial analysts and the National Bureau of Statistics?.No.You can see the direct result of the recent extreme weather such as droughts and floods on food prices.
The price of the 1.5litre bottle of water has increased from 1.70 yuan to 2 yuan over the last two weeks at one supermarket I shop at.The 500 ml milk carton likewise has increased in price from 5 yuan to 5.3 yuan and in some upmarket supermarkets to 5.50 yuan.The box of 25 teabags have also increased in price from 10 yuan to 10.30 yuan and in some cases up to 10.50 yuan.There doesnt seem to be any consistency in the prices increases. In some places chocolate bars remain untouched by inflation steady at 3 yuan while other stores have hiked the price up to3.60 yuan.For people on low fixed wages and trying to save for their own house and apartment these increases provide a further challenge to stretching household budgets.
You can speculate why the food prices have increased apart from weather factor-there are a great number of tourists here for the Expo and there is an ever increasing flood of workers into the city needing food,drink and housing.All of which create demand.

And the Heat Goes On
Earlier in the week the temperature hit at least 39 degrees celsius for the fourth consecutive day.Apparently this is the first time this has happened since records began some 137 years ago.The mercury last Sunday hit 39.8 degrees.What is curious is that the temperature never seems to hit 40 degrees yet having experienced similiar weather over the past 10 summers it certainly feels hotter than 39 point whatever.I've been told factories and other companies must down tools should it ever hit the magical 40 degree mark.
There have also been 21 high temperature days defined by the Met Bureau as days of 35 degrees and above.A few thunderstorms and heavy rain cooled the city down temporarily during the week but the forecast for the next few days predict temperatures in the mid to high 30's.

Mad Dogs and .....

2010-08-13T17:33:00.006+08:00

Last Tuesday the mercury hit 39.6 degrees-the highest temperature for the year.Yesterday matched that peak and today, Friday, the temperature again is expected to hit the around the same mark and continue over the weekend.According to the Shanghai Daily yesterday was the 18th day so far in 2010 the temperature has exceeded 35 degrees.

Many people were taking advantage of the air conditioning available in shopping centres and subway stations to get out of the energy sapping temperatures.Some lay spreadeagled and slumped over benches or sprawled against walls sleeping in the humid afternoon heat.Even though my walk to work is barely 15 minutes,by its end I'm awash from head to toe in sweat.Even my eyeballs seem to have perspired.

During my daily walk I cut through the Luijazui Pudong Green.I've already posted some earlier photos of this small green area.Actually,after reading the information displayed in the park you realise it is in fact quite a large area.Around 3500 households were relocated to provide the space which opened in July 1997.The main feature in the middle of the green is a man-made lake shaped like a map of the Pudong New Area.It is stocked with carp and has a water fountain system usually in operation when married couples visit for their wedding photos.A number of walks circle the lake and there is a sail-like structure that provides shelter and coffee should you want to rest and take in the views of the skyscrapers that border the park and are reflected in the lake's waters.

There are a number of life size bronze cast figures in groups dotted around the walkways,notably a group of tourists armed with cameras and another threesome of earnest looking business types.I've noticed other random statues and figures popping up around Shanghai but havent been carrying a camera to photograph them.

Shanghai Railway Museum

2010-08-06T16:10:00.005+08:00

Due mainly to work committments and the energy sapping heat and humidity I haven't done anything recently worthy of blogging about.My efforts have had to concentrate on preparing a presentation for my peers and this has eaten into most of my free time.The recent weather with its regular forays into the high 30s exarcerbated by short,frequent cloudbursts has also done little to get me out of the house and exploring Shanghai.Still with a lull in the workload and a need to stretch my legs I travelled a few subway stops to the Shanghai Railway Museum near Baoshan Station.It's virtually around the corner from the station.The fact that theres a 100 ton or so locomotive parked in the front courtyard also makes it difficult to miss.

According to the nearby plaque the steam locomotive was a gift from the United Nations in 1947.While the train offers some photo oppurtunities as does the passenger coach behind it,once inside the museum there are notices advising that cameras can't be used.

The Museum is built on the original site of Shanghai Station and the building itself seems to be in the classical British architectural mode of public buildings.The Museum takes up the ground floor of the building and is divided into various sections.While the staff gave me an English language pamphlet there were few other labels or translations explaining what the exhibits were or their significance.
The Museum covers the 100 plus years of rail history since the 1860's.There is a model of the first locomotive and scale models of modern rolling stock and high speed trains as well as plans of existing stations and futuristic stations planned for the future.

There was a section devoted to the old picks and shovels and other manual tools used by the early construction crews which graphically showed what a backbreaking job it must have been.Other sections are given to uniforms,signalling equipment and the like.

The photo above shows a wheel assembly unit built in Sheffield,England.If you are'nt a railway buff you can probably get round the whole museum in less than twenty minutes.Having said that the place was teeming with kids who were taking turns on some of the interactive exhibits and seemed to be enjoying themselves looking at the scale models and other equipment on display.I happened to be at the Museum at the right time for a ride in their Simulation Locomotive.This was a computer simulation where you get to control and drive a modern high speed train just as a modern driver would with the aid of a computer program and screen.The children who piled into the driver's cab with me enjoyed their chance to drive 'the train' and sound its diesel horn under the supervision of the Museum staff.
The Museum entry was 10 yuan for adults.It is open on Tuesdays,Thursdays and Fridays.Check the Museum website for opening times(the morning opening hours are currently 9-11:30 am) and other details at www.museum.shrail.com.As I said it's not a must see and given the lack of English labels and translations even less appealing,but a pleasant diversion nonetheless.

The 'Hood

2010-07-02T18:10:00.003+08:00

Stinking hot day.Literally and figuratively.We appear literally to be in the middle of a heatwave with temperatures soaring into the mid 30s(celsius) and humidity to match or surpass that of a Japanese rainy season.Paper curling humidity.Humidity that continually jams an ancient dinosaur of a photocopier that should have been retired years ago.Humidity that causes arguments and wailing Chinese women cursing all and sundry at 2 am at the top of their lungs.Humidity that drives cockroaches to find new cooler pastures.Their crushed bodies slowly merging into the concrete dust that stirs underfoot on the unswept stairs.
Figuratively stinking because although I live several floors above ground,the nauseating stench from the inadequate blocked drains below still manages to drift upwards as the heat of the day rises.

This is the view from one of my windows.The square building in the middle of the frame is the local stock exchange building.Its an interesting design as it has a hollow centre which may be symbolic of that whole industry but I'm only speculating.(Yes that was a pun).Behind that edifice one can see a bevelled building which is the Shanghai World Financial Centre currently the fourth tallest building though for how much longer is anyones guess.The Jinmao Tower is towards the right of the World Financial Centre building and can't really be seen in this shot.At night I can make out its lit pointed top from my windows.

Another view looking in the opposite direction overlooking some of the other apartment buildings in this complex.The building I'm in was built in the early 1970's.There's no elevator although the building has six floors.There is virtually no insulation and my white plaster walls have a scruffy black tinge about them.The bathroom is an all tiled affair.Cold as a witches tit in winter and the ideal breeding ground for mould in humid summers.It lacks both a handbasin and tap.The toilet is prone to blocking so a rubber plunger is an essential piece of household kit.The shower seems to have a mind of its own switching between scorching hot and arctic ball breaking temperatures quicker than a Formula One pit crew.

The shot below shows a typical building in my compound..Entry to the buildings is gained by a key or number entered into a keypadded metal gate.Once inside the building,individual occupants then use their own keys to enter their apartments- so its a fairly safe and secure procedure.Theres also a watchman at each entrance to the complex.Apart from playing mah jong and clearing his throat audibly twenty four hours a day their main function seems to be barking at people entering and attempting to park their cars in the grounds.

A couple of Shanghai food photos

2010-06-18T17:16:00.005+08:00

A trio of Shanghai's most famous snack,the xiaolongbao or steamed dumpling.These had a meaty interior awash with a hot broth or gravy.Other varieties contain crab and seafood and there are also vegetarian dumplings.The trick is eating them without scalding your mouth or dripping the gravy/broth over your clothes.These ones cost 1 yuan each and are available all over the city.

Local bakeries and stalls sell different kinds of bread and snacks.These are made of flaky pastry.A little oily and pleasantly but not overwhelmingly sweet.Again like the steamed dumplings above they cost a mere 1 yuan each.

Shanghai Ocean Aquarium

2010-06-11T15:58:00.008+08:00

According to one guidebook I read the Shanghai Ocean Aquarium has over 10,000 specimens making it one of the largest aquatic collections in the world.The aquarium is located in Lujiazui in the shadow of the Oriental Pearl Tower.Adult admission was 135RMB.Up from 120RMB stated in my guidebook dated 2009.But this is 2010 and the EXPO is on...
Anyways given that it took me nearly two hours to see everything and read the helpful English language captions it seemed a fair and reasonable outlay.
There are three floors and various watery environments such as the Yangzi River,the Amazon and the usual tropical reef fish and tanks.Not forgetting of course the almost mandatory penguin tank that lets you see both the birds swimming and nesting.
There were tanks devoted to single species such as stingrays and slow,ponderous jellyfish which had a backlit tank so you could see how transparent and luminous their bodies were.

You move between floors via escalators.In one instance as you descended you were surrounded on three sides by a huge see through acrylic tank.Fish darted beside and above as the escalator transported you to the floor below.The basement floor features a lengthy clear viewing tunnel that has you craning your neck or diving anxiously as sharks,stingrays and other sea creatures swim overhead and beside you.

There were obviously some species I hadnt seen before such as the Chinese alligator or even the Horseshoe Crab which shared a tank in the Sea and Shore area on the Second Floor.

There were,as I noted above,signs in English that named each species and gave some useful information about them such as their habitat and status.I recommend picking up one of the English language guides that is available.It also has hints about taking photography and other etiquette such as not using your flash and not tapping the glass of the tanks.
However this doesnt seem to be strictly enforced and is even ignored as parents prop their offspring up against the penguin or fishtanks or stand them on ledges and illuminate the area with their barrage of flashes.The sudden incandescence seems to stun the watching aquarium staff into inaction as much as it causes the penguins and fish to flinch and attempt to flee.

The Aquarium is worth visiting if you have a few hours to kill or the weather means other leisure choices are out of the question.The Aquarium has a daily feeding schedule that visitors can attend.Personally I gave the penguin feeding session a wide berth not wanting to be crushed by the hordes.Theres also the obligatory exit through the well stocked gift shop which leads through to an uninspiring fast food court should one be hungry.Not that I saw fish and chips on the menu...
The daily operating hours vary according to the time of year tho it seems usual hours are 9am to 6pm.Check the website at
www.sh-soa.com

People's Square(Renmin Park).

2010-06-04T19:47:00.003+08:00

People's Square in Shanghai is pretty much the centre of Shanghai if you want to meet up with anyone from either Puxi or Pudong.The huge subway station is one of the major intersecting hubs connecting metro lines.Above ground various museums ,buildings and shopping streets draw people to the area.In the shot above you can see the UFO topped Raddison Hotel overlooking the Square.

One of the attractions within Renmin Park is a large pond.As yet the lotus flowers havent yet bloomed but no doubt are a drawcard later in the month when they do.There are lots of grassed areas with shrub and treelined paths. Despite the cloudy day there were a good number of people out and about taking advantage of the fine weather.

Above is a shot of the Shanghai Museum again set in the grounds of Renmin Park.It looks odd because it has a round roof and a square base.I read somewhere it was designed along the lines of a traditional three-legged cooking utensil called a ding.I havent been inside yet as apparently you need at least a day to do the exhibits justice and Ive been too busy on my days off or too tired to find the time.

One of the things I like about this area is the diverse architecture styles on display.In the foreground there is the Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition Centre while in the background you can make out the Radisson Hotel topped by what looks like an errant UFO.A lot of these buildings like the Exhibition Centre have roof top cafes so you can get a better view of the area.Again something to put on my 'to do' list.
Finally another view of what you can see as you walk round Renmin Square an odd mixture of architectural styles and eras.A sleek nondescript mirror windowed sky scraper lurches over a far more conventionally designed building.

Getting My Bearings

2010-05-28T16:31:00.003+08:00

Central Shanghai can be roughly divided into two halves split by the Huangpu River.Puxi, to the west of the river, contains the historic areas of the city with the Bund and the French Concession as well as other districts such as the Old Town and Peoples Square area which is the geographic centre of modern day Shanghai.
To the east of the river is Pudong,the ultramodern face of Shanghai, with the garish Oriental Pearl Tower and the Lujiazui Finance and Trade Zone with the Jinmao Tower and the Shanghai World Finance Centre towering over the area.
In the picture above a paddle steamer makes its way down the Huangpu river through the haze.This shot is looking towards the Pudong side of the river.

