I got it!!

I got it!!
Originally uploaded by shoko.

Fortunately, or say, at last, I got graduation diploma, I'm now officially bachelor of commerce and management! To my surprise, there were many who took more than 4 years to get out of college, of course including me, haha. As a custom, most girls tend to wear kimono, more precisely, it is called Hakama which kimono on top with ceremonial japanese skirt, especially when they finish their final education. It's getting more fashionable reason (cuz otherwise we have only few chance to put kimono on in these days) than ritualistic meaning. Anyhow, it is also time to good-bye, to friends, and the school. Well, the only thing now I can say is, I made a right choice, to be a member of great team in many ways.

cherry blossoms

cherry blossoms
Originally uploaded by shoko.

Spring comes near along. Still feeling cold in Tokyo, (even snow fell last week!!), I found the promise of spring around the corner. I just went to Atami, one of famous hot spring resort, enjoying a relaxing soak in almost all day, so long as my body went wrinkly from head to toe. (^^; Atami is located alongside the sea, and it's usually warmer than inland where I live, that is why I saw numbers of blooming cherries in early March.
Flowers of cherry blossom tend to evoke the deeper impressions in many Japanese' mind than its appearance itself. It has long been used as typical figure of speech, the image of flower is used symbol of many schools, and the beauty of full bloomed trees is described both as fantastic and apparitional. People find much more meanings in this tree.
Of course, this is a symbol of spring, symbol of new start. (as for fiscal, academic, business year starts in April in Japan) My life is stepping into new phase from this spring, too. I hope to bloom like this frowers in near future.

SKIING

SKIING
Originally uploaded by shoko.

For the first time in last 5 years, I went to ski. Actually, I've always been wanting to go skiing, wanted to leave beautiful ski tracks on sparkling white ground, but unfortunately I didn't have chance, and never be able to do that. This time, I solved financial problems, I managed my time, BUT I couldn't take any friend due to schedule mismatch.....(>_<) Despite this lonely expectation, it become wonderful day to learn basics of skiing, and got nice company in the lesson. Next week, the second trial. I really wanna be a nice skier!!!!!!

tsubomi

TSUBOMI
Originally uploaded by shoko.

Even during the middle of the coldest weather in Japan, there I found a slight sign of waking up spring for seeing buds of japanese apricot. Now a days, it's high season of hay fever, I myself for long years no suffering from its sniveling symptom, finally have gotten. This year, it is said twenty times hay would be floating around the air. Mostly this disease(?) is caused by cedar pollen. I hope no more allergy would heat up blooming up together with the ume flower.

Bibimbap

Bibimbap
Originally uploaded by shoko.

With my friend, and our moms, we went to Korea for the first time where now become very popular in Japan to visit. The boom was first brought by KBS drama, and now many of middle-age people got fever of korean culture. Following that (or more unintentionally), I won a ticket of Seoul trip by chance, and fortunately(!?) we got in the wave of the popularity. Even aside that, the trip itself was really wonderful, the foods were great, elaborated Korean traditional crafts were remarkable, and of course its scenery was beyond description. There was no way to stay away from them, as a result, we ate and shopped sooooooo much....haha.

Reunion!!

night at bar
Originally uploaded by shoko.

For the first time we've got back in Japan, all six of our UCR mates could finally meet at the same time together! (sorry K, we took this after you've left. >_<) This was a wonderful night as if we got back to the days in Riverside. Of course it wasn't, the situation has changed, our life getting to be different, even though, there's something intangible shared sense which made us somewhat tied together, and be comfortble, probably which comes from the fact all of us once spent the same time at the same place, how different the meanings towards each life would be. We had lunch, a cap of tea and cake, and drank and drank and drank. (actually not that much.^^) Almost half of a day together. Sharing lots of memories fascinated us talking, yet those were too many to mention all. We finally left there late at night, promicing to keep in touch, truly I'm looking forward to seeing them again, who gives me great energy and stimulation.

Good Dream...

Good Dream...
Originally uploaded by shoko.

Most of my winter break, I was working at a building near my house with a fine view answering phonecalls. Though I had to wrestle with final project, I needed to earn some money to enjoy rest of my school life. (^^ This is Mt. Fuji from the office, probably the most symbolic scene of Japan. On that day, my area was covered fully snow which made it more beautiful.
Good news is, I finally turned in that huge paper for my graduation!! Still remains a little chore work as correcting citation, but I almost done, if my prof accepts it so KINDLY. I really hope so...

Happy New Year!

2004 was a tumultuous year for me to confront crucial decisions in my life. It was as exciting as dramatic. A thorny year of my internal growth. Therefore, I feel most grateful that I had so many lovely friends to share those days.

Wonderful memories, little difficulties, and other lots of experiences should move myself one step further on. And I believe someday I'll see you again as delightfully matured woman celebrating reunion. Thank you all for everything, and hope your happy new year from bottom of my heart!

in Louvre

in Louvre
Originally uploaded by shoko.

This was second time for me to visit the Musee d' Louvre. I'd once visited Paris almost 7 or 8 years before, but never be enough to see all of those great arts in stored in Paris.
It took 6 hours from Frankfurt to Paris by express train, via Strasburg. Unfortunately, it was a bit rainy, though still good for evening stroll to the Notre Dame, where we found a cute mistake (!), and Arc de Triomphe. Blinding Champs d'Elysees decorated by thousands of lights was crowded with people who enjoy this christmas season.

