Long time!

Too long time! Haven't written anything here for more than two months. And that's really bad, because I've been doing a lot that I wanna write about.

Travel! Travel, travel, travel. Lately it feels like I'm going through life with a bag in my hand. My home is wherever I lay my hat. And I have had a lot of chances to take pictures. Very happy about that.

A weekend in the beginning of September I went to Izu peninsula with Matt, Tomo and Tsubo for an onsen trip. Our main target was Tsuribashi-so, a ryokan (Japanese inn) deep in the mountains with many waterfalls close by and offering variety of baths. Among them a green-tea hot tub! We spent most of the time soaking and because of that the number of pictures that I can publish is rather limited... But here are a few!

A sacred rock in one of the waterfalls.

Four guys in another (very cold) waterfall. I lost my balance just as the picture was taken...

Tomo enjoying a view of the pacific ocean, from an onsen high up on a cliff.

After that weekend I went to Osaka for a conference, met some friends from my time at Osaka University and had a few days of doing nothing in my apartment.

Then, my parents came over from Sweden! They spent a bit more than two weeks in Japan, but didn't seem to be the least impressed by Tokyo. Instead, they headed for the mountains almost immediately after getting here and I tagged along. First stop; Takayama in the middle of Honshu. For anyone staying a long time in the big cities of Japan this is a very good place to escape for a while. Fresh air, delicious beef and a nice small town feeling.

Mamma and pappa (trying Japanese sweets, dango)


Some red leaves (kouhyou) and pointy roofs made of grass.

A praying mantis.

After spending the weekend with my parents in Takayama I had to take the shinkansen back to Tokyo. But the next weekend I was on the train again, this time to meet up with them and Natsuko and Sayaka in Kanazawa. My third time there, and the city is really growing on me. Very liveable.

Natsuko and mamma inspecting fish at the local market.

Mamma and pappa enjoying green-tea ice cream.

I returned to Tokyo, and then my parents came here for their last weekend in Japan. We did some sightseeing and had dinner with Natsuko's parents. It was more sad than usual to say good-bye, because this time I really don't know when I'll be coming back to Sweden again.... wait, that's not true. I will be back in April 2010. But that's very long from now.

Gotta look ahead. Or rather enjoy now. Last weekend I went back to Osaka, and became a farmer... for an hour. I joined Natsuko's "Gardening Group" and went picking sweet potatoes.

As you can see, we got quite a lot. Naturally we made a big sweet potato party afterwards and I guess we ate about half of what you can see in the picture. Sweet potato soup, sweet potato stir-fry, sweet potatos boiled with rice and sweet potato cakes. A lot of potatoes...

Ok, that's it for this time. I'll try to write more often from now again.

Take care!