Thank you for 2010

I would like to that everyone for 2010!!

Really really really thank you ALL!!!

I hope everyone has a great New Year's Vacation!!

Looking forward to catch up after the break!

Be safe and Enjoy!!!

Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays or Seasons Greetings...

Usually I do not like to talk about religion, but today I will touch on the subject a little.

Contrary to popular belief, I am not Christian. So I do not celebrate and have never celebrated Christmas. When I was in high school and university, some friends invited me over to their house for a Christmas dinner or party. So, I have attended a few Christmas Parties before. However, I never had a christmas tree in my house, and never ate a Christmas dinner or drank eggnog in my house, and Santa never came to my house with the reindeer and his sled. But since I have lived in Japan, I usually celebrate Christmas by going out to a dinner or eating a special dinner in my house. This year I will do the latter with my wife. Also, I got her a Christmas present for the first time, so I will give that to her tonight. I hope she likes it!!

In Japan, many people often say "Merry Christmas," and some people even send sweet "Merry Christmas" emails or cards. In fact, I have already received a few from some people and they made me happy. However, in other countries, especially America, many people say or send cards with "Happy Holidays" or "Seasons Greetings" instead of "Merry Christmas." The reason for this is that not everyone is Christian, thus not everyone celebrates Christmas. Most Japanese are not picky about religion at all. Depending on the event, they usually visit Temples or Shrines, two totally different religions. Temples are from Buddhism. And Shrines are from Shinto. For funerals, many Japanese use Temples. For Marriages, some Japanese use Shrines. Other Japanese get married in Churches!! Many Japanese also "celebrate" Christmas. For the New Year, some people visit Shrines and other people visit Temples, to be honest I sometimes forget which is for what...It is very confusing!!! :)

Anyway, and most importantly, I would like to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays or Seasons Greetings!! Please choose whatever expression you like the best!
Also, I wonder what these two kids got from Santa for Christmas?! If they were good this year, not naughty, maybe Santa gave them a nice gift!!

Xmas (Blog by Luis)

Xmas for a child is one of the best times of the year. I remember finding out that Santa was bogus when I found a red bag hidden in my parents wardrobe. I think I was about 8 years old. After that, I always tried guessing what I would be getting. A few Xmas later, I became an expert in finding the presents, and in unwrapping them without anyone finding out! Let me tell you a secret...Back then, I was a naughty boy!!! But don't tell anyone!! Xmas in Japan does not exactly have the same meaning as it does in foreign countries. Here you enjoy the time with your friends, while in Western countries it's the time for family reunions. I remember when I was a child flying to Portugal and having a long dinner in my grandparents house with many relatives. Now, living abroad, I tend to feel melancholic and homesick! Also, I miss the sweets and typical dishes of the Xmas season. Maybe this year, I will go to that Portuguese restaurant in Nishi-Tenma (I forget the name, but it's near the American Consulate) with my wife. How are you going to celebrate Christmas Eve and Christmas Day this year? Have any exciting plans?

Holland and Belgium (revised blog and photos by Miss e)

About my trip to Holland and Belgium. It was really great!

The reasons were....

1) I could see many paintings at famous museums and cathedrals. I often go to exhibitions of popular painters (ex. Gogh,Vermeer )in Japan. But there are always so many many people, it is so crowded, so it was impossible for me to look at the paintings closely. This time was amazing and precious time for me.

2) I enjoyed the architecture and seeing many old buildings. Each building had a different style, design, and history. I like European buildings (including cathedrals,churches) and the beautiful streets. In particular, the atmosphere in Belgium was beautiful. And there weren't so many tourists so the town and sites were all calm.

3) The tour guide in Belgium was excellent. When I first saw him I wasn't so sure...he looked a little strange, odd...so I was worried whether he was a good guide or not. But he was great! He had a lot of knowledge about the history, the paintings and the architecture and his explanation was really understandable and interesting.
(The moral of this story is: Never judge a book by its cover!!)

4) About the hotels in both cities (Brussels and Amsterdam). I stayed two nights in each of the cities. The hotels were nice. The first hotel in Belgium had a shower booth! And the buffet style breakfast was nice at both hotels. I went on this tour by myself, so I could stay in a room with two beds all by myself!! I could relax and use the whole room as I liked. It was a luxurious feeling!! About the other meals...well, they were so so...But the Belgian hot waffle I ate was great! (The fabulous tour guide took us to the shop).

