Obwohl knapp 9000 Kilometer zwischen Tokyo und Istanbul liegn, hat die Musik beider Städte durchaus Gemeinsamkeiten. Sowohl in Japan als auch in der Türkei ist das spirituelle Instrument ein Flöte. In der Türkei ist es die Ney. Sie ist das musikalische Werkzeug der Mevlevi-Derwische. In Japan ist die Shakuhachi das spirituelle Instrument der Zen-Buddhisten. Doch nicht nur die Flöte, auch die Zither wird in beiden Kulturkreisen gespielt. Im osmanisch-türkischen Raum nennt sie sich Kanun. Die japanische Zither ist unter dem Namen Koto bekannt. Wie aber klingt es, wenn die musikalischen Welten zusammenkommen? Sechs erfarhrene Virtuosen des interkulturellen Dialogs verschmlezen japanische und türkische Musiktraditionen zu etwas völlig Neuartigem.
Ney-Zen:

Kudsi Ergüner, Ney
Akikazu Nakamura, Shakuhachi
Michiyo Yagi, Koto
Maki Isogai, Koto
Hakan Güngör, Kanun
Bruno Caillat, Perkussion

Veranstalter: Stiftung Berliner Philharmoniker

Längst hat es sich sogar über die Grenzen der Hauptstadt hinaus herumgesprochen, dass es im Kammermusiksaal der Philharmonie in regelmäßigen Abständen Konzerte gibt, die an diesem Ort immer noch ungewöhnlich anmuten und manchem sogar als exotisch erscheinen mögen, die aber einen schillernden Mosaikstein bilden im multikulturellen Spektrum Berlins. Konzerte, in denen Musik vorgestellt wird, die im normativ bestellten Klassikbetrieb sonst nicht zu hören ist. Alla turca heißt die von den Berliner Philharmonikern initiierte Reihe, und sie verfolgt konsequent ein Ziel: den Dialog der Kulturen. In diesem Konzert tut dies der aus einer alten türkischen Musikerdynastie stammende Kudsi Erguner, einer der weltweit führenden Virtuosen auf der Ney-Flöte, dem es ein Anliegen ist, die Musik seiner Herkunft in Beziehung zu anderen Musikkulturen zu setzen. Dabei stehen ihm japanische Musiker zur Seite. So entstehen Relationen zwischen der Musik der Sufis und des Zen-Buddhismus. Wenn man so will, eine klingende Glaubenssache, die hier verhandelt wird. Aber eine, bei der es keine Sieger und keine Verlierer gibt. Sondern nur musikalische Ansichten und interessante Perspektiven für die Zuhörer.

Quelle: www.berliner-philharmoniker.de

02.12.2009, 20:00
@Berliner Philharmonie, Kammermusiksaal: Ney-Zen: Musik von Sufis und Buddhisten
Herbert-von-Karajan-Str. 1
10785 Berlin

Eintritt: 10-26 €

Nano frenzy iz here.

Actually, I’m having a *lot* of fun – I just nudged past the 20k mark which, considering my goal for the week was 11,700, is not too shabby at all. What’s possibly more important is that I’m really enjoying writing this novel. Considering I’m a practitioner of what is variously known as the crappy first draft, or the ‘exploratory draft’ (version zero), this is looking surprisingly strong, when I stack it up against previous initial drafts.

There’s a few things I’m doing differently this year. First off, I’m using Holly Lisle’s Boot Camp for writers ‘Think Sideways’ course – immensely practical and designed to be used to write a novel alongside, so it works perfectly. What’s key is that it’s given me a better understanding of both plot dynamics and how to better use conflict to keep the story wheels spinning. That means the outline I’m working from is stronger than previous outlines, to start with.

I think the second element, also connected to Holly’s lessons, is that although I’ve done less worldbuilding and character development in terms of volume, what I do have is relevant, so I already have my characters straight, so they’re hitting the ground running without any of the initial probing to establish their identities. It also means that when it comes to throwing in the odd twist or ratcheting things up, I know where to hit them so it properly hurts.

Those are the direct-line techniques I’m using.

Others are more about focus and concentration.

I’m not letting myself get hung up on correct words or beautiful sentence construction – I’m just getting the story down. So although a part of me goes ‘hey, hang on, you can’t use ’strode’ again because someone else did that two lines ago’, I’m able to go ‘doesn’t matter, we’ll fix it in the edit. No time to think of a better word now’, and just plugging on with it.

I start a new notebook for each novel, and it carries everything from the initial idea sketches to the worldbuilding, outline, and eventual edit notes. What I’m doing this time that I’ve not done before is keeping a daily journal in that same notebook. That’s where the potential diversions go, the list of names of additional characters I throw in as we go along, and other ephemera (such as the name of the currency). And, at the end of the day, I note my daily word-count, the total word-count, and the number of scenes completed. That’s working well – it means less rummaging through the MS to find the name of such-and-such a person, and it also helps me keep track of any little surprises along the way. One such is a new character who popped up to fill a role in one scene, but then surfaced again in another. At the end of the writing session, it occured to me that I could use him in a couple of other ways, which might give some interesting depths to the story, or at least add another dimension of conflict. But by keeping him out of the story for now, tucked away in the notebook, I’m giving my muse time to play with him away from the main story. I’m not committing to him yet – I certainly don’t want him to derail or hijack the whole story, but he *is* interesting.

And finally, the music. I’ve got into the habit of using music to block out background distractions, and have gradually developed that, so that the music I listen to is in some way connected to the overall ‘feel’ of the novel. So, for example, when I wrote DISCONNECTION, I listened to a lot of electronica, and for CONTAIN THIS HOUR, a lot of 40’s big band. I’m not sure whether it’s just because I believe it’s so that my mood changes to fit the era in which I’m writing, or if there is something in the way the music is structured that reflects the underlying social mores of the period, but it definitely has an impact. In this instance, although I’m not writing an historic novel, there are a lot of oriental elements in the structure of Sere’s society, so Koto music is the sound of choice. I don’t know that I’m learning anything about it, since I don’t actively ‘hear’ anything while I’m writing (it only impacts on my awareness as I come out of a writing phase), but I’m sure it’s percolating around my subconscious somewhere and informing the ‘voice’ I’m using in the novel. It’s certainly a different voice to any I’ve used before, and it’s fascinating, wondering if the music is an influence or a consequence of that process.

Anyway, none of these words count towards that Nano total, and having stayed up late last night to push through the 20k barrier, I’m a little weary. So, for that reason, I’m going to stop whittering on and get back to work.

For all you fellow Nano-ers out there, I hope your muse is treating you kindly and the words are flowing well. For everyone else, I can only apologise for my incoherence. Normal service will be resumed at the end of November.

Tovarăşul ăsta sinistru, membru PNL (!) în Comisia pentru învăţământ, ştiinţă, tineret şi sport (şi nu în cea de scos cuie, unde i-ar fi locul), este unul care l-a luat la perpulis şi la respins, declarându-l necorespunzător, pe Daniel Funeriu, propus de Lucian Croitoru pentru funcţia de Ministru al educaţiei, tineretului şi sportului.