One of the first things I had to consider was which side of the Huangpu I would live on.There are more oppurtunities for cheaper accomodation and better shopping and other facilities on the Puxi side as opposed to Pudong.Theres also commuting time to be taken into account.Where you work obviously is an important consideration.Do you really want to face an hour subway commute after work or be able to walk home in ten minutes?
If you live in Pudong which lacks the bars and restaurants of the Puxi districts one must note the time of the last subway or alternatively pay for a taxi back home over the river after a meal or beer.

The Huangpu River regularly has ocean going tankers and ocean liners moving at a stately pace studiously avoiding the other river craft such as barges and tourist boats zipping about them.Last week,one of New Zealands two frigates Te Kahu was in port.It was part of the ships current tour and was in town for six or so days.The ship was anchored on the west or Bund side of the Hangpu River.The grey atmosphere which was a combination of sea fog and Shanghai's smog provided the perfect camouflage for the ship. Unfortunately grey smoggy days that obscure the views and make taking photos problematic are all too common here.Im still trying to work out things like exposure times and lenses to get the best shots possible given the conditions.

Sheepless in Shanghai.

2010-05-21T17:55:00.008+08:00

Back.Finally.I arrived in Shanghai at the end of February.I'd returned home to New Zealand after leaving Japan in late August 2009.After a fruitless search for full-time employment I accepted a position in Shanghai,China.

I'm still finding my feet culturally and workwise.The energy of 22 odd million locals is sometimes overpowering compared to the sombre post Toyota gloom I left in Nagoya,Japan.Geographically I live in an area of Shanghai called Pudong.Its an interesting area undergoing rapid expansion.Theres an uneasy mixture of old style residential gated compounds cheek by jowl with modern skyscrapers.The photo above comes from a local park in central Pudong.The flying saucer sculptures echo the architecture of nearby high rise buildings.

The park has a number of features including a lake that abounds in carp and huge expanses of grass though there are signs that prohibit you from sitting on the verdant green stuff.Instead you have the option of sitting on pile-inducing granite stone like benches dotted around the park.As it seems to be the only green space with trees for miles there are always wedding couples getting their photos taken there.Park staff obligingly turn on the fountain in the centre of the lake so that the happy couples can be snapped with water spouts and sprays gushing in the background.

The wedding cars are always festooned with flowers and toys such as Mickey and Minnie Mouse.The sight of this car brandishing a Hello Kitty wedding decoration produced a wry smile.I could have been back in Japan.

The last three months here in Shanghai have been frantic and at times difficult.Trying to find an apartment knowing there is a deadline to meet with immigration and visa papers to be completed,at the same time still learning a new job and trying to get to grips with a foreign culture meant there has been little time to explore Shanghai.As I recall it was the same in Nagoya.It took time for things to shakedown and establish a routine.A balance between work and recreation.Now that Ive finally got an internet connection and getting to grips with my job I will be able to see something of this city and blog about it.Hopefully.

The stretched limo you see above was ferrying a large wedding party to the park for their wedding photos.As it was rather warm and humid today the car was having a hard time of it.Although you cant see in either photo there was a cloud of steam coming from the engine.If you look carefully you may note the puddle of water in the first photo around the feet of the man wearing a black tshirt and gingerly using a cloth to look at the radiator cap.Seeing that things were getting heated in more ways than one I beat a hasty retreat.Hopefully the car and its occupants had a safe journey without incident.

World Cosplay Summit 2009 in Nagoya

2009-08-02T22:40:00.004+08:00

This will be my last post from Nagoya,Japan.Im heading home tomorrow Monday after arriving here 10 years ago.I leave with mixed feelings which i'll try to explain once Im settled back home in New Zealand and had time to collect my thoughts.

For now though I'll end on one of the highlights of the local Osu Kannon Summer Festival.
The World Cosplay Summit have for the last few years since 2005 held a parade through the shopping arcade.Each year more and more competitors from around the world and local cosplayers take part in the parade.Each year it attracts more spectators and bigger crowds that watch the hour long or so parade through the malls streets.

The weather over the last week or so has been typically rainy season in nature.Very humid and intermittent downpours.In fact yesterday the rain pelted down earlier in the day.I thought the parade might be cancelled due to the inclement weather however it cleared sufficently for the parade to be held as scheduled starting at 3:30pm.

While it remained very humid the dull leaden grey skies above seemed to act as a backdrop to the very colourful costumes on display.Some of them were very detailed and obviously some deal of time and attention had gone into them.

As with past parades Ive been to the cosplayers are more than willing to pose for photos and talk with spectators.

The two cosplayers above came from Brazil and were among some of the 15 different countries competitors at the Summit including Australia,China,Italy and Korea amongst others.

After the Parade on Saturday theres a further event next day ie Sunday at Oasis 21 in Sakae where the Cosplay Championship takes place.The winners over the last 2 years have come from Brazil.

Endoji Tanabata Matsuri 2009

2009-08-02T21:29:00.003+08:00

Once again the annual festival was held at Endoji Arcade not far from the Nagoya International Centre Building.

From July 29th through August 2nd this quaint,quiet arcade is covered with traditional tanabata decorations and huge paper mache floats hung from the roof of the covered arcade.

There were a variety of paper mache floats on display ranging from fish and manga characters to the local Dragons baseball mascots and cartoon characters.

The mall was crowded with kids on their summer break busy drawing their favourite floats while a number of stalls were also set up selling the usual summer festival fare such as hotdogs and choco bananas.

2009 July Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament

2009-07-28T16:37:00.004+08:00

The annual Grand Sumo Tournament held in Nagoya every July ended last Sunday after 15 days of bouts.
The winner of the tournament this year was yokozunza Hakuho who finished with a 14 win 1 loss record.

Some of the more prominent and popular wrestlers receive sponsorship.The sponsors banners are paraded round the ring before each of the wrestlers bouts.A variety of companies and firms provide sponsorship including the hamburger chain Makudonarudo,known elsewhere around the world as McDonalds.

The judges and referee sometimes confer in the middle of the ring after a bout where its difficult to see which wrestler won the bout.In such instances one wrestler is usually awarded the win or if a clear decision isnt possible then the wrestlers will have another match.

One of the bentos available at the sumo tournament.There are a number of stalls selling bentos and a variety of food,drinks and souvenirs.Some of the more expensive seats include bentos and drinks in their price.A cheaper alternative is to purchase a 300yen bowl of chanko nabe which was served up to long queues of spectators each day from 1pm.

One of the lower ranked wrestlers awaits his turn to compete.Despite their apparent size and bulk many of the wrestlers are surprisingly nimble and flexible.

Haagen Dazs Sorbets

2009-07-18T20:07:00.004+08:00

My battered Oxford dictionary defines the word sorbet as "a water ice".To my mind these two recent additions to the Haagen Dazs range are thicker and less watery than I imagine sorbets.I associate "sorbet" more with something like kakigori a Japanese summertime staple of shaved ice covered with various toppings.
Not that the thicker density is unwelcome because each sorbet comes in a 100ml tub 20 ml less than the usual ice flavours.

The pear sorbet was quite sweet and definitely tasted of pear.As it melted in the heat a thin clear syrup formed on the surface which again tasted of pear.It had a clean refreshing taste and I think I would try it again in the future.

The raspberry sorbet seemed a little more watery and icy than the pear one but was still quite dense and more resistant to the spoon than I imagined a typical sorbet to be.As with the pear sorbet this raspberry one also tasted of fruit and in this case also smelled strongly of raspberry.Again as with the pear sorbet a thin syrup congealed on the surface as the contents melted and I will probably try it again.
Of the two sorbets Id probably go for the pear one more than the raspberry flavour mainly due it being a less common flavour.
Both sorbets came in a 100ml tub and cost around 228yen depending where you purchase them.

Lets Go Home....

2009-07-10T19:18:00.004+08:00

Im in the midst of leaving Japan and moving back home.
Hence the long break between posts.
Having resigned from work ive been busy making preparations to leave by the end of July.
Arranging to get my possessions back home or sold.Arranging the electricity,gas and water to be disconnected and the accounts closed.
Arranging for my apartment to be inspected so I can claim back some of the deposit.
Arranging airplane tickets and travel.Arranging final visits and farewells.
Arranging to get tickets to the grand sumo tournament that starts this Sunday in Nagoya..
The following photos below come from one of the practice venues dotted around Nagoya.

This particular beya or stable training venue was near Ichinomiya about a 45 minute train ride from Kanayama station.It was set up in the grounds of a small kindergarten.In fact the early morning high pitched chatter of the pre-schoolers was in stark contrast to the dull thud and thumping of the wrestlers as they practiced their moves and charges.

There were three higher ranked wrestlers at this stable.They can be distinguished by the fact that they wear white or lighter shaded loincloths.They also start their routines later than the lower ranked wrestlers who begin around 7am.
We arrived about 7:45 am to find a small crowd had already gathered.This crowd swelled as the morning progressed.Parents dropped their offspring off at the adjacent kindergarten.Jostling,elbowing elderly Japanese men and women tried to burrow their way through those who had arrived earlier to get a better view of the proceedings.

The heat and humidity built up as the wrestlers exercised.The practice formally ended at around 10:30am so it was a long and strength sapping session.

The coaches and stable masters offered advice and encouragement to the wrestlers as they grew tired and weary.

"Dont the Sun look angry through the trees..Dont the trees look like crucified thieves"

2009-04-27T16:31:00.008+08:00

from Desperados under the Eaves..by Warren Zevon

I thought of these words from Warren Zevons album "A Quiet Normal Life"as the trees outside my apartment building were removed over the last two weeks.Twenty four trees,twelve each side of the large intersection on Route 19 have been unceremoniously lopped,topped and extracted from the centre island of the road.

Their removal will allow the construction of traffic turning lanes into the intersection to take place.

There was nothing particularly outstanding about these specimens.Just your uncommon urban tree.
They were functional.A touch of greenery one could gaze down on.They provided nests and perches for birds.They were homes to the seasonal cicadas that broadcast their raspy metallic beat from their boughs every early summer.
They were a barrier against the constant grind of traffic noise.A filter against the fumes and filth that blackened their limbs.

I for one will miss them.

Spring Postage Stamps

2009-04-13T20:21:00.004+08:00

Some recently issued stamps featuring various flowers common at this time of year including cherry blossoms and tulips.

Two cherry blossom trees in the grounds of a small local shrine.The weather was almost summer like today,reaching the high 20s and relatively clear.Some of the earlier flowering varieties have virtually finished flowering and now wear a fresh green mantle of foilage.

Friday Flash...Grape KitKats

2009-04-10T08:39:00.003+08:00

I received this presentation or gift pack of grape flavoured KitKats recently.I hadnt seen them before so presume they are regional variations using local produce.This pack Im told came from Nagano Prefecture.

Upon opening the box you find the contents consist of 12 packs of twin mini bars.The wrappers are purple and black.The KitKats themselves taste of purple or black grapes and are encased in dark brown chocolate.

Food Prices and Increases

2009-04-06T16:08:00.003+08:00

Food prices seem to have been on the rise recently.Or maybe Ive just been more aware of it since my new reduced contract came into force from the start of the month.
Seems there are at least two methods being employed to pass on increases to consumers and customers.
The first and most obvious is the straight price increase.Exhibit number one is the small bag of shredded cabbage in the shot above on the left hand side.Last week 100 yen.This week 108 yen.Same amount just an 8 percent increase if my math is correct.
The second method is to charge the same price but reduce the contents.I draw your attention to exhibit 2 above.The packet of coffee to the right of the cabbage.Last week a 150 gram pack cost 478 yen.This week the contents have been reduced to 130 grams.Same price 478 yen but 20 grams lighter.
I need to cut back on my coffee consumption so now i've got a ready made excuse to do so.
Then again in an attempt to avoid price hikes some companies are using cheaper ingredients in their food items substituting cheaper ones instead of increasing their prices.

New Haagen Dazs Ice Cream

2009-04-06T15:56:00.004+08:00

This newcomer with its banana and chocolate and cookie ingredients seems to have all the required food groups within its mini cup.Theres a distinct banana presence as soon as you peel back the plastic cover revealing the grainy brown surface embedded with pieces of cookie and softened with melting chocolate sauce.
Id suggest waiting a few minutes after getting the ice cream from the freezer.This will give an opportunity for the contents to melt and allow the chocolate sauce within to blend with the harder cookie pieces.Definitely worth a try.

Pink

2009-03-30T19:09:00.003+08:00

It being Spring and all,the primary seasonal colour is naturally pink.Be it on advertising hoardings,clothes,or desserts pink is everywhere.

If you look carefully above one can discern a small cherry petal to the left of the strawberry in this dessert.Again the main colour is a resounding pink.There is a clear gelatine like layer under which the aforesaid cherry blossom is embedded.Below this is a layer of custard.

