mountain vegetables....

for breakfast....some kind of fern i think....very delicious and fresh : )

bike ride...

up a mountain.....beautiful sky and unblossomed cherry trees....

fire for cherries....

temperatures dropped during the night, 300 fires to save the cherries!!

night time hanami .....

cherry blossom viewing....big pastime in japan... there are trees lit up all over the city ..

Morning at the Market

In Mysore. Makes you wanna cook, all those herbs and veggies!

Masala Dosa Lesson

Shredding coconut.

The Other Side

One street back from the luxurious houses in a rich suburb were these dwellings, dinner time.

Rickshaw on a Rainy Day

Siddu's rickshow was so beautifully decorated, the music was good and he was so happy and friendly.

Can you see?

What i can see? What is the tree doing? Think yoga, think hand, think jnana mudra, maybe it's just me!

Nearly fell off my Moped

What a bendy tree~! The one on the left is the other half of the pair, all straight, what happened? The building is part of the University of Mysore.

Mysore Palace

The back door, .inside was even more beautiful, but sadly no photos allowed.

Roomate

Thali

Lunch set, I guess I really really do like indian food! Isn't it just beautiful!

More Food

Breakfast, again very delicious. Idli, steamed, fermented rice cakes, with coconut chutney, at the best shop in Mysore.

Dinner

On a banana leaf, absolutely delicious!

First sunset in Mysore

Off to India

last day at zao...

and what a beautiful day it was!!

more snow....

waiting for friends....

in a storm..

snow covered...

palm tree 2

mountain in the city...

given a nice dusting....wonder if it's also illegal to take pictures while driving?

snow snow beautiful snow!

white and

windy today ....

if i'm not working ....

i'm boarding or.....eating ; )

sad monsters...

these snow covered trees on top of mt zao, called snow monsters, have been looking a bit sad and forlorn this year...not nearly as much snow as usual : (

crispy white...

pagoda at night...

was difficult to focus in the dark!!! but it was soo beautiful!

anniversary...

i arrived in japan for the first time on 13th of january 1999, and my most vivid memory was waiting for someone to come and meet us at narita airport　station.....it was cold and we were tired...so when we found a vending machine selling hot cans of sweet milky tea you can imagine our surprise...it was delicious!! japanese really do love their soft drinks you can get all kinds of teas, coffees, soups and juices hot and cold... quite a luxury ☆

5 tier pagoda

at mt haguro.. really is a magical place, especially so in winter, not many people around and the trees feel even more silent than ever..

tori gate...

at the foot of mt haguro

boiled angle fish liver...

to my surprise was absolutely delicious, the most creamy non-diary food i have ever eaten...

perspective...

i can't say how peaceful it was walking through these giant trees in the snow..

top of haguro...

busy with people making prayers for the new year...am always impressed by the huge bell in it's own little house..

nearly at the top...

of mt haguro...lucky for us the rain, snow and hail stopped and the sky turned blue : )