Iată, mai jos, autobiografia primului si CV-ul celui de-al doilea.

Vedem, în fond, chintesenţa confruntării “majorităţii transparente ad-hoc” a lui Ion Iliescu cu Traian Băsescu şi cu PDL.

VASILE BERCI

> Studii şi specializări

• 1961 – absolvent Şcoala Generală de 7 ani – Călineşti
• 1964 – absolvent Şcoala Profesională Forestieră – Satu Mare
• 1970 – absolvent Liceul “Dragoş Vodă” – Sighetul Marmaţiei
• 1977 – absolvent Facultatea de Istorie, Universitatea Cluj-Napoca
• 1997 – bursă “Robert Schuman” – Bruxelles (P.E.)

> Activitate profesională

• 1964 – 1971 – tâmplar, sortator şi maistru la C.P.L. Sighetul Marmaţiei
• 1971 – 1973 – profesor suplinitor la Şcoala cu clase I-VIII Călineşti
• 1973 – 1990 – director la şcolile Văleni şi Călineşti
• 1990 – 1996 – profesor, Şcoala Văleni
• 2001 – 2005 – profesor, Şcoala Văleni
• 2006 – prezent – director, Şcoala cu clase I-VIII Călineşti

> Funcţii, activităţi într-un partid politic

• 1993 – 2001 – membru PNŢCD
• 2001 – prezent – membru PNL

*         *

*

DANIEL FUNERIU

Propus de premierul desemnat Lucian Croitoru pentru Ministerul Educatiei, Cercetarii, Tineretului si Sportului, este europarlamentar PDL si vicepresedinte al Comisiei Prezidentiale pentru Analiza si Elaborarea Politicilor din Domeniile Educatiei si Cercetarii din Romania

• POZITIE ACTUALA:

Membru din Romania al Parlamentului European (comisia de cultura, educatie si media). Coordonator al comisiei de educatie si cercetare din PD-L. Marie Curie Excellence Team Leader, Technical University Munchen (universitate clasata pe prima pozitie in Germania) si Principal Investigator in cadrul IGGSE (International Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Technical University Munchen).

• POZITII PRECEDENTE: 2002-2006:

Cercetator Stiintific (Project Leader) la National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Osaka, Japonia. 1999-2002 : Cercetator Stiintific la Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California. 1998-1999 : Conferentiar, Collège de France, Paris, Franta. 1995-1998 : Asistent, Université Louis Pasteur, Strasbourg, Franta. 1994 : Stagiu stiintific la Zeneca Fine Chemicals, Huddersfield, Anglia. 1994 : Stagiu stiintific la Merck&Co, Rahway, New Jersey, USA.

• STUDII – 1995-1999:

Teza de Doctorat, Université Louis Pasteur, Strasbourg. Titlu: “Multiple-Subroutine Self-Assembly: a Concept for the Generation of Discrete, Nanoscale Architectures”. Laboratorul Prof. J.-M. Lehn (Premiu Nobel in Chimie). Juriu: Prof. A. von Zelewsky (Fribourg, CH), Prof J.-M. Lehn (Strasbourg, F), Prof. J. Siegel (San-Diego, USA), Prof. M. W. Hosseini (Strasbourg, F). Clasificare: Très honorable avec félicitations écrites du jury (cel mai inalt rang, conferit primilor 5% dintre candidati la doctorat din toate domeniile). 1994-1995 : Universitatea Louis Pasteur, Strasbourg :
Masterat (DEA) in chimie organica si supramoleculara. Director: Prof. J.-M. Lehn. Subiect de cercetare: Cataliza Supramoleculara si Chime Combinatorie Dinamica.
Clasificare: sef de promotie. 1991-1994 : European Higher Institute of Chemistry, Strasbourg, France. Titlul obtinut: Inginer in Chimie, specializarea: Chimie Organica.

• DISTINCTII ACADEMICE:

Obtinerea unui grant de cercetare EU de 2 milioane de Euro (Marie Curie Excellence Grant), cel mai competitiv proiect EU, cea mai mare finantare acordata de EU pentru un proiect individual. Olimpiade Nationale de Chimie: Mai multe premii nationale intre 1984 si 1988. Balcaniada de Chimie 1988: Medalie de Argint. Olimpiada Internationala de Chimie: Selectionat in echipa Romaniei in 1988. Olimpiada de chimie a Frantei, 1989: Premiul II. Bursa ministerului francez al cercetarii: 1995-1998, decernata primilor 3 candidati dintr-o universitate la toate disciplinele. Ales de ziarul “Cotidianul” in “Generatia Asteptata” Premiul RJSST (Romanian Japanese Society for Science and Technology) pentru cea mai buna publicatie stiintifica in 2005.

• LIMBI STRAINE:

Perfect: Engleza si Franceza. Bine: germana. Mediu: japoneza.

• ACTIVITATI POLITICE MAJORE:

Redactarea componentei educatie si cercetare a programului de guvernare PD-L Participant la elaborarea Pactului National pentru Educatie, a Strategiei Nationale pentru Educatie initiate de presedintele Traian Basescu Campania electorala legislative 2008: organizarea de dezbateri despre programul de guvernare PD-L in 22 de localitati din Romania. Participarea Experienta in managementul de bugete EU.
Membru in Consiliul Director al asociatiei Ad-Astra.

*         *

*

Un alt membru al acelei Comisii, care n-a avut decenţa să ia loc sub masă în timpul audierii şi l-a luat la întrebări pe Funeriu, este JOZSEF KÖTŐ (UDMR), celebru prin faptul că a ajuns deputat fiind votat de… 34 de alegători în circumscripţia electorală nr. 43 DIASPORA, colegiul uninominal nr. 4 (Africa!).

***

© Alexandru Dan Mitache • 2009

Tovarăşul ăsta sinistru, membru PNL (!) în Comisia pentru învăţământ, ştiinţă, tineret şi sport (şi nu în cea de scos cuie), este unul care l-a luat la perpulis şi la respins, declarându-l necorespunzător, pe Daniel Funeriu, propus de Lucian Croitoru pentru funcţia de Ministru al educaţiei, tineretului şi sportului.

Iată, mai jos, autobiografia primului si CV-ul celui de-al doilea.

Vedem, în fond, chintesenţa confruntării “majorităţii transparente ad-hoc” a lui Ion Iliescu cu Traian Băsescu şi cu PDL.

Studii şi specializări

• 1961 – absolvent Şcoala Generală de 7 ani – Călineşti
• 1964 – absolvent Şcoala Profesională Forestieră – Satu Mare
• 1970 – absolvent Liceul “Dragoş Vodă” – Sighetul Marmaţiei
• 1977 – absolvent Facultatea de Istorie, Universitatea Cluj-Napoca
• 1997 – bursă “Robert Schuman” – Bruxelles (P.E.)