This trip was a little short (only 6 days) but fulfilling for me. I was really satisfied. I took pictures with my new digital camera (it was the first time to use it), and if I have a chance,I'd like to show them to you.

Trip to Tokyo (blog and photos by Luis)

After a quick 2h30 Shinkansen ride [aka bullet train] we arrive in Tokyo.
Arriving by Shinkansen at Tokyo station takes you to another world, about 20m above the ground and surrounded by modern buildings, fashionable people, nice monuments, great dinning places, and the latest technological gadgets whereever you look.. You feel like part of an elite cosmopolitan society. Unlike my first visit to Tokyo, we weren’t chancing getting tired seeing monuments and famous places...so this time, we decided to simply relax and enjoy. Perhaps this is the main reason why I liked Tokyo so much more this time than previously. We met some friends, on Saturday night for drinking, on Sunday morning for a great buffet brunch and at night for a home dinner, on Monday for a day trip to Nikko National Park [UNESCO World Heritage Site] and a casual dinner with a good friend, and Tuesday for lunch in Roppongi Hills. Most people asked me "Which do you prefer: Tokyo or Osaka?"... That's a tough question. Let’s say I’d prefer to have Osaka people living in Tokyo. This would make it almost perfect. Ah! Of course, I love Osaka food too!! But did you know that Tokyo has more Michelin-starred restaurants than both Paris and NY together! Btw, there have been 14 restaurants awarded 3-stars since Nov 17th. Will I come back? Obviously.

Glenn: I have a question for you Luis. How many Michelin 3-star restaurants have you been to in Tokyo? How about in Osaka? Which is your favorite? or Which one or two do you really recommend?

Santa Claus

Guess what?!
You'll never believe what happened!!
When I was coming to the classroom yesterday morning, I saw Santa Claus!! I am serious!!! This is not a joke!! I swear to God it's true!! He was standing on a bridge on Yostubashi Street, just over Tosabori River. He was an old guy, with a big white bread, and white hair, and he was wearing baggy red pants, or overalls (I couldn't tell which...) and a green long-sleeved shirt with some decorations on it. And he was holding a camera and taking a photo of a boat in the river. Why he was taking a photo of a boat?
Who is he?
Why is he wearing a Santa Claus suit and look exactly like Santa?
What was he doing on Yotsubashi Street in the morning?
Was he really Santa?

I have many questions, but I do not know the answer to any of them.
It is a complete mystery!!!

Anyway, my friends are coming to Japan in a few weeks, and they are going to be in Tokyo. But only for 2 days. Please answer the question below if you want.
"What would you suggest doing on a 48-hour stopover in Tokyo?"
(from The Japan Times Online)
Read here for some sample answers:
http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/fl20101123vf.html

Below is Miss K's home-made dinner. It looks delicious!!

Flag Football

Today is lousy, miserable weather. Dark, grey, and rainy. And, this morning, I dropped my new umbrella in between the train and the train tracks!! Can you believe it?! Unbelievable! It is GONE!!!

That is enough of the bad news. Now, onto some good news!

Last Sunday I did something new. I played flag football. Do you know what flag football is? Well, just in case you do not know, I will explain. It is like American football (not "football" as they say in Europe!!!) except there is no contact, which means there is no tackling, no pushing, no hitting. All of the players must wear a belt with two flags attached. Instead of tackling the other opponent, you have to tear his or her flag off. If you don't know the rules of American football, which most of you don't I think, then it is difficult to explain any further than that. But if you really feel you want a deeper explanation, please check wikipedia, not wikileaks!!

Anyway, I found this group "Porarisu Takaraduka Flag Football Team" because I often exercise; go walking, jogging, or cycling, on Mukogawa River which is near my house. And one day, while walking, I saw a bunch of people, both guys and girls, playing. I watched from the sidelines for a while, and thought about asking them "Do you mind if I play with you?", but I am shy and I was embarrassed, so I gave up and went home. Then a few weeks after that, I saw one guy setting up the field for practice. And I thought, this is my chance! So I got up the courage and I asked him, "Is it alright if I use one of the footballs for a little?" He said, "Sure, no problem." I was psyched(=excited) and sprinted out(=ran quickly) onto the field and then he threw the ball with me and we had a catch for about 30 minutes. It was the first time in while I threw a football, so I was a little rusty, but not bad!! However, after only 30 minutes I was pooped(=tired!)! But I had a good time! It was fun!

