Intanetto tsukatte mo ii desu ka?

Library again.  15 mins to work out how to get the keyboard to type in english.  :)

 

The last few days have been great - getting settled, getting a practice routine going, getting bolder at the supermarket...

 

Bronwyn turned up yesterday, and I am no longer the only anglo face in town.  After seeing her apartment, i've decided that Im pretty happy in the caravan - her apartment is nice - larger than I imagined, but quite dark, and I think it just wouldnt work for me.  Kakizakai says there is a teeny house in his street that I might like, so i'll have a look at that, but really i'm quite settled where I am now.

 

Perfect cubes of　crustless white bread. skink sized lizards with yellow stripes and cobalt blue tails. Rice crackers that taste *exactly* like vegemite on toast!  the most fantastic manhole covers on earth.  mountains!  forest!

 

hey nat!  I sat in a bamboo grove and played my flute for you!  when i figure out how, photos to follow!

 

Chichibu is an amazing place.  the town itself is not all that exciting, except in its Japanese-ness.  but the setting is extraordinary - most streets end up becoming little tracks off into the forest - each one a little adventure.  everything here is reduced　ｂｙ 1/3 (at least) - houses, cars, etc...  but instead of being cramped, this seems to strangely have the reverse effect - the place feels spacious somehow.  because everyone is sharing the same space, there is a huge amount of consideration and respect given - eg, there are no footpaths, so the cars share the roads with cyclists (of which there are many) and pedestrians.  and I mean *share*.  its just lovely. 

 

there appears to be a retro thing going on with the cars here.  many people get around in what appear to be modern versions of 1950's and '60s cars - imagine a 2005 version of a Morris 1100...  again, photos soon, I hope.

 

sayonara for now!

 

Shakuhachi o fuku koto ga dai suki!