Activitate profesională

• 1964 – 1971 – tâmplar, sortator şi maistru la C.P.L. Sighetul Marmaţiei

• 1971 – 1973 – profesor suplinitor la Şcoala cu clase I-VIII Călineşti
• 1973 – 1990 – director la şcolile Văleni şi Călineşti
• 1990 – 1996 – profesor, Şcoala Văleni
• 2001 – 2005 – profesor, Şcoala Văleni
• 2006 – prezent – director, Şcoala cu clase I-VIII Călineşti

Funcţii, activităţi într-un partid politic

• 1993 – 2001 – membru PNŢCD

• 2001 – prezent – membru PNL

DANIEL FUNERIU

Propus de premierul desemnat Lucian Croitoru pentru Ministerul Educatiei, Cercetarii, Tineretului si Sportului, este europarlamentar PDL si vicepresedinte al Comisiei Prezidentiale pentru Analiza si Elaborarea Politicilor din Domeniile Educatiei si Cercetarii din Romania

• POZITIE ACTUALA:

Membru din Romania al Parlamentului European (comisia de cultura, educatie si media). Coordonator al comisiei de educatie si cercetare din PD-L. Marie Curie Excellence Team Leader, Technical University Munchen (universitate clasata pe prima pozitie in Germania) si Principal Investigator in cadrul IGGSE (International Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Technical University Munchen).

• POZITII PRECEDENTE: 2002-2006:

Cercetator Stiintific (Project Leader) la National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Osaka, Japonia. 1999-2002 : Cercetator Stiintific la Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California. 1998-1999 : Conferentiar, Collège de France, Paris, Franta. 1995-1998 : Asistent, Université Louis Pasteur, Strasbourg, Franta. 1994 : Stagiu stiintific la Zeneca Fine Chemicals, Huddersfield, Anglia. 1994 : Stagiu stiintific la Merck&Co, Rahway, New Jersey, USA.

• STUDII: 1995-1999:

Teza de Doctorat, Université Louis Pasteur, Strasbourg. Titlu: “Multiple-Subroutine Self-Assembly: a Concept for the Generation of Discrete, Nanoscale Architectures”. Laboratorul Prof. J.-M. Lehn (Premiu Nobel in Chimie). Juriu: Prof. A. von Zelewsky (Fribourg, CH), Prof J.-M. Lehn (Strasbourg, F), Prof. J. Siegel (San-Diego, USA), Prof. M. W. Hosseini (Strasbourg, F). Clasificare: Très honorable avec félicitations écrites du jury (cel mai inalt rang, conferit primilor 5% dintre candidati la doctorat din toate domeniile). 1994-1995 : Universitatea Louis Pasteur, Strasbourg :
Masterat (DEA) in chimie organica si supramoleculara. Director: Prof. J.-M. Lehn. Subiect de cercetare: Cataliza Supramoleculara si Chime Combinatorie Dinamica.
Clasificare: sef de promotie. 1991-1994 : European Higher Institute of Chemistry, Strasbourg, France. Titlul obtinut: Inginer in Chimie, specializarea: Chimie Organica.

• DISTINCTII ACADEMICE

Obtinerea unui grant de cercetare EU de 2 milioane de Euro (Marie Curie Excellence Grant), cel mai competitiv proiect EU, cea mai mare finantare acordata de EU pentru un proiect individual. Olimpiade Nationale de Chimie: Mai multe premii nationale intre 1984 si 1988. Balcaniada de Chimie 1988: Medalie de Argint. Olimpiada Internationala de Chimie: Selectionat in echipa Romaniei in 1988. Olimpiada de chimie a Frantei, 1989: Premiul II. Bursa ministerului francez al cercetarii: 1995-1998, decernata primilor 3 candidati dintr-o universitate la toate disciplinele. Ales de ziarul “Cotidianul” in “Generatia Asteptata” Premiul RJSST (Romanian Japanese Society for Science and Technology) pentru cea mai buna publicatie stiintifica in 2005.

• LIMBI STRAINE

Perfect: Engleza si Franceza. Bine: germana. Mediu: japoneza.

• ACTIVITATI POLITICE MAJORE

Redactarea componentei educatie si cercetare a programului de guvernare PD-L Participant la elaborarea Pactului National pentru Educatie, a Strategiei Nationale pentru Educatie initiate de presedintele Traian Basescu Campania electorala legislative 2008: organizarea de dezbateri despre programul de guvernare PD-L in 22 de localitati din Romania. Participarea Experienta in managementul de bugete EU.
Membru in Consiliul Director al asociatiei Ad-Astra.

Ok, I have some big news(good, bad, I don’t know yet). The people that have my facebook may already know, but for those that don’t know, just wait till I’m done with writing about my week.

On sunday I went to karaoke and took purikura with my classmates, Haruna, Yuuki and Emiko. I sang soooo many songs, but I wasn’t that good > < It feels like all the japanese people are good at singing, that they are born with that great singing voice… butbut…
We were together for about 7 hours that day < and after school I met up with Yuki, she is from YESI (the company I'm with here in japan), she wanted to talk to me about the thing that you'll read about on the bottom of the page, before the pictures though.

Thursday was math, a bit boring, japanese for the exchange student, fun and boring, it depends on when I get it or not, and then english.. We had a test today, and Stephan, I got 24 out of 30 xD but honestly, for me, the best I can get is 25, because 5 of the questions are all japanese, so I can't understand it. So I almost got perfect the place I failed at was here: "I f_ _ _ sick last week." I can't read what the japanese sentence says right, so I thought it was "felt" but it was "fell"… but oh well… and after english it was japanese with a kanji test for my classmates. What did I do? that I can't remember. And after school I went right home because I was going to cook "risgroet" for my hostfamily. I made it, but my hostmom said it had no taste xD oh well, I'll eat it myself ;P

Ok almost ending ~ two more days.

Friday: math, home economics, world history and homeroom. it was a boring day and my back is hurting because of the chair. But in club we had fun ~ because of some misunderstandings, we didn't get to use the track and field because the soccer and baseball club were going to use it. So we had to go to the beach ~ haha ~ there we ran 20-30-40-50-60-70-80-70-60-50-40-30-20 meters. wuhu ~ running of the beach is nice^^ in december we're having a morning-beach-marathon, maybe I'll join.

