Skating In Places We Never Thought We Would

Well, once again we found ourselves in a strange and unforgettable situation.  I'm glad this blog is here so I won't forget it.  

We went skating Japanese style, complete with silly molded skate rentals and a curry ramen noodle snack bar.  Mandy managed to rent some beat up old hockey skates to cruise around in.  I begged to be pushed around in a chair thing, but nobody would push it.  Just jokes, i didn't beg...

Some of Mandy's kind adult students offered to take us in a van to a skating rink right beside the sea.  
It was hilarious, fresh, and the view was beautiful.  Little green mountains and the sea with islands.
This is Hiroko, who required a little assistance to get going on her skates.  We rescued her from an afternoon of clinging to the railing.  After a while, she was doing well on her own.  
Left to right: Masaki, Hiroko, Mandy, Aya, Orie (who manages one of our schools), and Fukashi.  All very lovely people.  
I was standing on skates in the rink when i took this picture of the ocean.  The mystery for me was how the rink ice ever formed in the first place.  it was well above zero.  
Top to bottom:  Mandy's skates and my skates.  mine had toe picks and the spiky heel blade.  I stumbled and nearly fell a few times, RIGHT ON MY HEAD.

I'm glad, especially for Mandy, that we were able to have this little adventure.  I know she misses hockey sometimes.  Our hosts were very impressed with her smooth agility on the skates.  and so fast!  Hayai de su yo!

Meeting with a Famous Artist

We've been having very beautiful, warm, unseasonable weather lately, so we've been enjoying the fresh air wafting into the apartment.  Kelly's been visiting and we've had a lot of fun with her; on friday night, we had some people over for snacks, and we ended up playing card games until the wee hours of the morning.  i haven't played cards in ages.  

Mr. Adachi really wants Kelly to work for ACC, near us, in Nagoya.  last night he took us out for food to talk shop, and now we're all eagerly awaiting her decision...

Yesterday, our friends picked all three of us up at our apartment, and took us out for a day of fun and some amazing encounters.  first, we went to Nishio, to the home of a world-famous bamboo artist, to view a private exhibition.  How many tourists get to do such things?  we are very blessed to have had this opportunity.  his name is Torii Ippou (pronounced Ippo), and if you get a book about modern bamboo masters, he's likely to be in there.  he spoke only Japanese, but one of his grandchildren lives in California, and she did some translation for us.  

Here is a bit of his work.  he is famous for these amazing, swirling pieces that look like decorous roller-coaster tracks and ocean waves.  i can't think why i never got a better photo of them.  you can see some amazing examples of his work here:

http://www.textilearts.com/bamboo/toriiippo.html
Here are his granddaughters.  the one in black is the translator.  the other two were silent, but seemed pleased to meet some strange foreigners.  i got the camera out and, with only the slightest gesture to them, they instantly made this pose.  it happened in about 1 second!  they must be well-photographed. 
Here is the whole gang.  the three foreigners got to sit with Mr. Ippou, and behind, from the right, are Mr. Ippou's daughter (who works with our friend-hence the connection), then our three friends, Michiko, Hiro, and Yukari, and the four grandchildren.  we had tea and goodies.
here's a shot of us in the sun, near a garden we visited after we left the artist's house.  it was a beautiful day, as you can tell by Mandy's lack of jacket and her obvious enjoyment of the sun.

then we went for curry, which was very tasty, and then to a ceramics mall!  we bought a few little tiny items, but nothing big.  it was nice to see the local fare.  mostly, the region is famous for those little teapots that have a sieve inside... you know the ones i mean?

Nagano!

This is Mandy, my darling wife, standing beside one of the gondolas at Nozawa Onsen ski resort, where some of the 1998 olympic events took place.  this place was amazing!  we had fresh powder to shred all day.  
i had never been on a gondola before, at least i can't remember having been, and we crowded on with six other people, to the top.  it seems that Japanese people don't like powder and fresh snow, because they stick to the groomed runs where everybody else is.  
on a lift.  Mandy and i rented goggles.  our friend Kelly came to meet us there!  she lives in Yamagata, up north.  
Just over the edge of that flat, by the trees, is a whole valley of fresh powder we tipped into.  it was super fun.
this is just one of the local hot spring bath houses.  most of them are free!  we went to this one, and found that the water was nearly boiling.  but it took our aches and pains away.  

now, Kelly is visiting us at our apartment for about a week.  our boss, Mr. Adachi, is trying to woo her to work for him in this area.  it would be pretty fun to have a friend nearby.  

it was great to breathe crisp cold air again, and to be in snow.  i never knew i could miss snow.