Blogs from Aomori, Japan, Asia - page 3

September 30 Today finds us in Aomori, Japan where we were greeted pierside by a local drumming/instrument group. I just love those big drums! We had an early tour so were up at 6:45, had room service and headed off on our tour to Hirosaki. The day started out cloudy but ended up sunny; another beautiful day in Japan! We had about an hour drive to Hirosaki to several temples and "castles". On the drive out we passed many rice farms where the rice was just beginning to be harvested. They harvest the rice and then bundle the grass left over and hang it up to dry. Also, we passed many apple orchards. This area of the country is "apple country". Being late September, there were plenty of apples to see and I was hoping to ... read more

That was it then. 2 years. One island. What now? I had finished, what will no doubt prove to be one of the greatest chpters in my life and was pondering what to do next. Having packed for weeks, getting drunk at 8 leaving parties, saying tearful goodbyes to my students, colleagues and fellow island people, I was just about ready to have short controlled heart attack and collapse in the heat and exhaustion of the final prepartations of the ending my 2 years on my island, Words cannot ever describe my experience over here and perhaps many would not care to hear them either, but it was safe to say that however many second thoughts I had been having about whether to leave or not, the final days on my island in preparaing to leave ... read more

Sorry for absence of late. But more of that in a later blog! In keeping with the fact that I've moved between two farms since I last wrote I thought I better write two separate blogs so as not to confuse matters. In the latter two weeks of July, I stayed at Towada Horseback riding club in Northern Honshu. Much to my relief, I left behind the torrential typhoon rains. It was so nice not have to dodge people's umbrellas all the time. I guess it's all part of the Japanese experience! Talking of which, there was also a strong earthquake as I was travelling Northwards. You may have heard about it in the news as a nuclear power station at Niigata has had to be shut down due to leakage of radioactive materials. Well I ... read more

Aomori is the most north prefecture in the Honshu island.... read more