New Year Fire

At the local shrine to welcome in 2012.

Rural Yamagata

After the Funeral

Getting ready for the end of the year.

Goodbye Hidekazu

A good friend passed away on the new moon christmas morning, what more to say.

This is it

Rural Shrine Entrance

Felt like another Country

As I drove past this building in rural northern Japan, it felt more like being in India, for a split second.

Nice day for a Funeral

Chrysanthemums for Eating

Very good they are too.

Zao Dam

Nice cycle and an even nicer walk around the dam, beautiful.

Yamagata in Full Autumnal Glory

Sake Tasting

Very interesting indeed, I never realised quite what a process Japanese sake is, or how special it is. This area, Yamagata,  has some pretty nice stuff due to the tastey rice and pure water here.

Nap up a Mountain

Napping in the autumn sunshine, why do I always seem to be a month behind with my posts.

Colourful Caterpillar

Hiking

Breathing, thinking, enjoying weather.

Walking UP

Into the clouds.

Yudono-san

The giant tori gate leading to Yudono-san shrine nestled deep in the mountains.

Perky lil' Snail

Imoni

Nothing like a steaming bowl of taro potato, leek and mushrooms after a hike.

Tori at the Top

Mt. Gassan.

Get on Your Bike

Can't resist re-posting this. Found this floating around in cyber-space.  An artist is spraying this around New York city Never a truer word spoken..

top of moon mountain 月山頂上

1984 metres high, tallest of the three holy mountains in this area

while walking up..

mt gassan.  one of the three holy mountains in this area of yamagata used to be called dewa. home of the mountain ascetics who still train in these mountains...

moon mountain.. 月山

view from the walk up....beautiful...mountain spines

yoga..

growing gourds..

such curious vegetables, funny to see them hanging around on a little plot on the side of a mountain, lovely morning drive..

morning mountain yoga....

memorable morning with some lovely people on the side of a dewy mountain early before it gets too hot, in the mid 30's for weeks..

mt iwate

sometimes called iwate fuji...

cute construction..

only in japan?  i've seen elephant, monkey, frog, and now rabbit barrier supports...

aomori

up north for the waves, can see where the tsunami left it's mark.  not so huge, but big enough to shift concrete and bend trees..

bullet trains kissing

with the slogan in support of tohoku on the side ..

top of mt zao

clouds and winds had us heading back down to town..

water flowing..

down the mountain..

pit stop in tokyo..

Netley Abbey

Another beautiful peaceful spot.

Celtic Cross

I do like to loiter in graveyards. This was in Oxford, full of academics, very beautiful and quiet spot.

Dappled Fern

Thatched Cottage

New Forest, Hampshire, picture perfect.

Falmoth

Cornwall.

Swimming in Cornwall

Absolutely gorgeous,cold, or rather, refreshing, must get down there again,  beautiful beautiful beautiful.

I love to ride my bicycle

Around Southampton, beautiful and green.

Wandering the streets of London

Arundel Castle

Bristol Station

Sustainability Centre

Went for a look around, very quiet, relaxing, in the country, perfect picnic territory ; )

Southampton

Shame some areas are vacant, the bin men were on strike so the litter was piling up.

The other half

Curry in tooting, yum! feels a little bit like India here with all the shops and restauarants, love it ; )

London

Regents Park area, wandering around watching how the other half live, quite differently it seems.

Tate Modern

Spine over Thames