So before I went home, I ask him, "If possible, I would like to play sometimes with your team..." And he told me, "You are welcome any time." I was happy.

Last Sunday was my first practice. In the future, when I have time, I would like to play with them again. All of the members, both girls and guys of a variety of ages, were all really nice and friendly and serious about flag football!! It was a good Sunday!

But there was one problem!! On Monday, I was very sore!!! All of the muscles in my lower body; my calves, thighs, hamstrings, and groin, were sore!! But today, I feel ok, and not so sore! Do you know what that means?! It means I am not so old!!

(fyi, if you get sore two days after exercise, that means you are old! but if you get sore only one day after doing exercise, it means you are young).

Below, is from Ms. F. It's funny!! Do you get the joke?

Minnie Mouse

Below is the other email I got the other day. It is from Ms. H who is presently studying abroad and also doing an internship in California. She studied at The University Of California, Berkeley. It is a good school! Ms. H is young, and a Freshman in University in Japan. Her family run both a Temple and also an Izakaya Chain of restaurants.

Here's the email, and cute photo!

I'm gonna take a trip with my classmate:)! I'm looking forward to going there!!
Oh, really!? It will be freezing in NY!! OMG!!!
We are planning to go 4 days there. I have to buy warmer cloths by trip!!! BTW I finished to go language school 11/30. then, it will start internship this Saturday:) I chose to go seniors enter. I heard that internship is very hard. but, i'll do my best!!! I'll send a picture when it was Halloween party! I was mini mouse:)kk




Additional topics.
If you were stuck underground like the Chilean miners, what's the first thing you would ask to be sent down the chute?

This is from "Views from the Street-THE JAPAN TIMES"

http://search.japantimes.co.jp/print/fl20101019vf.html

Jakarta

The other day I got two emails from some two students who are presently working or studying abroad. One is in Indonesia, the other is in Indonesia. Today I will put Mr. I's emails and photos up on the blog.
By the way, I always like to get such kinds of email. They make me happy.

Concerning Mr. I, he has studied at EZ English for a while now. His primary purpose of study is for business because he must lead various big operations overseas, mainly in East Asia. He lives in Nara, and also studies calligraphy, and has a good sense of humor. In addition, he hopes to retire when this project is finished.

These are some revised excerpts from the the email he wrote me:

"Hi, Glenn. I am in Jakarta INDONESIA. My Project's contract was completed and the contract will Kick-off on 2nd Nov. The Project will last for six years, so I will have to go to and stay in JKT several times during that time. Now, according to my wife who is in Japan(I speak to her often on the phone), it is very cold in JAPAN! JKT is in the rainy season, so the temperature is warm, but it is very humid. The economical growth of INDONESIA is fast and it is very active in the City, which is good because I like lively places!! According to the paper, the sum total area of all of the cars in Indonesia, and the total area of the road, are the same. Unbelievable!!! Please see the attached pics. Best regards."

Y's

Last weekend, I went to a great restaurant. It is in Fukushima which is recently a popular area with a lot of new and interesting places. I was looking for a special place, because it was a special occasion. And, thanks to the net, I found one. When I called to make a reservation, they staff said, "Sorry, we are all booked tonight." I was disappointed. But then the staff continued, "Well, if there is a sudden opening, or if some people go home early, we will call you." I was relieved. It wasn't 100%, so I also looked at a few other restaurants, but I was hoping to get a call on my cell from the staff. And fortunately, while having a beer at happy hour, my phone rang. Bingo! It was my lucky day! The staff said, "A couple just left, and two seats are available, so if please come right over if you like." And thirty minutes later, I was sitting in the restaurant.

