Day 43, 12 Feb 2017: Another day, more research...

Day 43: ...even on a Sunday

In my quest to learn more about surfing and the Tokyo Olympics, today I decided to head southish, to Kanagawa Prefecture, about 90mins or so by train from home base. The target was Shonan and Enoshima. I've been here before, in my earlier incarnation and in fact, back in the day, if Tokyoites thought 'surf', Shonan was generally the first place to come to mind. 

I also wondered why it hadn't been selected as the Olympic venue since it is closer to Tokyo, the area is hosting the yachting competition and the infrastructure is much better prepared for an influx of sporting tourists. ... It also has the bonus backdrop of Mt Fuji. ... It is a puzzle.

So off I went, saw much, ate a bit and came away with a good range of comparative material for the Chiba region and the research presentation next month. 

Mt Fuji, on arrival

You can't take too many pics

Skiffs at the yacht club

Bay view 1

Bay view 2

Bay view 3

Perched

Racing

Hawk, boat

Sparkling on the water

Rock pool area

Wading

Breaking

More racing

Hawk watch 

Under the blocks

Shonan Bay lighthouse

Safety ring

Island in the sea

Rounding the buoy

Perched

Paddling to the Mt

Mt Fuji as your surfing backdrop

Swell

Crowd

The Kannon at Ofuna

The moon bringing me home

Plus, it was a nice day out, even if the wind chill factor sat around zero degrees all day. Yes, that is real snow you see there on the Mountain. 

[Camera : Canon 60D, 24mm-105mm, 70mm-300mm, Lumix TZ-85, 1.32pm-5.34pm, 7.39pm; 12 February 2017]

Day 42, 11 Feb 2017: Foundation Day public holiday...

Day 42: ...but people had other things on their minds

It was a public holiday today (yes, another one). Japan's 'Foundation Day', when the country was established, according to legend. Or something. 

I had some errands to run downtown today and it looked like people were focussed on other legends. Valentine's Day is a huge commercial venture in Japan. Huge. And it is not women's favour. For many years, there has been this custom of 'giri chocolate', chocolates which women are obliged to give men...whether they like them or not. Mostly co-workers and the like. Everywhere you look, there are chocolates more than usual. 

Payback comes on 'White Day', a month later when men ought to return the favour, but are not obliged to do so.

As I walked through Ikebukuro this afternoon on my errands, I came across the last few verses of an operatic performance...

Going for atmosphere

Standing under the mistletoe roses

A little serenade

Roses are...pink?

Take a seat, anywhere

Underwhelmed

...along with all the trimmings. Not quite sure what sort of mood it is supposed to put you in but at least it was an effort to go beyond the usual chocolate of obligation. Perhaps the actual day will be more exciting. Don't ask me, I'll be at work, not giving out chocolate.

[Camera : Lumix TZ-85, 4.14pm-4.17pm; 11 February 2017] 

Day 41, 10 Feb 2017: Secret bird business...

Day 41: ...or so it seemed

And more snow! I'm not sure what gets an expat Queenslander more excited: the glorious colours of autumn, or snow--falling from the sky, landing and settling on the ground and surrounds. 

I think I'm more excited by the snow. As long as I'm inside looking out, rather than trying to navigate through it. 

But another rare sight this morning that almost reminded me of home, but without the colour: 

Birds. Lots of them in the tree on the way to work. 

You could hear them from a distance

Lots of them...

Chatting away

And then the rest of the day was taken up with low-lying clouds which, as it turned out, turned into snow, for little moments throughout the day. Bit cold. 

Then the clouds...

Darkening

Low-level

Low-flying

Then snow 8trust me, I was there...)

Really, it was

Precipitation over the port

There aren't many people in the corridors at the moment, what with classes finished and grades submitted...perfect time for the research projects to proceed apace. Until we too all flock together at our respective conferences soon to talk all about all the things we need to talk about. 

I'll probably mention the snow.

[Camera : Lumix TZ-85, 12.23pm-12.24pm, 1.43pm-2.00pm, 3.14pm, 4.05pm; 10 February 2017]

Day 40, 9 Feb 2017: First day of 'freedom'...

Day 40: ...was all rather bleak

We've enjoyed very pleasant weather these last few weeks. Cold, but sunny. Blue skies. Lovely. It's been very hard sitting inside marking and grading while outside has looked so nice. 

Today, however, first day of freedom from the chains of grades...and it snowed. It rained. The temperature failed to get above five degrees. 

Snow *looks* nice. But commuting on trains, buses and walks between stations makes it, well, less than pleasant. And it is cold, a cold you really feel. 

There's a port out there...

Not even the wheel could offer its usual colour

Ships barely registered

The lights came on

The Bridge in the mists of time

It is not what a Queenslander is terribly used to but it won't be for much longer. I hope. It is February after all, surely we can see spring coming. 

Surely. 

[Camera: Lumix TZ-85, 2.08pm-2.09pm, 3.40pm, 4.24pm-4.25pm; 9 February 2017]

Day 39, 8 Feb 2017: Through the fog...

Day 39: ...onto the horizon

If there is one thing about the job (by which I mean academia in general), I don't particularly like it would be the marking and grading. It is time consuming, has some highs but a lot of lows, takes a lot of time for little reward...and, it is hard. 

It is hard sometimes to determine the difference between A & B, D & E. Students who do well during the semester fall over the line at the last minute; others who struggle all year, get it together at the end. 

It can be stark. It can be subtle. Today was a day of juggling final grade submissions with student interviews for overseas placement, with ongoing arrangements for a symposium next week, for a final meeting at the end of the day for confirmation of the aforementioned placements. 

Then it was back to the office for the evening to finish up. 

At least now it is finished and now there are two papers to prepare, commentaries to complete, submissions to make, conferences to plan...

A sparkly yet darkly day to start 

Ripples and wake

Subtle clouds 1

Subtle clouds 2 (with plane)

Starker clouds towards the end of the day

Today, if I looked closely enough, the horizon was out there, beyond the clouds. Subtle. It was a day of subtle differences. 

But it is done. 

[Camera : Lumix TZ-85, 9.30am, 12.17pm-12.27pm, 4.02pm; 8 February 2017]

Day 38, 7 Feb 2017: Fair warning...

Day 38: ...blooms loom

The red plum blossoms near the bus stop had some competition today: pink plum blossoms. Now at first blush, pink blossoms can be mistaken for the famous cherry blossoms but it is too early for them, even in these unseasonably affected temperatures.  

So naturally, I had to make my way over to take a pic or three. And look, dear reader, it is just a little advance warning that lots of blooms are on the way for these pages over the next few months. Spring is really quite remarkable here, as much as I love all the flowers at home, there is something about watching each type of flower take its turn on the stage here. 

It means there is rarely a boring day, photographically-speaking. 

Pink blooms

Close up

And closer...they're definitely plums

Red continues

Meanwhile, the dust settles

And there were a few unusual sights on the port today...as I powered through the remaining bits and pieces of marking. 


Marking feels a bit like this...hauling a load...

Marking before

When you're aiming for this...

Marking after

...a clear deck. 


We're almost there. Bring on spring.

[Camera : Lumix TZ-85, 10.00am-1.04am; 1.54pm-1.55pm; 7 February 2017]