Today I have to go shopping and buy somethings, because…. I'm changing hostfamily next week ! On saturday. and its not sure if I'll be able to write every week as I'm doing now, sorry guys. but we'll see. And because I'm changing hostfamily, and I don't know of I'll have time to write about the up coming week, I'll tell you guys what I'm planing on doing:

Tomorrow I'm going to a halloween party with my japanese friends ~ I'll take lots of pictures and we'll see when I get them up on this page. On monday I only have club in my planbook. On tuesday we don't have school, so I'm going to meet up with Ellinor(the girl that came with me to japan from norway) we're going to have so much to talk about because we haven't seen each other for 2 month ! And on wednesday its club and also we're going to have a ball competition between classes, and I'm on the volleyball team, I hope we'll do good and have fun =3 thursday is the ball competition too.
On friday I'm going to not go to club because my hostmom told me to get home early. Maybe shes holding a byebye party for me :O awwww. but I don't know, she just told me to get home as quickly as possible. and then on saturday I'm changing family. The new family is a father (61), mother (51) and a sister (21), but she doesn't live at home. I don't know that much about them, but you guys will get the info when I get it, and have time to write it.

thats all that has happened and is going to happen. now I have to go eat and get ready, because I'm going to buy the things I need. and for those who are wondering : I'm buying a USB, so that I can put the pictures over and be able to take more, because my camera is soon full, and I need to buy school socks and a school shirt. anything more? I don't think so. Well then, enjoy the pictures and take care ~!!~

Hát tegnap egy percig nem unatkoztam.
Először találkoztam S-el, akivel beültünk a mekibe dumálni. Hát hűű… voltak dolgok amik khm.. lesokkoltak. >.<
Aztán meg felmentünk hozzá, és csináltunk képeket, amiket még mindig csesztem felrakni a gépre, de majd felrakom..egyszer. (A)
Mikor haza jöttem, már tökre fáradt voltam, de össze szedtem magam, átöltöztem és elindultam a sulinknál lévő villamoshoz, ahova PONTOSAN érkeztem. Ez nálam csoda. Clau és Barnee már ott voltak, szóval el is indultunk Ferenciek terére, ahol én ettem a jégbüfében egy meggyes pitét ami nagggyooon fincsi volt.
Még mászkáltunk ott egy ideig, majd mikor már Pé is ott volt, elindultunk a Merlin színházba.
Yoko Nishi koto koncertjére mentünk, amivel kapcsolatban pozitívat csalódtam. Azt hittem, hogy nem lesz túl jó, de lenyűgözött. Annyira ügyes volt, és nagyon tetszett a hangszer is, meg minden.
Aztán kb. fél 10-kor vége is lett, szóval 10-re haza is értem talán kicsit később. Szóval jó volt.
Jah igen, hajnali 3-ig msn-eztem cukros bácsimmal, akit tegnap ismeretem meg egy oldalon. Örülök, hogy ráírtam, mert jó fej meg tök jól elvagyunk.
Szóval jó napom volt. ^_^

Ma pedig elmentem mamával hajfestéket venni neki, aztán majd fél 5-re megyek UPK-hoz és ott talizok Vukival. Megyünk Duna plázába megnézni a Rémségek Cirkuszát, ami az egyik kedvenc könyvem, és már letöltöttem a filmet is, de én moziban akarom először látni, meg igazából elég szar a minősége is a letöltöttnek. >.<
Szóval a mai napom is faszás.

Lehet ma még jelentkezem de nem biztos.

xoxo Detty

” The Sumida River (隅田川, Sumida-gawa) is a river which flows through Tokyo, Japan. It branches from the Arakawa River at Iwabuchi and flows into Tokyo Bay. Its tributaries include the Kanda and Shakujii rivers. What is now known as the “Sumida River” was previously the path of the Arakawa, however towards the end of the Meiji era work was carried out to divert the main flow of the Arakawa to prevent flooding. It passes through Kita, Adachi, Arakawa, Sumida, Taito, Koto and Chuo” (Wikipedia).

When some friends of mine and I first visited Tokyo in 2003,  I’ve tried to convince them to visit the Sumida River as it’s one of the land marks in Tokyo, they were partially convinced about it. Then, the next day, we’ve arrived in Asakusa train station which is just next to Sumida River, I didn’t know how far it’s located away from the train station, so once we went out the station we kept walking ‘n’ walking for ages! Nothing appeared on the horizon yet, as I’ve mentioned earlier, they were just partially convinced about visiting it, so suddenly we’ve they’ve decided to forget about it and go back to whatever is left to visit/see in Tokyo. FOUR years later, in 2007, a friend of mine and I, have made it at the Sumida River at the right time and the right place, the station this time was just a couple of minutes away from the river, and the timing was just perfect for it, it was late March, you know what I mean! Cherry blossom, Sakura trees, were covering the streets of Sumida. It was crowded with public enjoying the weather, the scenery and the river at that delightful moment. What’s so special about Sumida River in addition to the Sakura trees, the bridges, it has many bridges passing over it and some are dedicated for trains, it’s wide and relaxing for sight. I remember how people there were so happy and joyful! Sumia River now means a beautiful moment for me!

Brendon has been working very hard recently, with a new class starting at KOTO and an old class graduating.  For the month of November he’ll be teaching mornings and afternoons to accommodate incoming and outgoing classes. He’s doing a great job at KOTO and is much appreciated, and of course the trainees really enjoy his classes.

The graduating class recently held their assessment lunch, and I was lucky enough to be invited to this. The students organized the whole thing, from designing and producing the menus to cooking and serving the food.  Invitees are KOTO staff, sponsors and other people in the restaurant industry…..and lucky me.  Our job was to enjoy a three-course meal and provide feedback on the trainees’ performance.  All the trainees, and Brendon, worked very hard to make sure the day was a success. And it was fantastic! The food was absolutely wonderful and of course the service was very attentive.

Recently Brendon and I were special guests at a party at the home of several of the graduating class members. Near the end of their training, KOTO trainees are given a small allowance and encouraged to find their own accommodation, as a way of easing them into the real world.  Brendon and I met up with the students at the training centre and followed them to the outskirts, where the cornfields meet the city, to a little one-room place with a galley kitchen at one end.  Four girls live there, paying $US50 a month they told us.  The beds had been packed up against the walls and in their place was a huge spread of food – platefuls of crab and pork spring rolls, and two boiling, spicy hotpots, and plates full of chicken, beef, Vietnamese greens, tofu and noodles.  Most of the training class, a couple of the restaurant chefs and Brendon and I all joined in the meal and didn’t nearly manage to finish. In Vietnam you don’t need a big dining table to have a dinner party – just settle down on the floor and you can squeeze in as many as you like!  After dinner the trainees whipped up a fruit platter out of the pomelo, dragon fruit and watermelon Brendon and I brought for them…the benefits of going to dinner with 15 chefs and chefs-in-training.

KOTO is holding the annual fundraising bike ride from Hanoi to Ba Vi National Park, 80kms away, on 21 November 2009.  Participants must raise a minimum of $US150 to enter, which is donated to KOTO.  Of course it costs an awful lot of money to support and train over 100 young people at a time, and the takings from one popular restaurant does not cover everything these students need.  So KOTO really relies on events such as these to keep the training centre running.  Brendon and I and a few other Australian volunteers are planning to organize a VIDA/AYAD team to participate. I think Brendon and I can just about cover the entrance fees for our participation, but the more money we raise; the better. KOTO is a grassroots organization that is doing a great job supporting young people and changing lives. The students have heartbreaking stories but they are cheerful and eager to learn. If anyone wishes to donate to our bike ride fund, email me! I reckon it must be worth a bit of money to imagine Brendon riding 80kms on a pushbike – not motorized! I’ll post photographic evidence of course.