Y's, a small French restaurant, is run by a young guy, 31 years old, whose name is Mr. Yoshida. (Get it? Y's...) He is the chef and owner. A woman, who I originally thought was his wife, helps him out. (Later, when I spoke to them after dinner, I found out that she was actually his sister. ) First of all, the food is fabulous! You can order a la carte if you like, but most people order the course. It is 4000yen. Truly delicious, and the portions are nice-sized. In fact, I had trouble finishing all of my meal. (As I have gotten older, I can't eat as much as I used to. especially recently, my appetite is not so big. ) With a bottle of wine, the total bill was 12,000yen. I thought it was very reasonable. As far as seating is concerned, Y's is a very small restaurant, so the seating is snug (=tight). There is a counter with about 12 seats, and two tables in the back. Almost all of the customers are Japanese, who are not so big, so this is not a problem. If all of the customers were American, watch out(=be careful!!)

Anyway, for any occasion, I really recommend Y's. The food was excellent, the atmosphere was stylish and at-homey at the same time, Mr. Y and his sister Ms. Y were very kind and worked hard, and you can spend "slow" time there and enjoy everything...I guarantee you will like it!

Below are the final photos from Miyakojima

Miyakojima-Part 3, Eco Points

Good morning.
First, please see many "Smiling Glenn" photos below from Miyakojima.
I really love Okinawa. It is a special place for me. And just looking at the photos always brings back the good memories and feelings I have about Okinawa!
Please feel the positive energy!!!

From today, the Eco(ecological) Point system changed. Until November 30th, you could get full points for anything bought which was applicable to the Eco Points system. Such products include a tv, refrigerator, air conditioner, and maybe a few more, but I don't know.

I decided to take advantage of the system and bought a tv in early November. After I bought it, I told a few people(Actually I told A LOT of people) about it. Then, to my knowledge, many people I know bought a tv too. Ms. J bought a 40 inch Toshiba, and so did my buddy Mike from America. They both got great deals and paid only about 75,000yen. Mr. T bought a 52 incher Sharp, a very high grade tv, and paid over 400,000yen. But to my surprise, all of them will have to wait at least a month to get their tvs delivered because the tvs are out of stock. That sucks. I got my tv delivered in two days...
Anyway, from today, you can still get Eco points, but only half of the total value. Half is better than nothing!!

On a more serious topic, please read below:
Who — if anyone — should be punished for the Senkaku collision video leak?
(from The Japan Times Online)
http://search.japantimes.co.jp/mail/fl20101130vf.html

Cash or credit card or debit card (blog by Luis)

It's OK.. it's alright..
Is it ok to carry over 100000Yen (roughly 1000Eur/$) in my pocket??
Some people feel more powerful and important whilst carrying large sums of money with them. I got used to carry and pay mostly with my debit card even for the smallest amounts both in Europe and America.
Here in Japan everywhere you go the payment is rarely made with card, either for small or large bills. You can even pay with your mobile phone. Not sure shops want to save on bank charges, just because Japan is most likely the safest country I have ever been, or some any other reason. But, it is alright around here to carry huge sums of money, especially for tourists who will surely find it difficult to spot an ATM which accepts foreign cards!
So far I only bought most things with cash, whereas my Japanese cash card is quietly resting in my wallet.

Miyakojima (Part Two)

A typhoon arrived in Miyakojima the same day I did. Below are photos from the first day. I wrote some comments above them today. Yesterday I forgot to do so. Sorry! About yesterday's photos please read below.
The first pic was of "Souki Soba," which is a kind of Soba made in Okinawa. It has pork in it. I love Souki Soba, and it kind of reminds me of a mix of Soba and Ramen.
The second pic was of the beautiful ocean on the third day, after the typhoon had passed.
The third photo was of the lobster I ate. It was good, but not great, and a little overpriced. To be honest, I think the lobster in America is ten times better than the lobster in Japan. Really, there is no comparison. FYI, in America people usually eat lobster boiled with melted butter sauce and lemon. Simple is best!
The fourth picture is of yours truly snorkeling on the third day. I was very happy and enjoyed it a lot!!!

View from the hotel room. The room was great!!

A light tower on the coast. Exquisite ocean scenery!!

You can't tell from this picture, but the wind I felt at this moment is the strongest wind I have ever felt in my life!!!

