Ueno on Wednesday

On Wednesday, we decided to head back to Ueno to check out the museums there. It was the day when they opened back up after the holidays, and the main building, the National Museum of Tokyo had free admission. They also had groups performing outside. When we arrived, there was a group of flute players, Taiko drummers and koto players. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Koto_(musical_instrument)
That was a lovely surprise. We caught the end of their music. After touring through the museum for about an hour, we met together, (ready for lunch) exited the building, and found this group of actors performing on the steps out front. The story line is a little sketchy, but there was a boy fishing, some dragons who went around nibbling on the tops of people's heads, and this venerable, smiling person who seemed to be using his fan to sprinkle good fortune upon the gathered audience. There was no speaking, just movement and traditional Japanese music as accompaniment. Another lucky accident.

Me, and TWO MILLION of my close personal friends...

Happy Japanese New Year!The view up ahead near the beginning.
Getting closer!

New Year's Day in Japan. The girls and I decided to visit Asakusa Shrine TODAY OF ALL DAYS. It seemed like every other citizen of Tokyo was there too. When we came up out of the subway, we saw the end of a great line forming in the streets. We jumped into the line and thought, why not? Let's give it 20 minutes. One hour and 45 minutes later, we had shuffled our way up the street, around the corner and down the grand walk way towards the main building. We were in a sea of Japanese heads, moving, flowing, being pulled on and on, starting and stopping along with thousands and thousands of others. Along the way, there were shops selling charms, fans, new year's thingies, food, yukatas, Japanese novelty wigs (I gotta get one!), purses, coats, snacks, sweets, stuffed animals...it was never boring. We'd duck into a store briefly, and then merge back into the shuffling crowd. About 3/4 of the way there, they started piping soothing traditional music over the throng. It was definitely a memorable cultural experience. Once we were at the steps, the police with their many bull-horns directed us in smaller groups up the stairs, into the open room where people were literally THROWING their yen over each other's heads into the collection boxes. I am sure many little old ladies got hit in the head with 100 yen coins today. We exited left, and wandered on our way, glad for the chance to walk a little more briskly. I found a couple of gifts in a shop that sells china and glass ware of all kinds, Betty found a spoon today, and Sandra got some hashi (chopsticks). It was a very cool Japanese New Year kind of day.



We are back home now, cleaning up from supper.



Here's a conversation I just heard between Claire and Betty, started by me:



Alice: (ever the gracious hostess) Please let me know when you need clean towels.



Claire: My towel's always wet.



Alice: It's very damp here. Remember, you are on an island in the Pacific.



Betty: If you hung your towel up on the rack, it would dry.



Claire: I DO.



Betty: There are only 2 towels on the rack, mine and Sandra's.



Claire: I'm using the green one.



Betty: But that's MY towel! I wondered why my towel was always wet!!!



(This conversation was followed by very un-Japanese-like open-mouthed belly laughter)

New Year's Eve

It's 2008. Already here. I spent the midnight hour in bed, snoring. Actually we all did, although Betty and Sandra went out to Yoyogi Park and the Meiji Shrine at about 9:00 to see what all the fuss was about. There was a performer getting ready in the amphitheatre, and lots of people at the shrine. They commented on the number of policemen and boy scouts. There were plenty of young folks in crazy furry hats, wild clothes and kimonos. Large video screens, paper lanterns, food vendors and bells ringing. A carnival atmosphere.



We were talking about watching THE BALL drop at 2:00 in the afternoon here today, (on CNN?) but I doubt we'll be at home. It wouldn't be the same, really.



Earlier in the evening, we had a very nice eclectic combination of foods for supper- some left-overs, some we bought before we came home; dumplings, rice in tofu bags, ma po tofu, bread and cheese, a big green salad, sliced roast beef. We finished off with Costco cheesecake for dessert. We had had some the night before, and it was OK, but it definitely needed something. So Sandra, Claire and I decided to make a chocolate sauce. I remembered that chocolate sauce had chocolate, cream, a drop of rum, (how hard could it be?) and so Claire started melting the chocolate. We were blogging, talking and weren't paying attention well, and as soon as we added the cream to the chocolate (those of you who know how to cook are already laughing) it turned into a stiff blob. Maybe some bourbon would thin it out? Well, actually...no. The harder we worked it, the lumpier it got, with the liquid separating out. Sandra, ever the comedian, decided to form little elongated blobs of it. Instantly realizing a photo opportunity, she took various pictures of her questionable creations. Robin wandered into the kitchen to see what all our cackling was about, and seeing the chocolate blobs, added a little hand-painted cat to the display. Big-time hilarity ensued.

I consulted my recently purchased Joy of Cooking, and we decided to try again, THIS TIME with a recipe. Success! We enjoyed Costco cheesecake with yummy, smooth chocolate drizzles after dinner.



The moral of the story: Often a mistake is an opportunity.

Chocolate sauce? What a great idea!


Uh Oh....Not even bourbon can save us now.



Eww!




Another kitchen disaster brought to you by Alice.




"Look what I made!"





No caption necessary.

Ummmm........

The final product! Whew!

The Giant Buddha at Kamakura

Today was Monday. We got out early- 9:45 which is astounding, since Nathan slept in to 11:30 yesterday morning. We headed off to Kamakura- on the wrong train-so then we had to get off the train and REALLY head off to Kamakura. (A typical "Wayman start!") This is a sea-side town that is famous for being one of many capitols of old Japan. It was the one before Kyoto. It is also famous for housing the second largest Buddha statue in Japan. Wow! Very impressive.

hayhayhay...It's everyone's favorite Matthew Robert Ploss, comin atcha outta Tokyo. My mother is busy butchering a chocolate sauce recipe, so I'm commandeering her blog. I'll sum up this entry with a succinctness of words she seems to lack. Big Buddha...Cold...Windy...Feet hurt. There...now onto the stuff that you're all dying to hear about...details on my life.

My break's been pretty good so far... Just the right mix of going out and staying in. It was nice seeing Chris again, though it went by all to quickly. My excitement has far from passed, however, as the news of the possiblility of another Chris-visit with a Sarah and Lap cherry on top this spring has peaked my anticipation to a nearly unprecedented high. The one precedent would of course be the now solidified plans of having my two best friends over in February. Needless to say, I really can't wait to see Trevor and Art. Oh dear, I'm rambling...I better cut to the chase. Happy New Year, Merry Christmas, Happy Hannukah, Merry Kwanza, and enjoy the pictures of me posted below.

Big Buddha Day

This was after our first "false start" on the way to Kamakura. It was bloody freezin' today.




Our first stop: A Zen Buddhist Temple and surrounding monastery. Gorgeous and serene. And cold.



This place will be amazing in the spring when the cherry blossoms come out.
And it will be warmer.

Haiku:
Nathan, patient, calm
cold wind, warm sun, blustering
dreams of tasty lunch