Across from my apartment block in Osu Kannon there is a small tree bearing an unusual combination of blossoms.

As well as blooms that are a standard ordinary dark red colour the tree also has flowers that are white with a dash of pink in them.The white and pink stippled blossoms contrast with the no nonsense red blooms.Set against a clear blue sky such as we got today the effect is quite striking.Im pleased to say I wasnt the only passerby who stopped to snap a photo and admire its short-lived beauty.

Windy Spring Day

2009-03-23T17:31:00.003+08:00

Very windy today.Hats flying.Bicyles upended.People leaning at 45 degrees into the face of gale force gusts that ambush them as they head round the sides of buildings.The barely opened cherry blossoms and magnolia blooms took a battering from the winds today after enduring a miserable grey wet day yesterday.
Up in Tokyo a FedEx cargo plane crash-landed and flipped.Judging from the film of the landing and speculation on NHK it seems wind shear had a part to play in the accident.

I saw this new Haagen Dazs flavour recently.Green tea latte.I found it pretty bland.The green tea flavour isnt strong enough to overcome the accompanying vanilla tasting ice cream which nullifies its strength.An uneasy mix which I wont be trying again.

A couple of Hello Kitty bottles that I spotted in the Sanrio shop the other day amid the pink decor and other Hello Kitty merchandise.

Friday Flash..A Few More Flower Photos

2009-03-20T19:55:00.005+08:00

A few more shots from last weeks Flower Dome held at Nagoya Dome.

Another shot of one of the bigger orchid displays.

A floral umbrella using ferns and colourful pansy flowers.

A planter made from a canvas bag with some nicely shaded flowers.

A topiary horse feature made from ivy.

Flower Dome 2009

2009-03-16T15:37:00.005+08:00

Once again Nagoya Dome,home of the Chunichi Dragons baseball team,was the venue for this years Flower Dome.Apparently its the largest annual show of its kind in Japan.It would be hard to argue against this assertion if the size of the crowds are any indication.

Even though I got there shortly after the gates opened at 9:30am there were already a large number of people crowding the exhibits and the walkways between the various display sections.The crowds multiplied steadily throughout the morning making it increasingly difficult to get a good view of all the plants and flowers on display.The fact that it was a sunny Sunday must have helped draw the throngs.It may have been quieter and more accessible during the weekdays.

As was the case last year there were different competitions and exhibits open to companies,professional designers and individuals.
As well as stands of individual plants such as orchids there were displays of tableware,paintings that used plants and flowers as well as paper flower creations and even lead glass based flower products.
The number of commercial stands seemed to have increased.There was a South African tourist promotion stand complete with a small garden of native plants.

One of the more popular stands was the eco food display.Tomatoes grown over a trellis provided the entrance to the exhibit while vegetables grown using "green" methods such as this basket of tomatoes attracted many "ohs" and "ahs".

There were several spectacular displays of orchids.One had orchids hanging in pots,while another had the orchids suspended from a fishing net which was an original space saving idea.
A few of the larger orchid displays such as the one above had streams and waterfalls incorporated into their landscape.
Flower Dome 2009 runs from March 12 to March 18th.Admission for adults was 1,800yen at the door.

Friday Flash..A Few More Auto Trend 2009 shots

2009-03-13T08:23:00.004+08:00

A few more shots from last weeks Auto Trend 2009 show in Nagoya.

One of a number of highly customised Hummers on display.This one had expensive interior fittings and a huge stereo system.The paint work shone like glass.

Another photo of a set of models who drew hordes of admirers vying for a photo or an autograph.

A nicely finished and detailed Mini.There are a number of kits available to accessorise and customise these cars such as bumper bars,muffler sets and various audio and video equipment options.

This model was standing near one of the audio stands.

Nagoya Auto Trend 2009

2009-03-09T19:01:00.007+08:00

Nagoya Auto Trend 2009
Once again the annual Auto Trend show was held over March 6th,7th and 8th at the Port Messe Centre near Nagoya Port.Below you can see a Datsun sportscar that featured in the Datsun Sports Car Club of Japan stand.

Two of the many girls that attracted the camera toting hordes.Not sure which company or products they were promoting.There were numerous companies that had displays of their products including mirror finish mufflers,tv and dvd kits for your car,stereo systems and custom built kits.There were also companies showing off their paint and lacquer finishes.

Not only four wheeled vehicles were on display.There were three wheel motor trikes and custom built scooters and motorcycles like the one below with its own customised paint job.

Some more models posing beside some upmarket foreign cars that had been given a sporty look with carbon protectors and over fenders.It seems theres a coorelation between the size and type of cameras and the amount of attention one receives from the models.Last year I only had a small pocket digital camera.This year armed with an admittedly level entry SLR digital camera I seemed to have more success.Or maybe I happened to be in the right place at the right time.

There didnt appear just from looking to be a noticeable absence of companies or even smaller crowds than last year which is surprising given the current state of the car industry here in Japan and the Aichi region in particular.But then the locals are known to be fond of their cars.
The shot below shows a custom built truck.Im just not sure how you get into it.Presumably the purchaser receives a free stepladder to enable access to the vehicle.

KitKats...Going Postal

2009-03-02T21:21:00.004+08:00

Surprisingly I havent seen these at my local post office.Despite the fact that the pack can be mailed.On the reverse side there is space for a stamp and room to put the name and address of both the receiver and sender.The pack contains four regular single stick kitkats so apart from the packaging the contents are fairly unremarkable.

Now Its Personal

2009-03-02T19:27:00.003+08:00

The icy winds of the current economic climate reached me last week with the arrival of two contract renewal offers.
I need to put them into perspective to see what they mean.
Currently as you see below I'm on a salary of 325,000 yen a month.Five days and forty hours a week.Well above the average salary being offered nowadays.However you must factor in that I've been here a while and got some increments.Im fully aware that the economic circumstances now are not good.Some students I instruct are having to do without over-time and even in some cases have gone to a four day working week.
A friend had done a spreadsheet taking into account exhange rates and possible salary changes.My current salary and details are below.

So to the two new contract offers.The first was a four day on,three day off contract with a base rate of 168,000 yen.Topped up with regional and shift allowance it came to the grand total of 226,000 yen a month.
The second contract offers 3 full days and 2 half days a total of 5 days or 34 hours a week as opposed to my current 40 hours.Obviously the base rate(186,320 yen) is lower than Id predicted nor had I factored in a loss of employment hours.These reductions were explained in terms of the poor business situation.
While the regularity allowance has been reduced there is something called a skill allowance included in the new salary structure.
Its also worth noting that there are 37 and 40 hour contracts available but I wasnt offered one.

The second new contract offer means that Ive lost working hours and around at least 80,000 yen a month.I know I should be grateful.I at least received a contract renewal.On the other hand you have to bear in mind that the salary is less than what I received when I first arrived here and that there are other jobs available offering more in terms of conditions and salary.Hardly a great incentive to remain either in the job or Japan given the reduced economic conditions and the increased competition for the decreasing number of lower paying jobs available.

Book Review..Mort.

2009-02-23T16:31:00.004+08:00

Mort .Terry Pratchett.Corgi Books.1987.315 pages.

As with William Gibson,I was aware of Terry Pratchett and his Discworld novels but never heard or read any of them.
Once again thanks to the BBC Comedy 7 channel I was able to listen to a few of the abridged Discworld novels last month.There was a short Terry Pratchett season during which Mort,Wyrd Sisters,Guards!Guards! and Small Gods were read.
I found Mort a very entertaining listen and bought the book after the readings finished.As I expected the book has more detail,twists and turns than time allowed for on the radio.
The story centers on Mort,a young farm lad,who becomes Death's apprentice.There are lots of bad jokes,adventures and fun with the English language.As an example you only have to look at the boys name to see he's eminently suited to such work.Matters such as death and reincarnation were lightly touched on leaving me to ponder about them later.
I also enjoyed the Wyrd Sisters,Guards!Guards! and Small Gods readings.The "Guards" readings were usually prefaced with the announcement that listeners should be aware of the "fruity" language in the episode to follow.Not really fruity more bawdy and hardly offensive given what one hears on the streets or reads.
I found the Small Gods story a little deeper than the Wryd Sisters,(a nod to Shakespeares witches)with its story underpinned by an examination of religious issues such as the need for gods,faith and religion.
While all the DiscWorld books can be read as stand-alone,independent books there is a sequence in which the books can be read.Thus Mort is the start of one series,Guards!Guards! another and the Wryd Sisters and Small Gods likewise parts of other series which sometimes overlap or run parallel with the other books.
The easiest way to work out how you want to approach the books is to google and search for one of the numerous pages and guides such as the following link below..
www.scribd.com/doc/3229035/The-Discworld-Reading-Order-Guide-15

So if you like fantasy writing that doesnt at times seem that far from reality with a mix of intelligent,thoughtful irony then Id recommend the Discworld series.

Your's Army World ??

2009-02-23T16:24:00.003+08:00

Apart from the odd grammar Im also at a loss as to what happens within the walls of this otherwise nondescript building near Kanayama in Nagoya.The poles outside the building also bear signs with the same name.

KitKats..White and Yellow Peach mini pack

2009-02-23T16:09:00.002+08:00

Just in time for the Spring comes this mini pack of white peach and yellow peach mini kitkat bars.Interestingly my friends and I tried a blindfold test and couldnt always tell which peach flavour we were nibbling on.On a positive note they smell rather more fruity and less artifical than other types.

Book Review...Pattern Recognition

2009-02-16T15:16:00.004+08:00

Pattern Recognition.William Gibson.2003.Berkley Publishing.367pages.

About six months ago I stumbled across the BBC Comedy 7 website.It plays a selection of old and new comedy series such as The Goons as well as dramas and serialised book readings.Well worth listening to.Theres usually at least one show or reading that catches my attention during the week.
In recent months Ive listened to a variety of readings including "I Am Legend" by Richard Matheson and "Jaws" by Peter Benchley.Both books have been adapted and made into movies.Its interesting to listen and compare how the books stand up against the movies.Certainly the latest"I Am Legend" movie with Will Smith is a pale imitation of the novel.
Although most of the book readings are somewhat abridged they give you a good idea of what to expect should you want to go out and purchase the original hard copy.
My interest was piqued late last month and I purchased a copy of "Pattern Recognition" by William Gibson after hearing the abridged version.
Im not a big fan of science fiction and didnt like the earlier reading of his novel "Burning Chrome".I just couldnt connect to the computer jargon or what seemed to me the unsympathetic protaganists.I also found myself pushing the pause button while I tried to make sense of his overly long "Woolfish" sentences.

While I also had similar problems in listening to "Pattern Recogntion" in terms of its grammar,I found it easier to follow.So I persevered.This may have been due to the fact that the story is set in the present rather than the future so the book is more thriller rather science fiction.Or due to the fact that the radio adaptation was read by a woman.Or that the main character is a woman.

As to the book itself "Pattern Recognition" deals with a number of themes including history,globalisation,commerce versus art and its creation.It also examines our natural wont to clarify and organise events hence the title of the novel.
I found the idea of what history is and what it means intriguing.I was also reading "The Black Swan..The Impact of the Highly Improbable"(Penguin Books 2007) by Nassim Taleb at the same time and trying to square off and understand his ideas on random events and history.
Taleb writes"History and societies do not crawl.They make jumps.They go from fracture to fracture,with a few vibrations in between.Yet we(and historians)like to believe in the predictable,small incremental progression."(pg 11).

The main storyline of the novel revolves around the efforts of the principal character,Cayce Pollard,to find the origin of video clips or"footage"that have taken the Internet by storm.As a back story she is also trying to piece together the events that led to her fathers disappearance on September 11,2001.Her job as a "coolhunter" who is employed to spot the latest trends and fashions lets the author introduce ideas on such things as brand awareness,labels and globalisation while Cayce tracks down the "footage" in London,Tokyo and finally Russia.
While I found at times the over elaborate description of products and the constant name dropping of brands annoying you cant deny the effort that is displayed.Its not enough to describe a lamp as a lamp.Its an Italian floor lamp with a switch that makes a different click.(pg 9).
Then again he can sum up why a relationship doesnt work in a few words.
"Their boy-girl Lego doesnt click,he would say".(p2).The description reminded me of the Lego people on the cover of Douglas Couplands JPod book and I thought it would be a phrase he'd probably use.Gibson credits Coupland with his insights into Tokyo at the back of the book.Incidentally both authors live in Vancouver,Canada.

Apart from his descriptive ability I also liked the attention and time spent on minor characters.They seemed fleshed out and rounded.
I swear Ive met people like Taki,the extreme example of Japanese geek culture.."He blinks earnestly,through dandruffed-dusted lenses..."pg153.
While I felt the conclusion of the story was a little empty and drawn out considering what proceeded it,the effort getting to that point was more than worth it.I'll certainly read more of his work if he continues to write in a similar style and about the near present.Recommended.