Below are some pictures of Brendon and students at KOTO; some of them taken at the assessment lunch and others on a Friday when Brendon organizes a guest chef to teach an advanced class.

Not really… not here at least… people say its cold when its 15*C, but that’s not cold, right? Well… I was kinda hoping for snow, but my friends say that its not normal to see snow where I’m staying now, but maybe I’ll see a little.

Okay~ Sunday: Nothing special, just relaxing and went food shopping with my hostfamily.

Monday: Science, math, japanese, homeroom and club. In science we did some experiments, don’t remember the names of them, but I think I’ve done them before at school in Norway. In math we still have about graphs. In japanese I studied japanese by myself because they had a kanji test again. And in homeroom… I don’t remember what we talked about. Club was not as fun a I hoped it would be. Because the second years aren’t there (they’re in taiwan) and because my legs were(and still are) hurting. But we tried out the round thing that’s like a plate or something and threw it ~ yes, that was monday.

Tuesday: world history, music, english, computer and club(but I didn’t go..)
world history.. don’t remember, but I don’t sleep in class anymore. In music we’re going to have about the “Koto”. its a Japanese classical string instrument. (search about it on google if you don’t know what it looks like). So we learned the basic about it. mm, in english… we had about english ~ wuhuhuhu, some of my classmates’ english isn’t that bad actually. And in computer we still had about sending mails and so. Instead of going to club because my legs were hurting, I went to fujisawa with Teresa(exchange student from sweden) because she wanted to buy pants. and then we went home ~

Wednesday: japanese, home economics, english and club. Japanese, self study again because they have about kanji. In home economics they were making “obentobox thingy”, they had already started making it the week I didn’t come to school because I was sick, so I only started on mine, and didn’t finish it… english was english and I went to club, but my legs were still not good, so I didn’t enjoy it… (my day)

Thursday: math, exchange students’ japanese, english and cleaning.
math: graphs, japanese: kanji test (I did so-so), english: test again, we have one every thursday I figured, (22 out of 30). And we were going to clean a park, but in my group we were only going around saying we wanted to go home ~ but we did a bit.

Friday: exchange students went to the UNU(united nations university). it was really nothing special, they only talked about the UN and what they do and stand for. And I’m supposed to write a report about it… gah… I donno what to write. this was from 9am to 5 pm… “working nine to five, tryin’ to make a livin’ ” (9 to 5 by dolly parton)

And today, I had club, but my legs need rest, so I didn’t go. Tomorrow I’m going to go karaoke with my classmates, haruna, yuuki, emiko and nami <3 Because they really wanted to do something with me. I'll take pictures and put them up.

take care

Kata suku dari bahasa Sansekerta, artinya “kaki”, satu kaki berarti seperempat dari satu kesatuan. Pada mulanya negeri mempunyai empat suku, Nagari nan ampek suku. Nama-nama suku yang pertama ialah Bodi, Caniago, Koto, Piliang.

Kata-kata ini semua berasal dari sanskerta :

• Bodi dari bhodi (pohon yang dimuliakan orang Budha)
• Caniago dari caniaga (niaga = dagang) ·
• Koto dari katta (benteng)
• Piliang dari pili hiyang (para dewa) Bodi Caniago adalah kelompok kaum Budha dan saudagar-saudagar (orang-orang niaga) yang memandang manusia sama derajatnya.

Bodi Caniago adalah kelompok kaum Budha dan saudagar-saudagar (orang-orang niaga) yang memandang manusia sama derajatnya. Daerah asal diperkirakan dari Tiongkok, Campa dan Siam

Koto Piliang adalah kelompok orang-orang yang menganut agama Hindu dengan cara hidup menurut hirarki yang bertingkat-tingkat. Daerah asal diperkirakan dari India Selatan

Dalam tambo, kata-kata Bodi Caniago dan Koto Piliang ditafsirkan dengan : Budi Caniago = Budi dan tango, budi nan baharago, budi nan curigo Merupakan lambang ketinggian Dt. Perpatih nan Sabatang dalam menghadapi pemerintahan aristokrasi Dt. Katumanggungan.

Koto Piliang = kata yang pilihan (selektif) dalam menjalankan pemerintahan Dt. Katumanggungan.

From the flyer:

University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa · College of Arts & Humanities · Music Department presents

An Evening of Japanese and Okinawan Music and Dance

Saturday, October 17, 2009
7:30 p.m., Orvis Auditorium
$12 general admission, $8 students & seniors @ the door

A recital featuring instructors from UH Manoa’s ethnomusicology and dance programs, including:

Rev. Masatoshi Shamoto (gagaku)
Onoe Kikunobu (Japanese dance)
Cheryl Yoshie Nakasone (Okinawan dance)
Robert Herr (shakuhachi)
Darin Miyashiro (koto)
Norman Kaneshiro (Okinawan sanshin)

The concert includes traditional gagaku and bugaku, dances choreographed to classic koto/shamisen music, Okinawan classic and folk numbers, and a contemporary koto/shakuhachi duet.

(Nifee deebitan to Char for the info!)

I love Wednesdays.    Classes are a lot shorter because we have a listening activity 3rd session, so that’s always cool.  After class, I really wanted some sushi for lunch, so I went out and got some.  I was a little anxious though, because I had my first weekly meeting with Aizawa-sensei at 2:30.  But it was actually pretty cool.  All we really did was talk about my family and school (in Japanese, of course).  And after that we had a fire drill.

So, here’s the thing.  Someone had mentioned that the fire drill was supposed to be really sweet, like we would be putting out a fire or something.  What we actually got was a bit of a letdown.  Yes, there were extinguishers involved, but we mainly sat in a room and listened to some safety procedures and then practiced using the fire extinguishers in a camp relay-race-type-thing.

This picture is a lot more epic than the fire drill was…

There was also a mingling sort of thing with some students from Waseda that afternoon, and later a group of us all went out to dinner at a close-by noodle place.  We sat in the tatami area, and took lots of pictures of ourselves…

The food was pretty good though.

Then it was back to the dorms to study.  We had a listening comprehension test the next day, so homework needed to get done.

The test wasn’t too bad, and once class was done, me, Kouri, Peter, and some others went to this nearby bread shop called Vidal.  Best.  Bread.  Ever.  There are so many different kinds there.  Pizza roll things, red bean buns, raisin bread, even something called melon bread.  The shop is right next to the beach too, so you can sit and eat bread down by the water.

However, I had to leave really soon after that because my class was going to Hikone Castle that afternoon.  We met at this place called the International Lounge and met up with our tour guides.  This was my second trip to the castle, so I didn’t take as many pictures of the castle itself, but we did go into the museum as well as the garden so it was pretty interesting.  The tour guide in the front spent so much time talking about historical facts that it felt a little bit slow.  However, in the back, the guide there would talk about the functions of certain parts of the castle or the significance of what we saw, and that was actually very interesting.