Miyakojima, laptop trouble

I bought a new laptop last month. It is really good and I like it a lot. But there was one problem with it. When I used email, sometimes the cursor jumped around. It was annoying, but I don't do so much email on that pc, so I tried to ignore it. But, finally, I couldn't stand it anymore!! So I asked explained the problem to Mr. K, who is a systems engineer, and he told me "I think the problem is with the touchpad. Maybe the touchpad and the mouse are both activated(on), so when you type on the keyboard your hands inadvertently hit the touchpad and this causes the cursor to jump. You need to deactivate(turn off) the touchpad. It is in the control panel..."
I am not good with computers, so I felt relieved when I heard his advice. And then yesterday, first thing in the morning, I called the customer service number of Fujitsu, and in a few minutes, everything was fixed. It was easy!

Below are photos from Miyakojima! Please enjoy!

Sunday (blog by Luis)

On Sundays I enjoy taking time to do things and turn on my relaxing mode. Italians have a typical expression for that "Dolce Fare Niente." Basically it means enjoying and having pleasure by doing nothing!
This Sunday, I think it will be a good time to study Japanese, especially Kanji. I have a test coming up soon. Do you study English at home on Sundays too? If not, maybe you should :)
I might go to the park and have a picnic with my wife if the weather allows. Later in the day, we'll have volleyball practice and I am thinking of doing some running too if I still have some energy left. How about you, how do you enjoy your Sundays?

Osaka Pizza

Below is Osaka Pizza, or as we say in Japanese "okonomiyaki."
If a foreigner asks you about it, can you describe what okonomiyaki is in English?
Can you explain how to make okonomiyaki in English?

The 1st day of the rest of my life (blog by Luis)

I woke up around the same time as usual, and had the same breakfast too. I didn't feel nervous or anxious. It seemed like just another ordinary day. But it was not.
I put on a suit and my favorite red tie. We left at 10am and headed to the City Hall. We had all the papers filled in and signed. The whole process took less than 10 minutes. Simple and quick.
In the afternoon, I went to scholl but couldn't avoid becoming the topic of the day. In the evening, we went to "Les Saisons" at the Imperial Hotel and even though it was very expensive, we had a delicious dinner and a great time. In the end, the only difference between before and after is a small extra weight I carry on my finger. (I am sure it will be different next May in Church and the following party.)

Glenn: First of all, I would like to congratulate Luis and his wife on the marriage! For those of you who do not know, they got married last Thursday. Secondly, I don't have a glass of beer or wine or champagne in front of me right now, so it is strange, but I would like to propose a toast to the both of you. Can everyone please raise your glasses. Here's to the Luis and Ms. S, good luck and take care of each other! I wish you both all the happiness in the world! Cheers!!

Good morning.
How was your weekend?

I did something different than usual last weekend. On Saturday I went out with a friend of a friend for dinner. We met by chance on Friday night, when I went out with my parents' friends. All of his colleagues were going to Tokyo first thing in the morning on Saturday,
so I asked him, "If you are free at night, and you want to go out for some sushi, let's do it."
He said, "In the daytime I am going to go to Kyoto, but after that, I am free. I'd love to go out for some sushi. Thank you."

And, it was a date. We met for some drinks at happy hour where another friend of mine joined us, and then we headed to my favorite sushi place. We had a good time and and and drank a lot.

Then, on Sunday morning, I did my usual routine and went to the spa. I wanted to buy some gloves so on the way back home I took a different route than I usually take. On that street there were many police and blue sheets surrounding one house. And then it hit me(=I remembered/realized), "Ah, this is the murder scene." (Last Thursday or Friday a couple was murdered in Nishinomiya. This was their house. Terrible...) Anyway, I got new gloves, headed to the bakery to buy some breakfast, and then took it easy all afternoon. But, around 2 pm I went for a jog. I only ran about 4k but it was nice. It was the first time I went jogging in a long time, but since I decided to run a half-marathon next January, I have to jog as much as I can.

The below photos are compliments of Mr. S. They are of the Cosmos flowers near my house on Mukogawa river.

ohagi

First, more from my parents's friend Ms. J:
The below is out email correspondence.
Me: I am glad to hear everything is going well and you like the city. The forecast is for sun tomorrow, so it should be a nice day for Nara. I used to live in Nara (for 3 years when I first got here). Nara Park is beautiful with a lot of temples and shrines and deer. Make sure you bring your walking shoes, or even better sneakers! Let me know how if goes when you get back.

Ms. J: Thanks. Went to an incredible sushi restaurant last night. I think the name is Sushi Kaiba.....a family run place. Got my photo taken with the sushi chef. Now it's off to Nara.