Friday Flash..Valentines Day 09

2009-02-13T07:59:00.003+08:00

Once again the shelves of convenience stores,department stores and supermarkets are loaded with chocolate confectionery prior to Valentines Day this Saturday.Because it falls on a Saturday as opposed to a regular working week day there is less need to buy so-called "giri" or duty chocolate for ones colleagues.
According to various news reports and surveys despite the economic downturn chocolate sales dont seem to be suffering.
Above you can see a couple of Hello Kitty bags on sale for Valentines Day.

Andrew Wyeth:Emotion and Creation

2009-02-09T15:53:00.003+08:00

Currently on show at the Aichi Prefectural Museum of Art on the 10th floor in Sakae,Nagoya is an exhibition by Andrew Wyeth entitled Emotion and Creation.
I knew little about this American painter except for his well known painting "Christina's World" and the fact that he died January 16th aged 91.The exhibition provided me with the chance to learn a little more about the man and his works.

There are some 150 pieces on display that range from preliminary pen and paper studies and sketches to watercolours and tempera paintings which are the end product of these earlier studies and sketches.
Its interesting to see the detail in the early sketches such as the crab in Flint or the studies of hands,hair and lanterns in some of the other preparatory sketches and then see the progression and changes in the final pieces.You could read the notes he wrote in some of the sketches referring to such things as shading,dust in the water of buckets or colours to be used in the final works.

The exhibition was also refreshing for me being so different to the Impressionist exhibitions Ive seen recently.
Not only are the styles different..Impressionism versus Realist regionalism but so are the medium.While oil paints are part and parcel of the Impressionists apparently Wyeth used mainly pen,pencil,water colours and tempera.
Wyeth drew on his local environment with many scenes of rural life and used neighbours as subjects of his portraits.
The colours in Wyeths paintings are muted and understated.Many of the pictures in the exhibition are of snowy winter scenes.They convey a sense of desolate isolation and melancholy.The houses and trees stand out like rocks in a hostile environment.
There are 13 tempera paintings included in this collection.Egg tempera in contrast to oil paints has a smooth matte,dull,no gloss finish.I was surprised how much detail and how delicate some of the features in tempera pieces were.With the portraits a small speck of white in the eyeballs somehow gives it animation while small flecks of white in one scene do look like snow flurries suspended in midair.Very subtle compared to the excesses of Impressionist artists such as Signac who rendered paintings in luminous blues and yellows and greens.

Mention must be made also of the paintings frames.Some looked like they were weathered and old,grey,bleached wood taken from fence posts and so complimented and added to the paintings.I presume this was the intention and in the case of the German helmet filled with pine cones was very effective.

The exhibition has helpful notes in English under the Japanese ones which provide information on the painter and the works among other things.
I'd recommend visiting this exhibition,not only to gain an insight into how a painters creative process works but also to remind oneself Impressionism and oil paints arent the only way to go.
The exhibition ends March 8th,closed Mondays and admission is 1200yen for adults.

Rainbow Rolls and Other Treats

2009-02-09T15:20:00.002+08:00

A couple of recent food purchases.The rainbow rolls below contain avocado and cream cheese among other ingredients.

This lunchbox contains a small green salad on the left hand side.On the right are some spicy chicken knuckles while above these are three salmon rolls containing cream cheese and lettuce.

Friday Flash...Early Spring Flowers

2009-02-06T08:21:00.003+08:00

The traditional start of Spring was marked on February 3.Setsubun which translates as "a division of the seasons" is the day before "risshun" which is the first day of Spring.This year risshun fell on Tuesday and as I was working I didnt get to the traditional bean throwing ceremony as I did last year.
Although its still cold at the moment there are the odd signs of Spring appearing as in the photo above.

Yamachan Restaurant Chain

2009-02-02T15:42:00.004+08:00

Yamachan is a restaurant chain in Nagoya.There are three such restaurants in close proximity to each other behind the JR Kanayama Station.
By the entrance you can see the company logo a half-man/half bird-like creature with feathers and avian like feet.It also adorns many of the plates and the menu.
The restaurant has the usual things on the menu you'd expect such as potato fries or fried potato and various noddle dishes.

Also on the menu are examples of typical Nagoya fare such as misokushikatsu (below) which is breaded and deep fried pork dipped in miso sauce.Its a bit of an acquired taste being somewhat chewy and some people find the miso sauce a little overpowering and strong.

The signature dish of the chain though is tebasaki or grilled seasoned,spicy chicken wings.
A local breed of chicken,the Nagoya kochin, is used to produce this crisp,crunchy fare.You can see an example in the shot below.

The photo below shows the picture menu which contains photos of the dishes available.The picture menu is useful if you lack sufficent Japanese when ordering dishes.As the front page helpfully suggests you can just point to the dishes if you are language challenged.The menu also provides entertainment while you await your order.There are numerous spelling and grammar mistakes such as "you can also"choise" and the word "plane" instead of plain.
Yamachan provides reasonable food at a reasonable price while also giving locals and visitors alike a chance to eat some of the areas distinct fare.

Friday Flash...Still More KitKats

2009-01-30T08:04:00.004+08:00

None of the three KitKat flavours Ive posted here are new to me.Its really just a case of "old wine in new bottles".The packaging is new or in the case of the blueberry and strawberry kitkats available in a bigger number.

Above you can see the blueberry kitkats and its contents.Below you can see a new designed lemon flavoured kitkat box specially in time for Valentines Day.
The Valentines box is designed so you can write a message to the recipient.I just wonder why the lemon flavour was chosen instead of one that conveys a sweeter image for this occasion.

Show me the Monet

2009-01-26T17:02:00.004+08:00

Claude Monet..Impression,Sunrise..

Currently showing at the Nagoya City Art Museum until February 8th is an exhibition entitled Claude Monet..Impression,Sunrise.To celebrate 150 years of diplomatic relations between Japan and France the Nagoya City Art Museum has on display Monets painting "Impression,Sunrise" from the Musee Marmottan in Paris which gave rise to the term "Impressionism".
An art critic of the time,Louis Leroy on viewing the painting at an exhibition in 1874 branded all pictures that "focused on shimmering water and flooding light "Impressionism" to mock them".(Art for Dummies pg 152.)
The term had been intended as a negative description not only of one picture on display but a central aspect of the style in general.

In fact as the introduction notes at the gallery make clear and what I tend to forget is that Monet and other painters of this era were regarded as revolutionaries.
What now seems fairly tame and the stuff of chocolate box lids,parasols and cards was seen as forming an opposition to the conservative art world.
Artists such as Monet,Renoir,Degas,Sisley and Pissarro had to organise their own exhibitions as they were excluded from the annual ones held by the French Academy of Art.(Impressionism..Karin H. Grimme p6).

As to the exhibition itself there are 35 paintings in total on display.The ground floor has a selection of works by Monets contemporaries such as Sisley,Cezanne and Pissaro.In total there are 17 works downstairs.Pride of place is taken by Monets Impression:Sunrise, a delicate harbour scene of boats at dawn complete with an orange sun and shimmering light.The painting is accompanied with its own bored looking security guard.
On the second floor there are 18 paintings by Monet.As with the paintings downstairs with the exception of Impression:Sunrise all seem to have come from various Japanese institutions and companies.I noted that the Tochigi Prefectural Museum of Fine Arts,Asahi Breweries and the Bridgestone Museum of Art all had contributed some Monet works to this exhibition.
My attention was caught by a painting of Charing Cross Bridge,one of a series Monet painted while another colourful one depicting a boat at low tide on loan from the Tokyo Fuji Art Museum also stood out.
While there are only 35 paintings in total on display this lack of quantity doesnt necessairly mean a lack of quality.I hadnt seen the majority of the Monet works on display and it was interesting to see the range available within Japan.
I presume most of the works had been purchased during the so-called bubble era and wondered if any would be sold given the current economic situation.

I also wondered why all the works were under glass.Id previously seen Impression:Sunrise in Paris at the Musee Marmottan.As I recall then it wasnt under glass and one could also get closer to it.With the paintings sealed behind glass it seems to me that the paintings are "trapped" as it were.The glass seems to nullify the effect of the raised oil paint and the patterns and textures the artist produces.
The almost 3 dimensional effect Monet produces in his waterlilly paintings is all but lost behind the glare and reflection of the glass.

To sum up then,its worth a visit to see some less well known Monet works and compare them with the other Impressionist painters on display.
The exhibition runs through to Feb 8th.Admission is 1,300 yen for adults and its closed on Mondays.

Best American Short Stories 2008

2009-01-19T19:20:00.004+08:00

The Best American Short Stories 2008
Editor..Salman Rushdie
Series Editor..Heidi Pitlor. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.

Meh.Disappointing.And then some.I struggled to finish all the stories in this volume selected by guest editor Salman Rushdie.
Nothing stood out.One story bore me.Steven Millhauser's 29 page diary like marathon failed to capture my interest.In the contributors notes at the back he writes of the origin.."an idle thought,of no particular interest in itself".Unfortunately the same could be said of this piece.

Rushdie notes in his introduction that many short stories today have "that flat polished sameness of tone".Unhappily there are many examples of this within this tome.What Rushdie says he "expected and perhaps feared:a widespread humorless bloodless competence" pervades these pages.

None are to my mind particularly strong or original.Kate Chases effort reminds me of Margaret Atwoods HandMaid's Tale while the characters in Allegra Goodman's "Closely Held" wouldnt seem out of place in a Douglas Coupland novel.Minus the humor and insight.

This sense of weary deja vu is further exacerbated with the inclusion of a Karen Russell story for the second year running.Quite apart from the fact there must surely be other noteworthy writers deserving of their first appearance it is another vampire story.Fangs but no thanks.Im so over vampires.Vampire overkill.Bloodless competence indeed.

Rushdie also includes contributions by a former guest editor Tobias Wolff and another by Alice Munro who also featured in last years volume.I have no objection to their being here on the basis they are well known writers.I do wonder if there were commercial considerations involved as their actual offerings seem very pedestrian and merely workperson like.

Other reviews Ive read have noted that Rushdie isnt an American,while others suggest stories about Pakistani electricians have no place in an American anthology.Both these matters are addressed adequately by Rushdie in his introduction as though he foresaw these objections.

Rushdie lists six authors(whose work didnt make the final cut)in his introduction who should feel "aggrieved".Its a pity he didnt extend his apology to this reader.
However he shouldnt have to shoulder all the blame for this lack lustre collection.Some fault must fall at the feet of the series editor Heidi Pitlor in her second year on the job.Strike two as far as Im concerned.

On an unrelated point,not only is the quality of writing dropping to my mind but so is the actual physical construction of the book.The covers are of a thinner card than last years edition.Bending and distorting easily.The pages paper quality also seems inferior and coarser.More susceptible to marks,dust and grubby fingerprints.
Definitely not a keeper.

Its all a bit Mickey Mouse really...

2009-01-19T17:18:00.003+08:00

Two of the "schools" I worked at last week were without their regular Japanese office staff.I had to scramble about and check that the schedules were firstly available and also that they were accurate.Nothing like preparing for a lesson without knowing who is going to turn up.
Apparently its going to be a regular occurrence in at least one of these "schools" as the staff there only works part-time.Management havent figured out that the busiest day of the week probably isnt the best day to be without staff.
So not only do I get the responsibility of opening up the school,print out the schedule,I also have to check the class attendance.
Bear in mind that there are 10 minutes between classes to write up notes for a possible five students,find another five files and prepare for the next one.Time is already short without the extra task of taking the roll.
The students naturally raised their eyebrows at the lack of staff.They couldnt book a lesson at the time,pay money,arrange counselling or talk to the staff about changes in their courses.
The other thing I discovered is that in these "schools" there is no clock chime to remind you when the classes start and finish.
At one branch there are three clocks.All of course showing different times.
I choose to go by the Mickey Mouse clock which you see above.Somewhat apt given the circumstances.Even more ironic later in the day it stopped and I had to replace the battery.

Friday Flash...More KitKats

2009-01-16T08:36:00.002+08:00

Some recent different KitKats Ive seen on the shelves.The apple and strawberry flavours appear to be re-released in different packages.
Clockwise from the apple kitkats in the centre is the candied sweet potato flavoured or daigakumio kitkats.To the right of these is shiruko or sweet red bean soup flavoured kitkats.
Below the shiruko box is a pack of ajiwai strawberry flavour kitkats.Finally to the left of those strawberry kitkats is a box of cookies and kitkats flavour.