The museum is actually the lord’s former house, and that includes his private garden as well.

The inside of the museum was really cool too. 

The tour of the castle was second, and it was nice because the weather was definitely better than the first time I went so it was nowhere near as hot in the tower.  I also learned that there were giant fish statues on the castle to ward away fire.

After the castle, we went down to the large garden.  It was beautiful.  There were lots of bridges, plants and a really calm lake.

The garden was probably the best part of the field trip.  But after that, it was time to go back to the dorm and (shocking!) study for our test the next day.

The test went pretty well, I think.  Although, probably not as well as the first one, but still good.

After class, it was time for another Friday project.  This time it was a koto lesson.  We got to go into the traditional Japanese room for the lesson which was really cool.  Of course, we had to wear socks inside so that we didn’t damage the tatami.  But there were lots of really inconspicuous doors all over the room.  It kinda freaked me out when the one behind me started to move…. 

She explained a bit about the instrument (in Japanese…) and then she played for us.    Then we got to try and play some simple songs.  It was more difficult than it looked, for sure.  But I definitely enjoyed it.

After that, a few of us met with this guy who might become the new director of the school.  We just talked for a while and he had some pretty interesting information about Japan’s history.

After that I went to the bakery again to get lunch. 

The rest of the day was pretty quiet because a lot of people left for Tokyo that afternoon.  So those who were still at JCMU sort of just chilled out (I played video games with Jerome) that night.  Which was a good thing, because Silver Week was coming up real soon… 

Gion, Kyoto

In August, 2003, Gion, Kyoto.

If you are planning to visit Gion, Gion corner (ギオンコーナー）[also known as 弥栄会館(Yaei kaikan) or 祇園会館(Gion kaikan)] would be one of your choices. They will be offering you an one-hour show with a tea ceremony (茶道), Kyoto music (Japanese harp/琴),  Traditional short comic drama　(Kyogen/狂言), Kyoto style dance (Kyomai/京舞), and Puppet play (a digest of Bunraku/文楽). The show is held in Japanese, but they explaine both in Japanese and in English.

Reference>>

Gion Corner : http://kyoto-gion-corner.info/gion_corner/top/index.html

I couldn’t see anything else on the street in Fukugawa to draw attention to the small tribute to Ozu Yasujiro.  Positioned inconspicuously below waist height, what you see in the picture is all there was.  Given that I wasn’t in the area to look for Ozu I got lucky that it caught my eye at all.

It wasn’t long after it did that I half remembered what Wim Wenders says at the start of his film Tokyo-Ga: something to the effect that Ozu’s films are so Japanese and yet so universal.  As ideas go, this specific/universal compound is a popular one, & not just as applied to Ozu.  I’ve read/heard it used any number of times.

It’s usually meant as praise, of course, but it’s not what you’d call discriminating praise.  After all, you’ve got to go a long way to find stories that aren’t universal, ie stories that don’t include characters dealing with their circumstances, having some kind of relationship etc.  And you’ve also got to go a long way to find stories that don’t throw up local detail that gets in the way of generalization.

But it isn’t really the obviousness of the Japan/universe thing that’s kept on nagging away at me: it’s more my not wanting Ozu’s films to be seen as representative, to be used as evidence for the existence of something other than appears on screen.  Why treat the films’ pictures & words as a set of clues that together add up to the essentials about Japan – or the universe?  Especially as Ozu makes it so easy to be caught up by a body’s movements or the scope of a room.

With Ozu’s films, in fact, I don’t even notice that I’ve outmanouevred the reflex, as a non-Japanese viewer, of assuming Japanese drama is saying something important about Japan.  I just watch them get on with the business of actually being Japan.  This isn’t me getting excited about their naturalism, by the way – how could you miss the art?  It’s that the art relishes being a part of the place; it doesn’t rush to describe/comment on it from some privileged viewpoint.

As for seeing the universal in the films, that can all too easily mean seeing yourself – as with the common compliments “you can really identify with it” & “it’s very relevant to today”, which make like they’re bringing things together but end up marginalizing the bits that don’t speak to the viewer’s identity, that surprise & confound the viewer’s ideas of what he should be watching, that expand his universe.  Like I said a para or two back: universality doesn’t discriminate – & if it does then it’s something else entirely.

But Fukugawa wasn’t just Ozu, it was all authentic Japan: people going to work, doing the shopping, taking the kids to the dentist etc – not that this is news.  You’d be better entertained by Tokyo-Ga’s more literal, ie with-the-camera, observations.

Tokyo, Japan

June 26, 2009

Tokyo has two faces. Yamanote and Shitamachi: uptown and downtown, mod and trad, respectively.

The dichotomy is not as physically striking as, say, Pudong and Puxi in Shanghai, which are geographically distinct. In Tokyo, the separation is more subtle, with one side bleeding into the other. They are not districts of the city, but a subcultural distinction. Nevertheless, the two areas’ antithesis was palpable as soon as I met my friend-cum-guide, Mr. A.

High Fashion in Yamanote

Mr. A, who has lived in nearby Kawasaki on and off for some years now, planned our city tour. But I noticed that the spots he would take me and my travel bud to visit were clustered on one side of the city – the western part. It all seemed both logical and practical: it was a time-, money-, and energy-saving itinerary. However, when I suggested we go to a particular place on the other side I got a stern refusal. As human nature would have it, the forbidden fruit looked more enticingly luscious than the rest in the basket.

Lowdown Traditions of Shitamachi

National Art Center Tokyo

Mr. A, perhaps unconsciously, limited his tour to Yamanote, the face of modern Tokyo. Literally, the name means “towards the mountain” – it sits on an elevated area preferred by the feudal privilege class for its cooler climes. Now, it is the “uptown” part of the city, not only geologically but culturally. This is the face of Tokyo that it puts on to occupy its niche among world-class cities: upscale, state-of-the-art, avant garde, forward-thinking, Western.

Yamanote is best exemplified, I think, by Roppongi, a newly developed district gleaming with high-rise condos, high-end shops and entertainment, high-brow art installations, and high-class denizens of yuppie Tokyoites and expats. But all that glitters is not gold, goes the cliche; I heard some of the habitues here are arrivistes. Show-biz types, IT moneymakers, all sorts of gaijin (foreigners), and allegedly even Yakuza members comprise the Roppongi demographics.

Despite its raunchy reputation (most local Japanese I’d talked to had low regard for Roppongi), art is alive and well in the district. In fact, this is where “the art triangle” is: The National Art Center Tokyo, Mori Art Museum, and Suntory Museum of Art forming acute angles of galleries. But browsing modern art was not part of our agenda, which was too bad because most exhibitions here are free. Tsk tsk.