Does anyone know Sushi Kaiba? I have never heard of it, but maybe it is famous? expensive?

Anyway, below are "ohagi," which are Japanese rice cake ball covered with red sweet beans. Ohagi are one of my favorite Japanese sweets! Have you ever tried them? If yes, do you like them? What other Japanese sweets do you recommend?

Milk jam

Have you ever tried Milk Jam? I got it as a souvenir from Ms. N and I tried it the other day. It was my frist time to eat it. I have never tasted anything like it, so it was a new taste for me. And it was good. I like milk, but usually don't drink milk so much. Also, I like jam, but usually don't eat jam so much. The concoction of milk jam is brilliant!

To chnage the subject, a friend of my folks is presently here in Osaka. This is what she had to say about the city and her stay:
"Arrived in Osaka yesterday by train after a weekend in Kyoto. The Osaka St Regis is amazing.....great rooms, food and unreal service. Walked to Osaka Castle and Takashimaya today. Your Dad recommended the food court . Was great. > This is a wonderful city. Sort of reminds me of a combination of NYC and Chicago. Off to Nara tomorrow."

Mr. K's Half marathon, TV, cable, cosmos and baseball

First, I want to say Congratulations to Mr. K because he finished a half-marathon. I honestly didn't think he could do it because of two reasons. The first reason is that he only trained about 2 months. The second reason is that he injured his knee two weeks ago. So, when he called me on Sunday night and said "I finished!", I was surprised.
Our dialogue after that went like this:
Mr. K: My time was 3 hours and 5 seconds.
Me: Good job! The time isn't important, the fact that you finished your first half-marathon is most important!
Mr. K: Thanks for saying that. I know. But I really wanted to finish under 3 hours. I missed it by only 5 measly seconds!...ah, and my knee is killing me!
Me: Listen, you should be proud of yourself! Take it easy this week and ice that knee tonight!
Mr. K: Alright, that's exactly what I am gonna do. Talk to you later.
Me: Ciao.

Next, after much deliberation, and many trips to the electronic goods shops, I made some big purchases recently. I got a new laptop computer, a new tv, and cable tv. And, I got 26,000 ECO points! Concerning the ECO points, applying for the points was easy. But I was surprised to learn that it takes up to 4 months to actually get the points...
Have any of you gotten ECO points yet? If yes, what did you use them on? Now I am thinking about what to use mine on...Any ideas?

The laptop I bought is made by Fujitsu. The maker of the huge 42 inch plasma tv I got is Panasonic. And with cable tv, now I can watch a lot of tv shows and programs which are from America. It is like a new world of tv and I am excited about it. If you have cable tv, are there any shows, channels which you recommend?

Some random notes, I saw some beautiful Cosmos flowers in Nishinomiya last Sunday. I recommend anyone and everyone to go see them. They will definitely make your day and feeling brighter!

Oh yeah, before I forget, I watched the last baseball game of the year last weekend. Luckily, I could watch it on my new tv. Both games, which went into extra innings, were very exciting and nail-biters!!! And this is an interesting excerpt from and article from "The Japan Times" about Game 6 of the Japan Series.

"Saturday's Game 6 of the Japan Series was aired on Fuji Television across the nation. Due to the length of the game, the audience witnessed some rare things they don't normally see.The station was prepared to show the game until 10:54 p.m. in case the game ended late. But it went longer than Fuji had expected and ended up being the longest game in Japan Series history (5 hours and 43 minutes).Fuji had not sold commercial spots after 11 p.m., so it showed the game without any commercials for nearly an hour until the end of the game.As a result, other programs were pushed back after the baseball game. For example, a Japanese movie that was originally scheduled to start at 9 p.m. began at 12:10 a.m."

For the whole article read here please:
"Batting center hit hard by recession"
http://search.japantimes.co.jp/mail/sb20101108n1.html


Below is a beautiful night view!!! I hope to be able to see such views soon too!!

Good morning.

I went to Okinawa last week. I still haven't had time to download all the photos I took, so I can't put any up on the blog yet. I plan to put some of those photos on the blog sometime next week when I have time.