Toyota Shock....The 2009 Problem

2009-01-11T20:34:00.009+08:00

Two terms recently bandied about in the local media are "Toyota shock" and "the 2009 problem".
"Toyota shock" refers to the sudden slump and reversal in profits of Toyota Motor Corp.There are predictions of a huge fall in operating profits.The group earnings forecast anticipate an operating loss of 150 billion yen in the fiscal year through March 2010.Apparently it will be the first time Toyota has reported an unconsolidated operating loss on a full year basis since fiscal 1949.

The principal reasons given are the slump in global car sales and the yens strength against the U.S dollar.
Toyota sells a third of its vehicles in the North America market which has fallen away due to the U.S financial crisis.Toyota's U.S sales nosed dived 33.9% in November while its overall global sales dropped 23.8%.

Other car makers such as Nissan,Honda and Mazda also posted falls in sales for November.The picture isnt any brighter locally as the domestic car sales market fell in November to a 39 year low.
The Impact
Apart from the obvious layoffs and cutbacks there are less apparent downstream results.
Aichi Prefecture's corporate tax revenue will be down some 20% or some 20 billion yen due to the Toyota shock.Things like new public buildings,road and river maintenance and building earthquake resistance programmes may need to be revised or reviewed or put on hold.
Advertising,expense and travel accounts get cut.Workers are laid off so rental housing becomes vacant.Restaurants,taxi drivers and real estate firms feel the impact of belt tightening and less demand for their services.

The 2009 Problem
Part time workers,contract workers,outsourced hires,dispatch workers,seasonal fixed term employees,non regular workers.There seem a myriad of names.
In 2004 government deregulation allowed the entry of dispatch workers into the manufacturing industry.Back then the contract period was limited to no more than one year.
However the contract period was extended to a maximum of three years in March 2007.Companies that took up the three year extended contracts started hiring in 2006.
Now three years later in 2009 these contracts will expire some time this year.
If the companies continue to employ these workers beyond the initial three year contract they have to convert them into regular workers or other types of outsourced hires.
Given the worsening economic climate and the "very severe" employment conditions there is a fear that a large number of these workers will lose their jobs hence the term "the 2009 problem".
To make matters worse if these non regular workers do lose their jobs they could also find themselves homeless as they are told to vacate their company owned residences by their former employers.
According to a Health,Labor and Welfare Ministry report an estimated 85,000 non regular workers will lose or will have lost their jobs by March this year.
(Sources...Daily Yomiuri,The Japan Times newspapers,Kyodo News ).

Friday Flash...Yet more food photos

2009-01-09T21:25:00.003+08:00

A typical lower end bento thats available year round.In the top left is a black mass of pickled eggplant and is surprisngly tasty.

The photos above and below show some handmade sweets.Of the two I found the apple ones had a more appealing taste than the bitter lemons.

The final shot is of a bento available over the New Years break.At the bottom you can see shredded salmon pieces on rice.The centre contains a small portion of chicken and a crunchy shrimp together with a baby potato and a small slab of omelette by way of contrast.

Happy Moo Year

2009-01-05T20:22:00.002+08:00

2009 is the year of the ox according to the traditional Chinese calendar.Ox are regarded as a sign of prosperity gained through hard work and fortitude.The ox is hard working and methodical.The postive attributes of an ox include being strong minded and intelligent.On the other hand an ox's faults include being intolerant,gullible and stubborn.

The shot above shows some of the nengajo or New Year greeting cards that were available this year.

New Year 2009

2009-01-05T19:49:00.003+08:00

From the first of January and the following few days the streets round Osu Kannon are crowded with people making their first visit to the local temple to pray for a healthy and prosperous twelve months.The first days of each New Year are full of firsts for example "hatsumode" the first temple visit or "hatsuhimode" catching the first sunrise of the New Year.
There are others including as I found out earlier in the week "the first ride of the year".Around 10am last Thursday the first day of 2009 I was awoken by the deafening noise of motorcycles pulling up outside the convenience store below my apartment building.
Grabbing my camera I lumbered downstairs to see what was happening.

I struck up a conversation in my poor broken Japanese with this very personable biker.
It seems that he and friends go on a group ride together every January 1st to celebrate the new year and the convenience store was the starting point for the ride.
He seemed very proud of his Triumph motorcycle.He didnt mind posing in front of it,much to the amusement of his fellow motorcyclists who numbered round a dozen or so.

Of the dozen or so bikes parked up the majority were either British or American.I only spotted a lone Japanese motorcycle among the Triumphs,BMWs and a few Harleys.
After about half an hour waiting for stragglers to arrive the group left en masse in an orderly fashion in the direction of Nagoya Port.

Friday Flash..French Food Photos

2009-01-02T21:07:00.003+08:00

A small selection of the fare I ate on my recent trip to Paris late November early December 2008.

There were no shortage of crepes and the number of outlets all over Paris seems to attest to their popularity.

I must have eaten onion soup at five or more different eateries during my visit.Each was different,unique in terms of its flavour,colour and consistency.Some were adorned with thick chunks of crouton like bread while others had chewy almost golf sized balls of cheese lurking in the depths of their bowls.Some had almost caramelised pieces of onion floating around.All were delicious.
Had I come in summer Im not sure I would have enjoyed the onion soup as much.Nor had the oppurtunity to enjoy thick hot chocolate drinks.One trade off for the lack of colour and flowers in the gardens was the richness and warmth of the food.Sure some of the tourists attractions lacked their summer splendour.Not all the fountains were operating when I visited the Eiffel Tower and the Jardins du Trocadero.Its a compromise Im willing to make.

The photo shows one of the massive salads available at Le Relais Gascon near the Abbesses Metro stop.Very filling and decorated with garlic sauteed fried potatoes.I passed on a starter and just ordered this salad.And glad I did as it took some effort to finish.Delicious and full of fresh raw vegetables.

This thin sweet pastry treat filled with raspberry jam is known appropriately enough as lunettes

This final shot shows a typical meat dish I ate while on my sojourn in Paris.
I choose to eat at mainly small French eateries catering to locals or tourists.I didnt sample any of the myriad other ethnic choices available such as Lebanese or Nepalese restaurants.I stayed clear of the local Japanese sushi bars with its all too familiar menu of raw fish,seaweed and rice dishes.I wanted a complete change.Something to whet my appetite and recharge my tastebuds.
Some of the places I ate at Ive noted below..

Friday Flash...Some French Restaurants I Ate At..

2009-01-02T18:52:00.002+08:00

While on my Paris vacation late November early December last year I visited a few restaurants mainly round the Montmartre and Abbesses areas.
There are many restaurants catering to tourists surrounding Sacre Coeur and in the Place du Tertre.
Just off the Place is a restaurant called Tartempion on Rue du Mont-Cenis.It has a very reasonable set menu or formule.For 15 euros you get to choose an entree,main and dessert.Other places set menus offered only a starter and main for a similar price so it was very good value.
I'd recommend the thick hot onion soup served in a square white ceramic dish.The steak I had as a main came with a salad and loads of fries.I finished off with a big slice of apple pie.
The place was interestingly decorated with a collection of fire extinguishers and what looked like industrial sized wooden cotton bobbins.Definitely worth a visit.

The photo above shows a bistro La Maison Rose not far from Tartempion north of the Place du Tertre.The restaurant in a small pink cottagey building is on Rue de l'Abreuvoir.My notes omitted what I ate for dinner there...though I did write down it was reasonably priced which means it was under 25 euros.

Near the Abbesses Metro station I found a number of restaurants,some of which were in various guidebooks and others I just ventured into.
Chez Marie,the red building in the shot above, had some very friendly and helpful staff who made various recommendations and suggestions as I decided what to eat.
As with other restaurants I visited there seems a certain pride and reverence in the way food is presented and cooked.Theres no rush to move diners along and the courses come at a leisurely pace allowing you to catch your breath and enjoy what you are eating.
Also near the Abbesses is a brasserie called Le Relais Gascon.
Once again I had the onion soup as a starter and a meaty main dish.On a subsequent visit here I also tried one of the massive salads topped with garlic sauteed fried potatoes.More touristy than Chez Marie but I'd recommend both.
Finally one other restaurant in the Abbesses area roughly located between the two Ive already mentioned is a small vegetarian establishment called Au Grain de Folie.Its virtually in a straight line from the Abbesses Station exit on Rue la Vieuville.
If you need a break from steak,beef and poultry dishes then the salads,grains and vegetables served here will make a diverting,pleasant change.They even had organic beer on the drinks list.
Its a small crowded restaurant.Everything is cooked and prepared as you order.Very friendly fellow diners who swopped restaurant and travel tips with me over dinner.It was funny to see everyone pull out their own Lonely Planet guide books.I swear there were at least 5 different language versions on the tables.Also ironic that the same places had been noted and ticked off.

Eschewing the guidebooks one lunchtime I found myself near the foot of Montmartre and strode into No Problemo Bar/Restaurant having read the chalked menu but understanding little of it.The formule here was 15euros for an entree and plat(main course).I ordered a tomato salad for starter which came with bread and probably would be the equivalent of a main here in Japan.The main course I got was a large duck breast served with a kind of potato pie.Nicely tender,plump and well cooked the meat fell away effortlessly.Well satisfied I couldnt pass up on dessert though it wouldnt be included in the set menu price.Nevertheless the creme brulee was worth every penny.A generous size,creamy and covered with a thin toffee glaze.Together with a good cup of expresso a fitting end to a small feast.So if you are in the vicinity of Rue Andre del Satre at the bottom of Sacre Coeur this place is definitely worth a visit.

Other places worthy of mention include a winebar/restaurant Aux Negociants where I drank beaujolais with some locals as they waited for their friends to arrive for dinner.It was very friendly but I had the feeling that I was intruding on an almost family like event.Once the locals had assembled they sat as one at two or three tables and proceeded to order.Again I had no complaints about the meal and would recommend it.
Finally a local watering hole across from the Lamarck Caulaincourt Metro stop which serves good coffee and has a small but varied menu is the Cafe Le Refuge.The staff are very friendly and helpful as are the locals who prop up the bar.I'd recommend a cafe lait and a hamfilled breadstick off the chalk board menu if you are peckish.

Where I stayed in Paris

2008-12-29T18:48:00.002+08:00

After reading different websites,reviews and books I decided to base my late November to December vacation in the Montmartre quarter.I split my two weeks staying at two backpacker/hostel establishments near Sacre Coeur.
Given my limited budget and the fact I only required a bed and shower without the mod cons
I reasoned I'd be out most of the day sightseeing.I only required a bed and a shower.I could endure the lack of privacy and mod cons a dorm room lacks.The money saved Id spend instead on one decent meal a day.

The Caulaincourt Square Hostel
The first week I stayed at was the Caulaincourt Square Hostel.A bed in the six room dorm cost 25 euros a night with breakfast included in the price.
As it was late November I was lucky to have the fourth floor room I was given to myself on two nights.The only night all six places were filled it was quite a jam and space for bags etc was at a premium.
There was no lift,so you had to carry your luggage up the steep narrow staircase.The bed linen appeared to have been washed but its colour didnt inspire me with confidence so I used a sheet Id bought along just in case.The bed was the old metal bunk variety.It tended to creak disconcertingly whenever you turned though the mattress itself was comfortable enough.
There was hot water for the shower though the pressure was variable.As was the apparent cleaning schedule.There were two week old newspapers in the rubbish bin along with creeping,rolling dust bunnies festering in the corners.

The bathroom too had seen better days and appeared to only receive a cursory cleaning if the dirt in the grouting and matted hair and soap in the shower were any indication.The hand basin lacked a plug and there was no hook or place to hang your towel when you took a shower.
There was no place to store your luggage if you arrived before check in except by the front desk and my room security card seemed to need replacing every second day as it wouldnt open my room door.
On the plus side the room was warm enough.The free breakfast consisted of coffee,tea and orange juice with a selection of cereals,rolls and jams.
There were three internet computers available for free use and a small cramped kitchen if you wanted to prepare your own food(though there seemed a lack of utensils and basic equipment).
The Caulaincourt was well located not too far from Lamarck Station.It is also within walking distance of a number of restaurants,bars,shops and obviously Sacre Coeur.
In terms of location I preferred it to the other place I stayed at, the Montclair Hostel,one station down at Jules Joffrin on the Porte de la Chapelle line.

Montclair Hostel
As with the first hostel the Montclair also has six bed dormitory rooms available.I choose to stay in one of these rooms at 28 euros a night with breakfast included.The breakfast provided here had less variety and selection of bread and cereals but was satisfactory enough given the price.
Im glad I was given a lower bunk bed.These creaked like the other establishments but these ones seemed closer to imminent collapse than the previous ones which were of sturdier construction.The arthritic frames creaked and protested at the slightest movement.
That said,at least the linen appeared and smelled clean compared to the earlier sheets.
On the negative side there was again no elevator but thankfully I only had to go up one flight of stairs.
While internet was free at the other hostel here one had to pay 2 euros for thirty minutes.Basically both hostels used the same system only here you had to pay for the temporary login code to get access.
As for the shower unfortunately it was very small and very cold.There was no hot water on any of the three attempts I tried to shower.In vain I went downstairs to the ground floor where there was sufficent pressure and heat to scrub away a days sightseeing grime.
While the kitchen space available for people was larger than the last place again it lacked utensils and appeared besieged by small black flies.

