I just ate a $4 peach!

Japan sort of has a reputation for being an expensive country



They have a love of fine produce and sometimes this can go to extremes.....

I have seen boxes of six oranges sold for $10, and a lovely cantaloupe with a bow on it for $30 (the bow makes it a gift, and since it's a gift it can be overpriced!).
But the greatest one was at Mitsukoshi department store in the famous Ginza district--one mango (with a bow of course) for $20!

I have always fancied myself a careful shopper, and only succumbed to buying expensive strawberries in the winter because.... they tasted really good.
Well, today I saw a peach and began dreaming of the mouth watering peaches from Northern California, where you can buy a huge bag in June for $5 or $6.

I took one beautiful peach and brought it to the register, and it rung up for $4.00!!!
I almost had a heartattack but I took the plunge and bought it--telling the bagger to please be extremely careful with my precious fruit.

I should have immortalized the legendary fruit, but alas I simply ate it.
And enjoyed every (expensive) bite.

Here's to a New Year

Konichiwa!
Yes, I know it has been a loooong time since I have posted, but life gets busy. Not busy in a bad way, just really full. It seems impossible that we are actually in our second month of 2007! I thought I would share some things I've learned in the last few months (beware--they are not particularly profound!)

1. I have developed an affinity to seaweed. Yes, this is strange but true: the green stuff really tastes good! I like it is miso soup, and o-nigiri which are like little surprise presents of fish surrounded by rice, wrapped up in seaweed.
2. Sometimes the inside of a house can actually be colder than the outdoor temperature. A few months ago I went to my bedroom and the temperature was 11 degrees Celsius which is 52 degrees for those of you who think in Fahrenheit! We blame the single paned windows, but so far we haven't gotten frostbite. ;) Actually we started using a kerosene heater like all the Japanese do, and it really heats things up, as long as you don't die of carbon monoxide poisoning. :P
3. You can learn something from everyone in your life. Because of my various part time jobs I have developed a large pool of acquaintances. I am realizing that if you don't burn bridges, any one of those people could help you down the road through an introduction, a piece of good advice or something else.

Well, those are just a few things, and I know this coming year will be full of new lessons and realizations. May every day be full of joy, discovery, and blessings!

Some photos from Mt. Fuji...finally!

"To climb Fuji once is wise, to climb it twice is to proclaim oneself a fool."
--Japanese saying






Well, here are a few photos from our wonderful hike up the tallest mountain in Japan.
The Japanese call it "Fuji-san", which basically means "Mr. Fuji"--cool, eh? We met some wonderful new friends on the hike and had fun getting our commemorative hiking sticks stamped.

Some cool websites....

Have you ever wanted to see what your name looks like in Japanese? Well, here is your chance! Here are two interesting websites:
japanesetranslator.co.uk/your-name-in-japanese
japanese-name-translation.com

Also, you can see what time it is in Japan compared to your home by visiting:
timezoneconverter.com

Have fun!

Think about this...

"If you walk in the mist,
you get wet."
--Dogen, Zen Master


Well, I thought that was something good to ponder.
Here is something else to ponder--how come all of my Japanese neighbors know exactly when it is going to rain, and they take in their laundry just in time? I call the weather unpredictable--so far the record for clothes staying on the line is five days....

This is a picture from our anniversary celebration in Tokyo. How quickly five years go by! I am so grateful to be blessed with a husband who truly is a soulmate and a wonderful companion on the road of life.

This is us at a baseball game in Yokohama. The fans here are so enthusiastic! They have a special chant for every player. Our home team is the Yokohama Baystars. We had a great time ! (And where else in the world can you watch baseball and snack on dried squid at the same time?!)

Livin' in Japan

Welcome to our blog! You can see we are joining the ranks of the technologically savvy ;>)
We'll try to keep you all posted on what we are up to on the other side of the world.
Visit us often and see our photos.