When I arrived in Miyakojima, so did a typhoon! Great Luck, huh!?
But I am an optimistic guy, especially when I am on vacation, so I didn't let it get to me. (=I didn't let it bother me.) Anyway, that was the worst part of the trip. After that, it only got better. I will write more about the trip later. In the meantime, please enjoy some of Ms. C's photos from her late summer vacation!

From Ms. C:
"The first and second photos are Nice city. I took them from the viewing spot. I can see very beautiful Mediterranean Sea and colorful roof."

Airports

Tomorrow morning, bright and early, I will go to Kansai airport because I am taking a little domestic trip. I am going to Okinawa.
I know you are wondering, "Where in Okinawa?"
Well, don't forget to ask me when I get back and I will tell you!
Anyway, I will take the airport bus which takes a little over an hour, about 75 minutes to be exact. It is very convenient, and if I am going to KIX, that's how I got. If I am using Itami Airport, then I usually take a taxi from my house because it is the most convenient and fastest way. What do you think about Kansai Airport? How about Itami? and also, I almost forgot, Kobe Airport?

I don't know so much about the airports in Tokyo, but until now, when I fly to America, I always flew out of Narita Airport. However, from last week Haneda Airport also became international, so now I have one more option which is good! What do you think about Haneda Airport? How about Narita airport?
Below is an article about the opening of Haneda International Airport
http://search.japantimes.co.jp/mail/ed20101025a1.html

Take care while I am away, and look forward to talk to you all when I get back!

These are photos and a small description of Ms. R's "little vacation".
"I had a little summer vacation.I stayed at a laxurious hotel hyattregencyosaka in Nanko Port。
My friend had a 50% off coupen, So we paid about 10,000円 (which included breakfast and dinner) I offen walk by the hotel. But it was my first time to stay there."

Has anyone ever stayed here? If yes, what did you think?

It looks really delicious!!!

11:20 pm

That is the time I was born. I was born in Albert Einstein Hospital in Philadelphia on October 23rd, 1974. It has been 36 years since that moment.
Well, not officially. Because of the time difference between Osaka and Philly, actually I am a little early. But I don't care. From now I am going to go home, pop open a beer, and celebrate just a little. Here's to me! :)

p.s. I would really like to thank everyone who wished me a happy birthday or who gave me a gift on this day. I really appreciate all of you!!! I think I am a lucky guy.

The oldest University...and Krispy Kreme

First, did you read the blog Luis wrote the other day, his self-introduction? In it, he mentioned that the University he went to was the oldest Uni in Portugal. Then in class I asked a few people, "What is the oldest University in Japan?" One person said "Keio University," and another person said "I think it's Waseda University." But neither of them were too confident. So I asked Mr. K to check it out. And, like he always does(Mr. K is very good at finding out things..), he emailed me the next day:
"Hi Glenn. The oldest university in Japan is Shuchiin university in Fushimi-ku, Kyoto.It was established in 828 by Kukai, he is Buddhist monk. http://www.shuchiin.ac.jp/enkaku.html "
So, for all of you trivia nuts, that's the answer.
And on a side note, Kukai is my favorite Buddhist monk.

Then, I decided to find out what was the oldest University in America. So, I surfed the net, but I learned that actually there is not officially "the first" or "the oldest" University in America. It is complicated and difficult to explain why, but if you are interested please check out wikipedia: "first University in the United States"

While on the topic of Universities, let me ask you all:
Did you go to University? If yes:
Where did you go?
What did you major in? (What was your major?)
Did you like University?
What is your best memory from University?
If you could do it all over again, would you go to the same University? major in the same subject?
Why or why not?

And to change the subject, I read Ms. R's blog yesterday and I laughed. The title was: "" Are Osakans sick of Krispy Kreme Doughnuts?!"
She went on to explain that when she bought these donuts last week she only had to wait in line for about 15 minutes. But when the shop first opened, she saw on the news that some people waited up to 7 hours! (I know that is ridiculous, but it is true!! When I walked by that shop at that time, I saw the incredibly long line! I was flabbergasted!!)
Anyway, have you ever tried these donuts?
Did you wait in line for a long time?
Was it worth the wait?

Is the fad over? Are Osakans tired of these donuts? What do you think?

This is Ms. R's actual blog:
"At last , I got some krispy kreme doughnuts!! According to the TV news, this shop was awaiting 7 hours while the GW in tokyo. But I waited for 15 minutes. Because I was box buying."