Back to inaka

During my few days off, I went to check out Karuizawa in Nagano. Getting there wasn't too bad as it only took about 2.5 hours by car. It was great to get out of the big city for a bit and not worry about work. Unfortunately, I was battling a stomach virus during the whole trip and was on medication so I couldn't take advantage of eating all the local dishes I wanted to, but I did manage to sample a few tasty dishes. Also the weather was very cooperative, so I was able to take my time in enjoying the outdoors and breathe the crisp fresh air. The worst thing about taking days off from work is realizing on the final day of my vacation that I have to go back to work. I'm hoping that I'll be able to take some more days off later this summer.

First half of May snapshots

I have been pretty busy recently. Below are some random snap shots of what I experienced the past couple of weeks.





Who ever said Tokyo doesn't have any green, did not know what they were talking about. Here was our spot near Tama River before we set up for a crazy BBQ.




May is one of the best months, weather wise in Japan. Lots of clear skies which also provides some nice sunsets.




Friend from back home in the states was in town and which meant an all nighter in the city.




As summer kicks in (What happened to spring??) so do the summer festivals. I love getting food from the street vendors and enjoying fireworks. One big thing about the summer that I absolutely cannot stand is the crazy humidity and the high electric bills I receive from abusing my air conditioners.

I didn't have golden week off from work, but I'll be taking a few days this coming week to make up for it. No concrete plans, but hopefully I'll be able to do something fun and relaxing.

Mother's day...

Wow.. its been been 5 years to this day since I last saw my mom alive. With Mother's day approaching this Sunday, I want to thank my mom for everything. Time... life goes by way to fast.