Just outside the 54-storey high Mori Tower stands Maman, the famous Louise Bourgeois spider sculpture, which I had previously seen in a friend’s photo taken at Guggenheim in Bilbao, Spain. I had certainly not expected to see one in Roppongi! But there she was in all her ten-meter-tall pregnant glory. I went directly under its latticed sac to check her marble eggs. All accounted for – she hadn’t lost her marbles!

Spider (Ma)Man

More of Mori Tower

Another kind of giant jumps at you – humongous video screens that camouflage entire walls. It was on one of these vidi walls that I confirmed Michael Jackson’s death (which I thought was just a morbid rumour). It was one of those “where were you when it happened” events – and I’d never forget hearing about it in Roppongi!

Showing, not Writing, on the Wall

Tucked behind skyscrapers, public art, and mod glitz is a vestigial oasis of traditional Japan in the form of Mori Garden. Located beside the TV Asahi (a national TV station) headquarters, the garden is quietly Zen with a soothing water feature. Old camphor and cherry trees in the area have been preserved here, as well as the original terrain that directed the water flow in the garden pond.

Mori Pond and the Space Medaka

Adding an “only in Japan” touch, Mori Pond contains the Space Medaka, descendants of rice fish spawned in outer space aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia in 1994. About 10,000 of them were released in the pond in 2003. They were so tiny though that it was hard to catch a glimpse of one! A sign says that the pond symbolizes the unity of Tokyo’s old and new faces. But a symbolic pond would not suffice, I wanted to see and experience both.

It was late in the afternoon and I had seen Tokyo’s new face, but I couldn’t shake off the allure of the old. Besides, I wanted to rendezvous with a local Tokyoite I know in that area. Finally, I was able to convince Mr. A to let me go by myself. I braved the Tokyo Metro alone to Shitamachi, the face of traditional Tokyo.

Literally, Shitamachi means “low city” as it is located in the marshes of Sumida River and Tokyo Bay. Historically, this was where the lower castes of Japanese society lived – the merchants, entrepreneurs, and artisans. This community was presented so vividly in a recent Japanese period film I saw: Always – San-chome no yuhi (Always – Sunset on Third Street). This is the face of Tokyo that is more akin to Kyoto: traditional, working class, collectivist, and holding on to the past.

Downtown Ueno (Chuo-dori/avenue)

I took the Ginza Metro to Ueno. This line is the oldest in Tokyo (it opened in 1927); its yellowed tiles and smaller, shaky trains gave its age away. It was like being transported to Tokyo of decades past. It actually reminded me of NYC subway back in the 80s. A unique feature, though, is the protective railing between the platform and the railway – to keep suicidal people from jumping onto the tracks of an approaching train!

I emerged from Ueno Station to the busy Chuo-dori (Chuo Avenue). At first glimpse, this downtown didn’t seem any different from, say, Ginza or Shinjuku: busy and lit up by neon lights. But its lack of sheen and a rather stale musk soon emerged faster than you can say Ueno. My Tokyoite friend and I cut through Ueno Park, known as a haven for the homeless. I did see some pushing their shopping carts on the sidewalk but mostly keeping to themselves in dark corners. The homeless here seemed more discreet than their Third World counterparts, who are more in-your-face.

Asakusa Kaminarimon Gate

Our leisurely stroll from the subway station through Asakusa, the heart of Shitamachi, was poles apart from my Roppongi experience. We entered through the Kaminarimon, a gate of the Senso Temple, which we didn’t go to anymore. The gate has this huge chochin, a hanging lantern made of paper or silk. The whole thing just screams old and quaint. Shitamachi brings you back down to traditional Japan from the extraterrestrial futuristic world over at the Yamanote side.

Shitamachi Spirit in Asakusa

I found Asakusa a charming place conducive for unhurried exploration on foot. The Nakamise Shopping Street and alleys that bisect it perpendicularly exude this Shitamachi vibe (as I’ve seen in the aforementioned movie): low wooden structures, lighted lanterns, traditional merchandise, and the occasional jinrikisha (rickshaw) zipping by (boy, those rickshaw drivers must have strong arms AND legs!). Smaller versions of the chochin adorn the pedestrian streets flanked by small souvenir shops and traditional Japanese restaurants.

But what made the whole promenade come together was the koto music wafting from unseen loudspeakers. The sparse plucking sound of the koto (a traditional Japanese stringed instrument) is an ethereal minimalist kind of music that is both unobtrusive and unyielding to other aural stimuli. It might be a tad contrived, but I realized there are tourist traps that can pleasantly detain.

Along the way I saw many Japanese traditional items on display, such as the mikoshi, a portable Shinto shrine carried by devotees on their shoulders (second photo from the top). And a lot more, unfortunately I could not post more photos here because my Tokyoite friend is in most of them.

Finally, I capped the day of pounding the pavement with a rejuvenating and wonderful dinner at Tofuro Bakufu-cho. I had tempura and wasabi-dipped delights. But the most delightful item on the menu was ganso mocchiri tofu (original creamy tofu) – a soft round tofu that melts in your mouth. I melted with it! It was wickedly delicious, I thought I’d died and gone to heaven. This was probably the forbidden fruit that Mr. A didn’t want me to savor. If you find yourself in Asakusa, look for this restaurant and try their heavenly tofu ball.

Heavenly Tofu Ball from Tofuro

That was a great face off between Tokyo’s two faces. Yamanote versus Shitamachi, Roppongi versus Asakusa. Actually, I don’t think they should be pitted against each other. They’re two phases of one face, the yin and yang of Tokyo. But if I had to choose one; ultimately, it’d be a toss between a bronze arachnid sculpture and a fluffy tofu ball. It’s such a cop out, I know, but really it’s a draw. Otherworldly and heavenly – both are a delight to the senses.

Een vakantie / reis van drie weken in enkele blogberichten? Het is moeilijk om zo veel indrukken te reduceren tot enkele alinea’s, zonder reisgidsen te herschrijven. Waar beginnen? Bij het begin misschien. We zijn onze tour gestart in Hanoi, de officiële en huidige hoofdstad van de Socialistische Republiek Vietnam.

Toeristische informatie over Hanoi vind je onder meer hier en hier.

Hoe moet ik Hanoi beschrijven? Warmer dan Ho Chi Minh City (waarover later meer), maar rustiger verkeer (waarover eveneens later meer), Franser. Officiëler. Overheidsgebouwen en gebouwen van de Communistische Partij.

Hanoi betekende voor mij ook de echte start van de reis. Immers, de prelude in HCMC was enkel dat: een voorsmaakje. We startten met de Tempel van Literatuur, bezochten de oude Franse wijk met typische beroepstraatjes: eentje voor fruit en groenten, eentje voor meubels, eentje voor motoren en scooters… Ook zagen we een eeuwenoud toneelstukken met marionetten in het water, de Waterpuppet Show. En ja, het is verleidelijk om watermuppet te onthouden. Er  is ook de rode brug en last but not least het mausoleum van Ho Chi Minh.