The photo above shows the freezing cold shower unit.The other curious feature was that you had to keep pressing the button to ensure the water kept flowing.While it may be a water saving feature it meant a stop start showering process unless you continuously lent on it.
Again the room was adequately warm with heaters and extra linen was available if you felt cold.The cleanliness was of a higher standard than previously though the room size was probably about the same.Again,being near winter there were only two or three nights when all beds were occupied.
The staff were friendly and helpful.There was a lockable room for luggage available and an area to chill out and meet others.
I didnt find as many restaurants and shops in this area but Sacre Coeur was again only five minutes away on foot and the hostel was literally around the corner from the subway station.
Id recommend the Montclair ahead of the Caulaincourt on the basis of its cleanliness and staff while Caulaincourt certainly was ahead in terms of its setting and location to bars and restaurants.

A Few More Interesting Places I Visited in Paris

2008-12-21T21:02:00.005+08:00

Apart from the obvious Eiffel Tower and Louvre there are many other equally diverting and unusual art galleries and museums to visit.I'll briefly note here some that I visited while in Paris late November and earlier this month.

This is an interior shot from the Musee de l'Armee,(Military Museum) housed in the Hotel des Invalides.Its a huge comprehensive museum with many varied collections of armour,uniforms and weapons.I spent the best part of a day walking around looking at the ancient and modern weapons on display.

This photo shows the huge courtyard of the Invalides where the Military Museum is housed.In the background is the gilded top of the Eglise du Dome.The Dome Church which can be seen from virtually anywhere in Paris contains the tomb of Napoleon.Napoleons huge sarcophagus like coffin is set in the middle of the Church below ground.

There are many famous people buried around the cemeteries of Paris.If you have the time its interesting to discover the final resting places of such notable people as Edith Piaf,Oscar Wilde or even Jim Morrison who reside in the Cimetiere du Pere Lachaise in Belleville.
Given the size of the cemetery it is wise to purchase a map of the areas more famous internees.Even then it took a bit of legwork to find the graves and tombs among the maze of cobbled lanes.
Above is the oft visited grave of Jim Morrison.As well as a map if you do intend visiting this or any other cemetery in autumn or later wrap up warmly.When I visited it was freezing with a biting wind gnawing at my ears as I strode about looking for various celebrity tombs.

If you need a break from the art and inclement weather the National Museum of Natural History provides a different experience.The Museum is split into three different parts ,one area is concerned with minerals and geology,the second concentrates on fossils and anatomy and the third focuses on evolution and modern issues.When I visited there was a temporary whale exhibition currently on the go.The lion you see above is one exhibit in the Grande Galerie de l`Evolution.
I liked the way the animals were posed.Some thought had gone into imaginatively capturing the individual animals.There were monkeys strategically set climbing between floors or a giraffe craning its neck over a railing.It reminded me of a cross between the Natural History Museums Ive been to in London and New York.
If you visit the other two parts of the Museum as well ensure you show your ticket to get a discount on entering.
I also visited the fossil and anatomy section.You can see a shot below of what greets you as you enter the first floor.It was kind of chilling to see all those blanched white skeletons almost charging at you as walk into the exhibition hall.On subsequent floors there are also dinosaur skeletons and skulls of various creatures.Quite fascinating.And popular with a large variety of people.A number of students were busily scratching away on their pads sketching different beasts while mothers and offspring loitered around the reptile bones and skeletons.

Friday Flash..Christmas Treats

2008-12-19T08:15:00.004+08:00

Two more seasonal offerings from a local cake shop in my neighbourhood.The one above is a simple lemon sponge like creation with a kind of creme brulee toffee topping.
The dessert below is a rich cream like creation with ginger cookies and fruit floating in it.

What I Did in Paris.Part 45..Highs and Lows

2008-12-15T16:34:00.003+08:00

Tour Montparnasse

The Tour Montparnasse is your typical skyscraper that would be quite at home here in downtown Nagoya or rubbing shoulders with other nondescript structures found throughout Japans urban morass.However as you can see from this shot taken from Montmartre it really does stick out in low rise Paris.

On the top of the Tour Montparnasse is a 56th floor exhibition space and bar/cafe that offers great views of Paris below as well as exorbitantly priced coffee and sandwiches to match the heights.On the 59th floor above the exhibition area and bar theres an open air terrace with 360 degree views of Paris.Here you can see a shot from the terrace.Behind the Eiffel Tower you can see La Defense an area of skyscrapers on the edge of the city.
While I suggest you should look out the windows in the warmth of the exhibition centre Id avoid the cafe due to its prices.I'd also recommend a coat if its windy or winter when you venture to the 59th floor terrace.
The day I was up there I had the place virtually to myself.This was probably due to the fact it was so cold and visibility wasnt the best.
Admission was around 9 euros which was a litle steeper than most museums and other attractions I'd visited.Still it was worth it given the uninterrupted views and the rather strange notice I found in the toilets.Im still pondering what it means.

Catacombes
In the same Montparnasse quartier as the Tour Montparnasse you can visit the Catacombes.While I wouldnt put it on my list of "must sees" if you have some time to kill its certainly an interesting option.Particularly if its cold and you are looking for somewhere sheltered for an hour or so.

From the entrance,(where you will no doubt have to queue,though being the low season the wait was bearable), you wind your way down 130 odd steps to emerge at the start of a series of underground tunnels.Various signs and displays explain the tunnels history and how they came to be used to store the corpses of the citys cemeteries in 1785.

Each of the narrow passages and small alcoves you walk through are lined with bones and skulls all neatly stacked up in rows and different patterns.Its certainly creepy and mind numbing to consider how many corpses have been used and moved to their final underground resting place.
Because of a basic sense of decency and respect flash photography isnt allowed.
Given the low light levels this made getting photos without a flash somewhat of a challenge.I found the best results were those I took near the lights or exit signs
You eventually emerge after walking about one and a half kilometres of these macabre subterranean passages at the exit.I was somewhat surprised to be asked to open my bag as I emerged from the exit.Apparently stealing bones is viewed as a grave offence and those caught are taken to the police.
Obviously such a ghoulish attraction isnt to everyones taste nor would I recommend it to people who are claustrophic as the passages are narrow in places and the ceilings somewhat low.

What I Did In Paris..Part 365..Notre Dame

2008-12-15T15:49:00.003+08:00

Obviously one of the places to see when one is in Paris is the Cathedrale de Notre Dame.Notre Dame took over two hundred years to build and offers lots of great photo opportunities from whichever way you approach it.Inside there are three massive rose stained glass windows.

Outside on the narrow walkways on the towers you can get close to many of the gargoyles that perch on the cathedral's ledges.You can also get good views of the skyline.

Admission to the Cathedral's interior is free so you can wander around and take photos of the rose windows and the various altars inside the huge building.
Admission to the towers cost 7.50 euros as well as a chilly half hour wait in the queue and climbing a narrow spiral staircase.

Once you reach the towers via the stairs and through the gift shop you can get views of the skyline.In this shot you can make out Sacre Coeur on the hill in the background to the left of the gargoyle.

Friday Flash..Nagoya Station Christmas Lights 2008

2008-12-12T21:32:00.004+08:00

Once again the Christmas Illuminations are burning brightly around Nagoya Station.This first shot shows the big display above the main entrance.

This shot shows in more detail the Christmas town scene that is illuminated.It gradually builds up with more and more lights and buildings lit up and slowly fades away.At its height the scene includes small figures with Father Christmas and his sleigh appearing in a star filled sky.The whole cycle seems to last a couple of minutes at most and drew many "uhs" and "ahs" from the warmly clad crowds below.

Just as many people seemed to be visiting the well lit area to the left of the station.As with last years display its a kind of illuminated garden with lit up teddy bear figures featuring prominently.

There were other smaller lit animals and creatures including this butterfly.

This final shot shows people walking around the garden and through a greenish-yellow archway.If you look closely you can probably pick out at least two or three illuminated bears among the dazzling lights.

Mad about Monet

2008-12-12T07:47:00.004+08:00

If you want to see more of Monets works than are on offer at the Musee d'Orsay I'd recommend a visit to the Musee Marmottan or the Musee de l'Orangerie.Or both if you have the time and are interested in this painter.

The Musee Marmottan is housed in the home of famous art historian Paul Marmottan.In 1971 the museum acquired a collection of works by Claude Monet as a bequest from his son Michel.As a result The Musee boasts the worlds largest collection of Monets works.
Some of Monets most famous works are on display in the downstairs area of the mansion.There are the familiar waterlilies paintings but also examples of his work at Giverny and later works.One notable painting on display was Impression-Sunrise which gave rise to the name of the Impressionist school.
On the upper floors are more larger works by Monet including some waterlilies works mounted on the walls as you go up the stairs.Also on the upper floors are paintings from Monets personal collection including works by his fellow Impressionists including Sisley,Pissaro and Renoir.
While you cant take photos of the collection the Marmottan is worth visiting both for the number and variety of Monets work on display.

Musee De L'Orangerie
Located in the grounds of the Jardin des Tuileries is the Musee De L'Orangerie originally the palace greenhouse buildings.
Inside the museum on the ground floor are two oval rooms which house eight huge canvases from Monets Waterlilies series.

The canvases wrap around the walls of the two oval rooms.There are benches in the middle of each room where you can sit and virtually immerse yourself in the paintings as you swivel your head 360 degrees surrounded by the works.

From my notes I wrote that the Museum felt full of light and quite large while I was also surprised at how bright and vivid the paintings were and how close one could get to the paintings to examine the brushwork and strokes.
On the lower levels of the building you can see paintings from a collection of Monets contemporaries including Sisley,Renoir and Cezanne which are an added bonus to the Waterlilies rooms above.
Photos can be taken at the Orangerie as long as you dont use your flash which wont endear you to the Museum staff.

Paris Vacation.. Musee D'Orsay and Centre Pompidou

2008-12-08T18:53:00.009+08:00

A quick review of some of the art galleries and Museums I visited on my brief trip to Paris.Id suggest planning which museums and artists interest you beforehand and checking on prices,opening days and hours before you set off.There are various discount options available if you intend to visit many places or for any length of time.Most of the museums and tourist attractions were around the seven euro region.The most expensive admission price from memory was 10 euros for the Centre Pompidou while entry to Rodins Garden was I thought a bargain at just 1 euro.
Id also recommend getting to the places as early as possible to avoid herds of tour groups and school parties and not doing more than one or two places a day.I found a morning of peering at Cubists and Surrealist paintings did my head in and I needed something more diverting.

The Musee D'Orsay is a converted railway station on the banks of the Seine River.It features art from the 1840s to the early 1900s.It takes up from the Northern European art of the Louvre.The airy sunny top floors feature lots of Impressionist paintings as well as PostImpressionist and Art Nouveau artists.Cezanne,Monet and Van Gogh works feature prominently.There are also a number of Manet,Degas and Renoir works.
The lower floors feature decorative art and architecture.There was a small exhibition of Japanese porcelain on show while another temporary exhibit had a collection of various masks on display.
The centre aisle of the museum is lined with various sculptures and busts as can be seen in the shot above.

One of the pieces of sculpture on display at the Musee D'Orsay

Centre Pompidou
This unusual building with a kind of exo-skeleton of escalators,pipes and external supports contains works by Surrealists,Cubists and later schools of artists such as the Futurists.The works on display come after those at the Louvre and the Orsay so its logical to see them in that order if you have the time and interest.
Riding to the 6th floor enables you not only to see the temporary exhibits but you can also get great views of the Paris skyline.
The permanent collection is on the 5th and 4th floors and includes works by such artists as Matisse,Miro,Picasso and Pollack.Not only are there paintings on show but such things as sculpture,collages and mobiles also feature.
There is a library on the third floor with a cinema,public area,shop and cafe on the lower levels.

An example of Miros work on display.There are also some of Miro's mobiles on show.

One of the temporary sculptured pieces on the lower floors of the Centre.After looking at the disembodied works of Picasso and Braque above it came as a relief to see something I could understand and relate to without thinking too much about what I was looking at.
While the Centre Pompidou is a little more expensive than the average museum or gallery I think the building itself and the variety of art work inside more than justifies the extra expenditure.Like the Musee D'Orsay its well worth a visit even if you are only vaguely interested in art.

