Trip to Lexington

I had a trip to Lexington Kentucky in the U.S. for 9 days. I had this opportunity as a member of a delegation from shin-hidaka town where I live. Shin-hidaka and Lexington had a sister-city relationship for more than 20 years because both are known for "horse city(town)". We, ten members in total, had a home stay for several days, and staffs from city government took us to various places around there. We had very dence and meaningful days due to their great hospitality. After that we dropped by L.A. for two days seeing Universal Studio and the like, and then got back our daily lives here in Japan yesterday. It was really fantastic experience for me! The picture is where I went called Waffle house. It was what is called authentic restaurant I had dreamed of visiting for a long time because that kind of place were often featured on American movies I watched.

Tsuruga in Akan with coworkers

My wife and I went to Tsuruga, splendid Japanese style hotel and hot-springs, by Lake Akan, east part of Hokkaido, with coworkers. The total number of people who went there is ten, including a new born baby of my coworker! We took bathes, ate and drank until midnight. I had a lot of fun and charged a lot of energy. Tsuruga has a variety of hot springs in the highest and lowest floor of the building. Moreover, it is famous for dishes offered in smorgasbord style. We enjoyed both! Anyway, Tsuruga is highly recommended!

Trip to Nigata and Tokyo 2009

　My wife and I went to Nigata prefecture, my father's homeland for 7th anniversary of my grandfather's death. Though I often went there, for my wife, it was her first visit there. The trip was meaningful for me to introduce her to many relatives. After that my parents and we went to Tokyo, to enjoy dinner and see around Ginza. When I was more young, I prefer to walk around Tokyo actively, but now I prefer to stay in a hotel or enjoy tea or coffee in a cafe seeing a variety of people on streets.
Top pic is a Japanese style garden in Shinagawa, middle one is when waiting Shinkansen arriving in platform, and the below is Zen-shu shrine in Nigata named "Jiko-Ji"

ＧＷin帯広

　ＧＷは帯広に帰省しました。久しぶりにゆっくりできました。
帯広から少し足を伸ばして松山千春のふるさと足寄町にも行って
来ました。
　湖は足寄湖。桜は十勝支庁の隣の並木道です。

伊達ドライブ

　高速道路１０００円キャンペーンに乗して、この間の週末、
時間ができのたで、伊達までドライブをしてきた。
　Boccaというペペサーレをアレンジしたようなお店（同じ
会社が経営しているみたい）に入店してパスタを食べてきた。
伊達は仙台の伊達家がつくった街ということで、当時の
迎賓館（写真下）もあった。また、貝塚が発見され当時縄文人
が住んでいた場所としても知られる。写真上は貝塚の写真。
初めて貝塚に足を踏み入れたが、まるで最近貝を食べてそこ
に捨てたかのように見えるほど、貝が真新しく見えた。聞けば
貝はカルシウムなので、お互いに腐らない成分を出しあって、
数千年前のものであっても同じような状態を保っていられる
のだとか‥。悠久の時空に思いをはせて、なんだか
不思議な気持ちになったドライブとなった。