Day 3 Saturday 12th October continued

I promised a photo of my room....will add it later but had a job trying to get it all in, odd when it was so Small! I had to stand in the passageway just along from the bathroom and the bathroom wall shows in the bottom right of the picture. The end of the bed was about 6 inches from the wall, and the bed was a large single ....lieing on the edge of the bed,looking at ceiling , I coul just touch the left hand I’d wall and to my right the fridge and desk etc were within easy reach!

Day 2 Friday 11th October cont.

The periodic table

Fossilised fish

Models of various chemical compounds/elements.

Water molecule.

Obsidian...just for James so he can see what it looks like outside of Minecraft!

Lots about DNA, it’s discovery and benefits to science.

This was a statue in the City Art museum - this was the next place after Science museum and was very close by.

Learn about the body...back in Science museum!

Or take part in an art project. I passed a restful hour showing several Japanese ladies, all whom volunteer at the gallery, 

Another view outside...

The section all about the planetarium and history of related matters!

Day 3 Saturday 12th

Before I get started, I need to remind you, or tell you about the weather.  Last trip there was a tsunami but nothing out of the ordinary as waves only 2 or 3 metres at the epicentre. It did make me realise how vulnerable all these treasures are, be they natural or man made.
Typhoon 19 is due to hit Japan on Saturday. I am hoping to get to Iga before that, but watch this space ...give me 24hours!

If I said it was raining now it would be an understatement! I am soaked from just above the knee down, but otherwise hot so hope I can forge evaporationof rain in trousers as I sit on the bus!
Have never experienced a typhoon so will be able to tick it off my list of things to avoid in future! So far just rain but no wind. Reports indicate typhoon will hit land later today so hope to be safe in my hotel by then. Not fussed about exploring Iga till after typhoon.....I am not a total idiot!

My tutor for Monday and Tuesday has changed since Gil Dye and Jean Leader, who were travelling via Dubai to Osaka have had their flights cancelled as Osaka airport closed for weekend for safety! Still, I now have a Japanese tutor so will be reintroduced to lace from a different viewpoint. I am not fussed but very sorry for all those facing disruptions - especially anyone on route!  Jenny has also stepped up to the mark and has foregone her place with Michael Hattori to run the ?karakumi or was it kakadai?  class in place of original tutor.  Not in the least surprised as JP is always willing to help. Well done though, as takes courage to be a stand in, when you have little or no time to prepare!


Have just been updating captions etc and noticed a bit of duplication. Sorry but have decided to leave it for now as still having a few issues using blogger.....anyone out there who can advise on reordering posts, I would be very grateful!

Day 2 Friday11th October.

Woke up this morning after a much needed sleep! Took my time as first destination didn’t open till 9.30, although that did become irrelevant! Skipped breakfast in favour of another delicacy from the patisserie, this time cranberry and white chocolate roll....yummy...should have had 2! I ate it when I finally arrived at Shirakawoen park, home to the Science Museum  and Nagoya City Art Museum.

Originally I had planned to get the 9 o’clock tourist tour bus, but missed that and was too impatient to wait 30 minutes for the next one, so with Google maps at the read I set forth.  Now the best way I can describe my route is a bit like going to Scotland from home via Wales and Northern Ireland!
Let’s just say Google maps took a bit of getting used to, and you need to keep checking your direction of travel....in the ideal world you will be going towards your destination!

It was extremely humid and I must have lost buckets of weight, that is till I refuelled on water which might just have equated to the fluid loss!

I arrived, hot sticky but keen to explore the museum. Had first to do a small photo shoot so here we go...

This is the fountain which was on a controlled loop. Reminded me of the dancing waters we went to see as kids.  Please note the red crane on the top of the building....now you have to wonder about howls  they got it up there!
The next picture shows the outside of the museum, complete with rocket launcher in the foreground.

The sphere houses the planetarium, amongst other things! I paid my 800 Yen and took the plunge. Cost just under a fiver, but what a magic place! I stayed for about 4 hours which included a
planetarium show which lasted 50 minutes.....sadly narration only in Japanese, but seats wonderful!
pictures excellent, music very good but did nod off for a few moments. Thankfully it was dark so hope I didn’t snore and give the game away!  Really sad no English translation as graphics looked as
if it would have been interesting even if educational.

Quite liked the ‘time peace’ in foreground in spite of having signs of zodiac around it. 

This is a closer view of a living wall which covered the left half of the front side of the museum.

The bottom part of the rocket launcher- thing it was part of the fuel storage part....

This is the capsule where men would have been, very tiny inside even though it is physically big!

Details of the launcher...

Now follows several shots from inside the Science Museum....quite the best museum I had the pleasure to visit. Wish James could have been with me as he would have loved trying all the exhibits out!

Day 1 continued..

Just as I was about to leave, another bride turned up! See end of previous post!

Couldn’t resist this tiny garden ...don’t want to give Paul ideas....I am not spending valuable stitching time raking the drive!!

This lovely arrangement made me think of Mum. Can you believe it is now over 7 years since she departed this world. Hope she is getting good transmission reception as I am sure thinking about her and wishing she could see what I am up to now!

So that took care of my day. After leaving the park I headed back to the bus stop, took tourist bus back to the station and then back exhausted but happy , to my hotel. Before I leave here on Saturday I will take a picture of the room....tiny is one word for it, but thankfully the bed is comfy!

Testing photo process Day 1

So here I am after effectively two nights with very little sleep, but I have arrived so better get on with my jolly Holiday!   After dumping luggage at the hotel I went to explore the station, met with tourist office and headed out into the big world to go to the tourist bus stop. On the way I stopped off for a short while to have lunch which I bought from a large french bakery!  Forgot about calories but shouldn’t have worried  as didn’t pig out! After half an hour on the bus, I arrived at Tokugawaen. This is a beautiful park with a lake, waterfalls and lovely trees although very little autumn colours.

The koi carp were gigantic- the biggest I have ever seen. Note for Paul, they were about three times as big as “dinner”, also would really punish a heron as the fish would definitely be too heavy for them to ‘hoik’ out!

Just to warn you to be careful - definitely dodgy when wet around here!

 Mother of ?  the bride rushing out of the way...oh just touch up the lippie...

Take a good look at the size of foot to shoe... 

Must be agony to walk in!

Rethink of strategy called for!

Guess who got very frustrated when I discovered that my iPad refuses to send emails to a group.....yes thought all ok, but obviously sent test shot from pc! Duh!,
Never mind.  After a lot of messing about I have reverted to doing the bog as before as I will not need to bother anyone else!

Had tried to email from Frankfurt and failed miserably and the same issue in Japan! So back to business.......watch this space and please spread the word to all and sundry.....I will try to notify everyone but am bound to miss someone out!

Will post this then get stuck in as have two days of news to report but need to do phone call to Paul first!
TTFN!