Paris Vacation..Musee Du Louvre

2008-12-08T16:23:00.004+08:00

Musee Du Louvre
This huge,rambling Museum has collections of Oriental,Egyptian,Greek,Etruscan and Roman antiquities,scultpure,objets d'art such as porcelain and European paintings.

I avoided the crowds and the cold winds waiting above ground at the pyramid entrance by using the exit from the Palais Royal-Musee du Louvre metro station.While there still was a queue at the entrance gates to the Museum at least I could wait in warmer surroundings than above ground.

I took this shot to show what a huge place the Louvre is.Even though I set out to only see a few things it took the best part of a day to accomplish my plan.

I took but a few moments to glance at the Mona Lisa,surrounded by camera touting Chinese tourists and encased in glass which reflected the many camera flashes aimed at it.If anything did surprise me about the portrait it was how small and mundane it actually is.
I was more interested in another famous exhibit the Venus de Milo.Again it attracted a crowd of admirers often three deep as one of the ever present tour groups arrived and departed.This shot from behind shows the crowds.Im just glad I came in the off season as Im not sure Id be able to see so much or get so close to the exhibits in the peak season.

Id read about The Raft of Medusa in Julian Barnes "A History of the World in 10 and a Half Chapters" and was eager to see it for myself.Barnes describes the historical background and how Gericault went about the painting of this huge canvas.The figures depicted are life sized.You can get an idea of its scale from the people seated gazing at it.

Friday Flash..A Few Photos From Paris

2008-12-05T08:33:00.005+08:00

The first few shots from my recent fortnight or so vacation in Paris.Above you can see the large clock in Musee d'Orsay a former railway station now converted into an art museum.

A creepy photo from the Catacombes tour of underground passages lined with bones and skulls.

One of the many gargoyles that adorn Notre Dame.

One of the many cups of coffee that I drank.

A shot of Sacre Coeur in the Montmartre quarter where the two hostels I stayed could be found within walking distance of this Roman Byzantine basilica.
More on Monday once I get over my jetlag and return to Nagoya and work.

Bon Voyage...

2008-11-17T16:03:00.003+08:00

Im taking a few weeks vacation.Finally.Its taken a while and a mountain of paperwork,faxes and phone calls to get the time off.If I hadnt said anything at work last week and produced a fax I sent in August Im sure I would still be on the work schedule.
Ironic that the company includes the word "Communication" in its title.God knows what Alanis Morissette would make of it.
Anyways be back hopefully refreshed,Air France strikes notwithstanding,early next month..

Friday Flash...

2008-11-14T09:28:00.003+08:00

A relatively cheap lunchbox for under 500yen.

Another manhole cover I spotted on one of my many trips into outer Nagoya.

Autumn...

2008-11-10T17:51:00.003+08:00

According to the weather report last night on NHK the weekend marked the start of winter under the old traditional calendar.
Certainly its getting cooler at night and first thing in the morning.Theres a refreshing bite in the air.

Many of the local trees,at least those that have escaped the attention of the local council workers,are shedding their leaves or displaying their autumnal colours.
I bicycled past this old building yesterday.Its harsh dirty exterior is softened to some extent by the creeping red ivy which seems to have gained a foothold.

On the opposite side of the canal to the buildings is what appears to be an old abandoned wooden shrine complete with altar.The doors are locked with a chain and heavy rust encrusted lock.The whole building is ringed with sharp razor wire to deter attempts to climb the walls.
As there is a lot building demolition and redevelopment in the vicinity I well imagine that the structures days are numbered.

Friday Flash...Matcha Latte and a Bento to Go

2008-11-07T10:20:00.003+08:00

I recently saw this new Starbucks flavour available in many supermarkets and convenience stores.I found the green matcha latte quite thick and smooth.I was also surprised how sweet it was compared to other green tea products such as ice cream I have tried.

This fairly ordinary bento contains some autumn fare such as sweet potato and mushrooms.Nothing spectacular but typical of the seasonal bentos or lunchboxes that are currently on sale.

Strange Currencies...

2008-11-03T19:43:00.003+08:00

Global financial crisis.Credit Crunch.The Japanese yen has been on a roller coaster ride over the last few weeks.Falling and surging against other major currencies including the euro,the U.S dollar,pound,and the Australian and New Zealand dollars.
Back in August the NZ dollar was trading at 80cents to 100yen.Late last week it fell briefly to 49 odd cents.Quite a difference if you are sending some money home.Quite a difference relatively speaking to your income earnings.
Its difficult to know when is the best time to send it home.Wait a bit and hope it falls further or send it back right away and hope it doesnt drop further.Hoping either way you arent left out of pocket.Laughing all the way to the bank.Unlikely.

Its the same delicate balancing act when it comes to deciding to convert yen into currencies for vacations.Late last month the euro was changing hands at 136yen while early last week it fell to 122yen.With such volatility its pretty much a matter of guessing and hoping it doesnt gain or loss too much once you have decided to sell and buy.

Friday Flash..Chocolate and Beer

2008-10-31T07:14:00.004+08:00

The latest KitKat product Ive sampled is a tie-in with McDonalds.The KitKat Caramel Macchiato bars have an attractive marbled appearance and are very sweet.The caramel flavour envelops you as soon as you tear open the wrappers.I cant see myself eating these regularly as I found the sweetness too overpowering and prefer something a little more subtle.

Asahi's new Ginger Beer caught my eye recently after seeing it advertised on subway carriages.The alcoholic ginger beer has a smooth ginger aftertaste with an emphasis on the alcohol rather than being merely fizzy lolly water.I wouldnt drink it regularly but it has a certain novelty value.

The Perry and Harris Exhibition

2008-10-27T16:08:00.003+08:00

The Perry and Harris Exhibition..The Dawn of U.S-Japan Relations..

The current exhibition at the Nagoya Boston Museum of Fine Arts looks at the start of the U.S and Japanese relationship and the US-Japan Treaty of Amity and Commerce signed in 1858.
The exhibition concentrates on Commodore Matthew Perry who was responsible for the initial negotiations and Townsend Harris the first US Consul General in Japan.
On display are various books,reports,drawings and gifts associated with the meetings and negotiations between the United States officials and the Japanese bakufu or shogunate rulers.
While there appears an overabundance of books,scrolls and other printed matter particularly on the second floor of the display,there are enough flags,hats,swords and examples of lacquerware and porcelain to keep ones interest from wandering.
I was pleased that there are lots of English language captions explaining the history and process that led to the Treaty of Amity and Commerce being signed.I was also grateful for the absence of tinkling piano background music.
The exhibition runs until December 21st.Admission is 1,200yen per adult.The Nagoya Boston Museum is near the south exit of JR Kanayama Station in Nagoya.

Friday Flash..

2008-10-24T09:12:00.004+08:00

This poster pasted on a nearby telephone pole caught my attention this week.
Its for an upcoming concert.Of that Im fairly certain.However more intriguing is whether the event is called Tokai Bullshit or this is the name of the band?
Whatever the case,using "bullshit" to promote something hardly suggests its going to be any good does it?

Nagoya City Art Museum October 2008 Exhibit

2008-10-20T16:22:00.004+08:00

The latest exhibition opened last Saturday at the Nagoya City Art Museum located in Shirakawa Park near Fushimi.It runs until December 14th.
The exhibition consists of 64 paintings and collages from 23 artists from the first half of the 20th century.The items come from the K20 collection of the Kunstsammlung Nordrhein Westfalen in Dusseldorf,Germany.
The bulk of the art on display are works from Picasso and Klee though other painters who also feature include Chagall,Magritte and Miro.
Apart from the opening statement at the entrance there are no English language captions.
There are a number of "isms" on display in this exhibition including "expressionism", "cubism","surrealism"and one I'd never heard of"fauvism".
Consulting my dog-eared copy of "Art for Dummies" "fauvism"is described as paintings ...."in which the landscape and human figures had become a riot of conflicting colors -flesh tones and purple combinations"pg169.
"These works were derided by critics as "Fauvism" a French word for "wild beasts"p165 Matisse is one artist who used such garish and dissonant colours but his painting in this collection,"The Gulf of Saint Tropez"didnt strike me as being particularly garish.Maybe it was in 1904 but the passing of time makes it seem quite conventional now.
There are some nice bright Picasso cubist paintings with the usual jumbled figures I associate with his work."Art for Dummies" defines Cubism thus"Cubism is essentially the fragmenting of three-dimensional forms into flat areas of pattern and colour, overlapping and intertwining so that shapes and parts of the human anatomy are seen from the front and the back at the same time.The style was created by Picasso in tandem with his great friend Georges Braque".pg165
There is a Braque still life included in the exhibition and its interesting to compare it with a similar work by Picasso.You'd swear the two pieces were by the same artist.

Other than Picasso,Paul Klee contributes the majority of works on display.Theres a good selection of his work here from 1909 to 1940 and materials he used including pen and Indian ink,watercolours and pastels.Some of his works with its dots,crescents and geometric shapes seemed to hark back to early Egyptian hieroglyphics.
Finally I shouldnt forget to note the earlier surrealist paintings of Magritte which just had me scratching my head.Nor the annoying tinkling piano music that accompanies a video of the German gallery.

Id recommend this exhibition if only for the fact there is an absence of Impressionist painters and paintings which seem to be the bread and butter of galleries here.
To my simple mind its beneficial to see and appreciate other forms of art that are less accessible and more challenging from time to time.
The exhibition as Ive typed above runs till December 14th and costs 1,300yen per adult at the door.

Friday Flash..Autumn Desserts

2008-10-17T21:16:00.002+08:00

A couple of seasonal desserts.The first one is obviously aimed at the Halloween crowd.The small orange pumpkin container is filled with an appropriately coloured custard and bulked up with small fragments of shortbread.

This second dessert is more traditional fare.A thin biscuit base supports a small jelly like cake topped with various berries.

Nagoya Autumn Festival

2008-10-13T19:27:00.005+08:00

The Nagoya Festival held last weekend October 11th and 12th is the largest autumn festival in the area.
The biggest attraction is a parade led by the big three local heroes Nobunga Oda,Hideyoshi Toyotomi and Ieyasu Tokugawa along with their courtiers all dressed in period clothing.Various floats,marching teams and other groups also take part in the parades which take place round Sakae and central Nagoya.

In my neighbourhood of Osu Kannon there are also various events and performers who appear over the two days.Jugglers,comic duos,dancers and musical groups are scheduled to perform throughout the day and into the early evening.

One of the more crowd pleasing,eye catching attractions was a group of gold painted dancers.Covered from head to toe in shiny gold paint and wearing skimpy bikinis,both the male and female members of the group were mobbed by people trying to get a photo of them.It was the first time I'd tried using my new camera at night so the results arent that good.The light reflecting off the dancers bodies plus their continual movement and the hordes surrounding them meant it was a challenge to get a good shot.

After the dancers had finished performing on the steps of the Osu Kannon Temple they descended into the crowds below armed with donation boxes.Even then it was difficult to get a reasonably clear view and get close enough to allow for a photograph.

Its Been One Year or Thereabouts....

2008-10-13T19:10:00.002+08:00

Its been one year or thereabouts since Nova Corporation,then one of the biggest language schools with branches throughout Japan,bit the dust.
Old vacant shuttered premises,faded rabbit flags and twisted rusted metal signs still bear testimony to its demise.
How long its mutant bastard child GCom-Nova remains in the game is anyones guess.

Friday Flash..Some Random Photos

2008-10-10T08:06:00.002+08:00

One of the signs that autumn is here in Nagoya is the appearance of cosmos flowers.

Another edition to the KitKat range spotted earlier in the week.Bite sized down sized KitKats.

Another shot of cosmos flowers.You can see them blooming in garden plots and vacant lots.

Some Green Polar Bears and Long Necked Geese,Some Humpty Backed Camels and

2008-10-06T16:32:00.003+08:00

A small article in The Japan Times newspaper September 24 page 3 caught my attention.
Apparently visitors to Higashiyama Zoo and Botanical Gardens here in Nagoya are "shocked by the colour" of the polar bears.The polar bears are no longer white after swimming in a pond this summer with an overgrowth of algae.The bears are expected to return to their natural colour when the algae growth subsides in November according to a zoo offical quoted in the article.
Curiosity aroused I went along to the Zoo yesterday morning.
I must state from the outset Im not a great fan of zoos and this one in particular I find depressing.I can block out the howls of some distressed feline creatures or the cringing,cowering birds that sit in the shadows of their cells.But its hard to ignore the general down at heel air that pervades the whole area.Closed,under repair toilet blocks,missing tiles,faded,chipped paint.
Once at the polar bear enclosure I notice that staff have put up a folder of photos and an explanation as to why the bears are green.Certainly the green tinge is less evident today than earlier in the year if the photos are anything to go by.And the animals themselves dont seem to be suffering because of the algae.

