A New Friend!


 I think this photo captures some of the tranquility and beauty of the temples and shrines in Japan. For my run this morning, I think I went to at least four different temples, all within a mile and a half of where we are staying. Amazing! Just as amazing is the combination of shapes and angles and colors and shades. Many of these temples have cemeteries next to them. The cemeteries themselves are quite photogenic!

Another blessing this morning was that it appears I found my first friend in Japan, besides family. I was running very slowly and another runner approached me and asked me where I was from. We ran together for a bit and then exchanged phone numbers. His name is Alkato. We are going to get together for a run soon! How cool is that!


One thing I am enjoying is the tranquility and peacefulness for the temple grounds. The early morning hours have been heavenly in that regard!

Comments

  1. AnonymousJuly 5, 2023 at 6:11 PM

    Bob, these temples are gorgeous. What a great idea—an early morning running routine touring the temples. Talk about peace of mind!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. AnonymousJuly 5, 2023 at 6:17 PM

      Thanks for your compliment! Yes, these experiences have been about as peaceful as can be! All the best, Bob

      Delete
  2. AnonymousJuly 5, 2023 at 7:15 PM

    Roy, we are so glad you made a new friend who is not family! We look forward to hearing aobut the new house. Did the closing go well on July 3? I know you mentioned not receiving the keys until July 10. Is that still the plan? Love, Ty joined by Mark P.S. Please let us know your new phone number and if you will have an international texting plan or if we should email, use the blog or WhatsApp.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. AnonymousJuly 5, 2023 at 7:21 PM

      Thanks Ty! I just emailed my phone number to family members. Closing has been pushed back to July 7th. All the best, Bob

      Delete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

New Year's Greeting!

Image
I recorded this version of Born Free on my Yamaha P-515. This song has always been special to me for a number of reasons. I love the message and loved reading the book and seeing the movie. I have always loved the lyrics and the melody. Lastly, it was the first song I learned on the piano.  In 1976, I rode a motorcycle from Seattle to San Francisco. Each night, I camped on the coast. Before losing the light, I would practice this song on a melodica, a flute-like instrument with a short piano keyboard. My mom inspired me to try this instrument as she used to play one on our sailboat.  After I returned to Alaska, I took piano lessons. I will never forget when I hit my first chord to match the first note of this song. I fell in love with that harmony! The pictures are from a recent day I spent with my friend Rohan in the Shinjuku area.  Thank you to Rohan for your guiding! The Godzilla figure is perched up high on a building. The other two photos were taken at a very photoge...
Read more

A New Job!

Image
Hello again! I hope you enjoy my recording of the classic, "Leaving on A Jet Plane." That song has always had special meaning to me as it was the first song I learned on the guitar. I only wish I could match the wonderful recordings by John Denver and Peter, Paul, and Mary! These photos are from Jindai Botanical Garden, such a gorgeous place!  As I think I may have mentioned, my current job at the American School is over at the end of this year. While I could stay and work as a substitute teacher, my preference is to have a regular position, so I get the joy of working with the same students on a consistent basis.  There is a wonderful web site that lists most of the top international schools in the Tokyo area: https://www.international-schools-database.com/in/tokyo Call it luck or call it persistence, I recently hit the jackpot when I discovered an amazing gem, The Tokyo International Progressive School, or TIPS, https://www.tokyoips.com/ This is from their main page: TIPS i...
Read more

Birds, Birds, and More Birds!

Image
I just made this new recording of Moon River on my Yamaha P 515. I hope you enjoy it! For the last three years or so, I have been using the Canon R5 mirror-less camera with the 800 lens. While that has been a wonderful combination, it has not been ideal for small bird photography. With that in mind, I was fortunate to be able to purchase the Canon 100-500 RF lens. I had previously purchased the 2X RF extender. That extender doubles the longest focal distance from 500 to 1000.   I put this combination to the test last week. I first went to a small park that is a two minute walk from our house. That is where I photographed the small yellow birds that are appropriately called the Japanese White Eye.    I then went to the Tama Cemetery, which is also where I was able to photograph the other birds. That location is also very close to our house.   The other change I made was to follow the advice of an experienced bird photographer. I set up two "pre-sets,"  one of whi...
Read more