’s Avonds dineerden we in KOTO (Know One, Teach One), een sociaal horecaproject waarbij kansarme jongeren een horecaopleiding krijgen.

Bekijk het fotoalbum.

Brendon and I have been busy eating our way around Hanoi’s street noodle stalls but are still yet to try all the different varieties. Vietnam has turned the noodle soup into an absolute art form! Even on these really hot mornings we have here there’s not much more satisfying than a steaming hot bowl of Pho (rice noodles topped with spring onions and finely sliced beef or chicken, covered in a good stock, and then add your own fresh chilli and lime). Brendon and I eat excellent Pho Bo Tai (rare beef Pho) across the road from our apartment in a little store which is littered with napkins and used limes by the time we get there on a Saturday morning. I’m optimistically surmising the owner cares more about her Pho stock than she does about keeping a clean shop….

Types of noodles I have encountered so far include Pho (thin, flat rice noodles), Bun (round rice noodles – vermicelli-style) and Mien (glass noodles). Other than Pho, dishes include Bun Bo Hue (Hue-style – thick rice noodles with beef shanks and pork, served with bean sprouts, Vietnamese basil, chilli, lime and thinly sliced banana flower), Bun Bo Nam Bo (southern-style noodles– bun noodles, beef, crushed peanuts, dried onions, bean sprouts, green papaya, lettuce and herbs, with a sweet/sour sauce over the top) and Bun Rieu Oc (noodles with snails and crab paste).  This is just a few of the varieties on offer - I’m going to spend these 15 months getting through the rest!

But my favourite noodle dish so far is Bun Cha; classic Northern food. Stalls serving this delight are easy to find – just look for the smoky pork being grilled out the front of the shop. Sit down on a little plastic stool and you will quickly be brought a big plate of Bun noodles, another big plate of salad items (Vietnamese mint and basil, lettuce, bean sprouts and some other lovely peppery greens), and then a bowl of a soup (sugar, vinegar and fish sauce are the main ingredients) with grilled pork and some chopped vegetable (perhaps some kind of radish?) Quickly dip the noodles into the broth and then shovel them into your mouth, along with some of the greens and perhaps some pork. Absolutely delicious – and priced at just a little over $1. Great for lunch on a hot day as the noodles are cold and the broth just lukewarm.  Bun Cha is often servied with Nem (fried spring rolls) – yesterday I had Nem Cua with pork and crab.

I was woken up by Jeff going out to check out the early morning light. It was grey and overcast so the sunrise would have been a waste of time getting up for. It was good to sleep a little longer.

We had time for an early morning swim before breakfast and the water was cool and refreshing. The glassy calm surface was only disturbed by us swimmers and the inevitable return of the lady on the boat trying to sell us beer at 7am!

The breakfast was pretty basic with fried eggs, dragonfruit and a variety of bready things, along with tea, coffee and juice. Everyone was pretty groggy, or just relaxed!

From the boat we took our small ferry to the “Surprising Cave” or “Amazing Cave” depending on how you want to translate the Vietnamese. To get to the entrance to the cave we had to climb a steep set of stairs through the rainforest. The view from the mouth overlooked the bay and even with the grey sky and mist it was very impressive. The cave had all sorts of interesting rock formations created through millenia of erosion and the slow action of dripping water. The formations were pretty well preserved although it was sad to see some graffiti around the place. The humidity was very high though, fogging up my glasses and even making it difficult to breathe. It was almost a relief to get into the heat outside. We made our way back down the hillside and back to the boat, passing some locals fishing for crab and shellfish along the cliff face. The ride back to the boat was refreshingly cool, but the cooling system for the engine started to leak, making steam pour from the hatch covering the engine! We made it back to the big boat OK, but the smaller boat was now out of commission.

We had time for a quick swim, then had to pack and be out of our rooms so the crew could clean them before the next tour, which would board soon after we came back to port. I snoozed on deck watching the islands slowly go by while some of the others also napped while others read novels or did their travel diaries. The greyness just wouldn’t lift at all, so I guess I was a bit disappointed, but I’m still glad to have seen this extraordinary landscape.

We lunched at the same restaurant as the day before, but they served different dishes for us which was good. We also stopped at a different place on the way back to Hanoi but it was still selling most of the same souvenirs. The drive back to Hanoi was pretty chaotic and bumpy but we didn’t see any accidents this time. Adam told me that was really amazing since he and Katherine had seen three fatal crashes on that stretch of road.

At one point, in the distance we could see a storm brewing with lightning strikes and some pretty dangerous-looking cloud formations going on. Then the storm hit us. There wasn’t any rain but the wind was whipping up debris and dust from the fields and whipping it across the road. We could see trees bending, branches being thrashed about and people scurrying to get under cover. Then as soon as it started, it stopped about twenty minutes later.

As we neared Hanoi we passed rice fields being cleared of brush for a new crop – with fire. In fact the smoke filled the sky, and was being blown towards the city. It was similar to how farmers clear off unwanted brush in the early Spring, but on a much larger scale. The smoke really blocked out what sunlight was making it through the clouds.

Eventually we reached our destination at the Kangaroo Cafe, said our thankyous and goodbyes and headed our separate ways. I called Katherine and caught a cab to their place. K met me on the street near their place because to actually get to their house I would have had to negotiate a couple of alleyways that were barely wide enough for a motorcycle. She led me to their place, which was a lovely, new-looking four storey house. The first floor was a garage, wide enough for a car, but without any access tot he outside. The next floor up was the kitchen and dining area, next up the living room, then the bedroom floor and finally a roofed balcony and ‘the cage’ for drying clothes. Next door a new house was being built. Actually there were at least four building sites around their place. Adam said that they’d been in this place for a year and a half and there had been construction of some kind going on around them the whole time! I thought it would be be quite a nice area when it’s all done, with new houses everywhere, but with those narrow alleys to navigate. Inside the house had high ceilings and really nice decor. There was a wonderful warm atmosphere and a great feeling of space. I was given the spare room to use, which had awesome French doors leading to a balcony overlooking the street. It was better than any of the hotel rooms I’d had so far.

Adam came home so we had a few drinks as we chatted and headed off for dinner at Koto.

Koto was another training restaurant, situated in the heart of Hanoi, across the road from the oldest university in Vietnam. There were four floors, each with a different theme. We had a look around and then had dinner in the bar/restaurant on the second floor. The staff were all smiling and really good. We started with drinks and a set of spring rolls. For main course Adam had grilled chicken with a dark soy and sesame sauce which was fantastic. It came served with more spring rolls. Katherine had crab and pumpkin ravioli which had a sauce which had more than just a hint of red curry. I had duck fillet on a bed of mashed potato and mushrooms with a mango chutney based sauce. Magnificent. Dessert was a chocolate banana split for Adam with a chocolate mousse cake for me with Katherine helping herself to both.

A taxi back to their place with the pair of them telling me some good places to check out for the next day, more chatting and finally bed time. What a busy and wonderful day.