Back to the museum story, I first went to Musee d' Orsay where I longed to visit, but it was closed for its regular day off (monday ;_;), then moved up to Musee de l'Orangerie, and again, found it's under renovation till 2006. Only the great Louvre welcomed me again. But it's exciting enough cuz many works has been moved so that it took for hours to find out where my favorite works were. And, it's just tell me I should come to Paris again to see unreached arts!!

Night Market in Frankfurt

Christmas market in Frankfurt
Originally uploaded by shoko.

Bright christmas bustle was here, too. Frankfurt is a only a few hours far from Koln, and much more city-like. The Mine river lies on the south of it, and there were so many histrical cute-designed brick buildings on the streets. The interesting contrast that fascinates me was, on the one hand, there are numbers of modern designed interior goods shops which stimulates our sense of contemporary arts, while, the city itself seems basically stand upon traditional "european (it may only be products of my imagination^^;)" taste. Here again, (as you can imagine what comes next easily,) we enjoyed drinking & eating at those markets, especially I found I love german sweets as "chocolate dipped fruits-on-a-stick", "chocolate coated whipped cream" (<-this has various flavors), and "sugar roasted nuts". Needless to say, of course we've got impressed by the sights in Frankfurt like wonderful dom and Goethe stuff!

Christmas at Dom

Christmas at Koln Dom
Originally uploaded by shoko.

Winter coldness and Christmas seemed just came down following us getting into Germany. Our first destination was Koln where famous for one of the world greatest Gothic Dom has long been stood with solemn air. Although, the first impression was a bit different from what I've expected (^^ (its appearance was darker than I thought... ), the soaring spires (as high as 156m!) were literally awesome, and you can see incredibly exquisite engravings of thousands of Saints as you get nearer the architecture. Inside the dom, you'll see brilliantly elaborated stained-glass windows each of which describe a part of story of the Bible. We couldn't stop staying there for a while because of somewhat supecial sense which work on depth of our feelings. The space made my mind clear and calm.

Christmas market has just started besides the dom. So many christmas-goods shops and snack stands out there, people were enjoying drinking beer or "grue wine", hot wine contains various spices, eating "champignon", mushroom sauteed with garlic oil (or cream sauce), and of course, lots of sausages!

Pralines

Pralines
Originally uploaded by shoko.

Leaving london where we had a fantastic reunion with Helen, we headed up to Brussels by Euroster. Look at this!!! As is said, brussels was a city of sweets. There are so many old-established confectioneries where you can see all of these pretty-wrapped, superbly-made, lovely-shaped candies in shop windows on the wayside. Not only chocolate, but also marzipan we found formed as various kinds of animals. It was amazing technique, almost art. (of course, we bought some!)
As for foods, I tasted traditional belgium waffle at the cafe we took lunch. The truth was, a waffle in belgium restaurant is same as a waffle in other countries'. (^^ so, if you really want to find so-called "Belgium waffle" which contains lots of butters and lump of suger, you should get them at snack stand on the street, or coffee shop, though, I bet its worth while trying!

Here is also famous for original Manikin Piss. yeah, it's cute, I just wonder who brought this to the world...

Tower Bridge

London Bridge
Originally uploaded by shoko.

It was wonderful time to take this picture when we get there after looking the tower of london. We took the tour of "Beefeaters" (nickname of Yeoman Warders) at the tower, sometimes had taken away our precious Helen by him, but enjoyed the story of interesting transition of its history. It was used as prison, execution ground, armory, and strage of loyal treasure. We got in the royal treasure exhibition (it was literally brilliant!!), and found some of them were off the case due to "in use". yeah, we knew it, they must be used for the parade we saw in the morning. (^^ One thing I regret that I should have reviewed my history textbook on highschool so that I could get the deeper value of those sights.
We walked down alongside the Thames to get to downtown, then had a nice dinner at british pub!

Royal Coach

Royal Coach
Originally uploaded by shoko.

What a lucky thing was we came across the parade of Royal family since it was the day of Queen's Parliament speech. In UK, the Queen goes up to the parliament (the building of Big Ben!) to officially proclaim main agenda of current session. Fortunately, that was the day of it, and we just walked arong the palace when royal guardsmen, royal marines, and other soldiers started marching toward the Westminster with the music of brass band! It was as if wandering into mediaeval world to look at royal uniformed men on hourseback passing back and forth, bewigged judges, and royal families on the state coach. After a half hour waiting, finally we saw the Queen on the coach crassily smiling and waving her hands for people on the street. Despite they passed on the farer side of the street from where we're waiting for, it was a great event inspiring me enough!

Big bus in London

Big bus in London
Originally uploaded by Taka-sho.

London is the cutest city I've ever seen. Every single shot could be a nice scene of modern film taking daily lifestile of people. The design of underground (subway) map, pinky umbrellas, and this bus. Look at the red two-stories high, heavily swaying bus! (in fact, I was afraid when I took it for the first time if the bus would fell down when it run so fast as it's leaning in,,,) I liked the idea of bi-level that you can see the town as if you're sightseeing even if you live there. There're other types of bus which two truck are connected together by accordion space. It's so thrilling especially when the driver drives agressively. I bet you'll well understand the physics of gravities and centrifugal force. (^^

Anyhow, there are so many buses in central london, as Helen said "everyone's taking bus cuz it's much cheaper than underground." Fortunately, we had several chances to take it, and I really enjoyed the journey on it!

welcome

I start keeping travel journal. sometimes it is about sightseeing trips around the world, sometimes it's of feelings and thoughts during the long journey of my life. Plz don't expect so much (^^ I'm lazy enough to update it well occasionally.