...and a Hitchcock moment ... (54/365, 23 Feb 2022)
Today was a mid-week public holiday, the Emperor's Birthday. And uni was actually closed too. (During the semesters, we tend to prioritise the timetable which means a lots of public holidays are actually work days though we do get them in lieu at different times of the year.)
I had three options: stay in and write up some articles I have in the pipeline, just do nothing (i.e. slouch on the couch and read), and option three, take a day trip to the beach. Option three won out. It was a trip to Kamakura in the end, but instead of my usual tracks to the beach, turn left and head to the surf club, I turned right at the beach, long walk along same and then up the beach and onto the Kamakura Daibutsu. I guess the visits to our local Tokyo Daibutsu had got me thinking about Kamakura. Funnily enough, this time around, despite all the times I've been to Kamakura, I hadn't been to the Daibutsu. In fact, I was thinking, it might be close to ten years or more since I've been there, when some friends were visiting Tokyo and their trip coincided with my research trip. Anyway, with the underlying theme of the fear of missing out, off I went.
First stop at Kamakura is to the natural donut shop. Best donuts. I bought one, with the view to enjoying it on the beach at the end of the twenty minute walk. Honey and ginger...mmm. Got to the beach, sat down, and 'swoop', skinned on my ear and snatched from my hand by one of the local hawk-like birds, the tobi. That's never happened before. Rather disappointed, I must say. And there I was thinking I was being good by buying just one. Next time, one for me, one for the birds...
Oh well, on to the beach. Lucky I didn't bring my board, the waves were flat as, although the long-boarders were getting something out of it. A few paddle boarders too. As always, lots of interesting shells and bits and pieces to look at too. I was particularly pleased to find a couple of the delicate 'sakura' shells (there is a fellow down this way who collects them and makes amazing sculpture pieces), along with a couple of pieces of ceramic bits...which could have any story to them. A group in Miyagi, at Ishinomaki, take broken pieces of ceramics, salvaged from the tsunami, and make them into jewelry and objects.
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| Tobi with donut (possibly this one, or its cousin) |
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| The Kamakura Headland, kind of like Moffat Headland at home, kind of. |
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| One of the delicate sakura shells in situ |
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| Favourite surf shot today |
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| The shapes and textures in the sand, on the tideline |
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| Paddle boarder |
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| Always remember and respect it is a fishing village first... |
I could stay on the beach all day, even when it is only 6 deg C. But today's objective was the Daibutsu. So back up the beach and on to Hase, and up the road to the temple.
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| The classic pose |
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| Might be my fave shot today |
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| The short poem attributed to Yosano |
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| Work/research never far away, local member of the Rokken Dems, Waseda Yuki |
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| Blossoms! |
It is probably a good opportunity to try and see all the tourist attractions while the tourists aren't here. It wasn't too crowded today which was nice and one of my favourite parts of the Daibutsu is actually walking around the garden around the back. There is a poem by early feminist Yosano Akiko as well. And a small refreshment stall serving up some much appreciated warm amazake.
After a walk around and a few pics, it was back to the station and back home. Quite a pleasant day trip. I'll do the writing tonight. Or tomorrow.
Travelled today with Canon EOS M5, 18-150mm all-rounder, and happened to walk almost 16,000 steps!