However I cant understand why this issue came about in the first place.How did the situation arise that the algae grew.Wasnt the pool being scrubbed or even drained on a regular basis?And why once the algae bloom started wasnt something done?What measures were taken to stop the algae growth?Is there a water filtering system in operation?Are procedures in place to ensure that the water quality doesnt cause other health problems?
You have to bear in mind that adult admission is only 500yen.Compare this to the 2000yen admission charge for the Port of Nagoya Aquarium.I would quite happily pay double the current zoo entry fee if it meant that the bare essentials could be provided and the place given a much needed facelift such as a lick of paint and larger extended cages.

Buying Bentos

2008-10-06T16:08:00.003+08:00

It seems to be getting harder and harder these days to find a reasonable bento or lunch box around the 500yen mark.Instead of increasing the price,some shops opt not to fill one of the sections or partitions in the boxes.Or they choose to use cheaper ingredients and provide less in each section.Either way I find it discouraging to buy a half empty box or one that wasnt as generously filled as before.
My only choice then is to spend a little extra in the hope I can be satisfied.The lunchbox above was in the 600-700 yen price range.
In the top middle section one can find a few shrimps while directly below are some spicy chicken pieces.To the right of these chicken nibbles are two small Chinese like dumplings filled with minced beef and vegetables.Two small offerings of rice help to bulk out the box.
What it lacked in quantity it made up for in variety and to my mind was reasonable value for money.

Halloween Cookies

2008-10-06T15:55:00.003+08:00

A big shout out and thanks to Halli for sending me these homemade Halloween cookies.Im pleased to say that they survived the attentions of the Japanese Customs officers who zealously unpacked and inspected the box.I dont know what they must have thought was inside the half metre or so of bubble wrap and oven foil.Cheers again and dont forget to check her website www.kawaiinyc.blogspot.com

Friday Flash..A Few More Dream Car Show Shots

2008-10-03T06:50:00.003+08:00

A few final shots from the Dream Car Show 2008 held at Port Messe Nagoya last weekend.
The first one shows a couple of "kangaru" or campaign girls posing beside a motorcycle.

Not my dream car but given the driving habits of drivers in Nagoya it seems a good choice of vehicle.Im just not sure where I could park it. This armoured vehicle along with two or three others was part of the Self Defence Force display at the show.

This bright shiny racing car was displayed by a custom paint company.Many specialised companies had their products on display including car stereo,car television and audio firms.Body trim and paint companies as well as hubs,tyres and wheels were on show.

Another kangaru posing with her sponsors product in hand.

This last shot shows a car with its gleaming paintwork including a bikini clad model featuring prominently on both sides of the car.On the hood or bonnet of the car the said model is sprawled suggestively and seems to have problems keeping her top on.
The vehicle drew many admiring glances.Im sure would be a distraction to other drivers if driven on the streets.

Dream Car Show 2008

2008-09-29T13:23:00.003+08:00

The Dream Car Show 2008 was held at Port Messe Nagoya over the last weekend.
Companies involved in the automotive industry such as audio and body kit firms had stands and vehicles on display showcasing their products.
A couple of luxury car clubs had their members cars on show.
There was even an area where you could see some Self Defence Vehicles on show.
I didnt have the courage to confront the friendly soldier near one vehicle and tell him they had incorrectly spelt a word on their display.Vehicul.
Rather oddly,there was also a wrestling ring complete with Japanese WWF style wrestlers in one of the exhibition halls.Team Makehen wrestlers,both male and female performed a number of bouts on both days.

Apart from the cars,vans,4x4s,motorcycles and racing cars,the other attraction at such shows that seem to pull in a particular section of the crowd are the models who languidly sprawl and pose over the vehicles.
There was a dearth of such models on Saturday which made those who were there even more in demand from their camera and video touting male admirers.
As soon as one appeared it was like a feeding frenzy.Imagine a school of piranha armed to the teeth with the latest and largest photographic equipment purchased by man.
A great seething,jostling mass of elbows and flashes as each competed to get their snap.Its not often one sees such impoliteness and lack of consideration on public display as they vie to get a good photo.

As well as the standard luxury cars that had been pimped up with expensive stereos and glass like polished exteriors there were a couple of hot rods that caught my eye.I was impressed with the size of the engine block on this one.Basically its a rocket on wheels.

Several thoughts crossed my mind as I took this shot.Firstly,do any of the people taking the photos even remotely care or have any interest in the car?Secondly a bit Freudian but can you gauge the interest the photographer has in his subject by looking at the size of his equipment?
It seemed the younger guys taking the photos were using cellphones or entry level SLRs.On the other hand,the older(and to my mind slightly creepy) enthusiasts were brandishing top end Nikon and Canon gear with huge telephoto lenses.
Then again,why would you want to video such a thing as a couple of punters were doing.Its not as though theres much in the way of action or movement taking place.

The final shot shows a customised Bentley Contintental GT with its custom grille and front bumper.It was also sporting side skirts,rear fenders and exhaust tips.

Friday Flash..New Haagen Daz Ice Cream Flavours

2008-09-26T21:42:00.002+08:00

Two more new Haagen Dazs flavours that hit the shelves this week in Nagoya.I spotted them in various supermarkets and convenience stores throughout the city.
The first is Cafe Mocha,obviously a coffee flavoured icecream.Its fairly light with dashes of chocolate sauce liberally mixed in to boost the amount of caffeine.
The second is English Milk Tea and like the Cafe Mocha tastes exactly as described.
A thick milky creamy sweet tasting ice cream.It reminded me of the canned Royal Milk tea available here in virtually every corner vending machine.
Both these flavours have a certain novelty value but personally I cant see myself going out of my way to buy them again given the other flavours available.

Toothless in Nagoya

2008-09-22T18:40:00.004+08:00

There was a loud rendering crunch.I started eating lead.Blood.The apple flavoured stick of KissMint I was masticating had prised off one of my fillings.I spat the dull gray metal onto my desk.
Borrowing my co-workers pink Hello Kitty makeup mirror I gingerly inspected the damage.A small cavity.No.More like an abyss or a chasm.Not good.
What to do.Saturday.I could trek out to one of the three places in Nagoya that offered dental services over the weekend.Or bide my time and wait two days and find a local dentist.
As the pain was bearable due to the numbing effects of alcohol I decided to delay my visit to the dentist a little longer.I mean..not having been to a dentist for five years what harm could another two days do.
Luckily a friend gave me the name of an English speaking dentist so with some apprehension I went along this Monday morning.
For those familiar with Nagoya,Kimura Dental Clinic is almost opposite the entrance to the FreeBell Building.Freebell seems to house an inordinate number of foreigners which is probably due to its central location near Nagoya Station.
Theres a large pink neon sign with the words Kimura Dental Clinic,overhanging the footpath,which is hard to miss.Unless you happen to be standing directly underneath it.Cursing my inability to read a map or speak Japanese well,I bounded up the stairs.
I explained my problem to the receptionist,"koko ga itai desu"(it hurts here) while pointing to my mouth.And also explained I didnt have an appointment but that didnt seem to be a problem.

Although it was only slightly after 9:30am the place was buzzing.There were four chairs for patients.All occupied with people in various stages of discomfort.The dentists modus operandi seemed to be one of darting between the chairs doing a bit of drilling and filling and moving to the next chair.
I had no trouble understanding him.Even behind his clear protective plastic face mask he had much better language skills than my feeble Japanese.He explained the treatment and the cost of restoring the filling.Both were reasonable.I left three quarters of an hour later much relieved.

Bento
The lunch box below has two helpings of rice.The one on the left has some small nuts and wheat like grain mixed through it.The rice on the right is the more usual white rice.
The lower two sections contain a selection of meat and salads.The right hand side includes a salad containing pumpkin and grilled pieces of lotus and other vegetables.

Friday Flash..Autumn Tea

2008-09-19T21:06:00.002+08:00

You can always tell which season of the year it is by looking at the products on sale at convenience stores,supermarkets and the like.Gradually over the last few days the local convenience store has been filling its shelves and coolers with autumnal fare and drinks.Typical of the products available are these bottles of tea adorned in the orange reds and browns of fall.

Sumo...Up in Smoke

2008-09-15T07:47:00.002+08:00

The first day of the Autumn Sumo Tournament began yesterday set against a drug scandal that has been capturing headlines and television coverage over the last month.
The drama began following the arrest of a Russian wrestler Wakanoho after police claimed a small amount of marijuana was found in his wallet.After an emergency meeting on August 21 the Japan Sumo Association dismissed him and handed down a lifetime ban.
He has the dubious honour of being the first active wrestler to be given his marching orders.
Wakanoho,whose real name is Soslan Aleksandrovich Gagloev,has subsequently filed a lawsuit to nullify his dismissal.
Following on from his arrest the JSA tested all 69 wrestlers in the top two divisions. Two other Russian wrestlers,Roho and Hakurozan,who are brothers,tested positive for the drug.A second test conducted by an internationally certified lab apparently found the presence of the drug.Both wrestlers have denied using the drug.
Like Wakanoho they were dismissed and are also considering filing lawsuits against the JSA.
The final act in the current saga came on Monday September 8th when the Japan Sumo Association Chairman Kitanoumi resigned over the current scandal.He is Hakurozan's stablemaster.A former yokozuna,Kitanoumi was replaced by Musashigawa as Chairman and gave a speech at the start of the first day of the basho outlining his plans to revitalise the sport.
As to the actual results of the first days bouts in Tokyo they pretty much went to form.Hakuho won over Asasekiryu while in the penultimate match newly promoted Baruto lost against Asashoryu.Hopefully if Asa can stay fit he can challenge Hakuho and make this tournament more competitive and exciting than the previous one in which he withdrew early through injury.

Friday Flash..Additions to KitKat and Haagen Dazs

2008-09-12T08:12:00.004+08:00

Two new items I spied on the shelves this past week.
First up is the new KitKat flavour,Muscat of Alexandria.As the illustration on the box indicates these are grape flavoured KitKats.The photo shows a somewhat lighter green KitKat stick as I had put the box into my fridge prior to taking the photo.Straight out of the box,off the shelf,the KitKats are a more vivid green and also more sticky as the outside layer melts in the late summer heat heat.
Nonetheless straight off the shelf or out of the fridge these have quite a pleasant taste.

Another addition to the Haagen Dazs range is Maple Cookie.The ice cream has a maple flavour which greets you as you open the plastic lid.Mixed through the ice cream are small fragments of cookie dough.Very sweet and cloying.Im not sure I could get through more than one mini cup.Good if you are a sweettooth or need a sugar rush.

Printed Temptations..

2008-09-08T08:51:00.002+08:00

Printed Temptations is the title of an exhibition currently running at the Nagoya City Art Museum.Odd title.Odd exhibition.
The blurb reads.."Published art isnt just limited to standard printing.Printed art can be found in a diverse range of medium-from photographs to postage stamps."
So its a pretty loose brief and thats my primary problem with the exhibition.

There appeared to be no focus.One expected to see printed material but other medium are also on show.Sure there are prints and photographs.There were even posters of previous exhibitions which seemed no more than an attempt to fill out the show. Nothing spectacular.Nothing even particularly tempting.Lots of nondescript black and white photos.Theres a series of photos taken of winding towers.Nothing a good amateur weekend camera buff couldnt take.
There were some swirling black and white prints with lots of bold strokes that wouldnt be out of place in a kindergarten fingerpainting class.

I didnt expect to see non printed medium on display.One wall is given over to two huge brown paper wrapped parcels.Each about the size of a futon.Hardly printed material.
Nor was it the first time they have been on display if you looked closely at the posters of previous shows.Several other non printed material items were also getting an airing.One looked like a coat lying on a full size single bed while another was a self portrait collage made out of material such as silk and other fabrics.

I just the feeling that it was a hotch potch of old permanent collection items that have been dusted off with no real thought given to the relationship between the items or even if they fell under the definition of printed material at all.

The exhibition runs until September 28th.Admission was 1,300yen for adults and the only temptation I felt was to ask for my money back.

Friday Flash..Irish Iron Merchandise 2008

2008-09-05T07:27:00.004+08:00

Some of the new merchandise available from Irish Iron,the official supporters club of Scunthorpe United Football Club based in Ireland.Proceeds from sales of their merchandise and membership fees go to the club as players kit sponsorship.Check out the website for more details of their range of merchandise at www.irishiron.blogspot.com.
Above is a shot of the new Irish Iron supporters scarf complete with green shamrock.

An Irish Iron polo shirt.There are currently three Republic of Ireland players at Scunthorpe and one player from Northern Ireland hence the Irish connection with the club.

An Irish Iron baseball cap in an attractive,fetching green complete with wide brim to protect the wearer from the elements.