feverish

 Our son sleeps in our bed with a bit of a fever...

Meanwhile, our daughter stirs as she gradually awakes from her long nap.

Métis dance

I attended a luncheon where there was some dancing performed by kids from the local Métis community...

care package

The box of goodies I sent from Nagoya, including snacks and toys for the kids as well as a variety of furikake and other trinkets arrived quite a bit faster than I had expected... in just over a week.

Among them is a recent book of illustrated diary entries by 94 year old Masazo Takenami, who has diligently kept a continuous "enikki (picture diary)" for over 56 years. (This TV show segment talks about him getting published.)

I am deeply and profoundly humbled...

YVR on the way home

Exhausted, waiting for the plane in Vancouver for the final leg of my journey home...

Hoshigaoka, Nagoya

A view from Hoshigaoka Terrace, a stylish urban commercial development in suburban Nagoya, looking towards a winding side street that leads up a hill.

Rokkoyo Coffee Shop, take 3

My favourite coffee shop yet again...

(older views here and here.)

Meito-ku streetscapes

Three streetscapes in Meito Ward, Nagoya...

1. A typical street in Tsutsujigaoka, near an older suburban,  predominantly residential area.

2. Atop what used to be a wooded hill (but is now a residential neighbourhood) in Bunkyodai. Inokoshi Baptist Church, where I worshipped during my stay in Nagoya, looks out north towards Moriyama Ward.

3. A denser streetscape by the Fujigaoka subway station, on my way to an onsen in the neighbouring city of Nagakute.

eateries, part 2

One of the eateries I`ve found close by the apartment is a place called "Machikado-ya", which serves Japanese "Teishoku" meals at a very reasonable price. Although the clientele remains the same (i.e. working class men who come alone for a quick meal), this chain has a much cleaner and contemporary feel than the typical family run, hole-in-the-wall teishoku establishment. The location I visited (twice) features a series of tables located at the centre of the space, incorporating some subtle design considerations that address this particular customer base...

eateries... part 1

 A late lunch at a small noodle place, run by a family from Taiwan...the food was good, cheap, and came quickly.

packing boxes

A pile of boxes full of stuff, stuff, and more stuff in a room at the apartment...

Narita Express

Travelling on the Narita Express from the airport to connect to another train... it`s too bad I was travelling at night as there was practically no view outside, but the train was empty and allowed for a moment of self reflection.

siblings

A rare opportunity to get both kids into the same sketch as they nap together on a Saturday afternoon...